Impact of bile acids on the severity of laryngo-pharyngeal reflux.

OBJECTIVES: The primary end point of this study was to evaluate the impact of bile acids on severity of laryngo-pharyngeal reflux (LPR) and the possible correlation with esophagitis and upper airway malignancies. The second end point was to evaluate if salivary bile acids and molecules other than pepsin might serve as diagnostic biomarkers of LPR. DESIGN: Observational prospective comparative study. SETTING: Otorhinolaryngology unit of a tertiary hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two consecutive adult outpatients suspected of LPR. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bile acids, bilirubin and pepsinogen I-II were measured in saliva. Patients underwent pH metry and based on the results of bile acids were subdivided as acid, mixed and alkaline LPR. RESULTS: Significantly higher Reflux Findings Score (RFS) and Reflux Symptoms Index (RSI) were seen in patients with alkaline and mixed LPR compared to acid LPR. Salivary bile acids >1 µmol/L seem to be a reliable indicator of the severity of LPR. Compared to those without, patients with esophagitis or a history of upper airway malignancy have high concentrations of bile acids in saliva. Among the molecules studied, bile acids were the most suitable for diagnosis of LPR, with a sensitivity of 86% and a positive predictive value of 80.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that high concentrations of bile acids are associated with higher values of RSI and RFS in LPR as well as a higher risk of esophagitis and history of upper airway malignancies. We finally observed that bile acids provided the best biometric parameters for diagnosis of LPR among the molecules tested.

What to Expect of Feeding Abilities and Nutritional Aspects in Achondroplasia Patients: A Narrative Review.

Achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant genetic disease representing the most common form of human skeletal dysplasia: almost all individuals with achondroplasia have identifiable mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor type 3 (FGFR3) gene. The cardinal features of this condition and its inheritance have been well-established, but the occurrence of feeding and nutritional complications has received little prominence. In infancy, the presence of floppiness and neurological injury due to foramen magnum stenosis may impair the feeding function of a newborn with achondroplasia. Along with growth, the optimal development of feeding skills may be affected by variable interactions between midface hypoplasia, sleep apnea disturbance, and structural anomalies. Anterior open bite, prognathic mandible, retrognathic maxilla, and relative macroglossia may adversely impact masticatory and respiratory functions. Independence during mealtimes in achondroplasia is usually achieved later than peers. Early supervision of nutritional intake should proceed into adolescence and adulthood because of the increased risk of obesity and respiratory problems and their resulting sequelae. Due to the multisystem involvement, oral motor dysfunction, nutrition, and gastrointestinal issues require special attention and personalized management to facilitate optimal outcomes, especially because of the novel therapeutic options in achondroplasia, which could alter the progression of this rare disease.

Sclerotherapy with polidocanol microfoam in head and neck venous and lymphatic malformations.

Objective: Polidocanol sclerotherapy of head and neck venous malformations (VMs) and lymphatic malformations (LMs) has been reported only in limited series. In this manuscript we evaluated the efficacy and safety of polidocanol sclerotherapy in a series of head and neck venous and lymphatic malformations. Methods: This retrospective observational study analysed data on 20 head and neck VMs and LMs that underwent to percutaneous or endoscopic intra-lesional 3% polidocanol microfoam sclerotherapy at our institution. Clinical response was ranked as excellent, moderate and poor based on volume reduction by MRI and resolution of symptoms. Results: The median volume decreased from 19.3 mL to 5.8 mL after sclerotherapy (mean volume reduction: 72.98 ± 16.1%). An excellent-moderate response was observed in 94.4% of cases. We observed a mean volume reduction of 79.5 ± 16.1 in macrocystic LMs, of 76.1 ± 13.0% in VMs, of 60.5 ± 10.9% in mixed lymphatic ones and 42.5% in microcystic lymphatic ones. Conclusions: Polidocanol sclerotherapy appears to be an effective and safe treatment for venous and lymphatic head and neck malformations. We observed the best responses in macrocystic LMs and VMs, whereas mixed lymphatic ones showed a moderate response and microcystic lymphatic ones a poor response.

Real-Life Experience in the Management of Sinonasal Complications of Dental Disease or Treatments.

