Surgical Outcomes in Zenker Diverticula: A Multicenter, Prospective, Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare improvement in patient-reported outcomes (PROM) in persons undergoing endoscopic and open surgical management of Zenker diverticula (ZD). METHODOLOGY: Prospective, multicenter cohort study of all individuals enrolled in the Prospective OUtcomes of Cricopharyngeus Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative who underwent surgery for ZD. Patient survey, radiography reports, and the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) pre- and post-procedure were abstracted from a REDCap database, which summarized means, medians, percentages, and frequencies of. Outcome based on operative intervention (endoscopic vs. open) was compared using t-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test or chi-square test, as appropriate. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-seven persons were prospectively followed. The mean age (SD) of the cohort was 68.7 (11.0). Overall, 66% of patients reported 100% improvement in EAT-10; 81% of patients had greater than 75% improvement; and 88% had greater than 50% improvement. Endoscopic was used for n = 109 patients, and open surgical intervention was used for n = 38. The median [interquartile range, IQR] EAT-10 percent improvement for endoscopic treatment was 93.3% [72, 100], and open was 100% [92.3, 100] (p = 0.05). The incidence of intraoperative complications was 3.7% for endoscopic and 7.9% for open surgical management. The median [IQR] in follow-up was 86 and 97.5 days, respectively. CONCLUSION: Both endoscopic and open surgical management of ZD provide significant improvement in patient-reported outcomes. The data suggest that open diverticulectomy may provide a modest advantage in symptomatic improvement compared to endoscopic management. The data suggest that the postoperative complication rate is higher in the open surgical group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:97-102, 2024.

Postoperative Care of Zenker Diverticula: Contemporary Perspective from the Prospective OUtcomes Cricopharyngeaus Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to identify trends in postoperative management of persons undergoing surgery for Zenker diverticula (ZD) by evaluating length of stay (LOS), diet on discharge, and imaging with or without surgical complication. METHODS: Prospectively enrolled adult patients with cricopharyngeal muscle dysfunction with diverticula undergoing surgery from August 1, 2017 to February 1, 2023 were included. Data were extracted from a multi-institutional REDCap database, summarizing means, medians, percentages, and frequencies. Fisher's exact or chi squared analyses were utilized, as appropriate, to compare subsets of data. Descriptive analysis assessed differences in clinical course and the relationship to postoperative management. RESULTS: There were 298 patients with a mean (standard deviation) age of 71.8 (11.2) years and 60% male. Endoscopic surgery was performed in 79.5% (237/298) of patients versus 20.5% (61/298) open surgery. Sixty patients (20.1%) received postoperative imaging, with four leaks identified. Complications were identified in 9.4% of cases (n = 29 complications in 28 patients), more commonly in open surgery. Most (81.2%) patients were discharged within 23 h. About half of patients (49%) were discharged from the hospital on a pureed/liquid diet; 36% had been advanced to a soft diet. In patients without complications, LOS was significantly longer following open cases (p = 0.002); postoperative diet was not different between open and endoscopic (p = 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, most patients are discharged within 23 h without imaging. However, LOS was affected by surgical approach. Postoperative complications are different in endoscopic versus open surgery. Complications with either approach were associated with prolonged LOS, need for imaging, and diet restriction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III Laryngoscope, 134:2678-2683, 2024.

Comparative Treatment Outcomes for Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis: 5-Year Update.

The North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC) previously published a 3-year multi-institutional prospective cohort study showing variation in treatment effectiveness between 3 primary surgical techniques for idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS). In this report, we update these findings to include 5 years of data evaluating treatment effectiveness. Patients in the NoAAC cohort were re-enrolled for 2 additional years and followed using the prespecified published protocol. Consistent with prior data, prospective observation of 487 iSGS patients for 5 years showed treatment effectiveness differed by modality. Cricotracheal resection maintained the lowest rate of recurrent operation (5%), followed by endoscopic resection with adjuvant medical therapy (30%) and endoscopic dilation (50%). These data support the initial observations and continue to provide value to providers and patients navigating longitudinal decision-making. Level of evidence: 2-prospective cohort study.

