Treatment of severe tracheobronchomalacia: Ten-year experience

IntroductionPaediatric tracheobronchomalacia is a rare but potentially serious condition. Severe tracheobronchomalacia requires intervention or operation. This is an evaluation of a ten-year experience at an institution.MethodsIn this retrospective study all patients were included that required an intervention for severe tracheobronchomalacia from 2003 to 2012. Symptoms, aetiology, comorbidities, localisation of the malacia, age at diagnosis, therapeutic measures and associated complications were evaluated.ResultsForty-four patients with severe tracheobronchomalacia underwent intervention/operation. The predominant aetiology was vascular compression in 48%. The majority of patients had complex comorbidities, most importantly cardiac pathology in 66%. The median age at diagnosis was 3 months. A total of 17 aortopexies, 21 tracheostomies and 25 stent placements were performed. The mean follow-up was 2.6 years. Severe complications occurred in 12 patients. The most common complications were stent obstruction/fracture and tracheostomy tube obstruction.ConclusionThe management of severe tracheobronchomalacia is complex and the population of patients is very heterogeneous. Therefore the treatment has to be adapted for each patient individually. The decision strategies are discussed in this article. The surgical techniques for placement and safe removal of expandable bare metallic stents employed in our institution are presented. A multidisciplinary team of ENT surgeons, Intensivists, Cardiologists and Cardiac surgeons is of great importance.     

Head and neck manifestations of langerhan's cell histiocytosis in children: A 46-year experience

ObjectiveLangerhan's cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an uncommon disease characterized by abnormal proliferation of polyclonal Langerhan's cells, most commonly presenting with head and neck manifestations. This is a report of a series of patients with LCH at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital over a 46-year period. The purpose was to examine the head and neck presentations of LCH, their treatments and outcomes, and to compare with other previously reported series.MethodsThis was a retrospective study of all patients with a diagnosis of LCH who presented to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN between 1962 and 2008. Patients who presented with an initial diagnosis of LCH but were later determined to not fit the diagnostic criteria were excluded from the study. IRB approval was obtained and a chart review was conducted to collect data regarding demographics, tumor site(s) and manifestations, pathology, treatment, surgical procedures, and outcomes. This data was compiled and compared to previously published results.ResultsEighty-eight cases of LCH with at least one head and neck manifestation were diagnosed during the period studied. There were 54 males and 34 females, with an average age of onset of 4.1 years. The most common lesions were those involving the skull (44.3%) and cervical lymph nodes (40.9%). The most common treatment was chemotherapy (80%) and corticosteroids (64%), with vinblastine being the most common chemotherapeutic agent. Surgical intervention occurred in 39% of cases. Total mortality due to LCH was 9.1%. The results were found to generally concur with other previously published studies.ConclusionThis study represents the largest series of head and neck manifestations of LCH reported to date. Although LCH is a rare disease, it often mimics other common head and neck pathologies and therefore requires a high index of suspicion. Biopsy is required for definitive diagnosis and the mainstay of treatment is chemotherapy.     

Inconsistent device use in pediatric cochlear implant users: Prevalence and risk factors

Objectives: Cochlear implants (CIs) afford an opportunity for children with a significant hearing loss to access spoken language through auditory input, but challenges post-implantation could impede success. Inconsistent device use occurs when a child wears their device less than full-time (<8 hours per day). Previous studies may underestimate the prevalence of inconsistent device use in pediatric CI users due to methodological issues (subjective parent report vs. objective measures).

Methods: This retrospective chart review identifies risk factors (demographic, audiologic, and device) associated with poorer daily device use in children with CI using objective datalogging. Non-parametric correlations, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis H tests were used to evaluate effects of demographic, audiologic, and device factors on daily device use via datalogging.

Results: Participants included 71 children (age M?=?7.0 years) with mean implantation age of 4.0 years and mean device experience of 3.0 years. Children with CIs used their device, on average, 7.6 hours/day (range: 0.1–15.5 hours). Half of the participants wore their device less than full-time. Fewer hours of device use coincided with younger chronologic age, presence of additional disabilities, lower maternal education, younger age at CI, use of Medicaid, and smaller dynamic range.

