Δευτέρα 1 Μαρτίου 2021

The German Restructured Vocal Fatigue Index and Characteristics of Dysphonic and Vocally Healthy Populations

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The Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI), a 19-item psychometric self-report questionnaire, enables individuals with vocal fatigue (VF) to be identified and their complaints to be characterized. The purpose of this study was to improve the German-language version (VFI-G) and to evaluate further vocal fatigue-related characteristics of dysphonic and control populations.
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Outcomes of tympanoplasty in a low resource setting: Our experience

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Abstract

Tympanoplasty outcomes are well established in high income nations, but less reported in low‐middle income countries (LMICs). LMICs see a higher prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media, with anecdotal evidence of greater disease severity at presentation. Here we find that tympanoplasty performed by local surgeons in the LMIC of Cambodia has 85.8% successful closure, which is comparable to other settings. For audiological outcomes, there was a mean reduction in the air‐bone gap of 15.8dB, and improvement in the air‐conduction average in 85.5% of participants. We find no evidence that tympanoplasty outcomes in LMICs should differ from those in other settings.

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Impedance‐pH monitoring Profile of Patients with Reflux and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Controlled Study

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Abstract

Objective

To study the profile of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) at the hypopharyngeal‐esophageal multichannel intraluminal impedance‐pH monitoring (HEMII‐pH) and to compare their reflux findings with LPR patients without OSAS.

Design

Prospective controlled study.

Methods

Patients with LPR and OSAS were prospectively recruited from Augustus 2019 to June 2020. The profile of hypopharyngeal reflux events (HRE) of patients was studied through a breakdown of the HEMII‐pH findings over the 24‐hour of testing. Reflux symptom score (RSS), gastrointestinal and HEMII‐pH outcomes were compared between LPR patients and patients with LPR and OSAS. Multivariate analysis was used to study the relationship between reflux data and the following sleep outcomes: Apnea‐Hypopnea Index, Epworth Slippiness Scale (ESS) and paradoxical sleep data.

Results

A total of 89 patients completed the study. There were 45 patients with LPR and 44 subjects with both OSAS and LPR. The numbers of upright and daytime HREs and the otolaryngological RSS were significantly higher in patients with LPR compared with those with OSAS and LPR. There was a significant positive association between RSS quality of life score and ESS (p=0.001). The occurrence of HREs in the evening was associated with higher ESS (p=0.015). Patients with OSAS, LPR and GERD had higher number of nocturnal HREs compared with those without GERD (p=0.001).

Conclusion

The presence of OSAS in LPR patients is associated with less severe HEMII‐pH and ear, nose and throat symptoms. There may have different OSAS patient profiles according to the occurrence of GERD.

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Learning curve in Endoscopic Tympanoplasties: a prospective study based on outcomes of 141 cases

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Abstract

The overall success rate for TEES tympanoplasty was 83% A learning curve of approximately 60 cases was evident, with success in the final 33% of cases being 93.5% The only significant factor affecting the tympanoplasty success rate was the year since starting TEES. Hearing outcomes are related to pre‐operative ABG, ossicle erosion, and COM risk factors, but not to the level of experience in TEES. TEES has comparable outcomes, efficacy and complications to microscopic or combined techniques

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To Compare and Evaluate Laryngeal Changes in Patients with Dysphonia in Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) before and after Treatment with Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) and Prokinetic Drugs

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Abstract

To evaluate and compare pre and post treatment results using the following parameters by (a) Dual probe pH monitoring. (b) Laryngeal mucosal changes as assessed by direct video laryngoscopy/stroboscopy using Belafsky scores. (c) Voice changes by using GRBAS and Dr Speech software for speech analysis. In our study we have evaluated and compared voice and laryngeal changes in patients with dysphonia and RSI > 10 (which is suggestive of LPR) before treatment and after 6 months of treatment with Tab. Pantoprazole and Tab. Mosapride. This prospective study was carried out on 50 patients attending the ENT OPD of a tertiary care referral centre over a period of 18 months i.e. from Nov 2008 to Apr 2010. The study showed that prolonged therapy (> 6 months) is required to treat LPR effectively and 24 h ambulatory dual probe pH metry and videolaryngoscopy to assess RFS are the most preferred diagnostic tools in LPR. Dr Speech software for voi ce analysis can give an objective assessment of voice changes in LPR before and after treatment. The treatment consisting of PPI and prokinetic drugs proved to be effective in laryngopharyngeal reflux disease as improvement was seen in all the parameters including reflux findings score, subjective and objective voice assessment. According to results of our study, 24 h ambulatory dual probe pH metry, Reflux Finding Score (RFS), subjective and objective acoustic parameters can be used as indicators of efficacy of treatment.

