Is there an OAHI or O2 nadir that predicts the need for preoperative echocardiogram prior to adenotonsillectomy for children with severe obstructive sleep apnea?

PURPOSE: To investigate threshold values for obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI) and nadir oxygen saturation (NspO2) in children with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to identify children most appropriate for preoperative echocardiography. METHODS: A multi-institutional retrospective chart review was performed on children who underwent echocardiography and polysomnogram within a year. Children with severe OSA as defined by OAHI > 10 or NspO2 < 80% were included. Receiver operator curves and Youden's J index were used to assess the discriminatory ability and threshold values of OAHI and NspO2 for right heart strain (RHS) on echocardiography. RESULTS: A total of 173 prepubertal (< 10 years) children and 71 postpubertal (≥ 10 years) children of age were included. RHS was seen in 9 (5%) prepubertal children and 4 (6%) postpubertal children. In prepubertal children, OAHI and NspO2 were poor predictors of RHS (area under the curve [AUC] 0.53 [95%CI 0.45-0.61], p = 0.748; AUC 0.56 [95%CI 0.48-0.64], p = 0.609). In postpubertal children, threshold values of 55 events/hour and 69% were strong predictors for RHS (AUC 0.88 [95%CI 0.78-0.95], p < 0.001; AUC 0.92 [95%CI 0.83-0.97], p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In children with severe OSA, evidence of RHS is low. Postpubertal children with OAHI > 55 and NspO2 < 69% appear most appropriate for echocardiography. Clinicians should weigh the risks and benefits of preoperative echocardiography for each child with these threshold values in mind.

Impact of Syndromes on Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children After Cleft Palate Repair.

OBJECTIVE: Prior research suggests that children with cleft palate (CP) are at increased risk of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). However, few studies differentiate the effects of CP repair on SDB based on syndrome status. The goal of this study was to evaluate differences in SDB after palatoplasty among children with nonsyndromic CP, syndromic CP, and isolated Robin sequence (RS). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary academic children's hospital. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: A total of 145 children who underwent primary CP repair from 2014 to 2021. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Post-palatoplasty SDB is defined as parent-reported symptoms and/or evidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). RESULTS: Median age at palatoplasty was 11.1 [IQR 10.2-13.6] months. Most patients (61.4%) had nonsyndromic CP, 26.9% had a syndrome, and 11.7% had RS. Children with syndromic CP and RS had more post-palatoplasty SDB symptoms (56.4% vs 58.8% vs 30.3%, P = .006) and higher rates of OSA (25.6% vs 29.4% vs 5.6%, P = .001) compared to children with nonsyndromic CP after palatoplasty. Children with syndromic CP and RS had nearly 3 to 4 higher odds of post-palatoplasty SDB than children with nonsyndromic CP (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.88, 95% CI 1.29-6.47, P = .010; aOR 3.73, 95% CI 1.19-11.70, P = .024). CONCLUSION: This study showed that children with CP experience higher rates of SDB after palatoplasty than the general pediatric population. Within the cohort, children with syndromic CP and isolated RS were more likely to have obstructive sleep disorders than nonsyndromic children after palatoplasty. Clinicians should counsel caregivers accordingly and closely monitor these groups for SDB after palate repair.