Killian Jamieson Diverticulum, the Great Mimicker: A Case Series and Contemporary Review.

OBJECTIVE: To assess barium esophagram (BAS) as a diagnostic marker for patients with Killian Jamieson diverticula (KJD). METHODS: Prospective, multicenter cohort study of individuals enrolled in the Prospective OUtcomes of Cricopharyngeus Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative. Patient demographics, comorbidities, radiographic imaging reports, laryngoscopy findings, patient-reported outcome measures (PROM), and operative reporting were abstracted from a REDCap database and summarized using means, medians, percentages, frequencies. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test were used to test pre- to post-operative differences in RSI, EAT-10, and VHI-10 scores. Diagnostic test evaluation including sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value with 95% confidence intervals were calculated comparing BAS findings to operative report. RESULTS: A total of 287 persons were enrolled; 13 (4%) patients were identified with confirmed KJD on operative reports. 100% underwent open transcervical excision. BAS has a 46.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23.2, 70.9) sensitivity and 97.8% (95% CI: 95.3, 99.0) specificity in detecting a KJD and 50% (95% CI: 25.4, 74.6) positive predictive value but 97.4% (95%CI: 94.8, 98.7) negative predictive value. Preoperatively, patients reported mean (SD) RSI and EAT-10 of 19.4 (9) and 8.3 (7.5) accordingly. Postoperatively, patients reported mean (SD) RSI and EAT-10 as 5.4 (6.2) and 2.3 (3.3). Both changes in RSI and EAT-10 were statistically significant (p = 0.008, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: KJD are rare and represent <5% of hypopharyngeal diverticula undergoing surgical intervention. Open transcervical surgery significantly improves symptoms of dysphagia. BAS has high specificity but low sensitivity in detecting KJD. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:2110-2115, 2023.

Cricopharyngeus Muscle Dysfunction and Hypopharyngeal Diverticula (e.g., Zenker): A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe demographics and imaging and compare findings and symptoms at presentation in a large cohort of persons with cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction (CPMD) with and without hypopharyngeal diverticula. METHODOLOGY: Prospective, multicenter cohort study of all individuals enrolled in the Prospective OUtcomes of Cricopharyngeal Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative. Patient survey, comorbidities, radiography, laryngoscopy findings, and patient-reported outcome measures (e.g., Eating Assessment Tool [EAT-10]) data were abstracted from a REDCap database and summarized using means, medians, percentages, and frequencies. Diagnostic categories were compared using analysis of variance. RESULTS: A total of 250 persons were included. The mean age (standard deviation [SD]) of the cohort was 69.0 (11.2). Forty-two percent identified as female. Zenker diverticula (ZD) was diagnosed in 85.2%, 9.2% with CPMD without diverticula, 4.4% with a Killian Jamieson diverticula (KJD), and 1.2% traction-type diverticula. There were no differences between diagnostic categories in regard to age, gender, and duration of symptoms (p = 0.25, 0.19, 0.45). The mean (SD) EAT-10 score for each group was 17.1 (10.1) for ZD, 20.2 (9.3) for CPMD, and 10.3 (9.4) for KJD. Patients with isolated CPMD had significantly greater EAT-10 scores compared to the other diagnostic groups (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: ZD is the most common, followed by CPMD without diverticula, KJD, and traction-type. Patients with isolated obstructing CPMD may be more symptomatic than persons with ZD or KJD. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:1349-1355, 2023.

Corticosteroid Use in Otolaryngology: Current Considerations During the COVID-19 Era.