Discussion: The prevalence of inconsistent device use may exceed previous estimations based on parent report.

Conclusion: Professionals working with pediatric CI users should consider incorporating datalogging into clinical practice to counsel families at risk for poorer device use. Future studies should compare objective device use with communication outcomes in pediatric CI users.     

Case Report: Early bilateral simultaneous cochlear implantation in a five-year-old following head injury complicated by acute bacterial meningitis

Abstract

Meningitis is an important cause of profound sensorineural hearing loss, especially in children. In this case, a five-year-old suffered a head injury complicated by bacterial meningitis and developed a profound hearing loss. Magnetic resonance imaging at four weeks following injury showed evidence of developing labyrinthitis ossificans and a decision was made to perform bilateral cochlear implantation at an early stage. This report outlines the progress of this interesting case to date and discusses the rationale for the decision to implant in this way.     

The cheek expander enables tonsillectomy with a wide view and working space

ObjectiveTonsillectomy is the most commonly performed otolaryngological surgeries.Although a surgical method had been established, obtaining a clear surgical field still remains problematic, and injury to the corners of the mouth may occur. For safer tonsillectomy, we use a cheek expander coupled with a Davis mouth gag. The devise retract both corners of the mouth to a wide lateral position. We report here our investigation in the application of a cheek retractor for tonsillectomy and also report the advantages of this device.MethodsA series of 13 tonsillectomies (7 adults and 6 children) using the cheek retractor from November 2017 to March 2018 were enrolled for this study. The cheek retractor was applied after the Davis mouth-opening device was in place. We measured the oral angle diameter before and after placement of the cheek retractor.ResultsThis devise increases the width of the visual field 1.6 times and provides a good surgical field. In addition, this device covers the mouth fully and safely, so no lip injury developsConclusionThe cheek retractor is useful for improving the narrow working space in tonsillectomy.     

Outcomes following neuromuscular blockade in patients receiving tracheostomies

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of neuromuscular blockade agents (NMBAs) in pediatric patients following tracheostomy is associated with increased rates of complications or a prolonged length of stay.MethodsThis was a single-center retrospective chart review of pediatric patients undergoing tracheostomy placement between 2010 and 2013 who were admitted to the pediatric or neonatal intensive care units and did or did not receive NMBA within 7 days post-procedure.ResultsOut of 114 included patients, 26 (23%) received NMBAs during the postoperative period. Patients receiving NMBAs were more likely to have cardiac disease and preoperative respiratory failure but less likely to have neurologic disease. Patients receiving NMBAs had a longer median postoperative length of stay (33 vs. 23 days, p = 0.043) and were more likely to have postoperative ileus (12% vs. 3%, p = 0.037).ConclusionIn patients undergoing tracheostomy placement, use of NMBAs is associated with prolonged postoperative hospital courses. NMBAs are not associated with a higher likelihood of postoperative complications.     

Vibratory onset and offset times in children: A laryngeal imaging study

ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to evaluate the differences in vibratory onset and offset times across age (adult males, adult females, and children) and waveform types (total glottal area waveform, left glottal area waveform, and right glottal area waveform) using high-speed videoendoscopy.MethodsIn this prospective study, vibratory onset and offset times were evaluated in a total of 86 participants. Forty-three children (23 girls, 18 boys) between 5 and 11 years and 43 gender matched vocally normal young adults (23 females and 18 males) in the age range (21–45 years) were recruited. Vibratory onset and offset times were calculated in milliseconds from the total, left, and right Glottal Area Waveform (GAW). A two-factor analysis of variance was used to compare the means among the subject groups (children, adult male, and adult female) and waveform type (total GAW, left GAW, right GAW) for onset and offset variables. Post hoc analyses were performed using the Fishers Least Significant Different test with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.ResultsChildren exhibited significantly shorter vibratory onset and offset times compared to adult males and females. Differences in vibratory onset and offset times were not statistically significant between adult males and females. Across all waveform types (i.e. total GAW, left GAW, and right GAW), no statistical significance was observed among the subject groups.ConclusionThis is the first study reporting vibratory onset and offset times in the pediatric population. The study findings lay the foundation for the development of a large age- and gender-based database of the pediatric population to aid the study of the effects of maturation of vocal fold vibration in adulthood. The findings from this study may also provide the basis for evaluating the impact of numerous lesions on tissue pliability, and thereby has potential utility for the clinical differentiation of various lesions.     

