Revision surgery for laryngotracheal stenosis in children: A single center's 44 years experience.

OBJECTIVES: Outcome measures of revision open airway surgery in pediatric laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) are reported. METHODS: Data on 46 pediatric LTS patients undergoing revision open airway surgery were collected retrospectively. The measured outcomes were decannulation rate, time to decannulation, postoperative complications, additional surgery to achieve decannulation, and functional results. RESULTS: The most common revision surgery was partial cricotracheal resection (PCTR) in 21/46, followed by extended PCTR (ePCTR) in 20/46, and laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) in 5/46 patients. A 90.7% overall decannulation rate (ODR) and a 74.4% operation-specific decannulation rate (OSDR) were achieved. Delayed decannulation was identified in children aged 5 years or less (p = 0.038) and in patients with previous primary open airway surgery (p = 0.039). Complications were observed in 52.2% of patients. To achieve optimal airway patency, additional open or endoscopic airway surgeries were necessary in 30.4% and 47.7% of patients, respectively. Age 5 years or less (p = 0.034), multiple comorbidities (p = 0.044), revision ePCTR (p = 0.023), and laryngeal stenting (p = 0.018) were risk factors requiring additional open surgery to achieve age-appropriate airway. Failed primary open airway surgery (p = 0.034) and comorbidities (p = 0.044) were risk factors for a higher rate of additional endoscopic surgeries. Postoperatively 63.0% of patients achieved normal breathing, 82.2% were dysphonic and 91.1% were orally fed. CONCLUSIONS: In this report, the patient's age under 5 years, previous primary open airway surgery, medical comorbidities, and laryngeal stenting had a significant negative impact on revision open airway surgery outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4 Laryngoscope, 133:3200-3207, 2023.

The Impact of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux on Occurrence and Clinical Course of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) has been proposed both as a trigger for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) onset and as a factor favoring an aggressive clinical course. STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective study, 106 participants were recruited within a period of 24 months at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Cervicofacial Surgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana. METHODS: This study compared a group of RRP patients (N = 36) with a group of LPR patients (N = 28) and a group of healthy participants (N = 42) based on Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), Reflux Finding Scores (RFS), and saliva analyses (pH, pepsin concentration, bile acid concentration, and pepsin enzymatic activity). RESULTS: The RRP group compared to the LPR group showed a statistically significant difference only in RSI and RFS scores, while the RRP group compared to healthy controls showed significantly higher values in all tested parameters (RSI score, RFS, saliva pH, pepsin concentration, bile acids concentration, pepsin enzymatic activity). CONCLUSIONS: LPR is common in RRP patients and significantly more prevalent compared to healthy controls. Our results show that saliva analyses are a better office-based tool than RSI questionnaires and RFS scores for diagnosing LPR in RRP patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 132:619-625, 2022.

Risk factors for the development of high-grade dysplasia and carcinoma in patients with laryngeal squamous cell papillomas: Large retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and risk factors for the development of high-grade dysplasia (HG-D) and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) were assessed in patients with laryngeal squamous cell papillomas (LSP). METHODS: Clinical data, human papillomaviruses (HPV) typing, HPV E6/E7 mRNA in situ hybridization, and sequencing of host genes in LSP biopsies of 163 patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Progression to HG-D and LSCC was identified in 21.5% and 4.3% of LSP patients, respectively. A more advanced age at LSP onset and lack of HPV infection were detected as risk factors for the development of HG-D and LSCC (P < .05). The identification of HG-D was associated with its progression to LSCC (P < .05). Host gene mutations were identified in 3 of 7 patients with LSCC. CONCLUSIONS: The histological monitoring of LSP and HPV typing are necessary for early detection of epithelial changes. Further research is needed to elucidate the role of host gene mutations in LSCC transformation.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of nasal obstruction symptom evaluation questionnaire in Slovenian language.

OBJECTIVES: Nasal obstruction is highly subjective perception with numerous efforts being made towards objective measuring. Many instruments in quality of life studies encompass subjective symptom of nasal obstruction, but only NOSE has been properly validated and is easy to use in every day practice. METHODS: Multicenter prospective instrument validation and cross-cultural adaptation cohort study was conducted on patients with deviated nasal septum, with or without inferior turbinate hypertrophy, to develop the Slovenian version of NOSE questionnaire. A cross-cultural adaptation of the original questionnaire was done in five steps, producing Slovenian NOSE-si, used on a pilot group to confirm the quality of adapted tools and, afterwards, on the main study and control group. Symptoms were lasting for more than 12 months and all had an indication for septal surgery. A control group was selected from a pool of healthy subjects, self-assessed as having no rhinological complaints. RESULTS: NOSE-si was used on 116 patients (58 from the study group vs. 58 from the control group). High degree of internal consistency - Cronbach's a 0.971 and reliability after retesting - Goodman-Kruskal gamma coefficient 0.984 was proven. Responsiveness was confirmed in the surgery subgroup with standardized response mean (SRM) 2.76 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study produced a valid Slovenian version of NOSE questionnaire through rigorous and well defined five-phase effort to maintain scientifically comparable QoL instrument, and may be used by clinicians and researchers.