[Patient monitoring strategy in a hand surgery university center labeled FESUM-Integration of postgraduate students: A prospective study]. / Stratégie de suivi des patients dans un centre SOS main universitaire labellisé FESUM-Intégration des étudiants de 3e cycle : une étude prospective.

INTRODUCTION: Federation of Hand Emergency Services (FESUM) is a European network of hand emergency centers (called SOS hand centers) in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The FESUM network includes 64 SOS Hand centers in France. In our university hospital, the FESUM-certified SOS hand has been part of the plastic surgery department since 2001. It has included, since 2016, postgraduate students ("residents") training in hand surgery who participate independently in the patient follow-up. The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of this population of patients with hand injuries and their satisfaction with this mode of follow-up. The secondary objective was to study the characteristics of the patient population treated by our center. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We conducted a study on the follow-up of patients undergoing emergency hand surgery, prospective, single-center, declarative, anonymized, between May and October 2021 at the SOS main center of our university hospital at the "SOS Main" intern consultation. The demographic data, the main characteristics of the pathology, the elements of initial care and follow-up of the patients as well as their satisfaction were analyzed, as well as the satisfaction of the interns. RESULTS: We included 323 patients. The population of patients treated generally corresponded to a young man, manual worker, who was initially treated in an outpatient department or in an SOS Hand consultation. The lesions most often represented were fractures (24%), tendon wounds (18%) and wounds without damage to noble tissues (16%). Follow-up consultations took place mainly 15days after the emergency intervention, lasted on average 10minutes and did not present excessive delays. Patient (91.2%) and post-graduate student (87.2%) satisfaction was high. However, postoperative physiotherapy follow-up was insufficient, as was self-rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: The integration of post-graduate student in a university plastic surgery department into the care of SOS Hand patients seems beneficial for all those involved, and for their training. The characteristics of the follow-up consultations by the intern in autonomous supervision corresponded to the high quality standards of the FESUM. The patients showed a high satisfaction rate. Better valorization of this consultation in "office surgery" should be considered.

Local anesthesia with blue-dyed lidocaine for a better patient's tolerance during office-based laryngology procedures: how I do it.

BACKGROUND: In-office laryngological procedures became common alternatives to general anesthesia for biopsies, injection laryngoplasties, and laser procedures. The limiting step remains the laryngeal anesthesia whose quality can influence patients' and operators' comfort. METHODS: We propose to dye the lidocaine with methylene blue and do an instillation through a catheter introduced in the video-endoscope's operating channel, which permits a progressive anesthesia focused on the larynx, avoiding an unwanted pharyngeal anesthesia and any tracheal irritation. CONCLUSION: Using blue-dyed lidocaine can help reduce the volume of anesthesia required for an office-based laryngology intervention, improving patients' and surgeon's comfort and reducing anesthesia's side effects.

Optimizing the Use of Operating Rooms by Transitioning Common Hand Surgeries Into the Office Setting.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the true monetary implications, at the health system level, of moving simple hand procedures, performed with wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet surgery, from the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) to office setting. METHODS: We analyzed the costs, revenues, case times, and patient demographics for 2 cohorts of patients who underwent hand and non-hand surgical procedures over a 2-year period. We calculated the mean margin per minute for the top 5 procedures in non-hand orthopedic surgery subgroups, complex plastics hand, and non-hand plastic surgery. We then calculated the following: (1) hours operating room or ASC time gained by moving hand procedures to the office, (2) additional subgroup patients theoretically treated by using the ASC hours gained, and (3) net margin (in dollars) because of additional procedures. RESULTS: Six board-certified hand surgeons performed 623 simple ASC and 808 in-office procedures, consisting of 795 carpal tunnel releases, 84 first dorsal compartment releases, and 446 trigger finger releases. The net margin per minute for simple ASC and in-office hand procedures was $25.01/min and $5.63/min, respectively. In the office setting, hand surgery freed up 821 hours of ASC time, which could be theoretically used to treat over 300 additional patients awaiting outpatient orthopedic hand or plastic surgery. Depending on the subspecialty and type of substituted cases, the theoretical net margin varied from -$150,413 to $3.9 million. CONCLUSIONS: Transitioning simple hand operations out of ASCs realized a mean cost savings of 82% per case ($1,137 vs $206) and effectively opened 821 additional hours of operating room time over a 2-year period. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Transitioning simple hand operations out of the operating room setting and into the office setting reduces the cost of hand surgical care, improves operating room access for alternate procedures or patients, and validates the sustainability of safe and effective wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet surgery from a hospital system's financial standpoint.

