Comparison of Short and Long-Term Results after Injection Laryngoplasty with Radiesse® Voice and Thyroplasty Type I in Unilateral Vocal Fold Palsy.

OBJECTIVES: Unilateral vocal fold palsy independently of etiology results in glottic insufficiency leading to unfavorable short or long-term impact on voice quality. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of injection laryngoplasty using Radiesse® Voice and thyroplasty type I on glottic closure, voice quality and aerodynamics by comparing preoperative, short- and long-term results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of 32 consent patients were reviewed between 2012 and 2023. All patients underwent either injection laryngoplasty (14 patients) or thyroplasty type I (18 patients) under local anesthesia. Maximum phonation time, glottic closure based on videolaryngostroboscopy, VHI-30 values and GRBAS scale were recorded prior, short-term (3 month) and long-term (12 months) after procedures for statistical comparison. Friedman test, Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In injection laryngoplasty group, we found significant improvement in maximum phonation time (p = 0.002), grade of hoarseness (p = 0.002) and breathiness (p = 0.000) when comparing results before and short-term after procedure. In thyroplasty type I group we saw significant improvement of maximum phonation time (p = 0.000), glottic insufficiency (p = 0.000), all three VHI-30 components (p = 0.000), as well as grade of hoarseness, breathiness (both p = 0.000) and roughness (p = 0.011) of GRBAS scale when comparing voice outcome before and short-term after procedure. There was no significant difference in voice outcome results neither between short and long-term results nor between the two groups in any parameter. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate both short and long-term efficiency of injection laryngoplasty and thyroplasty type I in the improvement of voice quality and glottic closure.

Detection of Cervical Lymph Node Micrometastases in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity, Pharynx and Larynx.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this prospective study was to determine the frequency of micrometastases in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx in whom elective neck dissection was indicated (cN0). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 12 patients (10 males and 2 females) were enrolled in the study. The age ranged 42-73 years (median 62 years). Elective neck dissection was performed in all patients (8 ipsilateral, 4 bilateral) and a total of 256 lymph nodes were removed and sent for microscopic examination. RESULTS: The presence of tumor cells in cervical lymph nodes was found in 5/12 (42%) patients. Micrometastases of SCC were found in two patients and isolated tumor cells (ITC) in two other patients. In the remaining one patient with oropharyngeal SCC, a micrometastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) was detected. Positive lymph nodes were localized in level II in three patients with SCC of larynx, hypopharynx and tongue base, respectively, in level I in one patient with SCC of oral tongue and in level III in one patient with PTC. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that SCC of head and neck has a high potential for creating micrometastases which frequency is higher compared to clinically detected macrometastases. Therefore, elective neck dissection or radiotherapy of the neck should be considered in patients with high risk of occult metastases or micrometastases.

Nasal symptomatology, obstruction, and paranasal sinus opacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) more frequently suffer from nasal symptoms as well as upper respiratory tract obstruction compared with the healthy population. OBJECTIVE: The relationship between chronic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma has been studied in detail in the past. In recent years, a limited number of authors have also studied involvement of the nose and paranasal sinuses in patients with COPD. METHODS: This was an observational cross-sectional study with subsequent prospective assessment; 42 patients with COPD were included. The control group consisted of 12 healthy subjects. All patients with a history of rhinitis or rhinosinusitis and patients with previous surgery of the nose and sinuses were excluded from the study. Clinical variables evaluated were nasal symptoms (SNAQ-11 questionnaire), nasal endoscopy, nasal patency (active rhinomanometry), and computed tomography of paranasal sinuses. RESULTS: In the COPD group, there was a higher occurrence of nasal symptoms and pathological findings on nasal endoscopy compared with the control group. The overall nasal airflow was higher in the control group (compared with COPD patients) and the overall nasal resistance was higher in the COPD group (compared with controls). Pathological opacity of one or more sinuses was confirmed in 38% of COPD patients.

Treatment of Laryngoceles: what is the progress over the last two decades?

OBJECTIVES: To review surgical techniques used in the treatment of laryngoceles over the last two decades and point out developments and trends. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the JBI Library of Systematic Reviews were searched using the term "laryngocele." Demographic data, type of laryngocele, presence of a laryngopyocele, type of treatment and need for a tracheotomy were assessed. RESULTS: Overall, data on 86 patients were analyzed, culled from 50 articles, of which 41 were case reports and 9 were case series. No single systematic review or meta-analysis or randomized controlled trial has been published on the topic. Altogether, 71 laryngoceles in 63 patients met the criteria for further analysis focusing on surgical treatment. An external approach was selected in 25/29 (86.2%) cases of combined laryngoceles. Microlaryngoscopic resection using a CO2 laser was performed in three cases and endoscopic robotic surgery in one case. The majority of patients with an internal laryngocele, 31/42 (73.8%), were treated using the microlaryngoscopy approach. CONCLUSIONS: Microlaryngoscopy involving the use of a CO2 laser has become the main therapeutic procedure for the treatment of internal laryngoceles during the past 20 years. An external approach still remains the main therapeutic approach for the treatment of combined laryngoceles.

LOW-GRADE MYOFIBROBLASTIC SARCOMA OF THE LARYNX: CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

Low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (LGMS) is a very rare, atypical myofibroblastic tumor with fibromatosis-like features with predilection mostly in head and neck region. LGMS occurs primarily in adult patients with a slight male predominance. Only few cases of LGMS affecting the larynx have been reported in literature to this date. We describe a case of low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma of the larynx in a 40-year-old male patient. The clinicopathological characteristics, immunohistochemical findings and treatment are discussed.

Oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma of frontal sinus.

Oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma (OSP) is one of the three morphologically distinct tumors that arise from Schneiderian membrane (the others include exophytic papilloma and inverted papilloma). OSP almost always occurs unilaterally in the paranasal sinuses, usually in the maxillary sinus, ethmoid cells or sphenoid sinus. We report a case of a 64-year-old woman with OSP arising from the left frontal sinus. In the report herein, we describe an OSP originating in the region of frontal sinus, which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the first documented example in English literature of OSP developing in this anatomical site.