Extended cricotracheal resection with posterior costochondral grafting for complex pediatric subglottic stenosis

Background and objectiveSevere laryngotracheal stenosis in childhood poses a complex surgical challenge for specialists in airway surgery. Patients with severe subglottic stenosis with vocal cord involvement are particularly difficult to manage successfully. The goal of this work was to review our experience with extended CTR in a cohort of young children with severe SGS and determine which clinical parameters would be associated with surgical success.MethodsRetrospective analysis of the outcome of consecutive patients with severe glottic-subglottic stenosis submitted to an extended double-stage CTR between 2004 and 2014 at a large tertiary referral center.ResultsTwenty-five patients met inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 58.7 months at the time of repair. Overall decannulation rate was 80% (20/25), with a median time to deannulation of 120 days. Seven patients developed post-operative sequelae (4 arytenoid dislocations, 2 re-stenosis, and 1 anterior commissure adhesion). Patients with these sequelae had lower overall specific decannulation (42.8%) compared to those without any sequelae (94.4%) (Chi-square, p = 0.0123) with a longer time to decannulate (logrank, p = 0.0004). Notably, patients presenting with these sequelae on average had undergone a longer duration of post-operative stenting (27.14 days) compared to those presenting without any sequelae (14.8 days) (p = 0.0282).ConclusionsExtended CTR is an effective method for resolving a majority of severe glottic-subglottic stenosis cases in children. Duration of post-operative stenting may adversely impact overall outcome in these patients.     

Clinical characteristics for conservative therapy of pediatric parapharyngeal abscesses

IntroductionThe role of surgical drainage versus conservative therapy in treating patients with parapharyngeal abscesses is still a theme of debate.ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the characteristics associated with good outcomes in pediatric patients with parapharyngeal abscesses treated with conservative therapy.MethodsThis retrospective chart review was performed on children aged 0.3–14 years with the diagnosis of parapharyngeal abscesses confirmed by computed tomography from January 2013 to March 2018. Patients with a severe upper airway obstruction required early intervention, while those in a stable condition initially received conservative therapy with antibiotics. If the patients appeared unlikely to recover, additional surgical drainage was provided. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to investigate the clinical characteristics associated with a good response to conservative therapy. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to identify the age and abscess size cutoff for predicting a successful response.ResultsA total of 48 children were included in the study. Patient age, antecedent illness, and abscess size were significantly associated with a response to therapy (Odds Ratio = 1.326, 2.314 and 1.235, respectively). The age cutoff associated with the conservative therapy was 4.2 years (76.9% sensitivity, 68.2% specificity), and the abscess size cutoff associated with the conservative therapy was 23 mm (84.6% sensitivity, 77.3% specificity).ConclusionThe findings suggested that younger age, smaller abscess size, and less frequent antecedent illnesses, such as upper respiratory tract infection and lymphadenitis, could predict a successful response to conservative therapy in pediatric patients with parapharyngeal abscesses.     

Multidisciplinary surgical management of an unusual penetrating foreign body of the face

IntroductionFacial injuries by penetrating foreign body are unusual and require specific multidisciplinary surgical management.Case reportThis case report concerns a 20-year-old man who experienced a penetrating injury by a piece of wood to the face and describes the surgical approach to remove the wood and repair the injury. The foreign body had penetrated the infratemporal fossa, with an entry wound situated below the right eye and an exit wound in the neck, in contact with the left internal carotid artery. An adapted surgical strategy was necessary in view of the site of the foreign body. The internal carotid artery was controlled in order to follow the foreign body as far as its entry into the base of the skull. The proximity of the eye and carotid and jugular vessels and the deep penetration of the foreign body required the participation of interventional radiologists, head and neck and vascular surgeons and ophthalmologists.DiscussionThe site of the foreign body, precisely determined preoperatively, justified management by a multidisciplinary team to ensure rapid extraction, while limiting the risk of additional lesions. With a follow-up of 6 months, the patient did not present any sequelae of his facial injury.     