Incorporating Office-Based Surgery Into Your Practice With WALANT.

Office-based surgery (OBS) with wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) surgery is a safe and cost-effective care model that is convenient for patient and provider alike. Currently, the practice is growing, but in the majority of North America the ambulatory-care center is still the most common setting for hand surgery. This article discusses the practical issues of implementing OBS with WALANT including clinical setup and workflows for OBS, negotiating payor contracts, and managing liability.

In-office shoulder arthroscopy and tenotomy of the long head of the biceps tendon-a cadaveric feasibility study.

PURPOSE: Studies have shown that isolated tenotomy of the long head of the biceps (LHB) improves significantly pain scores, active range of motion and Constant score in elderly patients with massive and irreparable cuff tears with no osteoarthritis. This cadaveric study was performed to assess the feasibility of a tenotomy of the LHB and subacromial corticosteroid injection using a minimally invasive in-office setting under local anaesthesia on awake patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty scare-free shoulders were included in the study. We performed the procedure in an in-office setting using a wrist arthroscope with no fluid, connected to wireless camera and light source. A standard shoulder arthroscopy was finally performed in order to analyse the tenotomy quality and detect possible iatrogenic lesions. RESULTS: The LHB tendon was cut fully in all cases, the mean length of the proximal stump of the LHB was 0.4 cm (range, 0.3-0.7 mm) and the mean duration of the surgery was 3.5 minutes (range, 2.43-3.86 min). No iatrogenic lesion occurred during the in-office procedure. CONCLUSION: This cadaveric study suggests that it is feasible and safe to perform, under local anaesthesia, a minimally invasive arthroscopic tenotomy of the LHB and subacromial injection using an in-office setting. Further clinical studies are needed to confirm the reliability, indication and effectiveness of this technique.

Bedside Procedures in Hand Surgery.

Many conditions presenting to the hand surgeon are amenable to a bedside procedure rather than a formal operating room setting. With proper patient, room, and surgeon preparation, bedside procedures can provide an efficient and effective treatment for infection, trauma, and foreign bodies. Key differences from the operating room environment include patient expectations, analgesia, room setup, instrumentation, and surgical technique. This article provides a detailed primer for performing bedside procedures in the emergency department, outpatient clinic, and inpatient hospital room.

A nationwide registry-based cohort study of incidence of tonsillectomy in Denmark, 1991-2012.

OBJECTIVE: To update tonsillectomy incidence rates in Denmark and identify whether the incidence rates vary between geographical areas in the country during the period 1991-2012. DESIGN: This was a retrospective nationwide cohort study using data from the comprehensive Danish patient registries. Data included surgical code, gender and date of birth, date and place of surgery. SETTING: Hospitals and private oto-, rhino-, laryngology (ORL) offices. PARTICIPANTS: Danes who underwent tonsillectomy in the period 1991-2012. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Tonsillectomy. RESULTS: In the 22-year period, 177 211 tonsillectomies were conducted, and the overall incidence of tonsillectomy decreased significantly over time. The overall annual incidence of tonsillectomies decreased from 155.7 per 100 000 inhabitants in 1991 to 129.4 per 100 000 inhabitants in 2012. In 1991, 5.5% of tonsillectomies were performed in office settings, while in 2012, it had increased to 26.6% (P < .01). The highest incidence of tonsillectomy was found in children between 3 and 4 years of age (predominance of males, P < .01) and in 15- to 19-year-olds (predominance of females, P < .01). Each year, 0.44% of children underwent tonsillectomy, and by the age of 20, 7.7% of the Danish people has had a tonsillectomy. There were significant regional differences in the number of tonsillectomies. CONCLUSION: The incidence rate of tonsillectomies in Denmark decreased significantly in the study period, but with great regional variance.

INAHTA IMPACT STORY: LEGISLATIVE AND ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFICE-BASED SURGERY IN AUSTRALIA.

