Effect of perioperative ketorolac on postoperative bleeding after pediatric tonsillectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Ketorolac is a frequently used anesthetic pain agent which is traditionally avoided during tonsillectomy due to concern for postoperative hemorrhage. Our goal was to assess the degree of risk associated with the use of Ketorolac following pediatric tonsillectomy. METHODS: The TriNetX electronic health records research database was queried in January 2024 for patients undergoing tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy under the age of 18 years and without a diagnosed bleeding disorder. Patients were separated into two cohorts either having received or not having received ketorolac the same day as surgery. Propensity score matching was performed for age at the time of surgery, sex, race, ethnicity, and preoperative diagnoses. The outcomes assessed were postoperative hemorrhage requiring operative control within the first day (primary hemorrhage) and within the first month after surgery (secondary hemorrhage). RESULTS: 17,434 patients were identified who had undergone pediatric tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy and had received ketorolac the same day as surgery. 290,373 patients were identified who had undergone pediatric tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy and had not received ketorolac the same day as surgery. 1:1 propensity score matching resulted in 17,434 patients within each cohort. Receipt of ketorolac the same day as surgery resulted in an increased risk of primary hemorrhage OR 2.158 (95 % CI 1.354, 3.437) and secondary hemorrhage OR 1.374 (95 % CI 1.057, 1.787) requiring operative control. CONCLUSION: Ketorolac use during pediatric tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy was associated with an increased risk of postoperative primary and secondary bleeding requiring surgery.

Findings on drug-induced sleep endoscopy in infants with laryngomalacia.

INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in infants with laryngomalacia (LM). Previous studies have reported high rates of persistent OSA following supraglottoplasty (SGP). The objective of this study is to describe the findings on drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) in infants with LM. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed including infants (12.5 months of age or less) with LM who underwent DISE along with direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy (DLB). Data collected included clinical presentation, swallow study results, sleep study results, past medical and surgical history, and postoperative outcomes when follow-up data was available. The findings on DISE as well as DLB were reviewed and described. RESULTS: Thirty-five infants were included in the study with a mean age of 0.42 years (range 0.04-1.04). Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (oSDB) and/or OSA were identified in 26 patients (74.3%) in addition to 7 patients (20%) with noisy breathing during sleep. DISE demonstrated LM in 31 patients (89%). DISE identified 12 patients (34%) with partial or complete obstruction at the level of the tongue base. DLB identified 14 patients (40%) with a secondary airway abnormality including 7 patients (20%) with type 1 laryngeal cleft and 4 patients (11%) with grade 1 subglottic stenosis. Eighteen patients (51%) underwent SGP. CONCLUSION: DISE at the time of airway endoscopy for infants with LM can be helpful in identifying additional sites of obstruction including the tongue base. Glossoptosis may explain and/or predict the previously reported persistence of OSA following SGP. Additionally, DISE can complement awake flexible laryngoscopy in the assessment of severity of LM.

Mechanical ventilation and middle ear effusions among tracheostomy-dependent children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cumulative 24-month incidence of middle ear effusion (MEE) among tracheostomy-dependent children requiring ventilatory support. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal cohort study included all children under 2 years of age with a tracheostomy placed at a tertiary care children's hospital between 2015 and 2020 that obtained at least one tympanometry exam. The development of MEE, defined as a flat tympanogram with normal external canal volume, and mechanical ventilation requirement at examination were recorded. RESULTS: Ninety-four children with a mean age at tracheostomy of 5.4 months (SD: 3.7) were included. During a mean follow-up of 18.3 months (SD: 14.6) (median: 14.1 months, interquartile range: 6.6-27.8), 192 tympanometry examinations were obtained with 59% (114/192) while requiring mechanical ventilation. Within 24 months after tracheostomy, 56.5% (95% CI: 48.9-64.4%) of children developed at least one MEE. Among those on mechanical ventilation, 74.0% (95% CI: 65.6-82.5%) developed MEE compared to 31.2% (95% CI: 21.4-44.0%) not on mechanical ventilation (HR: 2.97, 95% CI: 1.46-6.05, P = .003). A persistent MEE on two consecutive exams was not statistically more common for children on a ventilator (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.01-6.95, P = .70). When controlling for age at exam, craniofacial syndrome, and newborn hearing test results on logistic regression, ventilator-dependence significantly predicted the presence of MEE (OR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.18-4.68, P = .02). CONCLUSION: Children with a tracheostomy were more likely to develop MEE when requiring mechanical ventilation. Clinicians should recognize this risk factor and appropriately assess for development of MEE to mitigate adverse speech and language development outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Estimations of Laryngotracheal Stenosis After Mechanical Ventilation: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To estimate the incidence of laryngotracheal stenosis among adults after intubation. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: We used the Nationwide Readmission Database to examine adult patients readmitted within 45 days after admission for mechanical ventilation. Those with a diagnosis of laryngotracheal stenosis or tracheostomy dependence on their index admission were excluded. Patient demographics, associated comorbidities, and intubation lengths were compared among those with and without a diagnosis of airway stenosis at readmission. RESULTS: An estimated 624,918 patients met inclusion with a mean age of 59 years (standard error = 0.2). There were 1,230 patients readmitted within 45 days and diagnosed with laryngeal (N = 362) or tracheal stenosis (N = 920) estimating an incidence of 1.98 per 1,000 discharges. Compared with those without a diagnosis of airway stenosis, those with stenosis were younger (57 vs. 59 years, P < .001), more often female (62% vs. 45%, P < .001) and frequently intubated for >96 hours (47% vs. 32%, P < .001). Additionally, a history of respiratory failure, pneumonia, obesity, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and chronic steroid use were also more common among patients with stenosis. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified a decreased risk of stenosis with advancing age while an increased risk was associated strongest for females (odds ratio [OR]: 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.58-2.44, P < .001) and those with chronic steroid use (OR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.80-4.02, P < .001). CONCLUSION: The incidence of laryngotracheal stenosis after intubation in adults is rare but is associated with female gender and younger age. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 132:1723-1728, 2022.

