Sleep surgery in syndromic and neurologically impaired children.

PURPOSE: To examine surgery performed for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children with syndromic or neurologic comorbidities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical records of 375 children with OSA were retrospectively reviewed, including 142 patients with trisomy 21, 105 with cerebral palsy, 53 with muscular dystrophy, 32 with spinal muscular atrophy, 18 with mucopolysaccharidoses, 14 with achondroplasia, and 11 with Prader-Willi. OUTCOME MEASURES: Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), complications, length of postoperative stay, and endoscopic findings. RESULTS: 228 patients received 297 surgical interventions, with the remainder undergoing observation or positive pressure ventilation. Adenoidectomy was the most common procedure performed (92.1% of patients), followed by tonsillectomy (91.6%). Average AHI decreased following tonsillectomy, from 12.4 to 5.7 (p = 0.002). The most common DISE finding was the tongue base causing epiglottic retroflexion. Lingual tonsillectomy also resulted in an insignificant decrease in the AHI. CONCLUSIONS: Adenotonsillectomy, when there is hypertrophy, remains the mainstay of management of syndromic and neurologically-impaired children with OSA. However, additional interventions are often required, due to incomplete resolution of the OSA. DISE is valuable in identifying remaining sites of obstruction and guiding future management.

Persistent pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and lingual tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a new method and the indications for lingual tonsillectomy with endoscopy and coblation, and to document its utility for treating children with persistent obstructive sleep apnea after previous tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Case series with chart review in a tertiary pediatric medical center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients aged 3 to 20 met the inclusion criteria of polysomnography-proven persistent obstructive sleep apnea after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, as well as diagnosis of lingual tonsillar hypertrophy made by flexible fiberoptic sleep endoscopy. Endoscopic-assisted coblation lingual tonsillectomies were performed between June 2005 and January 2008. Preoperative and postoperative nocturnal polysomnogram data were paired and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Statistically significant reductions in the respiratory distress index (RDI) were seen when preoperative and postoperative data were compared (mean, 14.7 vs 8.1). There were similar reductions in the number of obstructive apneas and hypopneas. The mean minimum O2 saturation did not change. Two patients in this series developed adhesions between the epiglottis and tongue base; there appeared to be no consequence for airway or feeding issues. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic-assisted coblation lingual tonsillectomy is an effective technique for the treatment of lingual tonsillar hypertrophy causing persistent obstructive sleep apnea in some children.

Neonatal retropharyngeal abscess with complications: Apnea and cervical osteomyelitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical presentation and management strategies for neonatal retropharyngeal abscess (RPA). METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed, and literature reviewed. RESULTS: We report two cases of neonatal RPA, with one complicated by cervical osteomyelitis, and the other presenting with apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs). A 6-week-old female underwent transoral drainage of an RPA, which grew methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. She had a prolonged recovery course and was found to have developed osteomyelitis of the dens and atlas. She was treated with 14 weeks of IV antibiotics and rigid collar fixation for spinal cord instability. A 2-month-old female was admitted after multiple ALTEs with episodes of apnea and pallor. Direct laryngoscopy revealed a bulging RPA, which was drained transorally. This grew multiple organisms including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcal oralis and Prevotella species. CONCLUSIONS: Uncommon in neonates, RPA can present in this age group without fever, and are is likely to have airway complications than in older children. In cases with prolonged recovery, additional diagnostic intervention is recommended to rule out rare complications such as osteomyelitis. Emphasis in such complex cases is placed on a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, coordinating neonatologists, infectious disease specialists, neurosurgeons, and otolaryngologists.

Pediatric tracheal stenosis.

Tracheal stenosis is a rare, potentially life-threatening condition described as innate narrowing of the tracheal lumen. The causes of tracheal stenosis vary widely. The most common forms result from prolonged intubation, although congenital causes usually involve complete tracheal rings or compression from cardiovascular malformations. The condition historically has harbored a poor prognosis, but significant advances in radiologic diagnosis, cardiac bypass, and endoscopic and surgical treatments have led to a range of options, better overall survival, and reduced morbidity. The complex, long-term manifestations of tracheal stenosis point to the need for individualized treatment as well as multidisciplinary care.

Airway management in Nager Syndrome.