OBJECTIVE: To offer pragmatic, evidence-informed advice on administering corticosteroids in otolaryngology during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, considering therapeutic efficacy, potential adverse effects, susceptibility to COVID-19, and potential effects on efficacy of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, and guideline databases. REVIEW METHODS: Guideline search strategies, supplemented by database searches on sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), idiopathic facial nerve paralysis (Bell's palsy), sinonasal polyposis, laryngotracheal disorders, head and neck oncology, and pediatric otolaryngology, prioritizing systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and COVID-19-specific findings. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic corticosteroids (SCSs) reduce long-term morbidity in individuals with SSNHL and Bell's palsy, reduce acute laryngotracheal edema, and have benefit in perioperative management for some procedures. Topical or locally injected corticosteroids are preferable for most other otolaryngologic indications. SCSs have not shown long-term benefit for sinonasal disorders. SCSs are not a contraindication to vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that these vaccines are safe for immunocompromised patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: SCS use for SSNHL, Bell's palsy, laryngotracheal edema, and perioperative care should follow prepandemic standards. Local or topical corticosteroids are preferable for most other otolaryngologic indications. Whether SCSs attenuate response to vaccination against COVID-19 or increase susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. Immunosuppression may lower vaccine efficacy, so immunocompromised patients should adhere to recommended infection control practices. COVID-19 vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines is safe for immunocompromised patients.

Association of Social Determinants of Health with Time to Diagnosis and Treatment Outcomes in Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether social determinants of health (SDH) factors are associated with time to diagnosis, treatment selection, and time to recurrent surgical intervention in idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) patients. METHODS: Adult patients with diagnosed iSGS were recruited prospectively (2015-2017) via clinical providers as part of the North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC) and via an online iSGS support community on Facebook. Patient-specific SDH factors included highest educational attainment (self-reported), median household income (matched from home zip code via U.S. Census data), and number of close friends (self-reported) as a measure of social support. Main outcomes of interest were time to disease diagnosis (years from symptom onset), treatment selection (endoscopic dilation [ED] vs cricotracheal resection [CTR] vs endoscopic resection with adjuvant medical therapy [ERMT]), and time to recurrent surgical intervention (number of days from initial surgical procedure) as a surrogate for disease recurrence. RESULTS: The total 810 participants were 98.5% female, 97.2% Caucasian, and had a median age of 50 years (IQR, 43-58). The cohort had a median household income of $62 307 (IQR, $50 345-$79 773), a median of 7 close friends (IQR, 4-10), and 64.7% of patients completed college or graduate school. Education, income, and number of friends were not associated with time to diagnosis via multivariable linear regression modeling. Univariable multinominal logistic regression demonstrated an association between education and income for selecting ED versus ERMT, but no associations were noted for CTR. No associations were noted for time to recurrent surgical procedure via Kaplan Meier modeling and Cox proportional hazards regression. CONCLUSIONS: Patient education, income, and social support were not associated with time to diagnosis or time to disease recurrence. This suggests additional patient, procedure, or disease-specific factors contribute to the observed variations in iSGS surgical outcomes.

Intubation-Related Laryngeal Pathology Precluding Tracheostomy Decannulation: Incidence and Associated Risk Factors.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the incidence and risk factors for intubation-related laryngeal lesions that preclude tracheostomy decannulation in a large population. METHODS: A 3-year retrospective case-control study was performed of tracheotomized adults in acute rehabilitation facilities who underwent routine endoscopic evaluation of the airway as part of the facilities' decannulation protocol. Patients with known upper airway pathology, external laryngeal trauma, cricothyrotomy or emergent tracheostomy, prior head and neck radiation, isolated tracheal lesions, and patients with incomplete reports were excluded. The laryngeal pathologies were classified, and demographics and clinical features were compared between those whose lesions precluded decannulation and all other patients. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-one patients met inclusion criteria. One hundred six (28.6%) had laryngotracheal lesions. Forty-nine patients (13.2%) had intubation-related lesions of the larynx that precluded decannulation. These lesions included posterior glottic stenosis (30.6%), granulation tissue (24.5%), vocal fold immobility (16.3%), subglottic stenosis (16.3%), a combination of granulation tissue and stenosis (10.2%), and glottic edema (2.0%). A BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 was associated with laryngeal lesions precluding decannulation. There was no difference in age, sex, race, diabetes mellitus, endotracheal tube size, number of days intubated, and number of intubations between groups. Seventy-eight percent of patients with lesions precluding decannulation were decannulated after medical or surgical therapy. The decannulation rate of patients without lesions precluding decannulation was 79.9%. CONCLUSIONS: BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 may increase the risk of development of laryngeal lesions preventing decannulation. Given that 13.2% of tracheotomized patients have laryngeal lesions precluding decannulation, an endoscopic evaluation of the airway is important to prevent decannulation failure and future airway symptoms.