Pediatric Tracheostomy-Related Complications: A Cross-sectional Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of tracheostomy-related complications in pediatric patients from nationally representative databases. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: 2016 Kids' Inpatient Database and 2016 Nationwide Readmission Database. METHODS: All pediatric tracheostomy procedures were included. Complication type, admission outcomes, and readmission rates were recorded with a logistic regression analysis to determine patient characteristics associated with complications. RESULTS: An estimated 5309 tracheostomies were performed among pediatric patients in 2016, 8% (n = 432) of whom developed tracheostomy-related complications. This group was younger (4.7 vs 8.7 years, P < .001) and required longer hospital admissions (68.7 vs 33.2 days, P < .001) than children without tracheostomy-related complications. Mean costs ($459,324 vs $397,937, P < .001) and mean total charges ($1,573,964 vs $1,099,347, P < .001) were increased if a tracheostomy-related complication occurred. These events occurred more often in those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (24% vs 12%, P < .001), heart disease (24% vs 12%, P = .001), gastroesophageal reflux disease (31% vs 19%, P < .001), short gestational age (24% vs 14%, P < .001), and subglottic stenosis (9.9% vs 5.4%, P = .001). The estimated 30-day readmission rate was 24% (SE, 1.7%) but did not increase after tracheostomy complications (27% vs 15%, P = .04). Tracheostomy-related complications were predicted by gastroesophageal reflux disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.50; 95% CI, 1.14-1.97; P = .004), younger age (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04-1.22; P = .002), and lengthier hospitalization (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; P < .001) on multiple logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Tracheostomy-related complications occur in approximately 8% of pediatric patients and are higher in younger children or those with longer admission lengths. These data have implications for benchmarking standards of posttracheostomy complications across institutions.

Parent-Reported Outcome Questionnaire for Swallowing Dysfunction in Healthy Infants and Toddlers: Construction and Content Validation.

OBJECTIVES: There is limited epidemiological information on swallowing dysfunction (SwD) in otherwise healthy infants and toddlers (OHITs). Cost, invasiveness, expertise, and resources constrain the repeatability and utility of instrumental diagnostic tests. A parent-reported outcomes (PRO) tool has the potential to mitigate these disadvantages. Hence, we set out to develop and validate a novel PRO tool to assess SwD in OHITs. STUDY DESIGN: A mixed-method study. SETTING: Tertiary pediatric center. METHODS: We recruited parents of OHITs with SwD and excluded those with a confounding diagnosis (syndromes or neurological impairment). Interviews were conducted and thematically analyzed to extract the relevant domains and items. A similar analytical method was performed on the reports from a systematic review and literature search. Four verification sessions of parents and experts were conducted to maintain rigor. A panel of experts assessed and established the content validity of the items using a modified Delphi technique. RESULTS: We achieved information saturation after interviewing 10 parents and generated 7 domains with 72 items. Over the course of 3 rounds of modified Delphi content validation, the domains were reduced to 3 (swallowing, breathing, and illness) containing 21 items; a content validity index of 82.1% was achieved. CONCLUSION: We validated the content of a new PRO instrument to assess SwD in OHITs. The instrument is composed of 3 primary domains representing 21 items. This tool has the potential to screen for swallowing dysfunction and can assess management outcomes specifically for this population at a community level.

