Complications including dysphagia following transoral non-robotic surgery for pharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: Transoral surgery is a minimally invasive treatment but may cause severe dysphagia at a lower rate than chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: We compared clinical information, surgical complications, and swallowing function in patients who underwent transoral nonrobotic surgery for laryngo-pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 2015 and 2021 in a multicenter retrospective study. RESULTS: Six hundred and forty patients were included. Postoperative bleeding was observed in 20 cases (3.1%), and the risk factor was advanced T category. Postoperative laryngeal edema was observed in 13 cases (2.0%), and the risk factors were prior radiotherapy, advanced T stage, and concurrent neck dissection in patients with resected HPC. Dysphagia requiring nutritional support was observed in 29 cases (4.5%) at 1 month postoperatively and in 19 cases (3.0%) at 1 year postoperatively, respectively. The risk factors for long-term dysphagia were prior radiotherapy and advanced T category. Short-term risk factors for dysphagia were prior radiotherapy, advanced T category, and concurrent neck dissection, while long-term risk factors for dysphagia were only prior radiotherapy and advanced T category. CONCLUSION: Prior radiotherapy, advanced T stage, and concurrent neck dissection increased the incidence of postoperative laryngeal edema and short-term dysphagia, but concurrent neck dissection did not affect long-term dysphagia. Such features should be considered when considering the indication for transoral surgery and postoperative management.

An Unusual Pediatric Case of an Insidious Thermal Airway Injury Without Initial Signs of Facial or Intraoral Scalding.

Thermal airway injuries, usually accompanied by facial burns, require emergency management. We encountered a pediatric case of a late airway-scalding injury without any initial signs of scalding on the face or inside the oral cavity. A 16-month-old boy was accidentally exposed to boiling water from overhead and developed tachypnea and dyspnea at 8 h after the injury. When he visited our hospital at 12 h after the injury, there were no scalding-related findings on his face or inside his oral cavity; however, severe laryngeal edema was observed, which required emergency intubation. Thermal airway injuries can occur later, even if there is no evidence of facial or oral scalding immediately after the injury. Airway injuries should be considered when a patient has been exposed to hot water from overhead.

Pathogenesis of Reinke's Edema of the Vocal Fold.

OBJECTIVES: The most frequent etiologic factor of Reinke's edema (RE) is considered to be smoking. However, the mechanism for the onset and development of the disease remains unclear. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is an oxygen-dependent transcriptional activator which plays crucial roles in angiogenesis in hypoxic microenvironments. HIF-1α induces the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which involves angiogenesis and enhances vascular permeability. This study investigated the roles of HIF-1α in the pathogenesis of RE. METHODS: Surgical specimens of RE from patients who underwent endolaryngeal microsurgery were used. Normal vocal folds were used as a control group. Expression of HIF-1α and VEGF was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Three-dimensional fine structures of the vessels in RE were investigated using correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) technique. RESULTS: HIF-1α and VEGF were broadly expressed in the stromal, inflammatory, and endothelial cells in the lamina propria of the vocal fold of RE. The expression of HIF-1α and VEGF of RE were significantly higher than in the lamina propria of the normal vocal fold mucosa. CLEM showed vascularization and telangiectasia and there were many dilated capillaries with thin endothelium not covered with pericytes indicating the vessels were fragile. CONCLUSION: Transcription factor HIF-1α and induced VEGF likely play roles in the pathogenesis of RE. And increased vascular permeability with fragile vessels in angiogenesis is likely to be an etiology of RE. Transcription factor HIF-1α and induced VEGF are potential therapeutic targets for RE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 134:1785-1791, 2024.

Laryngeal edema as a symptom of local cytokine release syndrome after BCMA-targeting CAR-T therapy for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) can be a major side effect of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, and may occasionally become life-threatening in patients with factors such as high tumor burden or poor performance status. Among the many CRS events observed in B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeting CAR-T therapy, local symptoms (also called local CRS) are poorly understood due to their low frequency. Here, we present the case of a 54-year-old woman with refractory multiple myeloma exhibiting laryngeal edema as a local CRS. Before CAR-T therapy, she was diagnosed with progressive disease indicated by a left thyroid mass. After local irradiation, she received the BCMA-targeting CAR-T agent idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel). On day 2, the patient developed CRS, which resolved on treatment with tocilizumab. However, on day 4, laryngeal edema worsened, and was judged to be a local CRS. Intravenous dexamethasone rapidly reduced this edema. In conclusion, laryngeal edema rarely occurs as a local CRS, and to the best of our knowledge, has never been reported after ide-cel infusion. Dexamethasone was effective for reducing the local reaction that persisted after treatment of systemic symptoms with tocilizumab.

