Inflammatory complications of vocal fold injection with hyaluronic acid: a multiinstitutional study

Background/aim: This study aimed to assess the inflammatory adverse reactions of vocal fold injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid. Materials and methods: This study was a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent vocal fold injection augmentation with HA injection from January 2005 to September 2016 in nine different institutions. Demographic data, indication for injection, injection techniques, types of injection material, settings of procedure, and complications were reviewed. The types of complication, onset time, and management of complications were also noted. Results: In all, 467 patients were identified. The majority of patients had been injected under general anesthesia (n = 382, 84.7%). For injection material, two different types of hyaluronic acid were used: hyaluronic acid alone or hyaluronic acid with dextranomer. Complications occurred in nine patients (1.9%). The majority of complications were inflammatory reactions (n = 7, 1.47%). Main symptoms were dysphonia and/or dyspnea with an onset of 0 h to 3 weeks after the hyaluronic acid injection. Three patients were hospitalized, one of which was also intubated and observed in the intensive care unit for 24 h. Systemic steroids and antibiotics were the main medical treatment in the majority of cases. There was no statistical difference in complication rates between patients who received hyaluronic acid and those who received hyaluronic acid with dextranomer (P = 0.220). Conclusion: Hyaluronic acid can be considered as a safe substance for the injection of vocal folds with a low risk of inflammatory reaction.

Evaluation of children with chronic cough including obstructive sleep apnea: a single-center experience.

Chronic cough in children may be due to a diverse range of etiologies. We aimed to evaluate children with chronic cough following a standardized cough algorithm and assess obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as a possible etiology. In addition, cough resolution rates of two different treatment protocols in children with non-specific cough were compared. A total of 237 children referred for chronic cough were assessed and classified according to etiologies. Children with non-specific cough were assigned either in the early-arm (group-1, n = 13) or delayed arm (group-2, n = 23). The presence of OSA was evaluated using a pediatric sleep questionnaire, and polysomnography was handled in indicated patients. Asthma (n = 82) and protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) (n = 73) were the most frequent etiologies. Cough resolution was higher in group-1 (100%) compared with group-2 (50%) (absolute risk reduction (rr) = 43.48% [95% CI 21.38-65.58%]). Polysomnography revealed mild (n = 6), moderate (n = 7), or severe (n = 5) OSA in 18 children, with adenoid/adenotonsillary hypertrophy as the leading cause.Conclusion: We recognized asthma and PBB as the most frequent causes of chronic cough in our cohort. Early treatment of patients with high parental anxiety might be beneficial. We also believe that further studies including larger series might eventuate in incorporation of assessment of OSA to standardized algorithms. What is known? • Chronic cough in children may be due to a diverse range of etiologies, including serious respiratory disorders. Thus, its correct diagnosis and treatment are essential. • Although a well-defined reason of chronic cough in adults, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has not been been evaluated so far in children with chronic cough. What is new? • We examined OSA for the first time as a possible cause of chronic cough in children and detected OSA with polysomnography in cases who scored high pediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ) scores. • We believe that studies including larger series might eventuate in incorporation of assessment of OSA to standardized algorithms for children with chronic cough.

Hidden unilateral agenesis of the frontal sinus: human cadaver study of a potential surgical pitfall.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to attract attention to the surgical significance of unilateral agenesis of the frontal sinus hidden by the overlapping expansion of the contralateral sinus toward the agenetic side. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of endoscopic transnasal sinus dissections of 55 human cadavers (42, formalin fixated; 13, fresh frozen) was done in a tertiary care academic medical center. Surgical and radiologic findings were noted. RESULTS: Absence of right frontal sinus ostium in the presence of a connection between the right and left frontal sinuses was demonstrated in 2 (3.6%) cadavers. An absent and an incomplete septum between the frontal sinuses were also noted in these cadavers. No accompanying abnormality of other sinuses was found, and no evidence of previous sinus surgery was noted in these 2 cadavers. CONCLUSIONS: If one of the frontal sinus ostia cannot be found during sinus surgery, although this sinus and its recess can be seen on the thick-sliced coronal computed tomographic (CT) scans, keep in mind that it may be (3.6%) an agenetic frontal sinus hidden by the extensive pneumatization of the contralateral sinus that is crossing the midline. It may not be possible to foresee this variant preoperatively by endoscopic examinations or thick-sliced CT scans. If there is suspicion, thin-sliced CT scans with reconstruction will be ideal to confirm the agenesis of the frontal sinus and to avoid complications. In the presence of such variant of frontal sinus, 1-sided successful frontal sinusotomy is adequate because this sinus or cell will already be drained through the treated frontal recess.