The prevalence of swallowing dysfunction in children with laryngomalacia: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Laryngomalacia (LM) is commonly diagnosed in infants and children with upper aerodigestive symptoms. In the literature, the focus has been on the respiratory impairment, with fewer studies addressing swallowing dysfunction (SwD). The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature for evidence on the prevalence of SwD in children diagnosed with LM. METHODS: A search was conducted on the following databases: OVID Medline, Ovid EMBASE, EBSCO CINAHL, PROSPERO, and Cochrane Library. We included all the studies that reported on children with LM and documented objective swallowing assessment using fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) or videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). Two authors independently screened all the studies, assessed the level of evidence in the included studies, and extracted data. Risk of bias assessment and pooled data analysis were performed. RESULTS: The search yielded 512 abstracts. Four studies met the selection criteria representing 425 children. Three studies were retrospective uncontrolled case series and one was a prospective cohort study. In all studies but one, an instrumental assessment of swallowing was selectively performed in patients with clinical indicators of SwD. The pooled estimate (range) of prevalence of SwD was 49% (13.9-90.6%). CONCLUSION: The literature suggests a high prevalence of SwD in children with LM, however the level of evidence is low and generalizability is poor. The wide range of prevalence figures suggests a significant variability in the threshold and indications to assess swallowing in children with LM.

The impact of bilateral endoscopic inferior turbinoplasty with or without adenoidectomy on the quality of life of children: a retrospective case series study.

BACKGROUND: Inferior turbinoplasty (IT) and adenoidectomy (Ad) are frequently resorted to in children with chronic rhinitis (CR) refractory to medical therapy. The aim of this study is to document the long-term improvement in quality of life (QOL) in children with CR following endoscopic IT with or without Ad. METHODS: A retrospective case series study was conducted. We searched a prospectively kept surgical database for children ≤18 years old who had CR who underwent endoscopic IT with or without Ad between 2009 and 2016 at a tertiary care children's center. Patients with sinonasal pathologies other than CR, had craniofacial syndromes or dysmorphism and had other sinonasal procedures or trauma were excluded. Collected data included demographics, secondary diagnoses, duration of follow-up, and complications of procedures. The Glasgow Children's Benefit Inventory (GCBI) was administered by phone to assess QOL improvement. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-five eligible subjects were identified. Eighty-nine subjects met the inclusion criteria. Data was collected for the 60 subjects that were reached. Forty-two patients had IT only while 18 had IT and Ad. The mean age was 10.7 ± 2.7 years, with 31 males and 29 females. The median duration of follow-up (25th, 75th percentile) was 38.1 months (24.6, 55.8). The median GCBI score (25th, 75th percentile) was 22.9 (6.3, 39.6) revealing an overall positive benefit in all domains. There was only one complication. CONCLUSIONS: This study validates prior findings regarding improvement of QOL and safety of IT with or without Ad for children with CR and indicates it is maintained in the long term.

Laser Partial Arytenoidectomy as an Office Procedure.

Bilateral vocal fold paralysis is a disabling condition that results in airway symptoms, dysphonia, and sometimes difficulty swallowing. Various types of glottal widening procedures have been described in the literature, all of which are performed in the operating room under general anesthesia. The aim is to report laser partial arytenoidectomy as an office-based treatment modality in a patient with bilateral vocal fold paralysis. Using Thulium laser fiber introduced through the working channel of fiberoptic nasopharyngoscope, a posterior cordectomy followed by resection of the vocal process of the right arytenoid was performed. The laser was used in a pulsed mode, power range 3.5 to 4.5 W, duration 70 to 300 milliseconds, repetition 2 to 4 Hz, and aiming beam 65%. The procedure was well tolerated and the patient was successfully decannulated 3 weeks later. Unsedated office-based laser arytenoidectomy might be considered a safe alternative to the commonly practiced glottal widening procedures in patients with a preexisting tracheotomy.

Prevalence of Dysphagia in Patients With Non-neoplastic Vocal Fold Pathology.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of dysphagia in patients presenting with dysphonia and diagnosed with non-neoplastic vocal fold pathology. METHODS: A total of 45 patients presenting with dysphonia and diagnosed with non-neoplastic vocal fold pathology and a control group matched according to age and gender were included. Patients with recent history of respiratory tract infection, laryngeal surgery or manipulation, neurologic disorders, head and neck tumors, or history of chemotherapy/radiotherapy were excluded. The primary outcome measure for dysphagia was Eating Assessment Tool-10. Patients with a score above three were considered to have dysphagia. RESULTS: The 45 patients were stratified as 18 males and 27 females, with an overall mean age of 48.23 ± 14.65 years. The most common vocal fold pathology was Reinke edema (28.8%), followed by laryngitis (24.4%), and vocal fold nodules (17.7%) and polyps (13.33%). Out of 45 patients with dysphonia, 37.7% had dysphagia and out of 25 controls, 8% had dysphagia as evidenced by an Eating Assessment Tool-10 score of above three. This prevalence is higher than normative values reported in the literature (16%-22%). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of dysphagia in patients with non-neoplastic vocal fold pathology alludes to the pathogenic role of laryngeal behavior in the development of obstructive swallowing symptoms. The potential benefit of voice and swallowing therapy in the treatment of these patients should be considered.

