Results of laser surgery in the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum.

INTRODUCTION: Zenker's diverticulum is an uncommon pathology of the upper oesophageal sphincter whose most frequent symptoms are the association of dysphagia and regurgitation. It is more frequent in advanced ages, and its treatment of choice is surgery in symptomatic cases. METHOD: A retrospective descriptive study was performed of 27 patients operated in the Otorhinolaryngology service of the Hospital Universitario de Cabueñes between 2007 and 2019 using laser endoscopic surgery. RESULTS: 27 patients were operated, 70.4% male and 29.6% female, with a mean age of 67 years (range between 30 and 91). The most frequent symptom at diagnosis was dysphagia. No intraoperative complications were observed. One patient (3.7%) presented post-surgical fever, and another patient (3.7%) had a serious complication due to oesophageal perforation secondary to postsurgical emesis. The median hospital stay was 5 days, and the median oral intake was 4 days. Recurrence was observed in 6 patients (22.2%), 4 (14.8%) requiring a second intervention, which was performed using the same technique. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The surgical treatment of Zenker's diverticulum has advanced in recent decades, with endoscopic treatment currently being the choice. Among the surgical options, endoscopic CO2 laser surgery is an effective and safe alternative, although possible complications must be considered. It is also an effective alternative for the treatment of recurrences.

Resultados de cirugía láser en el tratamiento del divertículo de Zenker / Results of laser surgery in the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum

Introducción: El divertículo de Zenker es una patología infrecuente del esfínter esofágico superior cuya clínica típica es la asociación de disfagia y regurgitación alimentaria. Es más frecuente en edades avanzadas, y su tratamiento de elección es quirúrgico en casos sintomáticos, existiendo diversas técnicas quirúrgicas.MétodoSe realiza un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de 27 pacientes intervenidos en el Servicio de Otorrinolaringología del Hospital Universitario de Cabueñes entre los años 2007 y 2019 mediante cirugía endoscópica láser.ResultadosSe intervinieron 27 pacientes, un 70,4% varones y un 29,6% mujeres, con una edad media de 67 años (rango entre 30 y 91). El síntoma más frecuente al momento del diagnóstico fue la disfagia. No se observaron complicaciones intraoperatorias. Un paciente (3,7%) presentó fiebre posquirúrgica, y otra paciente (3,7%) una complicación grave por perforación esofágica secundaria a emesis posquirúrgica. La mediana de estancia hospitalaria fue de 5 días, y la del inicio de ingesta oral fue 4 días. Se observó recidiva en 6 pacientes (22,2%), requiriendo una segunda intervención cuatro de ellos (14,8%), que se realizó mediante la misma técnica.Discusión y conclusionesEl tratamiento quirúrgico del divertículo de Zenker ha avanzado en las últimas décadas, siendo actualmente de elección el tratamiento endoscópico. Dentro de las opciones quirúrgicas, la cirugía endoscópica con láser CO2 es una alternativa eficaz y segura, aunque se deben tener en cuenta las posibles complicaciones, en ocasiones de gravedad. Supone también una alternativa eficaz para el tratamiento de las recidivas. (AU)

Introduction: Zenker's diverticulum is an uncommon pathology of the upper oesophageal sphincter whose most frequent symptoms are the association of dysphagia and regurgitation. It is more frequent in advanced ages, and its treatment of choice is surgery in symptomatic cases.MethodA retrospective descriptive study was performed of 27 patients operated in the Otorhinolaryngology service of the Hospital Universitario de Cabueñes between 2007 and 2019 using laser endoscopic surgery.Results27 patients were operated, 70.4% male and 29.6% female, with a mean age of 67 years (range between 30 and 91). The most frequent symptom at diagnosis was dysphagia. No intraoperative complications were observed. One patient (3.7%) presented post-surgical fever, and another patient (3.7%) had a serious complication due to oesophageal perforation secondary to postsurgical emesis. The median hospital stay was 5 days, and the median oral intake was 4 days. Recurrence was observed in 6 patients (22.2%), 4 (14.8%) requiring a second intervention, which was performed using the same technique.Discussion and conclusionsThe surgical treatment of Zenker's diverticulum has advanced in recent decades, with endoscopic treatment currently being the choice. Among the surgical options, endoscopic CO2 laser surgery is an effective and safe alternative, although possible complications must be considered. It is also an effective alternative for the treatment of recurrences. (AU)

Results of laser surgery in the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum. / Resultados de cirugía láser en el tratamiento del divertículo de Zenker.

INTRODUCTION: Zenker's diverticulum is an uncommon pathology of the upper oesophageal sphincter whose most frequent symptoms are the association of dysphagia and regurgitation. It is more frequent in advanced ages, and its treatment of choice is surgery in symptomatic cases. METHOD: A retrospective descriptive study was performed of 27 patients operated in the Otorhinolaryngology service of the Hospital Universitario de Cabueñes between 2007 and 2019 using laser endoscopic surgery. RESULTS: 27 patients were operated, 70.4% male and 29.6% female, with a mean age of 67 years (range between 30 and 91). The most frequent symptom at diagnosis was dysphagia. No intraoperative complications were observed. One patient (3.7%) presented post-surgical fever, and another patient (3.7%) had a serious complication due to oesophageal perforation secondary to postsurgical emesis. The median hospital stay was 5 days, and the median oral intake was 4 days. Recurrence was observed in 6 patients (22.2%), 4 (14.8%) requiring a second intervention, which was performed using the same technique. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The surgical treatment of Zenker's diverticulum has advanced in recent decades, with endoscopic treatment currently being the choice. Among the surgical options, endoscopic CO2 laser surgery is an effective and safe alternative, although possible complications must be considered. It is also an effective alternative for the treatment of recurrences.