BACKGROUND: There is growing trend for some surgical procedures previously performed in hospitals to be done in alternative settings, including office-based facilities. There has been some safety concerns reported in the media, which document serious adverse events following procedures performed in an office-based setting. To understand the current regulatory oversight of surgery in this setting ASERNIP-S conducted a review of the legislative and accreditation process governing these facilities in Australia. METHODS: Using rapid review methodology, internet searches targeted government Web sites for relevant publicly-available documents. Use of consolidated versions of legislative instruments ensured currency of information. Standards were sourced directly from the issuing authorities or those that oversee the accreditation process. RESULTS: Within Australia, healthcare facilities for surgery and their licensing are defined by each state and territory, which results in significant jurisdictional variation. These variations relate to the need for anesthesia beyond conscious sedation and listing of procedures in legislative instruments. In 2013, Australia adopted National Safety and Quality Health Service standards (NSQHS standards) for the accreditation of hospitals and day surgery centers; however, there is no NSQHS standard for office-based facilities. The main legislative driver for compliance is access to reimbursement schemes for service delivery. CONCLUSIONS: The legislative and accreditation framework creates a situation whereby healthcare facilities that provide services outside the various legal definitions of surgery and those not covered by a reimbursement scheme, can operate without licensing and accreditation oversight. This situation exposes patients to potential increased risk of harm when receiving treatment in such unregulated facilities.

Office-based endoscopic revision using a microdebrider for failed endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

This article is to introduce office-based endoscopic revision surgery using a microdebrider for failed endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EN-DCR). The authors conducted retrospective, non-comparative, interventional case series analysis of 27 eyes of 24 patients, treated by office-based revision EN-DCR using a microdebrider. After local anesthesia, anatomical failures (cicatrization, granuloma, synechia) after primary EN-DCR were treated with a microdebrider (Osseoduo 120, Bien-Air Surgery, Le Noirmont, Switzerland) in an office setting, and a bicanalicular silicone tube was placed. Anatomical improvement and functional relief of epiphora were evaluated at 6-months after revision. The causes of failed EN-DCR were rhinostomy site cicatrization (17/27, 63.0 %), granulomatous obstruction (7/27, 25.9 %) and synechial formation (3/27, 11.1 %). The anatomical success rate was 100 %, and 85.2 % cases achieved complete relief of epiphora. The surgery did not exceed 10 min in any case and no complications were observed. Office-based revision EN-DCR using a microdebrider provided prompt management of post-DCR epiphora. The portable nature and all-round ability of the microdebrider allowed office-based surgery, which offered advantage to work with the surgeon's own well-trained office staff. Office-based revision EN-DCR can be both time- and money-saving, and might be regarded the treatment of choice for failed EN-DCR.

Office-Based Balloon Sinus Dilation: 1-Year Follow-up of a Prospective, Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: Balloon sinus dilation (BSD) instruments afford the opportunity for office-based sinus procedures in properly selected patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This study evaluated patient-reported outcomes 1 year after office-based BSD. METHODS: Adult patients with medically refractory CRS were prospectively enrolled into a multicenter, single-arm study and treated with office-based BSD under local anesthesia. Follow-up on 203 patients was conducted at 2, 8, and 24 weeks postsurgery using validated outcome measures for quality of life (SNOT-20) and computed tomography imaging (Lund-Mackay score). After 24 weeks, patients were re-enrolled for 1-year follow-up to evaluate changes in SNOT-20 scores and revisions. RESULTS: All patients who re-enrolled (n = 122) completed the study, with an average follow-up of 1.4 years. Neither preoperative SNOT-20 nor Lund-Mackay CT scores were predictive of re-enrollment and return for follow-up. Compared to baseline, improvements in SNOT-20 scores remained statistically significant (P < .001) and clinically meaningful (mean decrease ≥ 0.8). In patients followed to 1.4 years, 9 of 122 (7.4%) had revision surgery. CONCLUSION: Following office-based BSD, significant improvements in quality of life observed at 24 weeks were maintained 1 year postsurgery. These extended results provide further evidence of office-based BSD as an effective, minimally invasive procedure for appropriately selected patients with CRS.