Injection Laryngoplasty in Patients With Puberphonia.

Puberphonia is a common vocal disorder characterized by the persistence of high vocal pitch postpuberty. Affected individuals may suffer from social impediments that can markedly affect their quality of life. Voice therapy is invariably offered as a main treatment modality with a successful outcome. Other treatment modalities include laryngeal framework surgery, cricothyroid muscle chemodenervation, and injection laryngoplasty. The authors of this manuscript report the impact of injection laryngoplasty on the average fundamental frequency in three cases of puberphonia.

Prevalence of MTD among Patients with Functional Dysphagia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension patterns among patients with functional dysphagia. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: The study took place at a university medical center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The medical charts and laryngeal video recordings were reviewed for all patients who presented with dysphagia and who were referred for barium swallow between 2012 and 2017. A total of 170 cases were identified. Only those with normal findings on barium swallow and the absence of vocal fold pathology (exudative lesions, masses or tumors, paresis, and paralysis), referred to as functional dysphagia, were included in this study. Information retrieved included swallowing and phonatory symptoms in addition to patterns of laryngeal muscle tension. RESULTS: The mean ± SD age of the total group was 41.90 ± 15.10 years with a male:female ratio of 4:1. Seventy-five percent had evidence of at least 1 type of laryngeal muscle tension pattern. The most common pattern was type III, characterized by supraglottic anteroposterior compression (13 of 20), followed by type II, characterized by medial compression of the false vocal folds (5 of 20); only 1 patient had muscle tension pattern type IV, characterized as sphincter-like closure of supraglottic structures. The most common laryngopharyngeal symptom was throat discomfort when swallowing (35%), followed by throat clearing and choking/coughing when eating and drinking (25%). CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension pattern among patients with functional dysphagia supports the notion that laryngeal tension may be one of the underlying causes of dysphagia.

Laryngopharyngeal symptoms in patients with asthma: a cross-sectional controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the frequency and severity of laryngopharyngeal symptoms in asthmatic patients. The role of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease as a co-morbid disease to asthma has not been previously reported. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Seventy-two subjects, 36 asthmatics and 36 controls were included in this study. Demographic data included age, gender, status of asthma, use of steroid inhalers, smoking and history of allergy. Pulmonary function test was reported in 13 subjects. The evaluation consisted of filling the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) described by Belafsky et al. The total score, frequency and average score of each laryngopharyngeal symptom was computed in both groups. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 46.61 ± 17.59 years with a female to male ratio of 2.3:1. Twenty patients were using steroid inhalers. Close to one third were smokers (30.6%) and 55.6% had allergic rhinitis. Thirty-six percent had controlled asthma vs 64% were uncontrolled. The mean of the total RSI was significantly higher in patients compared with controls (12.03 ± 8.3 vs 6.64 ± 6.08, P value < 0.05). In the asthmatic group, 15 subjects had a positive RSI compared with only 4 in the control group (P value of 0.003). There was a significant difference in the prevalence and means of four laryngopharyngeal symptoms in patients vs controls. CONCLUSION: Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease is more prevalent and more severe in patients with asthma vs controls.

Transnasal injection laryngoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of transnasal fiber-optic injection laryngoplasty in the treatment of glottic insufficiency. METHODS: Video recordings of 16 patients who underwent fiber-optic injection laryngoplasty for the treatment of glottic insufficiency were reviewed. Outcome measures included perceptual evaluation using the GRBAS (grading, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, straining) classification, laryngeal videostroboscopy, and frame-by-frame analysis to assess the extent, shape, and duration of glottic closure. RESULTS: Nine patients were ultimately included in this study. Their mean age was 66.2 years, with 7 men and 2 women. The most common symptoms were dysphonia and aspiration, and the most common diagnosis was vocal fold paralysis. Patients underwent transnasal fiber-optic injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid as a filling material (0.2-0.8 mL). The procedure was well tolerated by all patients, with improvement in the phonatory symptoms and aspiration in 66.66% and 50% of patients, respectively. There were significant decreases in the mean scores of all perceptual parameters (P<.05 for all). All subjects had glottal gap preoperatively that was closed completely in 66.66% and reduced to <2 mm in 33.33%. The mean closed quotient significantly increased from 0.10 to 0.51 (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Transnasal fiber-optic injection laryngoplasty is a safe procedure well tolerated by patients with good results.