Bedside tests to predict laryngoscopic difficulty in pediatric patients

Background and ObjectivesPediatric airway management is a priority during anesthesia, critical care and emergency medicine. The purpose of this study is to validate bedside tests that predict airway management difficulty in anesthetized children.MethodsChildren under 12 years of age were recruited in a cross-sectional study to assess the value of some anthropometric measures as predictors of laryngoscopic difficulty. The patients were divided into three groups by age. Weight, height, neck circumference, BMI (body mass index), inter incisors distance thyromental distance, sternomental distance, frontal plane to chin distance (FPCD) and the Mallampati index were determined and were correlated with the CML (Cormack & Lehane classification).ResultsThe incidence of difficult laryngoscopy (CML 3 or 4) was 3.58%. Factors that were significantly associated with laryngoscopic difficulty included short inter incisors distance, high FPCD, thyromental distance, sternomental distance and the Mallampati index. The FPCD/weight index exhibited a higher area under the ROC curve than any other variable considered.ConclusionsThis study confirms that the FPCD and the FPCD/weight ratio are the most consistent predictors of laryngoscopic difficulty in pediatric patients. For patients over 6 months of age, the IID also correlated with laryngoscopic difficulty. For children who were capable of obeying simple orders, the Mallampati test correlated better with laryngoscopic difficulty than did the Mallampati test with phonation.Our results strongly suggest that skilled professionals should perform airway management in children, especially in patients with a high FPCD or a high FPCD/weight ratio.     

Intraoperative nerve monitoring reduces recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in geriatric patients undergoing thyroid surgery

Objective: This research was aimed to investigate whether the intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) can reduce the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury in geriatric patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 522 geriatric patients undergoing thyroid surgery between January 2013 and June 2016 in the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. Patients with IONM during the surgery (n?=?340) were compared with patients without IONM (n?=?212). RLN injury was verified by direct or indirect laryngoscope and relative factors for injury would be retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The use of IONM group showed significant reduction in both total and transient RLN injury incidence, when compared with that in control group (1.76 versus 4.72%, p?=?.01 and 1.32 versus 3.67%, p?=?.03, respectively). However, the permanent RLN injury incidence did not show difference between the two groups (p?=?.3).

Conclusions: Our finding showed the use of IONM resulted in significantly reduction in RLN injury incidence. The technology of IONM is safe and convenient to detect, track and monitor the complete function of RLN and to provide the guidance for the surgeons during the thyroid surgery in geriatric patients, who are at high risk of RLN injury.     

Development of video otoscopy quiz using a smartphone adaptable otoscope

Background:Otoscopy examination can be challenging.Traditional teaching uses still image illustrations.Newer attempts use video samples to simulate the otoscopy exam which is a dynamic process.Aims/Objective:To assess whether recorded otoscopy videos from a smartphone adaptable otoscope can be used to develop a video-based otoscopy quiz which may be used for instructing and familiarizing participants to normal anatomy and pathologic ear conditions.To use this quiz to assess current pediatric residents’competency of common otoscopy diagnosis.Method and materials:This study was conducted in 2018.Video samples of ear pathology were collected at the Albany Medical Center using a smartphone adaptable otoscope-Cellscope.The videos were used to create a video otoscopy quiz(VOQ)without clinical vignettes.45 pediatric residents from 3 academic institutions were evaluated with the quiz.Results:The weighted mean for the VOQ was 66.90%(95%CI 58.89%-68.42%).The breakdown by questions are:myringosclerosis 72.88%,retraction pocket 80.65%,cholesteatoma 42.22%,hemotympanum 75.04%,tympanic membrane perforation 79.62%,cerumen impaction 95.46%,otitis externa 52.54%,otitis media with effusion 63.30%,acute otitis media 75.55%,normal ear 36.39%.Conclusion:We found that videos of otoscopy exams can be obtained with a smartphone adaptable otoscope and validated to develop a video-based quiz,which may be used to supplement otoscopic instruction.Following our testing process,we found pediatric residents are relatively well equipped to identify ear pathology on VOQ.     