Anesthesia-free In-office Hysteroscopic Morcellation for Endometrial Polyps: A Prospective Study.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and quality of anesthesia-free in-office hysteroscopic morcellation for the treatment of endometrial polyps. Materials and Methods: A prospective, single-center, open-label, single-arm clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of hysteroscopic morcellation for endometrial polyps or retained products of conception. All surgical procedures were performed using the TruClear™ 5C system in the office setting without anesthesia. The primary endpoint was the success rate of surgery, defined as the completion of the operation. The secondary endpoints were operating time, fluid deficit, adverse events, pain evaluated by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, and recurrence rate. Results: Ninety-five patients underwent hysteroscopic morcellation without anesthesia and received the treatment. The success rate of surgery was 100% (95/95), and the mean operating time was 7.3 min. Adverse events occurred in only 2.1% (2/95), with vasovagal reflex. The mean VAS scores during the procedure ranged from 2.4 to 3.1, and the recurrence rate after 6 months was 2.1% (1/47), with a pregnancy rate of 33% (11/33). When comparing nulliparous and parous patients, the success rate and the operating time were equivalent, and the mean VAS scores during the procedure were both within tolerable levels but significantly higher in nulliparous patients (3.3-4.5 vs. 1.6-1.9, P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that anesthesia-free in-office hysteroscopic morcellation for endometrial polyps can be safely performed with feasible quality and only tolerable pain. This less-invasive procedure is expected to become more widespread in future.

The Correlation of Surgical Setting With Perioperative Opioid Prescriptions for Wide-Awake Carpal Tunnel Release.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have compared perioperative opioid prescriptions between carpal tunnel release (CTR) performed wide-awake and with traditional anesthetic techniques, but the association of opioid prescriptions with surgical setting has not been fully explored. The current study assessed the association of opioid prescriptions with surgical setting (office or operating room) for wide-awake CTR. METHODS: Patients with open CTR were identified in an administrative claims database (PearlDiver). Exclusion criteria included age less than 18 years, preoperative data less than 6 months, postoperative data less than 1 month, bilateral surgery, concomitant hand surgery, and traditional anesthesia (general anesthesia, sedation, or regional block). Patients were stratified by surgical setting (office or operating room) and matched by age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and geographic region. Prior opioid prescriptions, opioid dependence/abuse, substance use disorder, back/neck pain, generalized anxiety, and major depression were identified. Opioid prescriptions within 7 days before and 30 days after surgery were characterized. RESULTS: Each matched cohort included 5713 patients. Compared with patients with surgery in the operating room, fewer patients with office-based surgery filled opioid prescriptions (45% vs 62%), and those prescriptions had lower morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs, median 130 vs 188). These findings were statistically significant on univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Following office-based CTR, fewer patients filled opioid prescriptions, and filled prescriptions had lower MME. This likely reflects patient and provider attitudes about pain control and opioid utilization. Further patient- and provider-level investigation may provide additional insights that could aid in efforts to reduce perioperative opioid utilization across surgical settings.

Functional nasal surgery in the office-based setting.

Objective: Nasal obstruction is a very common problem often addressed by functional nasal surgery. Increasingly, these procedures are being performed in the office setting secondary to decreased down time, cost, and obviation of general anesthesia. Our goal with this review is to discuss how to appropriately select patients for office-based procedures, what procedures may be considered, and current outcomes with in-office functional nasal surgery. Data Sources: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar. Methods: Research databases were searched for articles discussing techniques for performing functional nasal surgery in an office setting, and outcomes of various in-office functional nasal procedures. Results: Studies found and included in this review discuss many aspects of office-based functional nasal surgery, including practical points on patient selection and office set-up, what procedures can safely be performed, and outcomes of different techniques to address specific problems. Broadly, procedures amenable to performance in the office address the internal and external nasal valves, the nasal septum, and the inferior turbinates. Conclusion: A wide range of techniques to aaddress the nasal valves, septum, and inferior turbinates can be performed in a safe and effective manner without the need for an operative suite.

The impact of WALANT anesthesia and office-based settings on patient satisfaction after carpal tunnel release: A patient reported outcome study.

HYPOTHESIS: Wide awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT) and office-based procedures are used in hand surgery. There are limited literature data on patient satisfaction when comparing methods of anesthesia and location of surgery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-surgeon study with patient reported satisfaction in three groups. We compared patient impressions of anesthesia type; WALANT vs locoregional anesthesia plus sedation. We also compared satisfaction in three surgery settings; office surgery vs hospital ambulatory minor procedure room vs main operating room. Group 1 office surgery patients had ultrasound guided surgery with WALANT. Group 2 main operating room surgery patients also had ultrasound guided surgery with WALANT. Group 3 main operating room patients had endoscopic surgery with sedation and a tourniquet. Each group had 30 patients with a minimum follow up of 2 months. We measured overall satisfaction, satisfaction with the organization of care, satisfaction with the administration of anesthesia, and satisfaction with the quality of anesthesia. We also collected secondary data on the resolution of the neuropathic symptoms. RESULTS: Procedures performed in an office-based setting showed higher rates of patient satisfaction when compared to the ambulatory day surgery setting. WALANT anesthesia also showed significantly higher rates of patient satisfaction on a numerical analog scale when compared to sedation based on, irrespective of the surgical setting. All patients had resolution of their neuropathic symptoms regardless of the technique performed. CONCLUSION: We found that carpal tunnel releases performed in an office-based setting produces superior patient satisfaction. WALANT anesthesia also provides improved patient satisfaction when compared to sedation and monitoring techniques, irrespective of the surgical setting and location. Carpal tunnel release with WALANT in an office-based setting is better for patient comfort and satisfaction, with no evidence of lesser clinical outcomes at a short term follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