Predictors of Tracheostomy Decannulation in Adult Laryngotracheal Stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Predictors of tracheostomy decannulation in patients with laryngotracheal stenosis are not fully known, making prognosis difficult. The aim was to identify predictors of tracheostomy decannulation in adult patients with acquired stenosis of the larynx and/or trachea who were tracheostomy dependent. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Academic teaching hospital. METHODS: A total of 103 consecutive adult patients with laryngotracheal stenosis who were tracheostomy dependent and seen by the otolaryngology clinic from January 1, 2013, to August 2, 2018, were included. Exclusion criteria included age <18 years, history of laryngeal cancer or head and neck radiation, or history of laryngeal fracture. The primary outcome was the presence of tracheostomy at last follow-up. The patients' etiology of stenosis, comorbid conditions, and characteristics of the stenosis were analyzed to determine if there was a statistically significant relationship with decannulation. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients were included: 67% of patients were women and the average age was 53.5 years. Sixty-four patients (62%) were successfully decannulated. In multivariate analysis, patients who were successfully decannulated presented to the otolaryngology clinic earlier after tracheostomy was performed, were more likely to have been intubated due to trauma, and were less likely to have gastroesophageal reflux disease. In patients with subglottic or tracheal stenosis, those with granulation tissue without firm scar were more likely to be decannulated, and those who underwent rigid dilation were less likely to be decannulated. CONCLUSION: Early evaluation by an otolaryngologist may increase the likelihood of tracheostomy decannulation in patients with laryngotracheal stenosis. Patient comorbidities may assist in predicting which patients will be successfully decannulated.

Immediate and partial neural dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery: Need for recognition, laryngeal exam, and early treatment.

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery requires early recognition and a standardized approach for patients that present with voice, swallowing, and breathing issues. The Endocrine Committee of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) convened a panel to define the terms "immediate vocal fold paralysis" and "partial neural dysfunction" and to provide clinical consensus statements based on review of the literature, integrated with expert opinion of the group. METHODS: A multidisciplinary expert panel constructed the manuscript and recommendations for laryngeal dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. A meta-analysis was performed using the literature and published guidelines. Consensus was achieved using polling and a modified Delphi approach. RESULTS: Twenty-two panelists achieved consensus on five statements regarding the role of early identification and standardization of evaluation for patients with "immediate vocal fold paralysis" and "partial neural dysfunction" after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. CONCLUSION: After endorsement by the AHNS Endocrine Section and Quality of Care Committee, it received final approval from the AHNS Council.

The Otolaryngology Match 2019: Why Was This Year Different from Every Other Year?

After 2 years with record high numbers of unfilled spots in the otolaryngology National Residency Matching Program-sponsored match, the current match cycle had no open positions available in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program. This article analyzes the historical and present data to try to understand what happened so that we can better avoid repeating the problems of the past.

Comparative Treatment Outcomes for Patients With Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.