Quality of life after endoscopic sinus surgery in refractory pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis

ObjectiveThe present study aims to evaluate the role of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (ESS) in refractory pediatric Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) and to assess the change in quality of life after ESS.Materials and MethodsThis prospective interventional study included 35 children (aged between 6 and 12 years) of refractory CRS, not responding to 4 weeks of maximal medical therapy attending the pediatric ENT clinic of a tertiary referral centre. Study period was from November 2013 to March 2016. This patient pool underwent Non Contrast Computed Tomography scan (NCCT) paranasal sinuses and diagnostic nasal endoscopy and those fulfilling the requisite inclusion criteria underwent Endoscopic sinus surgery. Global assessment of Rhinosinusitis Symptom severity score and SN-5 quality of life score of the patients was assessed preoperatively and 1 year after the surgery.Results91.4% children showed an improvement in the total symptom score with a statistically significant (p value < 0.001) reduction in the mean total score postoperatively. Similarly 91.4% of the children showed an improvement in their quality of life with a statistically significant (p value < 0.001) difference seen in the average SN-5 scores after ESS. No major complications were encountered in any of the cases.ConclusionESS is a safe and effective surgical management for children with CRS refractory to maximal medical therapy leading to an improvement in their quality of life.     

Coblation-assisted management of pediatric airway stenosis

ObjectivesThe treatment of pediatric airway stenosis represents a major challenge for the otolaryngologist. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of bipolar radiofrequency plasma ablation (Coblation) in the treatment of pediatric airway stenosis.Study designRetrospective case series. Tertiary care pediatric academic medical center.MethodsThe medical records of 6 pediatric patients at Cohen Children's Medical Center from July 2009 to December 2015 were reviewed. All cases involved the use of radiofrequency plasma ablation to address airway stenosis. Patient presentation, surgical intervention(s), post-operative course and complications were analyzed.ResultsAll 6 cases involved pediatric airway stenosis, including glottic stenosis (2), bilateral vocal fold immobility (2), and intratracheal lesions (2). Coblation was used to perform a range of different procedures, including removal of scar/granulation tissue, partial arytenoidectomy, and posterior cordectomy. All patients experienced good results without major complications, perioperative, or post-operative sequellae.ConclusionThe results of this study suggest that radiofrequency plasma ablation may be an effective endoscopic tool for the treatment of pediatric airway stenosis. Further study and more patients are required as this technique becomes increasingly applied.     

Pediatric cochlear implantation: A quarter century in review

Objective: To review the growth of a pediatric cochlear implant (CI) program at one large tertiary care medical center over a 25-year period in order to (1) describe the population of pediatric cochlear implant recipients, (2) document word recognition outcomes, and (3) describe changes in candidacy criteria over time.

Design: A retrospective review of population demographics and trends included etiology of hearing loss, device use and type, expansion of inclusion criteria, and word recognition outcomes.

Results: Ninety-one percent of the children studied were from North Carolina and reflect the ethnic distribution of the state. The population is heterogeneous for etiology and the presence of syndromes and/or co-morbidities. A trend of lower age of implant and greater residual hearing was documented overtime. As a single metric, monosyllable word recognition for the children assessed is good with the mean CNC test word score of 76.13% (range 0–100, S.D?=?19.94).

Conclusions: Pediatric cochlear implant candidacy criteria have evolved despite no change in FDA-approved regulations since 2000. There is great diversity among recipients but word recognition outcomes are generally good in this population and have improved over time. Professionals who may refer children for cochlear implantation should be aware of current clinical practices and general outcomes.     

