Topical sucralfate in post-adenotonsillectomy analgesia in children: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Tonsillectomy, with or without adenoidectomy, is one of the most common surgical procedures in pediatric otolaryngology. Despite its relative simplicity, pain is the main cause of morbidity in the postoperative period. We determined the effect of topical sucralfate on reduction of oropharyngeal pain in children submitted to adenotonsillectomy. Secondary outcomes were otalgia, analgesic use, type of diet, secondary bleeding, vomiting, fever, and weight loss. STUDY DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Tertiary hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty-two children of both sexes between four and 12 years old submitted to adenotonsillectomy were evaluated. They were allocated to receive topical sucralfate or placebo in intraoperative and postoperative periods four times a day for five days. Pain was measured through faces pain scale. RESULTS: Reduction in oropharyngeal pain was significant with use of sucralfate during five days of evaluation (mean, 95% confidence interval, and P value); day 1: 2.05, 1.53-2.58, P = 0.000; day 2: 2.1, 1.51-2.70, P = 0.001; day 3: 1.44, 0.88-1.99, P = 0.003; day 4: 1.13, 0.58-1.55, P = 0.027; day 5: 0.67, 0.26-1.04, P = 0.021). There was no difference in secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: We found beneficial effect of use of sucralfate in reduction of oropharyngeal pain in the postoperative period of adenotonsillectomy. However, topical sucralfate does not have a potent effect to the point of being utilized as a single analgesic treatment. Because it is simple, safe, tolerated, and low-cost, it is an important tool as adjuvant treatment of post-tonsillectomy pain.

Behçet's disease: external ear involvement.

Behçet's disease is an autoimmune vasculitis characterized by recurrent episodes of oral and genital ulcerations, skin lesions and uveitis. It also affects neurological, vascular, articular and gastrointestinal systems. Although etiology and pathogenesis are under investigation, studies have shown that HLA-B51 influences genetic susceptibility. The development of the disease is associated to neutrophil activation. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and immunosuppressive drugs are often used. Blindness and dementia are long-term concerns. We report an unprecedented case of a child with Behçet's disease presenting a skin lesion with necrosis of the external ear canal, facial paresis, Horner's syndrome and rupture of the internal carotid artery.

Association between otitis media and gastroesophageal reflux: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the association between otitis media and gastroesophageal/laryngopharyngeal reflux in children. DATA SOURCES: Cochrane library, MEDLINE (1966-September 2011), EMBASE (1974-September 2011), proceedings of International Symposia on Recent Advances in Otitis Media, and reference lists of relevant selected articles. REVIEW METHODS: Studies with planned data collection, in children with chronic otitis media with effusion/recurrent acute otitis media, assessing gastroesophageal/laryngopharyngeal reflux, pepsin/pepsinogen in middle ear, or antireflux therapy, were included. RESULTS: Of 242 initial studies, 15 met inclusion criteria. The authors found a mean prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with chronic otitis media with effusion of 48.4% (range, 17.6%-64%) and in children with recurrent acute otitis media of 62.9% (range, 61.5%-64.3%). A mean prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux of 48.6% (range, 27.3%-70.6%) was found in children with otitis media. Mean pepsin/pepsinogen presence in otitis media was 85.3% (range, 60%-100%) and of enzymatic activity was 34.2% (range, 14.5%-73%). Two randomized trials could not find benefit after antireflux treatment for 3 months, with an absolute rate difference (95% confidence interval) of 0.23 (0.023-0.42) and 0.13 (-0.086 to 0.34), respectively. Reporting of adverse events was limited, or absent, in most studies. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with chronic otitis media with effusion/recurrent acute otitis media may be higher than the overall prevalence for children. Presence of pepsin/pepsinogen in the middle ear could be related to physiologic reflux. A cause-effect relationship between pepsin/pepsinogen in the middle ear and otitis media is unclear. Antireflux therapy for otitis media cannot be endorsed based on existing research.

Tranexamic acid in adenotonsillectomy in children: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in pediatric otolaryngology, in which bleeding is a potential complication. We evaluated the efficacy of intravenous tranexamic acid in reducing intraoperative bleeding volume, and bleeding in the following 10 postoperative days in children who underwent adenotonsillectomy. DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Tertiary hospital. PATIENTS: Ninety-five children of both sexes between four and twelve years old who underwent adenotonsillectomy due to adenotonsillar hyperplasia. INTERVENTIONS: Intravenous tranexamic acid in the preoperative and at the eighth and the sixteenth hours of the postoperative periods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Bleeding volume was measured in milliliters (mL) at the end of the procedure, and bleeding events were registered in the following 10 postoperative days. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant reduction in bleeding volume with the use of tranexamic acid (mean ± standard deviation, 135.13 ± 71.44 [tranexamic acid] versus 158.21 ± 88.09 [placebo]; P=0.195). No difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative bleeding in the 10 postoperative days, but the sample size is insufficient to exclude a type 2 error. CONCLUSIONS: There is no benefit in the use of tranexamic acid for reducing bleeding during the transoperative period of adenotonsillectomy in children. More studies with a greater sample are required to evaluate the benefit of tranexamic acid in postoperative bleeding.

Topical clindamycin in post-adenotonsillectomy analgesia in children: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Tonsillectomy, with or without adenoidectomy, is one of the most common surgical procedures in pediatric otolaryngology. Pain is the main cause of morbidity in the postoperative period, where it is serious in some cases, leading to odynophagia and resultant complications such as dehydration. We evaluated the effect of topical clindamycin in the reduction of oropharyngeal pain in children who underwent adenotonsillectomy. Secondary outcomes were otalgia, analgesic use, oral bacterial count, type of diet, secondary bleeding, vomiting, fever, and weight loss. STUDY DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Tertiary hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty-two children of both sexes between four and 12 years of age who underwent adenotonsillectomy were allocated to receive topical clindamycin or placebo in the immediate preoperative, intraoperative, and eight-to-12-hours postoperative periods. Pain was measured using a faces pain scale for five days. RESULTS: Reduction of oropharyngeal pain was significant with the use of clindamycin only on the first postoperative day (95% confidence interval, 2.22 to 4.41 [clindamycin] vs 4.53 to 6.3 [placebo]; P = .002). No difference was observed in the aerobic and anaerobic counts by tongue swab between premedication and third-postoperative-day samplings. There were no differences with respect to reduction in otalgia, paracetamol use, return to normal diet, variation in weight, secondary hemorrhage, vomiting, and fever. CONCLUSION: The use of topical clindamycin was beneficial in reducing pain on the first postoperative day, without effect on subsequent days. Future investigations could examine the use of topical clindamycin not only in the first 12 hours but also during five days of follow-up.

Hemangioma apresentando-se como massa de canal auditivo externo / Hemangioma presenting as external ear canal mass

Lesões tumorais do meato acústico externo são achados pouco comuns na prática otorrinolaringológica diária. A possibilidade de hemangioma deve ser sempre lembrada. Descrever o caso de um paciente com hemangioma no conduto auditivo externo...

Tumoral lesions of external ear canal are uncommon findings in dailly. The possibility of hemangioma should always be remembered. To report a case of a patient with hemangioma in external ear canal...