Evaluating Prenatal Diagnostic Imaging for Micrognathia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Studies evaluating the ability to diagnose and accurately predict the severity of micrognathia prenatally have yielded inconsistent results. This review aimed to evaluate reliability of prenatal diagnostic imaging in the diagnosis and characterization of micrognathia. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING: Studies with a prenatal diagnosis of micrognathia via ultrasound with a confirmatory postnatal examination were included. Prenatal severity was defined with and without mandibular measurements. Extent of airway obstruction at birth was defined by level of intervention required. Meta-analyses of proportions and relative risk were performed. PATIENTS: A total of 16 studies with 2753 neonates were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was the efficacy of characterizing the degree of micrognathia on prenatal imaging as it relates to respiratory obstruction at birth. Secondary outcome was the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis with the utilization of mandibular measurements versus without. RESULTS: Performing meta-analysis of proportions, the proportion of missed prenatal diagnoses of micrognathia made without mandibular measurements was 11.62% (95%CI 2.58-25.94). Utilizing mandibular measurements, the proportion of cases missed were statistically lower (0.20% [95%CI 0.00-0.70]). Patients determined to have severe micrognathia by prenatal imaging did not have a statistically significant increase in risk for more severe respiratory obstruction at birth (RR 3.13 [95%CI 0.59-16.55], P = .180). CONCLUSION: The proportion micrognathia cases missed when prenatal diagnosis was made without mandibular measurements was over 1 in 10, with mandibular measures improving accuracy. This study highlights the need for a uniform objective criterion to improve prenatal diagnosis and planning for postnatal care.

Paediatric anterior larynx: presentations, associations and a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: The literature on the entity of the anterior larynx (AL) is restricted to little evidence on the difficulty encountered in exposing the larynx for intubation, perioperative morbidity and mortality, and scant reports on its prevalence in general adults and children. Here, we describe the prevalence of AL in a series of children presenting with aerodigestive symptoms and explore its association with functional abnormalities, congenital and structural anomalies or conditions. SETTING: Tertiary paediatric centre. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case-control study. Using a prospectively collected surgical database, we identified patients diagnosed with AL (Grades IIb-III-IV Modified Cormack-Lehane scale) and sex and age-matched controls who had undergone full airway endoscopy for aerodigestive symptoms. We collected the demographics, presentations, associated diagnoses and investigations. We compared the proportion of patients with large airway abnormalities and dysmorphism and estimated the prevalence of AL. RESULTS: Over a 5.5-year period, 58 children with AL (28 females, mean age 0.38 years) were matched with 58 controls (mean age 0.42 years). Although both groups presented with permutations of stridor, respiratory failure, cyanotic spells, swallowing and feeding difficulties and SDB, AL presented much more with swallowing and feeding problems (33 vs. 20, p < .05). There were significantly more children with dysmorphism in the AL group (29 vs. 9, p < .05). The prevalence of AL was 4.9% (SE 0.0063). CONCLUSIONS: AL was detected in 4.9% of a sample of children who had undergone airway examination for aerodigestive symptoms. It is significantly associated with dysmorphism, and swallowing difficulties that warrant instrumental evaluation.

Smoking cessation intervention for patients with head and neck cancer: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief smoking cessation intervention in head and neck cancer patients (HNCP). STUDY DESIGN: A prospective randomized controlled trial that randomly assigns participants in two groups: a usual care group (UCG), and a standardized intervention group (SIG). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and who are active smokers were prospectively approached by one of 4 trained Ear-nose-throat (ENT) residents. Participants were randomized into a UCG, and a SIG consisting of a brief perioperative smoking cessation intervention based on National Institute of Health (NIH) "5A's" model along with an informative motivational document and nicotine patch therapy (NPT) offered for 8 weeks in gradually decreasing doses. OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of abstinence at 3, 6 and 12 months after enrollment. RESULTS: 56 subjects were randomized into the UCG (N = 29, 52%), and the SIG (N = 27, 48%). The overall smoking cessation rates were not statistically different between the two groups; we observed at 3 months cessation rates of 57.1% vs. 57.7% (p = 0.96); at 6 months, 42.9% vs. 24% (p = 0.148); and at 12 months, 33.3% vs. 20.8% (p = 0.318), for the UCG and the SIG respectively. CONCLUSION: This study failed to show the effectiveness of a combined brief smoking cessation approach led by and ENT resident in HNSCC patients. A multifaceted approach addressing different pharmacological treatments, factors contributing to smoking maintenance, mainly alcohol dependence and mood disturbances and dealing with relapse risks through close face-to-face or phone call follow-ups may have better outcomes and should be evaluated in upcoming trials.

Does REM AHI Predict Persistent OSA After Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy?