Importance: Surgical treatment comparisons in rare diseases are difficult secondary to the geographic distribution of patients. Fortunately, emerging technologies offer promise to reduce these barriers for research. Objective: To prospectively compare the outcomes of the 3 most common surgical approaches for idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS), a rare airway disease. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this international, prospective, 3-year multicenter cohort study, 810 patients with untreated, newly diagnosed, or previously treated iSGS were enrolled after undergoing a surgical procedure (endoscopic dilation [ED], endoscopic resection with adjuvant medical therapy [ERMT], or cricotracheal resection [CTR]). Patients were recruited from clinician practices in the North American Airway Collaborative and an online iSGS community on Facebook. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was days from initial surgical procedure to recurrent surgical procedure. Secondary end points included quality of life using the Clinical COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Questionnaire (CCQ), Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), Eating Assessment Test-10 (EAT-10), the 12-Item Short-Form Version 2 (SF-12v2), and postoperative complications. Results: Of 810 patients in this cohort, 798 (98.5%) were female and 787 (97.2%) were white, with a median age of 50 years (interquartile range, 43-58 years). Index surgical procedures were ED (n = 603; 74.4%), ERMT (n = 121; 14.9%), and CTR (n = 86; 10.6%). Overall, 185 patients (22.8%) had a recurrent surgical procedure during the 3-year study, but recurrence differed by modality (CTR, 1 patient [1.2%]; ERMT, 15 [12.4%]; and ED, 169 [28.0%]). Weighted, propensity score-matched, Cox proportional hazards regression models showed ED was inferior to ERMT (hazard ratio [HR], 3.16; 95% CI, 1.8-5.5). Among successfully treated patients without recurrence, those treated with CTR had the best CCQ (0.75 points) and SF-12v2 (54 points) scores and worst VHI-10 score (13 points) 360 days after enrollment as well as the greatest perioperative risk. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of 810 patients with iSGS, endoscopic dilation, the most popular surgical approach for iSGS, was associated with a higher recurrence rate compared with other procedures. Cricotracheal resection offered the most durable results but showed the greatest perioperative risk and the worst long-term voice outcomes. Endoscopic resection with medical therapy was associated with better disease control compared with ED and had minimal association with vocal function. These results may be used to inform individual patient treatment decision-making.

Lurasidone-Induced Tardive Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Tardive syndrome (TS) is an often irreversible movement disorder caused by dopamine receptor-blocking agents (DRBAs). Although TS are well recognized to occur with typical antipsychotics, less well appreciated is that atypical antipsychotics also carry a risk of TS. METHODS: Case series. RESULTS: We describe 4 patients who developed tardive dystonia, tardive akathisia, and drug-induced parkinsonism with the use of the atypical antipsychotic, lurasidone, which was U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved in 2013 for use in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: Movement disorders are reported as a rare side effect of lurasidone, and, as such, prescribers may perceive a false sense of security regarding this potential complication. Our cases indicate that this relatively new atypical antipsychotic may cause irreversible disabling TS as well as parkinsonism. Caution must be taken when prescribing lurasidone.

Movement Disorders and Voice.

The primary movement disorders affecting the voice are laryngeal dystonia (including spasmodic dysphonia), essential voice tremor, and Parkinson disease. Diagnosis of these conditions is clinical and based on a detailed history, voice evaluation, and physical and laryngoscopic examination. Laryngeal dystonia and essential voice tremor are hyperfunctional disorders and are treated most commonly with botulinum toxin injections. Parkinson disease is a hypofunctional disorder that may affect the voice and most commonly is treated with Lee Silverman Voice Treatment.

Penetrating aerodigestive injuries in the neck: a proposed CT-aided modified selective management algorithm.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the specific CT findings of penetrating neck wound profile predicting aerodigestive injuries, diagnostic performance of CTA and to propose a modified selective management algorithm to reduce nontherapeutic invasive procedures. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated CTAs of 102 patients to determine the presence of various CT signs. "Trajectory"-based signs included trajectory of the wound extending into the aerodigestive tract and trajectory violating the deep neck spaces. "Conventional" signs included transcervical injury; wall defect; air or blood in the deep neck spaces; irregular or thickened aerodigestive tract; and active mucosal bleeding. RESULTS: Trajectory of the wound extending into the aerodigestive tract (sensitivity 76 %, specificity 97 %) and trajectory of the wound violating the suprahyoid deep neck spaces or the infrahyoid visceral space (sensitivity 97 %, specificity 55 %) were the best predictors of injury on regression analysis. The most specific "conventional" CT signs were "wall defect" and "active mucosal bleed", but had very low sensitivity. The sensitivity of CTA for detecting an injury ranged from 89.5 % to 92 %, specificity ranged from 62.5 % to 89 %. CONCLUSION: CTA can be a useful technique in detecting aerodigestive injury. Our proposed management algorithm can exclude an injury with high degree of confidence (sensitivity 97 %). KEY POINTS: • Trajectory-based CT signs predict aerodigestive injury after penetrating neck trauma. • Surgery should be considered when trajectory extends into the infra-arytenoid aerodigestive tract. • Endoscopy or exploration should be considered when trajectory violates deep neck spaces. • This modified approach can decrease negative explorations and invasive diagnostic procedures.

