The use of the tidal breathing flow volume loop in laryngotracheal disease of neonates and infants

Flow volume loops have been valuable in the diagnosis of upper airway obstruction in adults; however, the use of this technique in neonates has been limited because of their inability to perform a forced exhalation. We have used the tidal breathing flow volume loop (TBFV) to evaluate upper airway function in 100 neonates and infants. Eleven of the neonates and infants tested with this method were found to have laryngotracheal abnormalities such as tracheal stenosis, innominate artery compression, subglottic hemangioma, and unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Normal neonates and infants demonstrate a round or oval TBFV loop pattern, while those with upper airway obstruction show a flat inspiratory or expiratory curve. Tidal breathing flow volume loops offer a new, rapid and noninvasive method for evaluating the upper airway function in neonates and infants, and may play an important role in diagnosing upper airway dysfunction and evaluating the need for therapeutic intervention.     

喉显微外科技术在严重新生儿上气道梗阻中的应用

目的 探讨严重新生儿上气道梗阻病因、临床特征及喉显微外科手术疗效,以提高新生儿阻塞性呼吸困难的诊治水平。 方法 采用观察性研究,分析16例咽喉相关的严重上气道梗阻新生儿临床资料。 结果 共纳入患儿16例(男9例、女7例),出生后7~28 d出现临床症状,包括吸气性呼吸困难、喉喘鸣、三凹征等。其中先天性喉软化症6例、下咽及舌根囊肿3例、喉部血管瘤2例、喉入口畸胎瘤1例、先天性喉蹼1例、双声带麻痹1例、继发性声门下狭窄1例、插管后喉粘连1例。16例患儿均给予相应显微外科治疗,手术顺利。顺利拔管患儿15例,仅1例喉软化症患儿拔管后仍有明显呼吸困难,行气管切开。 结论 严重新生儿上气道梗阻多与咽喉病变相关,需早期行局部及全身检查明确病因及诊断,对有手术指征者积极采取微创手术治疗,可挽救患儿生命,取得满意疗效。     

A clinical narrative review of mandibular distraction osteogenesis in neonates with Pierre Robin sequence

Introduction

Neonatal upper airway obstruction secondary to micrognathia can be managed with conservative or surgical interventions. Traditionally, severe upper airway obstruction was managed with a tracheostomy. Although tracheostomy may be life saving, it is associated with high rates of complications and can lead to developmental problems. More recently, mandibular distraction osteogenesis has been utilized to relieve micrognathia associated airway obstruction.

Methods

A clinical narrative review of the current literature was performed to evaluate the efficacy of mandibular distraction osteogenesis in neonates with Pierre Robin sequence.

Objectives

(1) To evaluate whether mandibular distraction osteogenesis can relieve the upper airway obstruction in micrognathic neonates and (2) to discuss and increase the awareness of various issues surrounding neonatal mandibular distraction procedures including preoperative workup, distraction protocols, and complications.

Results

Mandibular distraction osteogenesis can be a safe and effective intervention in neonates diagnosed with Pierre Robin sequence with severe micrognathia and airway obstruction. Interestingly, in patients with additional complex syndromes, the airway obstruction was not consistently alleviated.

Conclusion

When conservative measures fail, mandibular distraction osteogenesis should be considered to obviate the need for a tracheostomy in newborns with micrognathia associated upper airway obstruction.     

Use of helium-oxygen mixtures to relieve upper airway obstruction in a pediatric population

OBJECTIVES: Helium as a component of inspired gas decreases turbulent flow and airway resistance. Helium-oxygen mixtures have been used since the 1930s in the management of patients with upper airway obstruction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of helium-oxygen mixtures in relieving upper airway obstruction in a pediatric population. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of 42 pediatric patients who received helium-oxygen mixtures for upper airway obstruction within a 3-year period. METHODS: The study protocol included 42 pediatric patients, aged 1 week to 14 years, who were admitted to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from June 1997 to December 2000 and who received a total of 44 treatments of helium-oxygen therapy for upper airway obstruction. Response to treatment was determined by reduction in work of breathing noted on the chart. RESULTS: Thirty-two of 44 helium-oxygen treatments resulted in a positive response (73%). There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between responders and nonresponders, except all of the premature infants were responders and 6 of the 9 patients with syndromes were nonresponders. CONCLUSIONS: Helium-oxygen therapy is a useful adjunct therapy for upper airway obstruction. Controlled clinical trials are necessary to better define the appropriate settings for use of helium-oxygen.     