[Management of laryngeal hemangioma in adults: a case report]. / Eriskinlerde larengeal hemanjiyoma yaklasim: Olgu sunumu.

Hemangiomas are the most common vascular tumors mostly (60%) seen in the head-neck region. Head-neck hemangiomas are seen frequently in the oral cavity, rarely in the larynx. Adult laryngeal hemangiomas are rare and often seen in the supraglottic region, therefore causing dysphagia/dysphonia. We presented two-cases with laryngeal hemangioma, discussed the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of adult cavernous hemangiomas. A forty-one-year-old female patient applied to hospital with hoarseness and breathing difficulty lasting for three years. A cavernous hemangioma located on laryngeal surface of the epiglottis was excised through a transoral endoscopic approach. The patient had no symptoms after the operation but on the postoperative 34th month follow-up she was admitted to our clinic again because of difficulty during swallowing. Relapsed hemangioma was diagnosed and reoperated by open surgery (laryngofissure). After reoperation the patient had symptomatic relief in three months and videolaryngoscopic examination showed granulation tissue. The patient's regular follow-up was continued. A forty-year-old female other patient was applied to hospital with hoarseness and swallowing difficulty worsening in three months. Hemangioma located in the postcricoid area with extensive to hypopharynx-esophagus junction was diagnosed. The location of the lesion in imaging techniques was evaluated with the thoracic surgery and gastroenterology department and we decided not to do any operation and follow-up patient by considering the severity of symptoms, location of lesion and complications of operation.

Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome revisited as a misdiagnosed disease.

PURPOSE: We aimed to attract our college's attention to the Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS), which has been an infrequently encountered subject in otolaryngology journals during the last 10 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the last 10 years' patient database was performed to find patients with MRS. The medical files, treatment charts, and radiological and histopathological records of these patients were reviewed. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 3 MRS patients who had been misdiagnosed for 9, 10, and 16 years. Two of them have had the symptoms since adolescence. All of them presented orofacial edema and fissured tongue, whereas first two also had recurrent facial paralysis. Characteristic histopathological features were noted in 1 patient. Electromyography (EMG) was done in 1 patient who underwent facial decompressiom. All patients responded to either systemic or intralesional corticosteroid treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In the daily practice of an otolaryngologist, it is not usual to diagnose a patient as having MRS. We consider that this is partly because of misdiagnosis. We therefore believe that this study will supply an additional aspect to otolaryngologists, in the scope of recurrent facial paralysis and orofacial edema in both children and adults.

Giant concha bullosa containing another concha bullosa inside: unique anatomic variation of the middle turbinate.

Detailed knowledge of the anatomical variations of the lateral nasal wall is crucial for both the surgeon who is performing endoscopic sinus surgery and the radiologist who is involved in the preoperative work-up. Preoperative recognition of these variations will avoid possible complications during the surgery. In this report, we present a unique anatomical variant of the middle turbinate, a large concha bullosa inside a giant concha bullosa, which has never been reported before. Furthermore, we comment on the differential diagnosis of the variations of the middle turbinate and on the embryology of the nasal turbinates. This report also supplies additional aspects to rhinologists in the scope of middle turbinate pneumatization.

Influence of long-term airflow deprivation on the dimensions of the nasal cavity: a study of laryngectomy patients using acoustic rhinometry.