In-office outpatient orthognathic surgery: review of 254 cases where the patients were discharged the same day.

This study was performed to present a single operator's experience of in-office (outside of a hospital setting) outpatient orthognathic surgery over a period of 12 years. A total of 254 surgeries were performed during this period. Average procedure times were comparable with published results from studies of similar material. The mean operating time for bimaxillary surgery (n = 21) was 3 hours and 11 minutes. Regarding single-jaw procedures, the mean operating time for Le Fort I osteotomy (n = 115) was 2 hours and 14 minutes and for bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (n = 118) was 2 hours and 1 minute. All patients were discharged from the office the same day, except one patient who was transported to the hospital after surgery due to an anaesthetic complication. This patient was discharged from the hospital later the same day. In this setting, outpatient orthognathic surgery is both safe and practical when careful attention is given to patient preparation and selection. Emergency phone contact with the surgeon in case of complications is important to avoid unnecessary hospitalization.

Age-dependent treatment effect of vocal fold steroid injection for benign vocal fold lesions.

Objective: Benign vocal fold lesions (BVFLs) cause voice disorders and impair social life. Recently, office-based vocal fold steroid injection (VFSI) has gained attention as a minimally invasive treatment for BVFLs. This study aimed to analyze the age-dependent treatment effect of VFSI and to clarify the indications for treatment. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 83 patients with BVFLs were treated with a similar regimen of VFSI. Three or four months after the injection, age-dependent phonological functions were evaluated. The differences between pre- and post-treatment findings were analyzed using the Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-rank test, and the correlation between patient age and improvement rates were determined by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: Improvement in voice handicap index (VHI), which was the primary endpoint, was observed. Subjective and objective voice quality measurements also showed significant improvements. Subgroup analyses revealed that there was no age-related difference in the improvement of voice quality and that there was no improvement in aerodynamic effect in patients over 45 years of age. Conclusion: This study clarified the age-dependent treatment effect of VFSI and provided the important suggestion of establishing indication criteria for BVFLs. The study results provided clarity on the indication criteria of VFSI and served as an important indicator for tailoring treatment to patients' needs. Level of Evidence: 4.

Efficacy of hyoscine in pain management during hysteroscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant clinical trials from full-text, scientific journal archives to assess the efficacy of hyoscine for the management of pain during in-office hysteroscopy (OH) procedures. Cochrane CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.Gov, MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS and the Web of Science were searched for all clinical trials that matched our search criteria. A full assessment of bias was made using the Cochrane Group tool-set. The following outcomes were included: visual analogue scale (VAS) score for postoperative pain, postoperative need for analgesia, and procedure time. In the case of homogeneous data, the analysis was performed using a fixed effects system, and the random effects system was used with heterogeneous data. Inclusion criteria included only randomized clinical trials, and interventions that included patients receiving hyoscine-N-Butyl Bromide during OH, regardless of dose or mode of administration, and compared this with placebo. Three clinical trials were included. The actual mean difference (MD) of the VAS pain score showed no significant difference between hyoscine or placebo [MD: -0.28 (-1.08, 0.52), (p=0.49)]. For postoperative analgesia, the overall MD showed no significant difference between hyoscine or placebo [MD: 0.43 (0.16, 1.14), (p=0.09)]. For procedure time, the combined effect estimate failed to show any significant difference between hyoscine and placebo [MD: -0.66 (-2.77, 1.44) (p=0.54)]. Contrary to previously published data, our meta-analysis using the latest available RCTs fails to show hyoscine as being effective in reducing pain or the need for other forms of anesthesia in OH.

Office-Based Open Trigger Finger Release Has a Low Complication Rate.

