Assessing the Effectiveness of Voice Therapy Techniques in Treating Dysphonia: An Otolaryngological Review.

Dysphonia is a prevalent condition that can impact individuals across all age groups. It occurs when normal voice quality is altered, caused by structural and/or functional issues. Evaluation and assessment from clinicians are warranted if dysphonia persists for more than four weeks and/or is coupled with risk factors or other concerning clinical manifestations. Additionally, voice disorders can increase the risk of depression and anxiety disorders, as well as raise stress levels and lower self-reported health indicators. Dysphonia can have a substantial influence on interpersonal interactions and lower overall quality of life since effective communication relies significantly on spoken language. Hence, managing dysphonia is essential for enhancing communication abilities, improving quality of life, maintaining vocational functioning, promoting psychological well-being, and addressing underlying health concerns. Speech and language therapy, medical management, surgery, or a combination of the aforementioned are all possible treatments for dysphonia. Speech and language therapy is often the first-line treatment option for dysphonia patients who do not meet the criteria for surgical intervention. Voice therapy is often beneficial and remains the first line of treatment, even when patients approach with benign vocal fold nodules. A well-designed voice therapy program improves both the quality of life and vocal performance. The majority of the studies in the existing literature advocate for and report beneficial outcomes associated with voice therapy; however, more research is needed to provide evidence-based findings to guide clinical practice and achieve optimal outcomes. This comprehensive review elaborately highlights the utilization and efficacy of various voice therapeutic modalities utilized for the management of dysphonia in light of current literature.

Diagnostic Approach and Treatment Options for Pediatric Cases of Grisel's Syndrome Post Otolaryngology Procedure: A Systematic Review.

Grisel's syndrome is an uncommon cervical spine condition marked by non-traumatic rotational subluxation of the atlantoaxial joint. This systematic review aims to collect potential evidence from relevant studies that reported symptoms, diagnostic methods, and management options among pediatric cases of Grisel's syndrome post otolaryngology procedures, which can aid and guide the diagnosis and management in clinical practice. We conducted both electronic and manual search strategies within the potential databases and included case reports, case series, and articles; however, review papers and correspondence papers were excluded. The post-otolaryngology procedures included adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, tympanoplasty, cochlear implantation, double opposing Z plasty and pharyngeal flap, and adenotonsillectomy. In this systematic review, we identified and analyzed 20 studies encompassing a total of 24 pediatric patients with Grisel's syndrome following otolaryngology procedures. The patient demographics revealed a fairly even distribution between females (45.83%) and males (50.00%), with ages ranging from 2.5 to 12 years. The most common otolaryngology procedures associated with Grisel's syndrome were adenoidectomy (29.17%) and adenotonsillectomy (33.33%). Clinical symptoms included neck pain (75.00%), torticollis (50.00%), and limited neck mobility (20.83%), while diagnostic confirmation primarily relied on CT scans (50.00%). Treatment strategies varied, with conservative measures being the most frequent choice, followed by surgical interventions in four cases (16.67%). Complications were reported in 20.83% of cases. Due to the rarity of this condition, our findings are limited to case reports only, which may limit the generalizability of results. Grisel syndrome can be effectively managed through conservative treatment, including antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs if diagnosed timely. Early diagnosis and prompt management are essential to avoid neurological and fatal complications. This analysis would contribute to improving clinical knowledge and treatment strategies while providing additional insights into this rare condition.

Suspension-expansion pharyngoplasty: a modified technique for oropharyngeal collapse in obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Lateral pharyngeal wall (LPW) collapse plays a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and might determine the severity of the disease. This study presents the suspension/expansion pharyngoplasty (SEP) for the treatment of selected cases of OSA. The procedure aimed to splint LPW collapse via supporting and lateralization of both superior constrictor muscle (SCM) and palatopharyngeal muscle (PPM) individually and in two different planes. METHODS: Twenty-one adult patients with single-level OSA who showed a lateral pattern of collapse at the oropharyngeal region had the modified procedure (SEP). The basic steps are the individual dissection of the muscular components of the lateral pharyngeal wall: SCM which was sutured anteriorly to the anterior tonsillar pillar and the PPM which was suspended to the pterygomandibular raphe. The supra-tonsillar fat was preserved. RESULTS: At 9-12 months, highly significant improvement was reported as regards the mean Apnea hypopnea index and the mean lowest oxygen saturation (p < 0.000). The Epworth Sleepiness Scale and VAS-snoring showed a significant (p < 0.05) reduction. The oxygen desaturation index showed significant improvement. Non-significant improvements were reported as regards the percentage of total sleep time with oxygen saturation below 90%. According to Sher criteria, successful outcomes were reported in 17 patients. CONCLUSION: SEP could widen the pharyngeal airway and could support the collapsible lateral pharyngeal wall guarding against soft tissue collapse. In selected subjects, SEP had reported subjective and objective favorable outcomes with no significant comorbidities. The procedure could be combined with other procedures in multilevel surgery.

Complications and Comorbidities in COVID-19 Patients: A Comparative study.

Background COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the world at an unprecedented rate. The outbreak of COVID-19 infection has led to a significant health burden on infected patients, especially those with existing comorbidities. The aim of this study is to find the most prevalent symptoms, comorbidities, and complications developed during the course of the disease and outline the most prevalent symptoms among the baseline and clinical characteristics of the patients. Methods This is a retrospective study that was performed on the data obtained from medical records of 3999 COVID-19 patients from Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Demographic data, clinical symptoms, and comorbidities were noted on the day of hospital admission. Complications developed during the COVID -19 infection were also observed. Results The average age was 49.55 ± 14.75 years and 73.77% of the study population were male patients. The average Body Mass Index (BMI) of the patients was 29.48 ± 6.94. Fever and cough were the most common symptoms (85.85%) followed by shortness of breath (83.25%). Other reported symptoms were diarrhoea (17.43%), fatigue (16.2%), vomiting (15.38%), headache (15.23%), sore throat (9.3%), and nausea (8.5%) The most common comorbidity recorded was diabetes mellitus (DM) (39.51%), followed by hypertension (HTN) (33.91%), and asthma (9.45%). In COVID-19 patients with comorbidities, 61.90% developed complications of pneumonia, 8.73% had Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), 7.25% developed pneumonia and ARDS concurrently, while 0.4% of the total patients had septic shock. Conclusion The symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath were higher in individuals with hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and more prevalent in complications of pneumonia, acute respiratory illness, and septic shock.