Pre-Extubation Cuffed Tube Leak Test and Subsequent Post-Extubation Laryngeal Edema: Prospective, Single-Center Evaluation of PICU Patients.

OBJECTIVES: We performed our standard air leak, leak percentage, and cuff leak percentage tests in pediatric patients intubated with microcuff pediatric tracheal tubes (MPTTs) just before extubation. We examined the association between test findings and the subsequent occurrence of post-extubation laryngeal edema (PLE). DESIGN: Prospective, single-center, observational study. SETTING: PICU (June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021). PATIENTS: Pediatric patients intubated and scheduled for extubation during the day shift in the PICU. INTERVENTIONS: Multiple pre-extubation leak tests were performed on each patient immediately before extubation. In our center, the standard leak test is positive if a leak is audible at 30 cm H 2 O applied pressure with the MPTT cuff deflated. Two other tests were calculated in the pressure control-assist control ventilator mode using the following formulas: leak percentage with deflated cuff = (inspiratory tidal volume [V t ]-expiratory V t ) × 100/inspiratory V t ; cuff leak percentage = (expiratory V t with inflated cuff-expiratory V t with deflated cuff) × 100/expiratory V t with inflated cuff. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The diagnostic criteria for PLE was made by at least two healthcare professionals and included upper airway stricture with stridor-requiring nebulized epinephrine. Eighty-five pediatric patients (< 15 yr) who had been intubated for at least 12 hours using the MPTT were included. Positive rates for the standard leak, leak percentage (cutoff 10%), and cuff leak percentage (cutoff 10%) tests were 0.27, 0.20, and 0.64, respectively. The standard leak, leak percentage, and cuff leak tests showed sensitivities of 0.36, 0.27, and 0.55, respectively; and specificities of 0.74, 0.81, and 0.35, respectively. PLE occurred in 11 of 85 patients (13%), and there were no instances of needing reintubation. CONCLUSIONS: The pre-extubation leak tests in current practice for intubated pediatric patients in the PICU all lack diagnostic accuracy for PLE.

Sudden life-threatening laryngeal edema in pregnancy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Severe laryngeal edema during pregnancy is uncommon but can be encountered, particularly in patients with preeclampsia accompanied by other comorbidities. Careful consideration must be given to balance the urgency of securing the airway with the safety of the fetus and the patient's long-term health consequences. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old Indonesian woman was brought to the emergency department at 36 weeks gestation due to severe dyspnea. Her condition worsened a few hours later during intensive care unit admission, with tachypnea, decreased oxygen saturation, and inability to communicate, necessitating intubation. Due to the edematous larynx, we could only use 6.0-sized endotracheal tube. The use of a small-sized endotracheal tube was expected to be short-lived, so she was considered for tracheostomy. Nevertheless, we decided to perform a cesarean section first after lung maturation because it would be safer for the fetus, and laryngeal edema usually improves after delivery. Cesarean section was performed under spinal anesthesia for the safety of the fetus, and 48 hours after delivery, she underwent a leakage test with a positive result, so extubation was performed. Stridor was no longer audible, breathing pattern was within normal limits, and vital signs were stable. The patient and her baby both recovered well with no long-term health consequences. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates that unexpected life-threatening laryngeal edema can occur during pregnancy, in which upper respiratory tract infections may trigger it. The decision between conservative and aggressive immediate airway management should be made with careful consideration of securing the patient's airway, the safety of the fetus, and the patient's long-term health consequences.

Temporary tracheotomy for post-intubation laryngeal edema after lung cancer surgery: a case report.