We conducted a prospective study to investigate the long-term effect of nasal airflow deprivation on nasal dimensions after total laryngectomy. We evaluated 48 patients who had an initial diagnosis of laryngeal cancer; 6 were disqualified during follow-up, leaving us with data on 42 patients for our final analysis. Acoustic rhinometry was used to measure the minimum cross-sectional area (MCSA) and the volume of the nasal cavity on both the left and right sides before and after laryngectomy. In addition, patients underwent endoscopic nasal examinations and answered questionnaires pre- and postoperatively. At both the 1- and 2-year follow-ups, the mean MCSAs and the mean nasal volumes of both the left and right nostrils were significantly smaller than the preoperative values (p < 0.001). The endoscopic examinations revealed only a mild deterioration in the appearance of the nasal mucosa over the long term. Questionnaire responses obtained at the 2-year follow-up visit revealed that all 42 evaluable patients were experiencing a moderate degree of nasal obstruction while inhaling through the nose. Our data indicate that the dimensions of the nasal cavity appear to be substantially and permanently reduced after total laryngectomy. Our study had two important advantages over other similar studies. First, because ours was a prospective study, we were able to obtain preoperative data and use it to make postoperative comparisons of the same patients rather than using healthy controls as comparators. Second, we used acoustic rhinometry, while most other studies relied on anterior rhinoscopy or rhinomanometry, which are inferior methods ofmaking the evaluations in question. We believe that our findings represent a substantial contribution to our knowledge of the physiologic and functional alterations of the nasal cavity that occur as a result of a complete cessation of nasal airflow.

Unique variation of digastric muscle: a confusing landmark for head and neck surgeons.

An anatomical variation of the left digastric muscle was found during the functional neck dissection of a patient with laryngeal carcinoma. This variant of the digastric muscle had three bellies including an accessory posterior belly. The anterior and posterior bellies had normal origin and course and were linked to each other by an intermediate tendon, whereas the accessory posterior belly took its origin from the mastoid notch of the temporal bone, together with the original posterior belly, sloped inferiorly and anteriorly, and inserted to the lateral border of the strap muscles by an evident tendon. This unique variation has not been reported in the literature. Presentation of this variation will guide surgical procedures, as well as anatomical dissections and medical imaging of the neck.

Fibrous dysplasia in the retropharyngeal area.

More fibro-osseous lesions originate in the bones of the extremities than in the craniomaxillofacial bones, scapula, and ribs, which are rarely involved. Fibro-osseous lesions that decrease the quality of life should be treated surgically. We report the case of a fibro-osseous lesion that caused globus pharyngeus and dysphagia. We discuss the clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic features of this case as well as the removal of this unusual lesion by Doppler ultrasound-guided surgery. To the best of our knowledge, no other case of a fibro-osseous lesion in the retropharyngeal area has been reported in the literature.

Three-dimensional computed tomography and surgical treatment for Eagle's syndrome.

Eagle's syndrome represents a group of symptoms that includes recurrent throat pain, globus pharyngeus, dysphagia, referred otalgia, and neck pain possibly caused by elongation of the styloid process or ossification of the stylohyoid or stylomandibular ligaments. The medical history and physical and radiologic examinations are the main guides to the precise diagnosis. The radiologic diagnostic modality of choice is three-dimensional computed tomography (3-D CT). We describe a case of bilaterally symptomatic Eagle's syndrome that was diagnosed by 3-D CT of the styloid processes and successfully treated with surgery via a transoral approach.

An unusual entry site for a nasal foreign body: a neglected trauma patient.

Foreign body (FB) in the nose is a frequent situation seen generally among children. A variety of objects left in different sites of the nose has been reported in the literature. Insertion of a FB to the nose is generally via the anterior nares. In this report, an unusual entry site for a nasal FB in a neglected trauma patient is presented. FB should be suspected and investigated in children after penetrating facial injury.

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla: unusual location and aggressive behavior of a rare histologic variant.

