Long-term effect of stenting after an endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to study the effect of stenting with a silastic sheet on the long-term patency of the common frontal ostium after an endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure (EMLP). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of prospectively collected data at an academic tertiary referral center, where 72 patients underwent an EMLP between 1996 and 2003. Patency of the common frontal ostium was studied as an ordinal variable with three classes (patent, stenotic, and closed). RESULTS: A common ostium was endoscopically visualized in 94% of the patients (61.1% patent and 33.3% stenotic). Symptoms improved in 75% of the patients. A significant positive correlation was found between ostium patency and symptom improvement. Twenty-five patients were stented postoperatively. There was no statistical difference between the stented and the nonstented groups with regards to ostium patency and symptoms improvement. CONCLUSION: Short-term stenting does not appear to reduce the rate of postoperative stenosis of the common frontal ostium after an EMLP.     

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy techniques: past, present and future

Although the number of procedures has significantly decreased over the past century, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are commonly performed surgeries in the pediatric group, with obstructive sleep apnea being the most common indication. Despite the availability of newer technologies, tonsillectomy is still associated with a relatively high risk of postoperative morbidity. Pain and postoperative bleeding can have a significant impact on the child's health and quality of life. This article reviews the currently available techniques for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, with their characteristics and potential benefits. No gold standard exists at this point, and further prospective clinical trials are needed in this perspective.     

Endoscopic sinus surgery in patients receiving anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (ESS) has not been studied in patients receiving anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy. Classifing this procedure into a bleeding risk category needs to be done to safely manage these therapies perioperatively. METHODS: Design: Retrospective case control study of prospectively collected data. Setting: Academic tertiary referral center. Patients: 42 patients receiving anticoagulant therapy who underwent an endoscopic sinus surgery between October 1997 and December 2005, compared to a control group of 42 patients matched for age and gender. RESULTS: The mean estimated blood loss (EBL) during surgery was slightly higher for the control group without reaching a statistically significant difference (p = 0.14). EBL was significantly higher when more sinuses were opened during surgery (p = 0.001). There was no reported major postoperative bleeding related to anticoagulation. All patients were able to resume their anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy after the surgery. CONCLUSION: ESS is a safe procedure when performed in patients receiving anticoagulation or antiplatet therapy, and could be classified as a moderate bleeding risk surgery. Stopping the medication prior to the surgery is mandatory. However, anticoagulation could be resumed early postoperatively because it does not seen to increase the risk for bleeding. Perioperative bridging with heparin should only be dictated by the patient's condition, not by the procedure itself.     

Risk factors for postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia

BACKGROUND: Hypocalcemia is a common complication of thyroidectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of hypocalcemia after thyroid operation and its relation to clinical, biologic, and surgical factors. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of 265 patients who underwent unilateral (n = 50) or bilateral (n = 215) thyroidectomy between 1996 and 2000 was done to determine incidence and risk factors for hypocalcemia. Free thyroxine and thyrotropin levels were obtained before operation in 254 patients, together with preoperative and postoperative calcium and phosphorus levels. All patients were examined for age, gender, extent of thyroidectomy, initial versus reoperative neck operation, pathologic characteristics of resected thyroid tissue, substernal thyroid extension, and parathyroid resection and autotransplantation. RESULTS: Hypocalcemia, defined as a calcium level less than 2 mmol/L, occurred in 42 of 265 patients (16%), including 11 (4%) symptomatic patients who required vitamin D, calcium, or both for 2 to 6 weeks. Factors significantly predictive of postoperative hypocalcemia in univariate analysis included elevated free thyroxine level (p = 0.0064), bilateral thyroidectomy (p = 0.00064), parathyroid autotransplantation (p = 0.0128), and female gender (p = 0.0028). Independent risk factors on multivariate analysis were elevated free thyroxine level (p = 0.0476), bilateral thyroidectomy (p = 0.0338), and parathyroid autotransplantation (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral thyroidectomy, elevated free thyroxine level, and parathyroid autotransplantation are independent risk factors for postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Oral calcium supplements may be of value in this group of patients to enhance early hospital discharge.