BACKGROUND: In the post-intubation period, laryngeal edema is one of the most severe complications, which can cause significant morbidity and even death. Herein, we report a case in which we performed a temporary tracheostomy during surgery because of the risk of postoperative laryngeal edema, successfully avoiding post-intubation laryngeal edema complications. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old man underwent surgery for left upper lobe lung cancer. He had a history of chemoradiotherapy for laryngeal cancer, bronchial asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was diagnosed with grade 1 laryngeal edema using computed tomography, and there was a risk of developing post-intubation laryngeal edema. Additionally, there was a decrease in laryngeal and pulmonary functions; therefore, postoperative aspiration pneumonia was judged to be a fatal risk. A temporary tracheostomy was performed during surgery to avoid postoperative intubation laryngeal edema. He was found to have exacerbated laryngeal edema, which is a serious complication of airway stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: Temporary tracheostomy should be considered to avoid airway stenosis due to post-intubation laryngeal edema in patients with laryngeal edema after radiotherapy.

The difficult removal of tracheal tube after general anesthesia: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal injury is common after endotracheal intubation, presenting with varying degrees of edema, ulceration, granulation, and limited vocal cord movement, usually resulting in lumen narrowing. In these cases, laryngeal edema is a common complication after intubation, usually caused by direct pressure and inflammatory reaction caused by endotracheal intubation on the contact surface. CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old female was scheduled to undergo open reduction and internal fixation of femoral neck. On admission, she was diagnosed with femoral neck fracture. Tracheal intubation induced by general anesthesia was successful, but the tracheal catheter was difficult to remove after the operation. After 2 days of detumescence in ICU, the extubation was successful under the condition of complete recovery of spontaneous breathing. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing general anesthesia may have laryngeal or glottic edema due to operation time, operation and other reasons, resulting in difficulty in extubation after general anesthesia. The extubation action shall be gentle. In case of obvious resistance, it shall not be forcibly extubated to prevent serious dyspnea after extubation.

Investigation of Mortality of Hereditary Angioedema in a Reference Center in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is known for mortality when it is not treated properly. Many advances have occurred over the past decades that affected patients' lives. However, not all patient populations have access to the same diagnosis and treatment resources. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mortality from HAE in a large cohort in a reference center in Brazil. Furthermore, the research intended to describe patients' life span, the asphyxia evolution, and factors related to the fatal outcome. METHODS: A cohort of 433 patients from 46 families was evaluated in this prospective and retrospective study. Families were organized in clusters and were given a verbal autopsy to arrange data collection for the deaths and analyze symptoms during life. Causes of death were classified as deaths from laryngeal edema (LE) or other causes. RESULTS: Of 433 patients evaluated, 254 were not given the diagnosis of HAE. A total of 75 fatal events were evaluated. Only 10 of 75 patients were given the diagnosis of HAE before death, and the HAE diagnosis was made after death in 65 of 75 patients using verbal autopsy. The final cause of death after the investigation was asphyxiation owing to LE in 39 of 75 (52%) and deaths owing to other causes in 36 of 75 (48%). Ten deaths had occurred in the past decade. Time from onset of symptoms to seeking medical assistance was a median of 4 hours, and the time to death was a median of 8 hours. Three patients received fresh-frozen plasma and none received medications specific to HAE attacks. Throat pain or discomfort was the most common symptom, experienced by 71.8% of patients. The most common mistaken diagnosis at the original death certificate was allergy or anaphylaxis. The life span of patients who died of LE was reduced by 20 years compared with those who died of other causes. CONCLUSIONS: Hereditary angioedema remains a threat to life in the studied population. The large number of patients who do not receive a diagnosis makes the situation even more severe and is responsible for most deaths. Death analyses add knowledge to an understanding of the diseases and their impact on patients' lives, improving the targeting of public health efforts.

Pilot Study: Pneumatic Compression Garment Therapy for Postradiotherapy Laryngopharyngeal Edema.