Nager acrofacial dysostosis is a rare congenital syndrome characterized by malformed mandibulofacial structures and pre-axial upper limbs. Trismus and glossoptosis from mandibular abnormalities predisposes infants to life-threatening respiratory distress. A case of a Nager Syndrome mother delivering a similarly afflicted fetus is presented, with approaches to maintaining both tenuous airways described. Distinguishing this condition from similar syndromes is critical for care and prognosis.

Lingual Tonsillectomy for Treatment of Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Meta-analysis.

Importance: Evidence indicates correlations between lingual tonsil hypertrophy and pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, to our knowledge, a meta-analysis of surgical outcomes for lingual tonsillectomy in children with OSA has not been conducted. Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of lingual tonsillectomy for treatment of pediatric OSA. Data Sources: The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42015027053). PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Reviews databases were searched independently by 2 authors for relevant articles published by September 2016. Study Selection: The literature search identified English-language studies that used polysomnography to evaluate children with lingual tonsil hypertrophy and OSA after lingual tonsillectomy alone. The search keywords were lingual tonsil, lingual tonsillectomy, sleep endoscopy, sleep apnea, and child. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Polysomnographic data from each study were extracted. A random-effects model pooled postoperative sleep variable changes and success rates for lingual tonsillectomy in treating pediatric OSA. Main Outcomes and Measures: Four outcomes for lingual tonsillectomy were analyzed. These included net postoperative changes in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), net postoperative changes in the minimum oxygen saturation, the overall success rate for a postoperative AHI less than 1, and the overall success rate for a postoperative AHI less than 5. Results: This meta-analysis consisted of 4 studies (mean sample size, 18.25 patients), with a total of 73 unique patients (mean [SD] age, 8.3 [1.1] years). Fifty-nine percent (27 of 46) of the patients were male, and 1 of the 4 studies did not specify number of males. Lingual tonsillectomy was indicated for persistent OSA after adenotonsillectomy in all cases. Lingual tonsil hypertrophy was evaluated using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in 1 study, sleep endoscopy in 2 studies, and cine magnetic resonance imaging in 1 study. The mean change in the AHI after lingual tonsillectomy was a reduction of 8.9 (95% CI, -12.6 to -5.2) events per hour. The mean change in the minimum oxygen saturation after lingual tonsillectomy was an increase of 6.0% (95% CI, 2.7%-9.2%). The overall success rate was 17% (95% CI, 7%-35%) for a postoperative AHI less than 1 and 51% (95% CI, 25%-76%) for a postoperative AHI less than 5. Postoperative complications that developed included airway obstruction, bleeding, and pneumonia. Conclusions and Relevance: Lingual tonsillectomy is an effective surgical management for children with OSA caused by lingual tonsil hypertrophy, and it achieves significant improvement in the AHI and the minimum oxygen saturation. However, children frequently have residual OSA after lingual tonsillectomy, and postoperative complications must be carefully managed.

It Is Just Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Is It?

CASE: Carly is a 5-year-old girl who presents for an interdisciplinary evaluation due to behaviors at school and home suggestive of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Parent report of preschool teacher concerns was consistent with ADHD. Psychological testing showed verbal, visual-spatial, and fluid reasoning IQ scores in the average range; processing speed and working memory were below average. Carly's behavior improved when her mother left the room, and she was attentive during testing with a psychologist. Tests of executive function (EF) skills showed mixed results. Working memory was in the borderline range, although scores for response inhibition and verbal fluency were average. Parent ratings of ADHD symptoms and EF difficulties were elevated.Carly's parents recently separated; she now lives with her mother and sees her father on weekends. Multiple caregivers with inconsistent approaches to discipline assist with child care while her mother works at night as a medical assistant. Family history is positive for ADHD and learning problems in her father. Medical history is unremarkable. Review of systems is significant for nightly mouth breathing and snoring, but no night waking, bruxism, or daytime sleepiness. She has enlarged tonsils and a high-arched palate on physical examination.At a follow-up visit, parent rating scales are consistent with ADHD-combined type; teacher rating scales support ADHD hyperactive-impulsive type. Snoring has persisted. A sleep study indicated obstructive sleep apnea. After adenotonsillectomy, Carly had significant improvement in ADHD symptoms. She developed recurrence of behavior problems 1 year after the surgery.