Outpatient fibre-optic laryngoscopy for stridor in children and infants

Many neonates are referred for a diagnosis with stridor. The gold standard investigation has traditionally been a rigid or direct microlaryngoscopy. This impacts on existing theatre schedules, demands a high level of skills from the paediatric anaesthetist along with the risk of exposing a neonate to a general anaesthetic. A bed in paediatric intensive care is often required and must be reserved. As laryngomalacia is the most common diagnosis and less serious than the investigations for infants with stridor themselves, clinicians have been looking to use the flexible fibre-optic laryngoscope to view the upper airway in awake neonatal patients. We present our experience in 66 neonatal patients initially managed by awake per-oral flexible fibre-optic laryngoscopy for stridor. We conclude that the technique is safe, straightforward and allows a diagnosis to be achieved in a significant number of cases. We recommend it as a first line investigation, reserving microlaryngoscopy for the group of patients in whom a diagnosis cannot be made in the outpatient clinic.     

Vallecular cyst: a cause of failure to thrive in an infant

Congenital vallecular cyst is fairly uncommon in neonates and infants. Although benign in nature, it may cause stridor and even life-threatening airway obstruction in early infancy. A 3-month-old male baby presented with failure to thrive and respiratory distress was found to have a vallecular cyst. Marsupialization with CO(2) laser was performed.     

Changes in Nasal Airway Dimensions in Infancy

Thirty-nine infants, previously examined as neonates, were re-examined at 1 year of age with continuous wide-band noise acoustic rhinometry using a specific probe optimized for infants, to determine the dimensional growth and maturation of nasal airway geometry in otherwise healthy infants. During the first year of life, the acoustically determined dimensions of the nasal airways increased significantly. The total minimal cross-sectional area increased by 67% (0.21cm²     

Retropharyngeal thymus and parathyroid gland: A case report

Cervical ectopic thymus occurs when thymic tissue arrests during its embryologic descent through the neck to the upper mediastinum. Most often it presents as an asymptomatic neck mass. Rarely does it present with airway compromise, particularly in neonates. A neonate presented with a retropharyngeal mass causing dynamic upper airway obstruction, mimicking a venolymphatic malformation. Ultimately this proved to be aberrant ectopic thymus with an associated parathyroid gland. While there have been isolated reports of thymus or parathyroid in the retropharyngeal space, none of the prior reports found both within the same patient.     

Sequelae of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury after patent ductus arteriosus ligation

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively study the clinical course of neonates with vocal cord paralysis (VCP) after patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of all premature infants undergoing PDA ligation from March 2001 to February 2004. Flexible laryngoscopy was performed after extubation to assess vocal cord function. Data regarding patient characteristics, operative findings, post-operative endoscopic findings, and the subsequent clinical course were collected. RESULTS: One hundred patients were enrolled. Flexible laryngoscopy was performed on 61 patients. Median birth weight was 740 g, gestational age 25 weeks, and age at operation 23 days. Flexible laryngoscopy was performed at an average of 8 days after extubation. Seven cases of vocal cord paralysis were identified. Two had stridor and feeding difficulty requiring nasogastric feeding. Five of the seven had an average follow-up of 9 months after surgery. At last follow-up, endoscopically satisfactory compensation by the normal vocal cord was observed in all five patients. No patient had feeding problems. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of infants who can be successfully extubated after PDA ligation tend to be asymptomatic despite vocal cord paralysis. Compensation appears to occur rapidly, and patients generally have no *long-term problems with the airway or feeding.     

诱导睡眠下电子喉镜在阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征定位诊断中的临床应用

目的:探讨诱导睡眠下电子喉镜在阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)定位诊断中的应用价值.方法:将经PSG确诊的132例OSAHS患者随机分成A、B 2组:A组61例为实验组,术前给予咪唑安定诱导睡眠后用电子喉镜对上呼吸道进行动态观察,以确定阻塞部位;B组71例作为对照组,术前清醒状态下行常规上呼吸道检查和电子喉镜检查.所有患者均根据定位诊断结果进行针对性手术治疗.结果:A组存在多部位阻塞者达72.1%,而B组仅为33.8%,2组差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).患者术后均随访6个月以上,A组总有效率达91.8%,B组仅为64.8%.A、B 2组的治愈率、显效率、总有效率均差异有统计学意义(均P＜0.05).结论:诱导睡眠状态下大部分OSAHS患者上呼吸道存在多部位的解剖性狭窄,术前在诱导睡眠下应用电子喉镜进行OSAHS患者上呼吸道阻塞部位的定位诊断,并据此进行针对性的手术治疗,可以显著提高OSAHS手术治疗的效果.     