Multilevel airway stenosis in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's).

OBJECTIVES: To describe the presentation and clinical course of subglottic stenosis (SGS), in particular the development of concurrent airway lesions, in patients with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener's) (GPA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of clinical data from all patients presenting to our institution from 2000 to 2012 with SGS and GPA. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were identified. The average age at diagnosis was 33 years old. Eleven patients (31%) presented with SGS as part their initial manifestation of GPA. The remaining patients developed SGS later, at a median of 2.5 years from diagnosis (range 6 months to 14 years). Twelve patients (34%) were noted to have multilevel airway involvement. Seven patients (20%) had documentation of cricoarytenoid joint fixation and vocal cord immobility. This was typically progressive in nature and occurred at an average of two years following the diagnosis of SGS. Six patients (17%) had mid/distal tracheal stenosis and four (11%) had bronchial stenosis. The majority of patients (86%) had evidence of concurrent sinonasal involvement, ten patients (29%) had evidence of otologic involvement and eight (23%) had ocular involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Cricoarytenoid joint fixation and distal stenosis occur not infrequently in patients with GPA and SGS, resulting in progressive multilevel airway stenosis in about one third of patients. It is critical to identify multilevel stenosis when managing the airways of these patients.

Vocal fold paralysis following spinal anesthesia.

IMPORTANCE: Transient upper cranial neuropathy is a well-described complication of spinal anesthesia. Lower cranial neuropathies, in particular vagal neuropathies, have not been described. We present 4 cases of vocal fold paralysis (VFP) in 3 patients following spinal anesthesia and discuss a proposed mechanism. OBSERVATIONS: Three women presented with dysphonia following spinal anesthesia and were found to have unilateral VFP. Patient 1 presented with dysphonia immediately after knee surgery. Patient 2 developed right VFP 1 week after vaginal delivery with spinal epidural anesthesia. Two years later, she presented with sudden onset of dysphonia 3 days after another vaginal delivery with spinal and epidural anesthesia; a contralateral VFP was found. Patient 3 noted dysphonia 4 days after knee surgery and was found to have left VFP. No patient had undergone intubation, and none had a central line on the side of the weakness. Imaging ruled out a relevant lesion. All 3 women had evidence of substantial recovery of motion at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Intracranial hypotension resulting in vagal neuropathy is a possible complication of spinal anesthesia and appears to be the cause of transient vocal fold palsy in these 4 cases.

A new treatment paradigm for trigeminal neuralgia using Botulinum toxin type A.

OBJECTIVES: To review the current data for the use of Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) in trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and to describe the preferred injection technique of BoNT-A in TN. To propose a new treatment paradigm for TN incorporating the use BoNT-A. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases. REVIEW METHODS: The current data on BoNT-A for TN were reviewed and analyzed for outcomes. RESULTS: Seven studies examining the use of BoNT-A were identified: Two randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled studies and five prospective case series. All studies found BoNT-A to be an effective treatment in the majority of patients; and the results of the two randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study showed significant benefit over placebo. The majority of studies used an intradermal or subcutaneous injection technique. The most common side effect was transient facial paresis. CONCLUSIONS: BoNT-A offers a safe, effective, local treatment for TN that is nonablative in nature. BoNT-A should be considered in patients who have failed, become refractory to, or are unable to tolerate first-line pharmacologic treatments. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

Otitis media.

Otitis media represents a broad spectrum of disease, which include acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion. As immunization with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has become more widespread, the microbiological landscape of otitis media has changed, which affects the treatment options facing clinicians worldwide. This review discusses the diagnosis and medical management of acute and chronic suppurative otitis media, the changes noted over the past decade, and briefly expounds on the surgical management of their severe complications.