The current state of pediatric drug-induced sleep endoscopy.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this investigation was to assess current drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) practice patterns at centers that have published on the technique, to identify areas of agreement, and to identify areas of disagreement that may represent opportunities for improvement and standardization. STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional survey. METHODS: A survey was designed in two phases to evaluate preoperative assessment, intraoperative performance, and postoperative management of patients undergoing DISE. The survey was constructed iteratively in consultation with the all of the coauthors, each selected as an expert owing to their previous publication of one or more articles pertaining to pediatric DISE. In the first phase of survey creation, each expert was asked to provide narrative answers to questions pertaining to DISE. These responses served as the basis for a second survey. This second survey was then administered to all pediatric otolaryngologists at each respective institution. RESULTS: Overall, there was a low rate of agreement (33%) among the respondents; however, there was substantial agreement within institution, particularly for the use of anesthetic medications, the use of cine magnetic resonance imaging, and performance of bronchoscopy along with DISE. There was strong agreement among all respondents for performing DISE in a child with severe obstructive sleep apnea following adenotonsillectomy, regardless of comorbidities. CONCLUSION: This multi-institutional survey demonstrated a lack of consensus between experts and multiple opportunities for improvement. In general, there was agreement regarding the workup prior to DISE performance and the endoscopic protocol but disagreement regarding anesthetic protocol and management decisions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 127:266-272, 2017.

Anterior and posterior cartilage graft dimensions in successful laryngotracheal reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the dimensions of cartilage grafts used for successful laryngotracheal reconstruction, with the goal of establishing appropriate sizes for "off-the-shelf" tissue-engineered cartilage grafts. DESIGN: A retrospective review of prospectively maintained operative illustrations of a single surgeon's experience. SETTING: Two tertiary children's hospitals. PATIENTS: A consecutive sample of 54 patients (tracheotomized or intubated) with a diagnosis of subglottic stenosis. INTERVENTIONS: Each patient underwent anterior (n = 30), posterior (n = 3), or anterior and posterior (n = 22) laryngotracheal reconstruction. Rib cartilage was used in 51 patients and thyroid cartilage was used in 3 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Successful or failed extubation. RESULTS: Of the 54 patients, 48 (89%) were successfully decannulated. The mean +/- SEM length of the anterior graft was 20.7 +/- 10.3 mm, and the mean width of the anterior graft was 7.7 +/- 2.5 mm. The mean length of the posterior graft was 13.9 +/- 2.9 mm, and the mean width of the posterior graft was 4.2 +/- 0.9 mm. CONCLUSIONS: With the prospect of tissue-engineered cartilage implants becoming available for laryngotracheal reconstruction, the most appropriate templates for designing these implants should be based on the geometric dimensions of grafts carved from native tissues in cases that have been successfully decannulated. Based on our analysis, the use of 2-mm increments for the posterior grafts suggests a set of molds that are 2, 4, and 6 mm wide and 22 mm long. Using 2 x 2-mm increments for the anterior grafts indicates that 36 mold sizes will be sufficient for 90% of predicted cases.

Cost-effectiveness of tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis.

OBJECTIVES: We used a retrospective case series to perform a preliminary study to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis. METHODS: We studied 25 children and 16 adults who had tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis. The adult patients and the children's caregivers were asked to respond to a questionnaire regarding the efficacy of their tonsillectomy. The cost of medical care and the work disability cost for tonsillitis and for tonsillectomy were calculated. We then applied the technique of break-even time analysis to assess when the total health care cost savings from surgery overtook the total cost of tonsillectomy. RESULTS: In children, the overall economic costs (medical costs and work-related costs) were recovered at 1.6 years after tonsillectomy (break-even point). In adults, the overall economic costs (medical costs and work-related costs) were recovered at 2.5 years after tonsillectomy (break-even point). CONCLUSIONS: Tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis is both clinically effective and cost-effective for children and adults in Japan.

