To study voice quality before and after thyroplasty type 1 in patients with symptomatic unilateral vocal cord paralysis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate voice quality before and after thyroplasty type 1 in patients with symptomatic unilateral vocal cord paralysis. METHODS: Fifteen consecutive cases of unilateral symptomatic vocal cord paralysis of a known or idiopathic etiology with the duration of 6 months who have failed conventional speech therapy. The voice quality was assessed by perceptual evaluation, acoustic measures, and aerodynamic measures. The position of the cord was assessed by using fiberoptic laryngoscope. The procedure was done under local anesthesia. RESULTS: Among 15 patients, on the first postoperative day, 7 patients were changed to moderate dysphonia and 8 patients had a near-normal voice. On the 30th postoperative day, 3 patients had persistent moderate dysphonia, nine patients had near-normal voice, and 3 patients had normal voice. CONCLUSION: Thyroplasty type 1 successfully reduces glottic gap and improves voice quality in patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Improved maximum phonation time, signal-to-noise ratio, shimmer, jitter, fundamental frequency, and intensity of voice appear to be directly related to medialization of the paralyzed vocal cord.     

Treatment of localized primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of bone in children: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

PURPOSE: The treatment of primary lymphoma of bone (PLB) in children has traditionally included radiotherapy to the primary site; more recently, it has included systemic chemotherapy. Because of concern about the untoward effects of treatment in a disease that is curable, we attempted to determine whether radiotherapy can be safely excluded from treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The results of three consecutive Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) studies were examined to determine the impact on outcome of radiotherapy as adjunctive treatment in children and adolescents receiving chemotherapy for early-stage primary lymphoma of bone. RESULTS: From 1983 to 1997, 31 patients with localized PLB were entered onto POG studies of early-stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Between 1983 and 1986, seven patients were treated with 8 months of chemotherapy with irradiation (XRT) of the primary site. After 1986, patients were treated without XRT; four received 8 months of chemotherapy, and 20 received 9 weeks of chemotherapy. Primary sites were the femur (nine), tibia (eight), mandible (five), mastoid (one), maxilla (one), zygomatic arch (one), rib (one), clavicle (one), scapula (one), ulna (one), talus (one), and calcaneous (one). Histologic classification revealed 21 cases of large cell lymphoma, five cases of lymphoblastic lymphoma, two cases of small, noncleaved-cell lymphoma, and three cases of NHL that could not be classified further. One patient relapsed at a distant site 22 months after completion of therapy. There have been no deaths. CONCLUSION: Localized PLB is curable in most children and adolescents with a 9-week chemotherapy regimen of modest intensity, and radiotherapy is an unnecessary adjunct.     

Clinical presentation and endoscopic management of Dieulafoy＇s lesions in an urban community hospital

AIM: To identify rates of occurrence, common clinical and endoscopic features, and to review the outcome of endoscopic management of Dieulafoy's lesions in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract in an urban community hospital setting. METHODS: Endoscopic data from esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs), done at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY between 2000 and 2006 were reviewed to identify patients with Dieulafoy's lesions. Demographic data, medical history, examination findings, lab data, endoscopic findings and details of therapy for patients treated for Dieulafoy's lesions were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Dieulafoy's lesions were documented to be the cause of bleeding in approximately 1% of patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, while they were detected in only 2 patients when the indications for EGDs were different from active GI bleeding. When we analyzed EGDs performed in patients above age 65 years presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding, prevalence of Dieulafoy's lesions approached 10 percent. The most common location of the lesion was the body of stomach (7), followed by the cardia (4) and the esophagus (2). One patient had this lesion in the fundus and one patient in the duodenal apex. All patients were initially treated endoscopically with epinephrine injection, in eight cases heater probe was applied following epinephrine and endoscopic clips were applied in two cases. All but one of the patients did well in near and intermediate term follow-up (average follow-up period of 18 mo). One patient died of multi-organ failure during the same hospital stay. Average length hospital stay was 7 d. CONCLUSION: Community hospital gastroenterologists and endoscopists should be aware that Dieulafoy's lesions are an uncommon cause of upper GI bleeding among elderly patients. Early accurate diagnosis through emergent endoscopy and endoscopic therapy, especially in patients with multiple co-morbid conditions, can be very effective and life saving.     