OBJECTIVES: Pneumatic compression garment therapy (PCGT) has been established as treatment for postradiotherapy lymphedema, and its use in head and neck patients is becoming more common. Although effects on interstitial edema of the cervical soft tissues have been studied, effects on internal laryngopharyngeal edema, as well as associated symptoms of dysphagia and dysphonia, have yet to be published. METHODS: We surveyed 7 patients treated with radiation for head and neck cancer (HNC) who had also been prescribed PCGT for cervical lymphedema. Patients were asked about subjective experience with the device, and also administered the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) and Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) surveys regarding their symptoms after using PCGT. Laryngoscopy videos from these same periods were also reviewed and scored using a validated tool for assessing laryngopharyngeal edema. RESULTS: 85% of patients reported at least some improvement in dysphagia and dysphonia following PCGT. Average EAT-10 score after PCGT was 11.4 and average VHI-10 score after PCGT was 8.7. These compare more favorably to historical scores for the same questionnaires in similar patient populations. Laryngeal edema scores on endoscopic examination were not significantly different after at least 3 months of therapy (pre: 20.15, post: 20.21, P = .975); however, the utility of this result is limited by a low inter-rater reliability (Krippendorff α = .513). CONCLUSIONS: While we are unable to show any difference in objective assessment of laryngopharyngeal edema on endoscopic examination in this small pilot study, patients report substantial subjective improvement in postradiotherapy dysphagia and dysphonia following cervical PCGT that warrants more formal investigation.

Granulomatous Inflammation Causing Severe Supraglottic Edema and Airway Obstruction in a Pediatric Patient.

A 12-year-old male with a family history of inflammatory bowel disease presented with sleep-disordered breathing and was found to have chronic, granulomatous swelling of the supraglottic larynx. His airway was managed with tracheostomy, regular interval laryngeal steroid injections, supraglottoplasty, and "pepper pot" CO2 laser resurfacing leading to eventual decannulation. Due to the non-necrotic nature of the granulomatous inflammation, as well as the patient's family history of inflammatory bowel disease, the leading diagnosis was Crohn disease, but isolated laryngeal sarcoidosis could not be ruled out. There are only 13 reported cases of laryngeal manifestations of Crohn disease in the literature, with only 2 cases occurring in pediatric patients. This case report adds to this body of literature and discusses strategies for managing granulomatous supraglottic edema when definitive diagnosis is not fully clear.

The Mortality from Hereditary Angioedema Worldwide: a Review of the Real-World Data Literature.

This study aims to review the global mortality secondary to laryngeal edema in patients diagnosed with hereditary angioedema and their relatives over the years, as well as to describe epidemiological and clinical findings associated with this outcome. An extensive search of the literature was made in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase to identify mortality rates secondary to laryngeal edema in patients with hereditary angioedema. The search was carried out in September of 2020 and in April of 2021, and keywords based on the MeSH terms were searched in three databases. The filter of language was used for finding only articles in English, and there was no limit to the year of publication. A total of twenty-three articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria for review and data extraction. The analyzed studies included 3292 patients and 411 deaths from asphyxia due to laryngeal edema. One hundred and three deaths in close relatives were described as secondary to the same cause. The main findings were summarized in tables: year and place of publication, the number of patients and deaths from laryngeal edema, patients previously diagnosed, and death age. Death rates from laryngeal edema had an average of one death for every 20 patients. Eight studies reported deaths in relatives. For every 7.4 patients in these studies, one relative died. The percentage among deaths in general associated with laryngeal edema was evaluated in three studies (32.7%, 44.4%, and 56%). The high frequency of this outcome suggests that deaths still occur, and improvement of hereditary angioedema treatment still needs to be met.

Association of an electromyographic tube for severe postoperative laryngeal edema and reintubation in neurosurgery: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: An electromyographic (EMG) tube is sometimes used for vagal nerve monitoring during neurosurgery. Some characteristics of an EMG tube are different from those of a normal endotracheal tube. Although postoperative laryngeal edema (PLE) may occur and reintubation may be required in some patients in whom an EMG tube is used, its relevance to these events has not been investigated in detail. Our goal was to determine the relevance of an EMG tube to the development of PLE and the need for reintubation. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in 900 patients after neurosurgery from 2012 to 2018. Severe PLE occurrence or the requirement for postoperative reintubation were compared between the EMG tube (E) group and the Normal tube (N) group, using a propensity score (PS) matching analysis RESULTS: After PS matching, severe PLE incidence (n = 2/20, 10.0%) in the E group was significantly higher than that (0/80, 0%) in the N group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of reintubation between the E group (1/20, 5.0%) and the N group (0/80, 0%). CONCLUSION: Electromyographic (EMG) tube use was significantly associated with higher incidence of severe PLE.