3.5-Year follow-up of intralesional cidofovir protocol for pediatric recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

OBJECTIVES: Intralesional injection of cidofovir has been described as an adjunctive treatment for pediatric recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). However, questions remain regarding the optimal dosing schedule and side-effect profile. The objective of this study was to describe patient outcomes following a standardized cidofovir protocol. METHODS: Eleven pediatric patients originally treated with a standardized stepped-dose protocol of intralesional cidofovir for RRP were followed for an extended observational period. Additional interventions, disease severity, and adverse outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Five of 11 patients have required no further treatments following the original cidofovir protocol. Two patients initially achieved remission but have subsequently required additional treatment for recurrent disease. Four patients never achieved remission and have undergone multiple additional interventions. Mean follow-up time for all patients from the conclusion of the original study was 30.2 months (10-45). No adverse outcomes were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Intralesional injection of cidofovir may have some potential as an adjunct in the treatment of RRP. Response to cidofovir is unpredictable. Further study of cidofovir is necessary to more clearly define whether the favorable responses observed represent a true treatment effect or simply reflect the natural history of the disease. Perhaps as important is to refine treatment protocols and informed consents that reflect the concern about the carcinogenic potential of cidofovir and to better characterize the drug's side-effect profile.

Closure of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula following "starplasty" tracheostomy in children.

OBJECTIVE: The "starplasty" technique of pediatric tracheostomy was introduced in 1990 as an alternative pediatric tracheostomy technique associated with several advantages. The only apparent drawback of this technique is the higher incidence of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula following decannulation. Several methods have been proposed for closure of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula in children, including fistulectomy with primary closure and fistulectomy with healing by secondary intent. Some authors advocate placement of a drain at the time of primary closure. We present our experience with closure of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula following starplasty in children over the past 15 years. METHODS: Ninety-six starplasty procedures were performed on 96 children from 1990 to present, all by the senior author or under the guidance of the senior author. Twenty-eight of these children have been decannulated. Three fistulas closed spontaneously following decannulation. Of the remaining 25 children, 13 have undergone surgical closure of the tracheocutaneous fistula by the senior author. All tracheocutaneous fistula closures were performed as a fistulectomy with primary closure in three layers. Drains were not used in any of the patients. RESULTS: There were three minor complications in the postoperative period (wound infection and airway granuloma) and no major complications. None of the patients have experienced any degree of airway stenosis and there was no need for a repeat tracheotomy in any of the tracheocutaneous fistula closure patients. The cosmetic results were deemed to be good. CONCLUSIONS: "Starplasty" is a safe, reliable pediatric tracheostomy technique that has been shown to decrease the incidence of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The only drawback appears to be a high incidence of postoperative tracheocutaneous fistula. Our method of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula closure following starplasty is safe and effective, with no major complications and no incidence of postoperative airway narrowing.

PHACE syndrome: report of a case with a glioma of the anterior skull base and ocular malformations.

PHACE syndrome consists of the constellation of manifestations including Posterior fossa anomalies of the brain (most commonly Dandy-Walker malformations), Hemangiomas of the face and scalp, Arterial abnormalities, Cardiac defects, and Eye anomalies. We present the case of a patient who presented with respiratory distress at birth secondary to a large nasal glioma. She was subsequently found to have a ventricular septal defect (VSD), a facial hemangioma, and a malformation of the eye and optic nerve head. The nasal glioma, which extended to the cribriform plate, has not been described in this syndrome. The tumor was resected through a coronal incision, midline nasal bone osteotomy, and a retrograde dissection from the nasal bones to the anterior skull base. Glioma of the skull base is a novel and serious manifestation of this uncommon condition.

Surgical management of cervical ganglioneuromas in children.

OBJECTIVE: To review the experience with ganglioneuromas in the head and neck of children including presentation, diagnostic testing, treatments, and outcomes. DESIGN: Case series. Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: All patients with a history of ganglioneuroma of the neck in each authors practice were reviewed. All pathologically confirmed occurrences were eligible for inclusion, and five patients met these criteria. RESULTS: Five patients underwent surgical excision of head and neck ganglioneuromas between 1988 and 2004. There were no occurrences of secretory tumors, therefore all of the patients presented with enlarging masses. In all cases, the tumor arose from the cervical sympathetic chain, and thus, patients had subsequent ipsilateral Horner's Syndrome following resection. No synchronous tumors were noted, nor has a recurrent tumor been observed to this point. Complete excision was possible in all cases via a transcervical, or transoral approach, without mandibulotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Ganglioneuroma of the neck is a rare tumor that most commonly presents as an enlarging neck mass. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice, and in this series of children was possible with transcervical approach, and once via transoral approach. This tumor may be suspected in children who are otherwise asymptomatic, and present with long history of enlarging neck masses.