Diagnosis and management of sinonasal complications of dental diseases or treatment (SCDDT) may be challenging. We aimed to report our real-life experience in patients treated with endoscopic endonasal approach describing data about symptoms, etiology, extension of the disease and success rate. We evaluated retrospectively data about 262 patients diagnosed as SCDDT and managed from August 2015 to May 2022. In 44.65% cases, maxillary sinus complications were determined by a dental disorder; the remaining 55.34% of cases were iatrogenic. Patients were managed according to our multidisciplinary protocol including ENT, dental, and radiological evaluation. Treatments were planned with a personalized approach, based on the patient's clinical characteristics; all patients were treated with an endonasal endoscopic mini-invasive conservative approach. Combined dental treatment was performed simultaneously in 152/262 (58%) of patients; in the remaining cases, it was postponed after surgery. The overall treatment success rate (symptom resolution and endoscopically observed maxillary sinus healing) was 96.5%. At 15 days after surgery, we observed a significant improvement in the quality of life. The mean post-operative Sinonasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22) score was significantly lower compared to baseline (6 versus 43.4; p < 0.05). Our study showed that endoscopic sinus surgery can be a successful procedure for treatment of SCDDT, leading to fast resolution of sinonasal symptoms and improving the quality of life. Furthermore, the technique allows removal of migrated dental material or dental implants even in challenging cases.

Brown tumors of the oral cavity: presentation of 4 new cases and a systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to obtain data from a review of cases of brown tumors (BT), which are benign lesions of bone characterized by giant cells that arise during hyperparathyroidism (HPTH). BTs may affect the maxillofacial area and manifest as a brownish, slow-growing swelling causing difficulty in the differential diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: We present data from 4 new cases of oral BTs based on a systematic literature review conducted by searching EMBASE, Medline, and CENTRAL databases, according to the PRISMA guidelines. Only articles in English were considered. Individual patient data were analyzed to identify risk factors for multiple or extraoral maxillofacial BTs. RESULTS: In total, 167 cases (163 from 136 articles and 4 new cases; mean age 36.6 years; male-to-female ratio 1:2) were retrieved. The onset of extraoral maxillofacial BTs (odds ratio [OR] 176.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 18.7-1657.8; P < .05) and maxillary BTs (OR 17.5; 95% CI 6.0-50.8; P < .05) were the risk factors for multiple oral BTs, whereas the presence of a BT in the mandible (OR 0.01; 95% CI 0.001-0.1; P < .05) was a negative predictor for the presence of other extraoral maxillofacial BTs. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review suggested that the mandible is the most frequent oral location of BTs. Whenever a BT is detected in the maxilla or when multiple oral BTs are diagnosed, more BTs in the maxillofacial area should be suspected.

Bile acids and total bilirubin detection in saliva of patients submitted to gastric surgery and in particular to subtotal Billroth II resection.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to detect bile acids and total bilirubin in saliva of gastrectomized patients, to confirm objectively presence of biliary laryngopharyngeal reflux and its relationship with laryngeal mucosa damage. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Recently, it has been hypothesized that biliary-reflux may reach the upper aerodigestive tract and enhance development of laryngeal malignancies; nevertheless, the presence of duodenogastric contents in this region has never been revealed. METHODS: We carried out a prospective observational case-control study on 52 patients (cases) previously submitted to gastric surgery, mainly to subtotal Billroth II resection, and on 51 healthy volunteers (controls). Patients were submitted to clinical interview, esophagogastroduodenal endoscopy, endoscopic laryngeal evaluation, and saliva collection. In all saliva samples, bile acids, total bilirubin, and pepsinogen II were assayed. RESULTS: In cases, group bile acids levels were recorded in 17 of 52 (32.6%) patients, while in 35 of 52 (67.4%) they were undetectable. All controls were negative to bile acids. In positive cases to bile acids, we found a significant (P < 0.05) correlation between bile acids, total bilirubin, and pepsinogen II values and a significant (P < 0.05) higher prevalence of symptoms and findings of laryngeal damage and of previous laryngeal neoplastic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: We found detectable levels of bile acids and total bilirubin in saliva of patients submitted to previous gastric surgery, prospecting an intriguing diagnostic role of this dosage in the study of biliary laryngopharyngeal reflux. We finally revealed a high incidence of laryngeal disorders in patients with positive bile acids in saliva.