Purpose: Open trigger finger release is generally performed in the operating room in an outpatient setting. Its complication rate widely varies between 1% and 43%. Our goal was to determine whether performing this surgery in the clinic is a safe and viable alternative to performing this surgery in the operating room. Methods: All open trigger finger releases performed at our clinic between 2015 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Each surgery was performed by the same fellowship-trained hand surgeon using a standard open technique with an Esmarch tourniquet and without the use of epinephrine. Five hundred twenty seven finger releases were performed in 514 patients. Complications were defined as signs or symptoms requiring further treatment. Results: There were 33 documented complications in the 527 fingers (6.3%). The most common complications were minor wound complications, including 17 (3.2%) with localized cellulitis, 2 (0.4%) with a superficial infection, 4 (0.8%) with stitch abscesses, and 5 (0.9%) with wound dehiscence. All minor complications resolved quickly with oral antibiotics and supportive care. Five patients (0.9%) required further operative management. Of these 5, 2 (0.4%) had a deep infection, 1 had chronic dehiscence, and 2 (0.4%) required flexor tenosynovectomy for persistent pain and stiffness. Conclusions: Patients who undergo open trigger finger release surgery in the clinic have complication rates similar to reported complication rates of surgery performed in the operating room. Clinical relevance: Performing open trigger finger surgery in the office is safe. We continue to perform this surgery during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, when access to operating rooms and personal protective equipment is limited.

Flexible Endoscopic Biopsy: Identifying Factors to Increase Accuracy in Diagnosing Benign and Malignant Laryngopharyngeal Pathology.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the influence that several factors, such as the amount of obtained biopsies, difficult procedures, biopsy site and the experience of the attending physician, have on accuracy of flexible endoscopic biopsy (FEB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 203 FEB procedures for benign or malignant laryngopharyngeal lesions were prospectively included. During the procedure, three representative biopsies (macroscopically containing vital tumor tissue and not only necrosis or healthy tissue) were obtained. The accuracy of each biopsy was separately analyzed. Difficulties during the procedures leading to failure of acquiring three representative biopsies were recorded and classified into tumor, patient and procedural factors. Histological results of FEB were defined correct when consistent with clinical context, additional biopsies or Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) revealed equivalent pathology, or the lesion was stable or resolved in >6 months follow-up. RESULTS: The first representative biopsy yielded a correct diagnosis in 65% of the cases. After the second representative biopsy, 78% was correctly diagnosed. The contribution of the third and fourth representative biopsies to accuracy was 3%. The overall accuracy of FEB was 85%. Difficult procedures were more likely to result in misdiagnosis, whereas biopsy site or experience of the attending physician did not influence results. CONCLUSIONS: FEB was accurate in diagnosing laryngopharyngeal lesions when at least two representative biopsies were obtained. Accuracy of FEB could be further improved by limiting possible constraints during the procedures, for example by selecting, informing, and anesthetizing patients carefully.

Intracordal injection therapy for vocal fold scarring: Steroid versus basic fibroblast growth factor.

Objectives: Vocal fold scarring is caused by replacement of vocal fold mucosa with fibrous tissue due to repeated inflammation or trauma. It can lead to severe dysphonia. It is currently treated conservatively and with phonosurgery and intracordal injections. Intracordal injection of steroid or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been recently found to be useful for treating vocal fold scarring that does not respond to voice therapy. Methods: This retrospective study involved the administration of steroid injection and bFGF injection bilaterally under local anesthesia in 16 patients each. Laboratory measurements of voice parameters were performed before and 3-6 months after injection. Results: In the steroid injection group, the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) score significantly improved from 57.1 to 40.5, total Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain (tGRBAS) score significantly improved from 4.2 to 2.6, and mean speech fundamental frequency (SFF) increased from 192.5 to 211.4 dB, but there was no improvement in maximum phonation time (MPT) and mean airflow rate (MFR). In the bFGF injection group, significant improvements in the VHI score (from 53.3 to 35.7), MPT (from 16.9 to 21.8 s) and MFR (from 314.6 to 210.5 ml/s) were seen; however, the tGRBAS score did not improve. In addition, the SFF significantly decreased from 178.1 to 160.5 Hz. Conclusion: These results suggest that both steroid and bFGF injections are effective for treating vocal fold scarring, with steroids improving voice quality and bFGF improving glottic closure, thereby contributing to improvements in VHI scores. Level of Evidence: 4.