Comparison of treatment outcomes between intracapsular and total tonsillectomy for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND: Intracapsular tonsillectomy (IT) has been advocated as a treatment for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, evidence in the literature utilizing polysomnography (PSG) is limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine the experience at a tertiary children's hospital to evaluate the effectiveness and risks of intracapsular tonsillectomy compared to total tonsillectomy (TT) for treating pediatric OSA. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken of pediatric tonsillectomy cases performed for OSA at a tertiary children's hospital from 2005 to 2010. Patients with recurrent tonsillitis, craniofacial abnormalities, chromosomal abnormalities, neuromuscular disease, and congenital malformations were excluded. Main outcome measures were apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), minimum oxygen saturation (minO2), and surgical complications. RESULTS: Of the 1583 patients reviewed in this study, there were 75 IT and 93 TT patients with pre- and post-operative PSG results. The IT patients were younger, had lower BMI, larger tonsil size, lower pre-operative (AHI) and lower post-operative AHI (p < 0.05). There was a similar percentage of patients that showed improvement in AHI and minimum oxygen saturation between the IT and TT groups. There were statistically similar average change in AHI and minimum oxygen saturation between the IT and TT groups at 5.6 ± 8.6 and 8.6 ± 12.9, respectively (p = 0.8) as well as similar improvement in minimum oxygen saturation between the two groups at 3.3% ± 4.3% and 3.0% ± 5.2%, respectively (p = 0.66). Of TT patients, 2.9% experienced post-operative bleeding with 1.6% requiring OR for control of hemorrhage. Of IT patients, 2.2% were found to have tonsillar regrowth with 2.0% returning to the OR for secondary tonsillectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Intracapsular tonsillectomy, like total tonsillectomy, is effective in improving polysomnogram results in appropriately selected children. Intracapsular tonsillectomy is a suitable option for the surgical treatment of pediatric OSA consequent to its demonstrated efficacy in relieving OSA and its favorable safety profile.

Laryngotracheal consequences of pediatric cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and character of clinically significant laryngotracheal anomalies in pediatric patients undergoing surgical repair of congenital cardiac defects at a tertiary care center. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective review. PATIENTS: The charts of pediatric patients who required surgical treatment for congenital heart disease over a 4-year period were reviewed. Forty-eight of 1957 patients were seen in inpatient consultation by the otolaryngology service. The parameters studied included cardiac diagnosis, reason for consultation, findings on examination, and follow-up. RESULTS: There were 16 (33%) cases of subglottic stenosis, which were graded according to the Cotton-Myer classification system as follows: grade 1 (n=8); grade 2 (n=3); and grade 3 (n=5). Three of the 16 patients with subglottic stenosis required tracheotomy and 4 required laryngotracheal reconstruction. Nine (19%) of the 48 patients were diagnosed as having unilateral true vocal cord paralysis and 3 (6%) as having bilateral paralysis. With the exception of 1 patient, all patients with true vocal cord paralysis on the left side had undergone repair of the aortic arch. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients with congenital cardiac disease are predisposed to laryngeal anomalies owing to (1) frequent intubation, (2) prolonged ventilatory support, and (3) recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. In our patients, subglottic stenosis was the most common laryngeal abnormality. When recognized early, in the eschar phase, most of these cases can be managed with sequential endoscopic debridement, which is conceptually similar to debridement that is performed after functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Established stenosis requires more vigorous intervention, the invasive degree of which depends on the length and circumference of the narrowing. Unilateral vocal paralysis tends to be a self-limited problem, while an elegant solution to bilateral paralysis remains elusive.

Tonsillitis index: an objective tool for quantifying the indications for tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis.