Retropharyngeal abscess and mediastinitis as an uncommon complication of varicella infection.

Varicella infection is one of the most common and contagious infection in children and could course with severe complications. We report the case of a 4-year-old patient derived to our hospital for suspicion of suppurative complication in the context of a varicella infection. A computerized tomographic scanning was performed, showing a large retropharyngeal abscess with mediastinitis. Complications of varicella are up to 2% of patients, but this is the first report of a retropharyngeal and mediastinal abscess in this context. In the face of clinical suspicion, early intervention is important through imaging, intravenous antibiotics and surgical drainage in necessary cases.

Manejo de las epistaxis graves y/o refractarias / Management of severe and/or refractory epistaxis

Introducción y objetivos: El objetivo fue determinar los resultados del tratamiento de las epistaxis graves y/o refractarias que requirieron ingreso hospitalario. Además se compararon los resultados del tratamiento mediante ligadura arterial o embolización. Material y método: Se incluyeron de forma prospectiva 63 pacientes con epistaxis grave y/o refractaria que requirieron ingreso hospitalario entre agosto de 2014 y diciembre de 2016. Resultados: En 11 pacientes (17%) se realizó embolización, 5 (8%) fueron intervenidos mediante endoscopia y en los 47 restantes (75%) se realizó tratamiento conservador. La edad media de los pacientes en los que las medidas conservadoras fueron suficientes fue de 72 años, mientras que la edad de aquellos tratados con embolización fue de 71 años y de los que fueron intervenidos quirúrgicamente fue de 53 años. En los pacientes sometidos a tratamiento conservador o a cirugía la estancia media fue de 6 días, frente a 9 días en aquellos en los que se realizó embolización. Un paciente sufrió un ictus hemisférico tras la embolización. No se observaron complicaciones posquirúrgicas. Conclusiones: La mayoría de los pacientes con epistaxis graves y/o refractarias se resuelven mediante taponamiento convencional. El tratamiento mediante ligadura arterial está asociado a una disminución de la estancia hospitalaria, sin observarse complicaciones graves. Es aconsejable disponer de todas las opciones terapéuticas posibles para lo cual la presencia de radiólogos intervencionistas y cirujanos experimentados es fundamental para evitar complicaciones y decidir el tratamiento a realizar de forma individual en cada paciente

Objective: The objective was to determine the results of the treatment of severe and/or refractory epistaxis requiring hospital admission. In addition, the results of arterial ligation versus embolization were compared. Material and method: Sixty-three patients with severe and/or refractory epistaxis requiring hospital admission between August 2014 and December 2016 were included prospectively. Results: Eleven patients (17%) underwent embolization, 5 (8%) endoscopy ligation and the remaining 47 (75%) underwent conservative treatment with tamponade. The mean age of the patients in which conservative measures were sufficient was 72 years, while the age of those treated with embolization was 71 years and of those who underwent surgery was 53 years. For the patients who underwent conservative treatment or surgery, the average stay was 6 days, compared to 9 days for those who underwent embolization. One patient suffered a hemispheric stroke after embolization. No post-surgical complications were observed. Conclusions: Most cases of severe and/or refractory epistaxis are resolved by conventional tamponade. Endoscopy ligation is associated with a decrease in hospital stay, without serious complications. It is advisable to have all the possible therapeutic options available, for which the presence of interventional radiologists and experienced surgeons is essential to avoid complications and decide the treatment to be performed individually for each patient

Management of severe and/or refractory epistaxis. / Manejo de las epistaxis graves y/o refractarias.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the results of the treatment of severe and/or refractory epistaxis requiring hospital admission. In addition, the results of arterial ligation versus embolization were compared. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Sixty-three patients with severe and/or refractory epistaxis requiring hospital admission between August 2014 and December 2016 were included prospectively. RESULTS: Eleven patients (17%) underwent embolization, 5 (8%) endoscopy ligation and the remaining 47 (75%) underwent conservative treatment with tamponade. The mean age of the patients in which conservative measures were sufficient was 72 years, while the age of those treated with embolization was 71 years and of those who underwent surgery was 53 years. For the patients who underwent conservative treatment or surgery, the average stay was 6 days, compared to 9 days for those who underwent embolization. One patient suffered a hemispheric stroke after embolization. No post-surgical complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of severe and/or refractory epistaxis are resolved by conventional tamponade. Endoscopy ligation is associated with a decrease in hospital stay, without serious complications. It is advisable to have all the possible therapeutic options available, for which the presence of interventional radiologists and experienced surgeons is essential to avoid complications and decide the treatment to be performed individually for each patient.