OBJECTIVE: The utility of REM AHI in managing pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is not fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of preoperative REM AHI to postoperative persistence of OSA in children who underwent adenotonsillectomy. METHODS: This retrospective chart review identified children under the age of 18 years that received an adenotonsillectomy for OSA and a preoperative and postoperative polysomnogram. Children with craniofacial or neuromuscular disorders or a tracheostomy were excluded. The primary outcome was the postoperative persistence of OSA, defined as a postoperative obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (oAHI) ≥ 1.5 events/hour. REM-predominant OSA was defined as a ratio of REM/NREM AHI ≥ 2. REM AHI minus NREM AHI and REM AHI minus oAHI helped to identify patients with a larger distribution of REM AHI. RESULTS: A total of 353 patients were included. Postoperative persistent OSA was seen in 232 (65.7%) children. The preoperative REM AHI, REM AHI minus NREM AHI, and REM AHI minus oAHI of children with persistent OSA did not differ significantly from children with resolution of OSA. Rates of persistence were not different between those with REM-predominant OSA and REM-independent OSA (63.8% vs 70.7%, P = .218). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that preoperative REM AHI may be a poor predictor of OSA persistence after adenotonsillectomy. Further study is needed to help characterize how pre-operative REM AHI should impact clinicians' decision making, family counseling and recommendations.

Outcomes of Tympanoplasty After Cleft Palate Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze graft success rates and hearing outcomes in patients with a history of cleft palate (CP) repair undergoing tympanoplasty. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. REVIEW METHODS: Per PRISMA guidelines, the databases were searched from date of inception through December 14, 2021. Studies of patients with previous CP repair who underwent tympanoplasty were included. Meta-analysis of proportions, continuous measures, odds ratios (ORs), and meta-regression were used to analyze graft success and hearing outcomes after tympanoplasty. RESULTS: A total of 323 patients with CP repair and 1169 controls were included. The proportion of graft success was 86.7% (95% CI, 76.1%-94.5%) in patients with CP repair and 88.8% (95% CI, 76.9-96.8) in controls. There was no difference in odds of graft success between patients with CP repair and controls (OR, 1.0 [95% CI, 0.5-1.8]; P = .870). Age was not a significant moderator of graft success in patients with CP repair (r = 0.1 [95% CI, -0.2 to 0.3]; P = .689) or controls (r = -0.0 [95% CI, -0.1 to 0.1]; P = .952). Comparing mean differences between pre- and postoperative air-bone gap was not statistically significant in patients with CP repair and controls (0.2 dB [95% CI, -3.1 to 3.4]; P = .930). Odds of functional success (postoperative air-bone gap <20 dB) were not different between the groups (OR, 0.8 [95% CI, 0.5-1.4]; P = .450). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis does not endorse anatomic or functional differences between patients with CP repair and controls after tympanoplasty. However, there is a paucity of evidence for younger children. Further studies are warranted to elucidate specific risk factors for tympanoplasty outcomes in young patients with previous CP repair.

Profiling of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in an Acute Care Hospital Setting.

PURPOSE: To identify the main complaints, diagnostic tools, as well as the treatment plan in patients presenting with oropharyngeal dysphagia in the acute care settings. METHODS: The electronic medical chart of 100 consecutive hospitalized patients who presented an oropharyngeal dysphagia were retrospectively reviewed from January 2017 to January 2019. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 76.03 (standard deviation = 16.06) years old with 71% of patients being males. The most common admission diagnosis was pneumonia (30%), followed by stroke (28%). The swallowing evaluation was performed on the regular floor in 85% of patients and in the intensive care unit in 15% of patients. The main reasons for the swallowing evaluation are suspicion of aspiration by the medical or nursing teams (60%), systematic evaluation (20%), ear, nose and throat (ENT) complaints by the patient (14%), and aspiration pneumonia (6%). Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensitivity testing was the most common diagnostic tool used alone in 88% of patients. Diet and postural modifications were prescribed to 71% and 62% of the patients, respectively. Swallowing exercises were performed in 43% of patients. Overall, otolaryngologist interventions resulted in an increased rate of patients getting oral intake compared to nonoral feeding routes (P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: This study adds knowledge about the causes and characteristics of oropharyngeal dysphagia in an acute tertiary medical setting. It also provides insights regarding the role, and the consequences of a swallowing intervention led by an ENT specialist in collaboration with the members of the health team.