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Orbital Surgical Guidelines: Pediatric Considerations

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J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1722637

Pediatric orbital and skull base surgery comprises a wide array of tumors. An understanding of the location of the lesion, nature of the disease, and surrounding anatomy is paramount to surgical planning in these small spaces. The goals of pediatric skull base surgery are to avoid injury to the surrounding structures, minimize cosmetic deformities, and remove some or all of the tumors based on anticipated pathology and biologic cost of removal. Safe surgery on many of these tumors requires an understanding of the location of the lesion relative to the optic nerve or orbit. This is particularly challenging because the dimensions of the orbital confines change continuously as one navigates from rostral to caudal. Management of these tumors may require a multidisciplinary approach including orbital surgery, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, oral maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, and interventiona l neuroradiology.
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Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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Facial Nerve Function Outcome and Risk Factors in Resection of Large Cystic Vestibular Schwannomas

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J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725028

Objective Cystic vestibular schwannomas (VS) in contrast to solid VS tend to have accelerated growth, larger volume, rapid/atypical presentation, lobulated/adherent surface, and unpredictable course of the cranial nerves. Cystic VS are surgically challenging, with worse clinical outcomes and higher rate of subtotal resection (STR). Methods We retrospectively analyzed postoperative outcomes of 125 patients with cystic VS, operated between years 2005 and 2019 in our center. We confronted the extent of the resection and House-Brackmann (HB) grade of facial palsy with the results of comparable cohort of patients with solid VS operated in our center and literature review by Thakur et al.1 Results Translabyrinthine approach was preferred for resection of large, cystic VS (97.6%). Gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved in 78 patients (62.4%), near-total resection (NTR) with remnant (<4 × 4 × 2 mm) in 43 patients (34.4%), and STR in 4 patients (3.2%). NTR/STR were significantly associated with higher age, tumor volume >5 cm3, retrosigmoid approach, high-riding jugular bulb, tumor adherence to the brain stem, and facial nerve (p = 0.016; 0.003; 0.005; 0.025; 0.001; and <0.00001, respectively).One year after the surgery, 76% of patients had HB grades 1 to 2, 16% had HB grades 3 to 4, and 8% had HB grades 5 to 6 palsy. Worse outcome (HB grades 3 to 6) was associated with preoperative facial palsy, tumor volume >25 cm3, and cyst over the brain stem (p = 0.045; 0.014; and 0.05, respectively). Comparable solid VS operated in our center had significantly higher HB grades 1 to 2 rate than our cystic VS (94% versus 76%; p = 0. 03). Comparing our results with literature review, our HB grades 1 to 2 rate was significantly higher (76% versus 39%; p = 0.0001). Tumor control rate 5 years after surgery was 95.8%. Conclusion Our study confirmed that microsurgery of cystic VS has worse outcomes of facial nerve preservation and extent of resection compared with solid VS. Greater attention should be paid to the above-mentioned risk factors.
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Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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Orbital Surgery: Evolution and Revolution

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J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1722704

This article traces the development of orbital surgery and its subsequent modifications. It also points out the importance of defining one's goal before embarking on orbital surgery. Although generally considered part of ophthalmology, surgery on the orbit has been relatively neglected and not routinely practiced. This article reviews the history of development of orbital surgery, both the revolutionary ideas and the evolutionary changes. There are multiple orbital lesions that do not need to be treated with surgery at all. These days chemotherapy, radation therapy, or even immunotherapy may be more appropriate. The most common orbital pathology, that is thyroid orbitopathy, the physician needs to decide whether or not the orbit needs to be decompressed or whether there are problems related to motility that can be dealt with by eye muscle surgery.
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Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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Delayed Craniospinal Metastasis of Aggressive Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas as Pituitary Carcinomas

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J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725024

Background Clinical behavior of pituitary neoplasms is peculiar and notoriously difficult to predict. While aggressive tumors are common, metastasis is very rare, can be highly delayed, and there are no histological or clinical features to meaningfully predict this happening. Endocrinologically silent tumors are particularly difficult, as there is less opportunity to detect early metastasis. Together, this amounts to a situation of uncertainty over the appropriate management of such tumors before and after metastasis. Case Description The authors report two cases of nonfunctioning aggressive pituitary adenoma (APA) each requiring two transsphenoidal surgeries, a transcranial resection and radiotherapy. Both these tumors subsequently metastasized caudally along the neuraxis, years later, as a null cell carcinoma associated with a germline CHEK2 mutation and a silent Crooke's cell carcinoma. The former represents a novel oncogenetic association. Conclusion Delayed drop dural metastasis of pituitary carcinoma is becoming increasingly recognized. Surgical resection of the distant disease to confirm the diagnosis and relieve the mass effect, followed by temozolomide chemotherapy, is the current treatment of choice. The need for both long-term follow-up in patients with APA, and a high degree of suspicion toward dural-based radiographic findings is emphasized.
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Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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Multimodal Microvascular Mapping for Head and Neck, Skull Base Research and Education: An Anatomical Donor Study