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) of the mucosal membranes has been documented sporadically. The highly aggressive behavior of a mucosal ASCC arising in the oral cavity has been recently reported. To the best of our knowledge, only 1 autopsy case of maxillary ASCC previously has been reported in the literature. We present what we believe is only the second case of maxillary ASCC. Our goal is to emphasize the aggressive behavior of this tumor in order to add weight to the argument that the prognosis is poor.

Tooth in the nose: unusual presentation of a misdiagnosed maxillary ossifying fibroma.

Fibro-osseous lesions involving the paranasal sinuses are uncommon, and making a determination of their histologic type is challenging. Correlating clinical and surgical findings with radiologic and histologic characteristics is essential for making a definitive diagnosis. We describe a case of misdiagnosed maxillary ossifying fibroma presenting as a solitary mass that completely filled and enlarged the left maxillary sinus. Another interesting finding was the presence of a molar tooth embedded in the tumor. We briefly comment on the genesis, natural course, and differential diagnosis of this lesion.

Influence of the macroscopic features of vocal fold polyps on the quality of voice: a retrospective review of 101 cases.

We conducted a study to examine six macroscopic features of vocal fold polyps and to investigate their influence on quality of voice. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 101 consecutive patients with vocal fold polyps who had undergone microlaryngeal surgery for polyp removal after conservative measures had failed. All patients had undergone videolaryngostroboscopy and perceptual and acoustic voice analyses. The six macroscopic features of these vocal fold polyps were morphologic type, location, position, shape, size, and the presence or absence of a reactive lesion on the contralateral vocal fold. Among our statistically significant findings were that gelatinous polyps tended to be broad-based; polyps located on the superior surface tended to be hemorrhagic; small polyps were mostly located on the middle one-third of the vocal fold, and most of them were broad-based; and all of the polyps that were accompanied by reactive lesions on the contralateral vocal fold were located on the free edge. Moreover, jitter was found to be low in small polyps. Finally, noise-to-harmonics ratios were significantly higher in patients with anterior polyps and in those with pedunculated polyps. We conclude that each of the six macroscopic features of vocal fold polyps affected vocal function to a certain degree. We believe that our study provides additional information to otolaryngologists and speech language pathologists who deal with vocal fold polyps.

Sudden-onset life-threatening stridor in an adult caused by a laryngeal ductal cyst.

Laryngeal cysts are rare in adults; therefore, the majority of previous reports deal primarily with laryngeal cysts in infants and children. Ductal cysts of the larynx arise from the submucous glands when the ducts of these glands are occluded. They are most commonly located in the vallecula. In this report, we present a rare cause of life-threatening stridor in adults, a large ductal cyst of the larynx that was removed via endoscopic CO(2) laser resection. On the basis of clinical observations during the postoperative period, we conclude that endoscopic CO(2) laser resection is a reliable and safe method for removing cysts of the larynx. It is also a cost-effective procedure that minimizes hospitalization time and the need for tracheotomy.

Demographic, epidemiologic, and surgical characteristics of maxillofacial fracture repair in a developing country.

We conducted a retrospective epidemiologic study to assess demographic data and characteristics of the etiology and management of maxillofacial fractures treated by surgery in Ankara, Turkey, over a 6-year period. We studied 293 maxillofacial fractures in 167 adults-122 men and 45 women (ratio: 2.7:1), aged 17 to 76 years (mean: 33.8). In addition to demographic and etiologic data, study parameters included the time of day, day of the week, and month of the year that the injury had been sustained; the site of the fracture; the length of time between the accident and surgery; and the specific treatment modality. Of the 293 fractures, 177 were midface fractures (60%), 102 were mandibular fractures (35%), and 14 were frontal fractures (5%). The most common causes were motor vehicle accidents (67%), fights/assaults (20%), and falls (9%). Half of all patients were injured on a weekend (including Friday night), and more than half of all patients had been injured from September through December. The most common midface fractures were maxillary fractures (37%), and the most common mandibular fractures were fractures in the symphysis/parasymphysis area (36%). Surgery was performed an average of 6 days following the injury. Open reduction with internal rigid fixation was the choice of treatment for most (82%) fractures. We believe that studies of the demographic and epidemiologic characteristics of maxillofacial fractures in different countries may help guide surgeons in the management of these injuries.