Updates on the multimodality management of desmoplastic small round cell tumor

Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT) is a rare and an aggressive malignancy with poor outcome. This tumor can co-express epithelial, neural, and mesenchymal markers. The molecular hallmark of DSRCT is the EWS-WT1 fusion protein. Despite the diversities in treatment modality, the best results have been seen with radical surgery and adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy.     

Is the Revision Rate Higher After Hip Arthroplasty in Teenage Patients? A Prospective Study with Long-Term Follow-Up of More Than 10 Years

BackgroundTotal hip arthroplasty (THA) and hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) are already proven good for end-stage arthritis in the older populations but it is challenging in young teenage patients. The primary aim was to assess Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOSS), Harris Hip Score (HHS) and secondary aim for implant survival rate.Materials and MethodsThe details of 33 teenage patients (forty hips) who underwent HRA (21) and THA (19) at our institution (January 2002 to December 2013) with a mean follow-up period of 11.00 years (range 7.00–18.40) were included. The study group had 25 males and eight females.ResultsThe overall median HOOSs with interquartile range were 89.00 (87.63–0.00). The median HOOSs at follow-up were as follows: 95.00 (90.00–95.00) for symptoms, 92.00 (90.00–95.00) pain, 87.00 (85.00–90.00) for functions, 81.00 (75.00–85.00) for sports and 94.00 (88.00–95.00) for QOL. HHS improved significantly from 36.88 ± 6.14 to 90.12 ± 6.56 (p < 0.001). The HHS of HRA group improved from 36.29 ± 5.83 to 89.38 ± 5.23 and THA group improved from 37.26 ± 6.22 to 90.94 ± 7.84. The 5-year radiological follow-up X-rays did not show any radiolucent line wider than 2 mm in all three zones of the acetabulum and no progressive subsidence or migration of > 1 mm and divergent radiopaque line in femur. The Implant survival rate for HRA was 100% at 5 years, 100% at 10 years, 92% at 15 years and THA group was 100% at 5 years and 90% at 10 years.ConclusionOur study showed a disability rate of zero with improved HOSS and HHS. The overall implant survival rate was good with 100% at 5 years, 97% at 10 years and 89.9% at 15 years in contrast to the previous studies with the use of modern implants and newer standard surgical techniques.Level of EvidenceA Level II study http://www.spine.org/Documents/LevelsofEvidenceFinal.pdf.     

Clinical presentation and endoscopic management of Dieulafoy''''s lesions in an urban community hospital

AIM:To identify rates of occurrence,common clinical and endoscopic features,and to review the outcome of endoscopic management of Dieulafoy's lesions in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract in an urban community hospital setting. METHODS:Endoscopic data from esophagogastroduo denoscopies (EGDs),done at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center,Brooklyn,NY between 2000 and 2006 were reviewed to identify patients with Dieulafoy's lesions. Demographic data,medical history,examination findings,lab data,endoscopic findings and details of therapy for patients treated for Dieulafoy's lesions were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS:Dieulafoy's lesions were documented to be the cause of bleeding in approximately 1% of patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding,while they were detected in only 2 patients when the indications for EGDs were different from active GI bleeding. When we analyzed EGDs performed in patients above age 65 years presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding,prevalence of Dieulafoy's lesions approached 10 percent. The most common location of the lesion was the body of stomach (7),followed by the cardia (4) and the esophagus (2). One patient had this lesion in the fundus and one patient in the duodenal apex. All patients were initially treated endoscopically with epinephrine injection,in eight cases heater probe was applied following epinephrine and endoscopic clips were applied in two cases. All but one of the patients did well in near and intermediate term follow-up (average follow-up period of 18 mo). One patient died of multi-organ failure during the same hospital stay. Average length hospital stay was 7 d.CONCLUSION:Community hospital gastroenterologists and endoscopists should be aware that Dieulafoy's lesions are an uncommon cause of upper GI bleeding among elderly patients. Early accurate diagnosis through emergent endoscopy and endoscopic therapy,especially in patients with multiple co-morbid conditions,can be very effective and life saving.