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J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725026

Objective This study was aimed to develop a method combining computed tomography (CT) and fluorescence imaging, allowing identification of microvasculature in anatomical donors and facilitating translational research and education. Methods We investigated homogeneity and radiopacity of 30 different mixtures including radiopaque substances povidone–iodine (Betadine), barium sulfate (BaSO4), and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) varying in suspension and dilution with agar, latex, or gelatin. Three candidate mixtures were selected for testing the extent of perfusion in renal vasculature to establish methodology. From these candidate mixtures, two were selected for mixture with fluorescein and infusion into cadavers based on their ability to perfuse renal vasculature. The extent to which these two candidate mixtures combined with fluorescein were able to perfuse vasculature in a cadaver head was used to determine which mixture was superior. Results BaSO4 and bismuth subsalicylate–based mixtures demonstrated superior opacity in vials. In terms of solidifying agents, gelatin-based mixtures demonstrated increased friability and lower melting points compared with the other agents, so only latex and agar-based mixtures were used moving forward past the vial stage. Combinations of BaSO4 and latex and BaSO4 and 3% agar were found to perfuse kidneys superiorly to the mixture containing bismuth subsalicylate. Finally, in cadaver heads, the mixture containing BaSO4, agar, and fluorescein was found to perfuse the smallest vasculature. Conclusion A final combination of BaSO4, 3% agar, and fluorescein proves to be a powerful and novel combination enabling CT imaging, fluorescence imaging, and dissection of vasculature. This paves the way for future translational research and education.
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Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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Long-Term Outcomes of the Electrically Unresponsive, Anatomically Intact Facial Nerve Following Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery

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J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725034

Objective The study aimed to determine long-term outcomes in patients with intraoperative electrical conduction block in an anatomically intact facial nerve (FN). Patients and Methods Single center retrospective review of prospectively collected database of all vestibular schwannoma surgeries between January 1, 2008 and August 25, 2015. Operative notes were reviewed and patients with anatomically intact FNs, but complete conduction block at the end of surgery were included for analysis. Results In total, 371 patients had vestibular schwannoma surgery of which 18 met inclusion criteria. Mean follow-up was 34.28 months and average tumor size was 28.00 mm. Seventeen patients had House-Brackmann Grade VI facial palsy immediately postoperatively and one patient was grade V. At 1 year, three patients remained grade VI (17%), two improved to grade V (11%), seven to grade IV (39%), six to grade III (33%), and one patient to grade II (6%). On extended follow-up, five patients (28%) had additional 1 to 2 score improvement in facial function. Subset analysis revealed no correlation of tumor size, vascularity, adherence to nerve, operative approach, extent of resection, splaying of FN, and recurrent tumor or sporadic tumors to the extent of FN recovery. Conclusion Intraoperative conduction block does not condemn a patient to permanent FN palsy. There is potential for a degree of recovery comparable with those undergoing nerve grafting. Our data do not clearly support a policy of same-surgery or early-postoperative primary nerve grafting in the event of a complete conduction block, and instead we favor monitoring for recovery in an anatomically intact nerve.
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Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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Prevention of Superior Petrosal Vein Injury during Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia: Operative Nuances

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J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725036

Background The superior petrosal vein (SPV) often obscures the surgical field or bleeds during microvascular decompression (MVD) for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Although SPV sacrifice has been proposed, it is associated with multiple complications. We have performed more than 4,500 MVDs, including approximately 400 cases involving trigeminal neuralgia. We aimed to describe our operative technique and nuances to avoid SPV injury. Methods We have provided a detailed description of our institutional protocol, including the anesthesia technique, neurophysiologic monitoring, patient positioning, surgical approach, and SPV management. The surgical outcomes and treatment-related complications were retrospectively analyzed. Results No SPVs were sacrificed intentionally or accidentally during our MVD protocol for trigeminal neuralgia. In the 344 operations performed during 2006 to 2020, 269 (78.2%) patients did not require medication postoperatively, 58 (16.9%) tolerated the procedure with adequate medication, and 17 (4.9%) did not respond to MVD. Postoperatively, 35 (10.2%), 1 (0.3%), and 0 patients showed permanent trigeminal, facial, or vestibulocochlear nerve dysfunction, respectively. Wound infection occurred in five (1.5%) patients, while cerebrospinal fluid leaks occurred in three (0.9%) patients. Hemorrhagic complications appeared in four (1.2%) patients but these were unrelated to SPV injury. No surgery-related mortalities were reported. Conclusion MVD for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia can be achieved safely without sacrificing the SPV. A key step is positioning the patient's vertex at a 10-degree elevation from the floor, which can ease venous return and loosen the SPV, making it less fragile to manipulation and providing a wider surgical corridor.
[...]

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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