This report is a preliminary exploration of the concept of a "Tonsillectomy Index" (TI) as an objective tool for quantifying the indications for tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis (AT). The TI is derived by multiplying the number of episodes of AT by the number of years during which the episodes of AT occurred. Our objective in this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between the natural history of AT, the immunological functions of tonsils and our proposed TI. For the natural history of AT, we medically followed 11 children with a history of AT for 5 years. When TI was equal to or greater than 8 (TI> or =8), the children suffered a significantly greater number of episodes of AT. For the immunological portion of our study, we enrolled 36 children and 46 adults undergoing tonsillectomy for either AT (study group) or tonsillar hypertrophy (control group, CG). We analyzed the co-stimulatory signals, CD80 and CD86 on tonsillar B-lymphocytes. The expression rates of CD80 and CD86 in the AT group with TI> or =8 were significantly decreased compared to those with TI was less than 8 (TI<8), as well as with those in control (tonsillar hypertrophy) group. Our preliminary findings suggest that when the TI> or =8, the tonsils have deteriorated immunologically and spontaneous resolution of recurrent AT is less likely to occur, hence tonsillectomy is appropriate. TI may be a useful tool for surgical decision making.

Safety and efficacy of powered intracapsular tonsillectomy in children: a multi-center retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of powered intracapsular tonsillectomy (PIT, e.g. regrowth rate) in children who underwent PIT at three different institutions. We also wanted to determine if the trend to greater safety through reduced bleeding and re-admission for dehydration, noted in our initial reports, would become statistically significant in a larger sample. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Multi-center retrospective case series. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all charts' of children who underwent PIT at three different institutions: the Children's Hospital at the Cleveland Clinic, Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, and the New York Otolaryngology Institute. For comparison, we reviewed the outpatient and inpatient records of all children who underwent conventional tonsillectomy performed by the same surgeons at the Children's Hospital at the Cleveland Clinic and Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children during the same period. No comparison group was available for the New York Otolaryngology Institute group. Three outcome measures were recorded: regrowth, bleeding and re-admission for dehydration rates. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: We identified 870 children that underwent PIT at three different institutions. In addition, 1121 children underwent conventional tonsillectomy at two of the three institutions. The mean follow-up for the PIT group was 1.2 years (range, 0.1-2.6 years) and 1.5 years (range, 0.1-3.0 years) for the conventional tonsillectomy group. The incidence of and 95% CI for the outcome measures were as follows regrowth 0.5% (0%, 1.4%), delayed post-operative bleeding 0.7% (0%, 1.9%), re-admission for dehydration 1.3% (0.05%, 2.6%), and overall major complications 0.46% (0.009%, 0.9%). When comparing conventional tonsillectomy to PIT, the bleeding rate, re-admission for dehydration, and the overall incidence of major complications were significantly lower in the PIT group (P = 0.001, P = 0.002, and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: PIT is a safe and effective technique in the management of obstructive sleep disordered breathing in children. PIT has the advantages of decreased pain, dehydration and post-operative bleeding, and with a mean follow-up of 1.2 years, a low incidence of tonsillar regrowth thus far.

Gizmo is a mean word!

The editorial titled "Gizmos" in the April issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery was unfortunate. Intracapsular tonsillectomy is a rational surgical option for managing tonsillar hypertrophy causing obstructive sleep apnea in selected children. It is performed routinely by surgeons across the globe and has become the standard of care across northern Europe due to the high safety profile of the operation. The semirigid, dartlike design of the sinuplasty devices suggested the idea for an airway-specific set of high-pressure balloons. We began working on these in 2007 and had FDA approval in 2009. They are in wide use by many airway surgeons. Lingual tonsils are a frequent cause of obstructive sleep apnea, and there is no tool that manages this as effectively as endoscopic plasma ablation. We are all engaged in an honorable effort to improve care; surgical and creative skills are as important as analytical skills. Both are necessary for the continuous improvement of our work. Both are worthy of respect.

Pediatric teratoma and dermoid cysts.

Teratomas and dermoid cysts are germ cell neoplasms. This article focuses on cervical and craniofacial teratomas. Presentation of these neoplasms varies in degree of severity, from cosmetic deformities to airway distress requiring emergent intervention. Nasal lesions (particularly if suspicious for a nasal dermoid) require imaging before biopsy to assess for intracranial extension. Treatment consists of airway management if respiratory distress is present, and early surgical intervention. Postoperative follow-up is required to monitor for recurrence.