Adverse events following injection laryngoplasty: An analysis of the MAUDE database.

OBJECTIVE: Injection laryngoplasty (IL) is considered safe in both the operating room and clinical setting. However, safety data is limited to single-institution studies with reduced sample sizes. The objective of this study is to examine a national database for adverse events related to IL in an effort to further confirm the safety of this procedure and better characterize potential complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database for reported adverse events of IL procedures utilizing calcium hydroxyapatite (CAHA), hyaluronic acid (HA) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) implants from 2009 to 2020. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS: We identified 47 reported adverse events. The average patient age was 54 years old. 59.3% of patients were female. Adverse events more frequently involved the use of CAHA compared to HA or CMC (n = 27, 57.4%, n = 13, 27.7% and n = 7, 14.9%, respectively). The most common adverse events were laryngeal edema (n = 18, 39.1%), improper placement of injected material (n = 12, 26.1%), persistent dysphonia (n = 13, 28.3%), and post-injection dysphagia or odynophagia (n = 11, 23.9%). Major events, defined as requiring emergency room treatment, hospitalization, or surgical intervention accounted for 29 (60.4%) of cases. Four cases of edema required intubation, and one patient necessitated a surgical airway. CONCLUSION: Complications arising from IL range from minor events to airway obstruction and may happen with a variety of injectable materials including CAHA, HA and CMC. Few cases of airway obstruction requiring immediate intervention were identified, confirming the safety of IL in both the operative and office setting.

Severe laryngeal edema caused by Pseudoterranova species: A case report.

RATIONALE: Severe laryngeal edema can cause upper airway obstruction, which is fatal. Pseudoterranova, an uncommon nematode of the family Anisakidae, predominantly invades the stomach after ingestion of the nematodes in raw or undercooked marine fish. There have been a few reports of development of severe laryngeal edema caused by the nematode invading the base of the tongue. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 69-year-old Japanese woman complained of stuffy and scratchy throat for 8 hours and reported eating sashimi, fresh slices of raw jacopever, 4 days before the first visit. DIAGNOSIS: Endoscopy revealed a white-yellowish wriggling worm at the left side of the base of the tongue and severe edema of the larynx. INTERVENTIONS: The worm was extracted using endoscopic forceps. The patient was hospitalized and treated with intravenous injection of an antibiotic and steroid. OUTCOMES: The symptoms and laryngeal edema disappeared the next day. The worm was identified as a 4th-stage larva of Pseudoterranova spp based on morphologic features. The serum Anisakis-specific IgE antibody level was high, at 38.6 UA/mL. LESSONS: Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of severe laryngeal edema due to invasion by anisakid nematodes in the pharyngolaryngeal area in cases involving previous ingestion of raw or uncooked marine fish.

The cuff leak test in critically ill patients: An international survey of intensivists.

BACKGROUND: The cuff leak test (CLT) is used to assess laryngeal edema prior to extubation. There is limited evidence for its diagnostic accuracy and conflicting guidelines surrounding its use in critically ill patients who do not have risk factors for laryngeal edema. The primary study aim was to describe intensivists' beliefs, attitudes, and practice regarding the use of the CLT. METHODS: A 13-item survey was developed, pilot-tested, and subjected to clinical sensibility testing. The survey was distributed electronically through MetaClinician®. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analysis were performed to examine associations between participant demographics and survey responses. RESULTS: 1184 practicing intensivists from 17 countries in North and South America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia participated. The majority (59%) of respondents reported rarely or never perform the CLT prior to extubating patients not at high risk of laryngeal edema, which correlated with 54% of respondents reporting they believed a failed CLT did not predict reintubation. Intensivists from the Middle East were 2.4 times more likely to request a CLT compared to those from North America. Intensivists with base training in medicine or emergency medicine were more likely to request a CLT prior to extubation compared to those with base training in anesthesiology. CONCLUSION: Use of the CLT prior to extubating patients not at high risk of laryngeal edema in the intensive care unit is highly variable. Practice appears to be influenced by country of practice and base specialty training.