Prevalence of upper airway tumors and cysts among patients who snore

OBJECTIVES: Sleep specialists usually do not pay much attention to the upper airway in patients who snore, because they can make the diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing without performing nasopharyngeal endoscopy if they have the Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores and the results of polysomnography. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of benign and malignant tumors and cysts in the upper airway in patients who snore. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter trial was performed in 4 sleep laboratories. Adult male and female patients whose chief complaint on their first visit was witnessed snoring were enrolled in this study. All of the patients were evaluated by otolaryngologists using nasopharyngeal endoscopy to detect organic diseases in the upper airway. RESULTS: Among 2,923 patients, 2 patients had malignant tumors, 5 had benign tumors, and 2 had cysts in the upper airway. The prevalence of upper airway benign and malignant tumors and cysts among adult male and female patients was 0.24%. CONCLUSIONS: Routine detailed nasopharyngeal endoscopy should be carried out in each institution so as not to overlook organic diseases in the upper airway among patients who snore.     

Pulmonary arterial pressure in infants with laryngomalacia

OBJECTIVE: Persistent upper airway obstruction may lead to increased pulmonary arterial pressure in childhood. Laryngomalacia is one of the most common causes of transient upper airway obstruction by laryngeal blockage in infants. The aim of the study is to evaluate the pulmonary arterial pressures in infants with laryngomalacia during infancy period. METHODS: Fifteen infants with laryngomalacia and 30 healthy controls were enrolled into this study. The pulmonary arterial pressures were measured by using Doppler echocardiography. Infants were also evaluated by clinical investigations, telecardiography and electrocardiography. RESULTS: Our results showed that infants with laryngomalacia may have significantly higher pulmonary arterial pressure than healthy subjects. Pressures of patient group were significantly decreased at the end of infancy period. CONCLUSIONS: Increased pulmonary arterial pressure levels due to laryngomalacia are reversible by during developmental process. Therefore, in symptomatic period, evaluation of infants with laryngomalacia by using Doppler echocardiography may be useful for monitoring pulmonary arterial pressure and following up the clinical outcome.     

The effects of upper airway surgery for obstructive sleep apnea on nasal continuous positive airway pressure settings

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The objectives were to determine whether upper airway surgery lowers nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) settings for patients who require CPAP postoperatively for unresolved obstructive sleep apnea and to assess CPAP tolerability after upper airway surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: Patients who underwent upper airway surgery with preoperative and postoperative polysomnography at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (Birmingham, AL) between 1995 and 2000 were the focus of the study. Upper airway surgery was defined as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty alone or in addition to septoplasty and turbinoplasty. Recommended CPAP settings were recorded from preoperative and postoperative polysomnography studies to determine whether CPAP settings were decreased following surgery. A response to surgery was defined as a decrease of the recommended CPAP setting by at least 1 cm of water. A telephone interview was conducted to determine whether upper airway surgery improved CPAP comfort. RESULTS: In 51.4% of the patients, CPAP settings were decreased following surgery. Continuous positive airway pressure settings were increased in 28.6% of patients and unchanged in 20%. Of the six patients who consistently used CPAP before and after surgery, four reported increased comfort postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Upper airway surgery does not predictably reduce CPAP settings in the patient who requires postoperative CPAP for unresolved obstructive sleep apnea. Upper airway surgery may improve CPAP tolerability.     

Airway compression secondary to left atrial enlargement and increased pulmonary artery pressure

Although congenital cardiac defects are infrequently considered a cause of major airway compression in neonates and infants, patients with left-sided cardiac enlargement can develop compression of the left mainstem bronchus. This is a consequence of the intimate relationship of the trachea and left mainstem bronchus to the left atrium, left pulmonary veins and left pulmonary artery. If the mean pulmonary arterial pressure, mean left atrial pressure and carinal angle are increased, the likelihood of major airway compression is high.     