Actinomycosis in the etiology of recurrent tonsillitis and obstructive tonsillar hypertrophy: answer from a histopathologic point of view.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the histopathologic profile and clinical presentation of tonsillar disease in the presence of Actinomycetes in children. DESIGN: A qualitative and quantitative histopathologic analysis of the palatine tonsil was performed. SETTING: Tonsillectomy specimens from patients who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy were searched for Actinomycetes. METHODS: Histologic evaluation of the specimens was done on hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides as blinded to patients' clinical category for disease groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Four histologic compartments of the tonsil, including the surface epithelium, reticulated crypt epithelium (lymphoepithelium), lymphoid tissue, and interfollicular region, were examined. RESULTS: Actinomycetes was more prevalent in patients with obstructive symptoms treated with adenotonsillectomy. The number of subjectively quantitated total lymphoid follicles and small and medium-sized lymphoid follicles of the palatine tonsil were significantly increased in patients demonstrating "sulphur granules" in their crypts. Highly thick squamous metaplasia of the lymphoepithelium and dilatation of crypts were more prevalent in tonsil tissue revealing Actinomycetes. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of Actinomycetes in tonsillectomy specimens does not indicate active tissue infection. However, the histopathologic outcome may indicate the possible etiologic role of Actinomycetes in the development of prominent lymphoid hyperplasia and hypertrophy and, in turn, obstructive tonsillar hypertrophy.

Long-term results of different treatment modalities for glottic insufficiency.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the early and long-term functional results of thyroplasty type-I and injection laryngoplasty using fat or calcium hydroxylapatite. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with glottic insufficiency were included and followed up between 1-7 years. Patients with glottic bowing or sulcus vocalis were selected for injection augmentation of the vocal folds, while those with unilateral vocal fold immobility underwent medialization thyroplasty. Perceptual and acoustic analysis of voice, and videolaryngostroboscopy were performed before and after surgery. RESULTS: After the surgery, GRBAS scale of all patients demonstrated significant change in grade of severity, roughness, and breathiness. Acoustic analysis demonstrated significant change in Fo, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio, and maximum phonation time (MPT) in thyroplasty group, while those demonstrated significant change in Fo (lowest) and jitter, and MPT in injection augmentation group. CONCLUSIONS: Medialization thyroplasty is the gold standard for the management of glottic insufficiency, regardless of the severity of glottic gap. However, injection augmentation of the vocal folds may be considered as an alternative in the treatment of patients with small glottic gap. Further studies with larger groups and long follow-up periods are required to figure out the proper material for injection laryngoplasty.

One-year follow-up results of combined use of CO2 laser and cold instrumentation for Reinke's edema surgery in professional voice users.

The purpose of this study was to present our experience with combined use of CO2 laser and cold instrumentation for Reinke's edema surgery and to evaluate 1-year follow-up results of the technique in a series of professional voice users. Fifteen patients with Reinke's edema who underwent microlaryngoscopic surgery were included. Videolaryngostroboscopy, perceptual and acoustic voice analyses were performed before and after surgery. During the 1-year follow-up, no recurrence of Reinke's edema was encountered. Significant postoperative improvement was obtained in the quality of voice, in terms of GRBAS scores, Fo, jitter, shimmer and NHR. No evidence of laryngeal cancer was found on the histological examinations. Combined use of CO2 laser and cold instrumentation provides a reliable and safe method for Reinke's edema surgery, and cessation of smoking, voice rest and control of the laryngopharyngeal reflux contribute to the success of surgery. We consider that the removal of redundant mucosa of the vocal fold reduces the risk of the recurrence of Reinke's edema and provides better quality of voice. However, it does not imply that our method is superior to others', but this procedure constitutes an effective treatment of choice for Reinke's edema patients, including professional voice users.