Position paper of diagnosis and treatment of post-extubation laryngitis in children: a multidisciplinary expert-based opinion.

OBJECTIVES: To make recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of post-extubation laryngitis (PEL) in children with or without other comorbidities. METHODS: A three-iterative modified Delphi method was applied. Specialists were recruited representing pediatric otolaryngologists, pediatric and neonatal intensivists. Questions and statements approached topics encompassing definition, diagnosis, endoscopic airway evaluation, risk factors, comorbidities, management, and follow-up. A consensus was defined as a supermajority >70%. RESULTS: Stridor was considered the most frequent symptom and airway endoscopy was recommended for definitive diagnosis. Gastroesophageal reflux and previous history of intubation were considered risk factors. Specific length of intubation did not achieve a consensus as a risk factor. Systemic corticosteroids should be part of the medical treatment and dexamethasone was the drug of choice. No consensus was achieved regarding dosage of corticosteroids, although endoscopic findings help defining dosage and length of treatment. Non-invasive ventilation, laryngeal rest, and use of comfort sedation scales were recommended. Indications for microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy under anesthesia were symptoms progression or failure to improve after the first 72-h of medical treatment post-extubation, after two failed extubations, and/or suspicion of severe lesions on flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Management of post-extubation laryngitis is challenging and can be facilitated by a multidisciplinary approach. Airway endoscopy is mandatory and impacts decision-making, although there is no consensus regarding dosage and length of treatment.

Position paper of diagnosis and treatment of post-extubation laryngitis in children: a multidisciplinary expert-based opinion

Abstract Objectives To make recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of post-extubation laryngitis (PEL) in children with or without other comorbidities. Methods A three-iterative modified Delphi method was applied. Specialists were recruited representing pediatric otolaryngologists, pediatric and neonatal intensivists. Questions and statements approached topics encompassing definition, diagnosis, endoscopic airway evaluation, risk factors, comorbidities, management, and follow-up. A consensus was defined as a supermajority >70%. Results Stridor was considered the most frequent symptom and airway endoscopy was recommended for definitive diagnosis. Gastroesophageal reflux and previous history of intubation were considered risk factors. Specific length of intubation did not achieve a consensus as a risk factor. Systemic corticosteroids should be part of the medical treatment and dexamethasone was the drug of choice. No consensus was achieved regarding dosage of corticosteroids, although endoscopic findings help defining dosage and length of treatment. Non-invasive ventilation, laryngeal rest, and use of comfort sedation scales were recommended. Indications for microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy under anesthesia were symptoms progression or failure to improve after the first 72-h of medical treatment post-extubation, after two failed extubations, and/or suspicion of severe lesions on flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy. Conclusions Management of post-extubation laryngitis is challenging and can be facilitated by a multidisciplinary approach. Airway endoscopy is mandatory and impacts decision-making, although there is no consensus regarding dosage and length of treatment.

The clinical value of laryngeal electromyography in laryngeal immobility.

Although laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) is commonly performed, there are no data confirming its efficacy. We evaluated 40 patients with a laryngoscopic diagnosis of unilateral vocal-fold immobility who underwent LEMG of the thyroarytenoid (TA) and cricothyroid (CT) muscle, with the immobile side of each muscle being compared to the normal side. The immobile side compared to the normal side showed more fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves for the TA (p=0.04), longer MUAP duration for the TA (p=0.04) and CT (p=0.01), more polyphasic potentials for the TA (p=0.002), and more frequent decreased recruitment for the TA (p<0.01) and CT (p=0.008). Specificity and positive predictive value were around 90%. Sensitivity, negative predictive value and accuracy were around 50%. These results suggest that altered LEMG findings are reliable and they can be used to determine the innervation status of an immobile muscle. Conversely, when the LEMG is normal, the results should be reviewed.

Ressecção endoscópica de nasoangiofibroma / Endoscopic surgery of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma

Introdução: O nasoangiofibroma juvenil (NAJ) é um tumor com componente vascular, de crescimento lento, benigno, porém muito agressivo devido sua invasividade local. O NAJ é de ocorrência rara, respondendo por 0,05% de todos as neoplasias de cabeça e pescoço. A tríade clássica de epistaxe, obstrução nasal unilateral e uma massa na nasofaringe sugere o diagnóstico de NAJ, sendo então complementado pelo exame de imagem. Nos últimos 10 anos o tratamento desta afecção vem sendo discutida com a finalidade de desenhar um protocolo de manejo. Atualmente a cirurgia parece ser a melhor forma de tratamento dos NAJ. Outros métodos como a hormonioterapia, a radioterapia e a quimioterapia são hoje modalidades terapêuticas usadas ocasionalmente como tratamentos complementares. Objetivo: Apresentar a casuística desta afecção no Hospital Infantil Pequeno Príncipe entre outubro de 2007 e agosto de 2008. Método: Estudo de casos retrospectivo de cinco casos de NAJ submetidos a cirurgia exclusivamente endoscópica com técnica de dois cirurgiões. Classificados entre IIA e IIIA. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos a angiografia com embolização do tumor 3-4 dias antes da cirurgia. Seguimento após a cirurgia para detecção de recidivas. Resultados: Houve duas recidivas no seguimento de 2 ano após a cirurgia. Conclusão: Tendo em vista o curto período de seguimento dos pacientes, houve apenas duas recidivas em um ano. Portanto há necessidade de um maior seguimento para afirmar que essa técnica tem um baixo índice de recidiva, já que a recidiva está provavelmente relacionada à ressecção incompleta do tumor inicial.

Introduction: Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (NAJ) is a tumor with vascular component, slow growing, benign but very aggressive because of its local invasiveness. The NAJ is rare, accounting for 0.05% of all head and neck cancers. The classic triad of epistaxis, unilateral nasal obstruction and a mass in the nasopharynx suggests the diagnosis of NAJ and is then supplemented by imaging. Over the past 10 years the treatment of this disease has been discussed with the aim of designing a management protocol. Currently, surgery appears to be the best treatment of the NAJ. Other methods such as hormone therapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment modalities are now used occasionally as complementary treatments. Objective: To present the cases of this disease in the Hospital Infantil between October 2007 and August 2008. Methods: A retrospective case study of five cases of NAJ underwent surgery solely with endoscopic technique of two surgeons. Classifieds between IIA and IIIA. All patients underwent angiography with embolization of the tumor 3-4 days before surgery. Follow-up after surgery to detect recurrence. Results: There were two relapses in the following two years after surgery. Conclusion: Given the short period of patient follow-up, there were only two relapses in one year. So there is need for further action to claim that this technique has a low recurrence rate, since the recurrence is probably related to incomplete resection the initial tumor.