Chirurgische Behandlungsm?glichkeiten der obstruktiven Schlafapnoe

INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder in adults, however it also occurs in neonates with severe mandibular hypoplasia. The clinical significance of OSA results from hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation due to a collapse of the upper airway. Recently OSA has received much attention due to its potentially serious consequences on cardiac function. Besides daytime sleepiness and fatigue life expectancy is significantly shortened by a higher risk for apoplectic insults and heart failures. This paper reviews common surgical procedures with an emphasis on jaw advancement procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In six adults (mean age 46,9 ys; 2 female, 4 male; BMI averaged 28kg/m(2)) suffering from OSA with a history of a long-lasting unsuccessful continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy a bimaxillary advancement was performed. The respiratory disturbance was preoperatively evaluated by polysomnography; daytime sleepiness was recorded according to the 'Epworth Sleepiness Scale'. Controls were performed six months after therapy. All patients had a regular intermaxillary relation. Bimaxillary advancement was planned and performed according to the principles of cranio-maxillofacial corrective surgery. To widen the posterior airway space much attention was focused on the advancement of the mandible by 10mm. RESULTS: The apnea/hypopnea index decreased from preoperatively 37/h to 4/h after treatment. The minimal peripheral oxygen saturation increased from 78% to 89%, whereas the average oxygen saturation raised from 92 to 95%. The arousal index decreased from 24/h to 9/h. Periods of snoring were reduced from 29,5% to 6,9%. According to the 'Epworth Sleepiness Scale' the patients' estimation improved from a level of 11 to 4. Sleep had a recuperating effect. All surgical procedures were uneventful. CONCLUSION: Standard treatment of OSA is the CPAP-therapy. In some patients, however, CPAP-therapy cannot be applied, fails or is not well accepted. A great variety of surgical procedures for the treatment of OSA have been described. Bimaxillary advancement in adults and osteodistraction in neonates are safe and successful surgical techniques for an immediate improvement in OSA. Osteodistraction treatment can help to avoid tracheotomy in neonates.     

Preoperative tracheotomy in the treatment of upper airway obstruction of patients with advanced stage supraglottic carcinoma

BackgroundPreoperative tracheotomy is an effective option that secures upper airway patency in laryngeal carcinoma patients suffering from upper airway obstruction, but the influence of this treatment on oncologic outcomes of laryngeal carcinoma remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of preoperative tracheotomy on overall survival in supraglottic carcinoma patients with tumor obstruction of the upper airway, and explore the potential causes.Materials and methodsThis retrospective study collected 243 consecutive patients with advanced stage supraglottic carcinoma from 2005 to 2010. Preoperative tracheotomy in the management of upper airway obstruction in patients with supraglottic carcinoma was analyzed.ResultsThe mean age was 60.9 years at diagnosis, with men accounting for 98.4% of all patients. Thirty nine (16.0%) patients presenting with tumor obstruction of the upper airway required preoperative tracheotomy. T4 stage patients had higher rate of tracheotomy than those of patients with T3 stage (36.8% vs 12.2%). Patients with upper airway obstruction presented with greater tumor area compared with patients without (13.7 cm² vs 9.0 cm²). The optimal cutoff value of tumor area for tracheotomy and OS rate were both at 10 cm². Supraglottic patients with upper airway obstruction receiving preoperative tracheotomy had poorer OS rate compared with patients without. T stage and tumor area were correlated with upper airway obstruction, and these two variables were independent predictors of OS rate in supraglottic carcinoma patients.ConclusionsAdvanced stage supraglottic carcinoma patients with upper airway obstruction undergoing preoperative tracheotomy experienced worse overall survival. Advanced T stage and greater tumor size were associated with upper airway obstruction, indicating that the negative influence of tumor obstruction on survival may be cause by these two preoperative variables. Therefore, preoperative tracheotomy acts only as an alternative procedure, and is not a prognostic agent.     

Study on the effects of adenoid-tonsillar operation in infants under 2 years of age]

Infants with upper airway obstruction caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy often suffer from sudden death. We have performed adenotonsillar operations on patients under 2 years of age. These infants had sleep apnea, dyspnea, poor increase of body weight or cardiac hypertrophy. This is a report on a clinical study on these infants. Between October 1988 and February 1998 eighteen patients under 2 years of age (17 boys and one girl) had an adenotonsillar operation in our hospital. Three had adenotomy and two had adenotomy and one-sided tonsillectomy. The remaining thirteen patients had adenotonsillectomy. During the post operative period, all showed remarkable improvement in sleep apnea and dyspnea with the exception of four patients in whom reoperation was required because sleep apnea was brought on again by adenoid rehypertrophy and tonsillar hypertrophy. Based on this study, we conclude that adenotonsillectomy is effective in infants with sleep apnea or dyspnea caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy.     