Complications associated with Dermabond® during head and neck surgery: MAUDE and literature review

IntroductionDermabond® is a liquid surgical sealant containing 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate that has been widely used during head and neck surgeries. This study aims to provide a summary of adverse events related to Dermabond® in head and neck procedures as reported in the MAUDE database, and to report a complete overview of all documented adverse events related to Dermabond® use in current literature.MethodsThe US Food and Drug Administration's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database was queried for reports of adverse events related to Dermabond® use from January 1, 2010, to February 1, 2020. Data were extracted from reports pertaining to head and neck procedures. In addition, literature review was performed from January 1970 to January 2021. Various adverse events related to Dermabond® were included in the study.ResultsWe identified 32 adverse events, from which 29 (90.6%) were patient-related events and 3 (9.4%) were operator-related events. Of the patient-related events, contact dermatitis (CD) (20 [69.0%]) was the most common, followed by wound dehiscence (4 [13.8%]). All of the operator-related events were from inadvertent cut injury (3 [100%]). Following the literature review, adverse events of Dermabond® were categorized into CD, wound dehiscence, infection, and cut injury.ConclusionDermabond® demonstrated utility in various surgical procedures including head and neck surgeries but are associated with risks. This study identified adverse events associated with Dermabond®. Further studies are needed to establish the causation of contact dermatitis in certain populations.     

The Sound Access Parent Outcomes Instrument (SAPOI): Construction of a new instrument for children with severe multiple disabilities who use cochlear implants or hearing aids

Objective: To report on the Phase 2 development of the Sound Access Parent Outcomes Instrument (SAPOI), a new instrument focused on formalizing outcomes that parents of children with severe multiple disabilities (SMD) who use amplification prioritize as important.

Methods: Phase 2 of this project involved item selection and refinement of the SAPOI based on (a) Phase 1 study participant input, (b) clinical specialist feedback, and (c) test–retest instrument reliability. Phase 1 participant responses were utilized to construct a draft version of the SAPOI. Next, clinical specialists examined the instrument for content validity and utility and instrument reliability was examined through a test–retest process with parents of children with SMD.

Results: The draft SAPOI was constructed based on Phase 1 participant input. Clinical specialists supported content validity and utility of the instrument and the inclusion of 19 additional items across four categories, namely Child Affect, Child Interaction, Parent Well-being, and Child's Device Use. The SAPOI was completed twice at one-month intervals by parents of children with SMD to examine instrument reliability across the four categories (Child Affect, Child Interaction, Parent Well-being, and Child's Device Use). Instrument reliability was strong-to-excellent across all four sections.

Discussion: The SAPOI shows promise as a much-needed addition to the assessment battery currently used for children with SMD who use cochlear implants and hearing aids. It provides valuable information regarding outcomes resulting from access to sound in this population that currently used assessments do not identify.     

Perioperative considerations and complications in pediatric parathyroidectomy

Objectives/HypothesisTo evaluate perioperative considerations and post-operative complications associated with parathyroidectomy in the pediatric population.MethodsThe Kids' Inpatient Database 21 (KID) was searched for patients who underwent parathyroidectomy in 2009 and 2012. Patient demographics, hospital stay, associated charges, and post-operative adverse sequelae were evaluated in all patients and included patient comorbidity and additional procedure requirement analysis.ResultsThere were 182 patients extrapolating to 262 parathyroidectomies over the two years analyzed. Although a minority of patients were male (45.4%), these patients had greater rates of complications, length of stay, and hospital charges. Importantly, minorities and younger patients (≤15y) also had more complicated post-operative courses. The lengths of stay for patients experiencing post-operative altered mental status (18.7d), post-operative infection (15.5d), respiratory complications (19d), and cardiac complications (13d) were significantly increased compared to individuals without major complications (3.4d) (p < 0.001). Patients with pre-existing chronic kidney disease, dialysis-dependence, and bone sequelae (most commonly from hungry bone syndrome) also had significantly lengthier stays and greater associated costs.ConclusionFindings from this analysis can be included in a comprehensive pre-operative informed consent process between physicians and patients discussing perioperative considerations and potential complications of parathyroidectomy. Males, younger children, and patients with preexisting renal conditions experienced lengthier and more complicated hospital stays, suggesting the need for closer monitoring of these cohorts.