Pediatric laryngeal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour: Case report and systematic review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours (IMT) are rare benign neoplasms in the pediatric population, found most frequently in the lungs with rare reports of laryngeal involvement. The aim of this paper is to present a clinical case of laryngeal IMT followed by a systematic review on pediatric laryngeal IMT. CASE REPORT: We present the case and the management of a 13-year-old boy with a laryngeal IMT MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comprehensive review of literature was conducted in September 2019 using Pubmed and Scopus. Included articles were reviewed for mean age at presentation, gender, main symptoms, treatment modality, histopathological features and follow-up RESULTS: Sixteen cases of pediatric laryngeal IMT were reported in the literature. The mean age of presentation was 7 years; endoscopic surgical resection was used in 87% of procedures, and the mean number of interventions needed to achieve remission was 1.6. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric laryngeal IMT are rare benign proliferations with only 16 reported case in the medical literature. The diagnosis of this entity remains a challenge and the standard of care is surgery with clear margins.

Safety and Efficacy of the Draf IIb Procedure: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the literature to evaluate the indications, safety, and efficacy of the Draf IIb procedure and to evaluate the added advantages of technical factors such as stents and flaps. DATA SOURCES: Articles published until July 2019 on Medline and Cochrane databases. REVIEW METHODS: After a systematic review based on the 2018 PRISMA guidelines was conducted, 26 of 1533 articles were included and reviewed for indications of Draf IIb; surgical technique; use of flaps, stents, grafts, or mitomycin; complications during and after surgery; and success or recurrence rate. RESULTS: The main indication for Draf IIb was chronic frontal rhinosinusitis (61.82%). The postoperative patency rate was 87.85%. When flaps/grafts were applied, the rate was 93.5%, but their added value was not statistically significant. Stents could be an alternative for revision surgery. Treating frontal pathologies other than chronic rhinosinusitis was also satisfying. Safety was comparable to Draf III: no perioperative complications were reported, only a few postoperative ones (eyelid ecchymosis and periorbital cellulitis in 0.2% of the cases, hyposmia in 1.55%). CONCLUSION: When properly indicated, Draf IIb frontal drilling is a safe and highly effective surgical technique for frontal pathology treatment, with efficiency and safety comparable to the Draf III, making it a valid option when a bilateral approach is not needed. More studies are required to confirm the added values of flaps, grafts, and stents.

Otolaryngologic manifestations of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (Forestier's disease): A systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: Forestier's disease or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a common, yet underreported, disease affecting the elderly population. From an otolaryngologic perspective, DISH may manifest with dysphagia, dysphonia, or even dyspnea. The purpose of this study was to identify all published cases of dysphagia and other associated upper airway symptoms resulting from DISH in the last decade and to establish subsequently a management algorithm. METHODS: A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted in May 2020 on Medline and Embase databases following the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews and meta-analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-three articles, consisting of 50 case-reports and 13 case-series, met the inclusion criteria. A total of 236 cases of DISH were reported from 2010 to date. Otolaryngology instrumental evaluation, by fiberoptic laryngoscopy and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, was frequently reported. Surgery was the most common treatment strategy for the management of dysphagia in 58.9% of patients, while conservative treatment was used in 41.1%. Tracheotomy for acute airway obstruction relief was performed in 6% of patients. No correlation was found between the type of treatment and dysphagia improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Forestier's disease is currently a growing source of complications in elderly, mostly dysphagia and less commonly upper airway obstruction. The management of these complications requires a multidisciplinary team and a thorough approach, where the otolaryngologist plays a pivotal role.