CT测量在阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征上呼吸道狭窄定位诊断中的意义

目的 确定上呼吸道CT扫描测量对阻塞性呼吸暂停综合征（obstructive sleep apnea syndrome,OSAS）患者上呼吸道狭窄或阻塞部位的定位诊断意义。方法 采用螺旋CT自鼻咽顶部到声门之间的区域进行连续扫描，应用图像工作站测量软腭后区、悬雍垂区、舌后区和会厌后区的气道横截面积和各径线长度以及咽壁厚度等指标，通过225例健康人测量确立正常值范围。同样检测54例经多导睡眠监测系统确诊的OSAS患者，其中14例测量暂停发作时上呼吸道CT扫描的结果，与相应解剖区的正常值比较。结果 54例OSAS患者中，12例无明显的上呼吸道狭窄，42例中有67个平面存在狭窄。仅有1个平面狭窄者24例，表面为软腭后区狭窄者14例，悬雍垂区狭窄者2例，舌后区狭窄者3例，会厌后区狭窄者5例。14例表现为相邻的两个解剖区域的共同狭窄，其中为软腭后＋悬雍垂区者4例，悬雍垂区＋舌后区者5例，舌后区＋会厌后区者5例。1例表现为软腭后区、悬雍垂区和舌后区的狭窄，有3例表现为整个上呼吸道4个解剖区域的狭窄。14例OSAAS睡眠呼吸暂停发时上呼吸道CT扫描的结果与常规CT扫描测量提示的上呼吸道狭窄部位基本一致。结论 大部分OSAS患者存在上呼吸道的解剖性狭窄，上呼吸道的CT扫描测量可以较好的确定具体狭窄部位，常规CT扫描测量提示的上呼吸道狭窄部位与睡眠呼吸暂停发作时上呼吸道的阻塞部位基本一致。     

Surgical management of severe laryngomalacia

Infants and children with laryngomalacia exhibit varying degrees of upper airway obstruction and dysphagia. Although the disorder is usually self-limited, the potential exists for symptoms so severe that operative intervention cannot be avoided. Relief of progressive airway compromise traditionally has involved bypassing the obstruction with tracheotomy. Recently, endoscopic surgical management of the most severe cases has been reexamined by the authors and others. Thirteen infants and children underwent supraglottoplasty (also referred to as epiglottoplasty or partial arytenoidectomy) for severe, complicated laryngomalacia. Endoscopic laser removal of flaccid supraglottic tissue resulted in improvement of the airway in all patients. In most patients, associated symptoms improved or completely resolved. Supraglottoplasty is an effective alternative to tracheotomy in carefully selected patients with severe laryngomalacia.     

Treatment strategy for iatrogenic nasal vestibular stenosis in young children

Iatrogenic nasal vestibular stenosis is an uncommon complication of supportive care in neonates. There is minimal literature describing this entity; previous treatment strategies focus on correction with local flaps or skin grafts. We describe symptomatic iatrogenic vestibular stenosis treated successfully with endoscopic lysis of synechiae and nasal stenting. Three children with nasal stenosis were identified from 2003 to 2004 at a large academic tertiary care medical center. All patients were born premature (25-34 weeks). Two developed vestibular stenosis after extended use of nasal CPAP; one developed unilateral nasal stenosis 4 years after use of a nasal feeding tube. Age at time of surgical repair was from 4 months to 5 years. Two patients (4 and 5 months) presented with nasal airway obstruction, and difficulty breathing during feeding. One patient (5 years) presented with right-sided nasal obstruction and nasal whistling. Endoscopic lysis of nasal synechiae and release of vestibular scarring was performed in all three cases without complication. Nasal stenting with a modified endotracheal tube was used for 4-6 weeks. Topical Mitomycin C was utilized in two patients. All patients had complete resolution of airway symptoms after stent removal and all three remain asymptomatic 1 year after repair with no recurrence of vestibular stenosis. Nasal vestibular stenosis is a rare complication following supportive care in premature infants, causing airway and feeding difficulties in the obligate nasal breather. This can be successfully corrected with endoscopic repair, nasal stenting and application of Mitomycin C.