Postoperative Implementation of Virtual Reality and Wearable Devices: Opportunities and Challenges.

Objective: To examine implementation of virtual reality (VR) and Fitbit wearable activity devices in postoperative recovery.

Methods: This was a prospective, 4-arm, randomized controlled trial of patients undergoing inpatient head and neck surgery at a tertiary academic center from November 2021 to July 2022. Patients were randomized to Control, VR, Fitbit, or combined VR + Fitbit groups.

Patterns of virtual reality and Fitbit wearable activity device use after skull base surgery.

Virtual reality (VR) and Fitbit devices are well tolerated by patients after skull base surgery. Postoperative recovery protocols may benefit from incorporation of these devices. However, challenges including patient compliance may impact optimal device utilization.

Airway Considerations in Vascular Lesions.

Vascular anomalies of the head and neck frequently involve the upper aerodigestive tract and can cause some level of airway obstruction. It is important to fully evaluate the extent of a lesion and resultant functional impairment with a flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy. Treating these lesions is difficult and considering how to manage the airway during a procedure is critical.

Use of Perioperative Virtual Reality Experiences on Anxiety and Pain: A Randomized Comparative Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of different virtual reality (VR) experiences on perioperative anxiety and pain among patients undergoing head and neck surgery.

Methods: Prospective, randomized, comparative trial among patients undergoing outpatient head and neck surgery from December 2021 to April 2022 at a single academic institution. Group 1 utilized a preoperative VR gaming experience and a postoperative VR mindfulness experience, while Group 2 utilized the same interventions in the reverse order.

Comparative Treatment Outcomes for Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis: 5-Year Update.

The North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC) previously published a 3-year multi-institutional prospective cohort study showing variation in treatment effectiveness between 3 primary surgical techniques for idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS). In this report, we update these findings to include 5 years of data evaluating treatment effectiveness. Patients in the NoAAC cohort were re-enrolled for 2 additional years and followed using the prespecified published protocol.

Longitudinal Voice Outcomes and Neoglottic Function After Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy: The Development of a New Scale.

Objectives: Supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SCPL) is an oncologically sound alternative to total laryngectomy that results in long-term alterations in vocal function. Little is known about long-term improvements in dysphonia and the mechanism of vocal recovery is unclear due to the lack of a standardized rating tool: The Pattern, Degree, and Vibration (PDV) Scale.

Methods: Data from 24 individuals were compared over 3 post-operative timepoints after SCPL: 3 to 11, 12 to 35, and over 35 months.

Mucoepidermoid Carcinomas of the Larynx.

Objectives: Discussions regarding the specific management and outcomes for laryngeal MEC are limited to very small, single-institution case series. To look further into the diagnosis and management of these uncommon non-squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx, we present 3 recent cases of laryngeal MEC treated at our institution.

Methods: Patients at a tertiary hospital treated for MEC between October 2019 and December 2020 were retrospectively identified.

Association of Social Determinants of Health with Time to Diagnosis and Treatment Outcomes in Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.

Objectives: To examine whether social determinants of health (SDH) factors are associated with time to diagnosis, treatment selection, and time to recurrent surgical intervention in idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) patients.

Methods: Adult patients with diagnosed iSGS were recruited prospectively (2015-2017) via clinical providers as part of the North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC) and via an online iSGS support community on Facebook. Patient-specific SDH factors included highest educational attainment (self-reported), median household income (matched from home zip code via U.

The impact of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®) on voice, communication, and participation: Findings from a prospective, longitudinal study.

Background: Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®), an intensive 4-week program of voice therapy, is regarded as the most well-researched, efficacious treatment for hypokinetic dysarthria in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Although numerous studies have published acoustic and perceptual findings, there is comparatively little information about the impact of LSVT LOUD® on functional communication outcomes.

Methods: This prospective, longitudinal study investigated the impact of treatment on daily communication in 25 individuals with PD.

Long-term Follow-up After Radiation Therapy for Laryngeal Amyloidosis.

Objectives: Laryngeal amyloidosis (LA) is a rare disease characterized by extracellular protein deposition within the larynx. Treatment is difficult due to the frequently submucosal and multifocal nature of disease. The mainstay of treatment is surgical resection; however, recurrence rates are high.

The Association between Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion and Dysphonia in Adolescents.

Objective: Associations between dysphonia and paradoxical vocal fold motion (PVFM) have been previously reported in adults, but it is unclear whether similar associations exist for adolescents. The goals of this study were to identify the prevalence and severity of voice disorders in adolescent patients with PVFM, identify differences between those with and without clinician-identified dysphonia, and investigate what factors were associated with voice handicap in this population.

Methods: A retrospective review of eligible adolescent patients diagnosed with PVFM over a 1-year period at a single institution was undertaken.

Comparative Treatment Outcomes for Patients With Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.

Importance: Surgical treatment comparisons in rare diseases are difficult secondary to the geographic distribution of patients. Fortunately, emerging technologies offer promise to reduce these barriers for research.

Objective: To prospectively compare the outcomes of the 3 most common surgical approaches for idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS), a rare airway disease.

Association Between Sarcopenia and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Surgical Excision of Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance: Sarcopenia, or the loss of muscle mass, is associated with poor treatment outcomes in a variety of surgical fields. However, the association between sarcopenia and long-term survival in a broad cohort of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) is unknown.

Objective: To determine whether sarcopenia is associated with long-term survival in patients undergoing major head and neck surgery for HNC.

Thyroid cartilage compression causing stroke.

We describe the diagnostic workup and surgical treatment of a patient presenting with the unique case of vertebral artery (VA) occlusion subsequent to head flexion leading to compression of an aberrant VA by the ipsilateral superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage. Imaging revealed ischemic infarcts as well as the presence of an aberrant right VA, which was compressed by the ipsilateral superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage upon neck flexion. The patient was managed with laryngoplasty involving removal of the right superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage.

The Safety and Efficacy of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training for Rehabilitation After Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy: A Pilot Investigation.

Objectives: Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) is a safe, effective intervention that can be performed at home and may be beneficial for individuals with voice and swallowing disorders. To date there have been few studies of EMST in the head and neck cancer population, and there are no previous reports of its use after supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SCPL). The current prospective clinical pilot study was undertaken to determine the safety and efficacy of a 4-week treatment program.

Swallowing and Secretion Management in Neuromuscular Disease.

Neuromuscular disease frequently leads to dysphagia and difficulty managing secretions. Dysphagia may lead to medical complications, such as malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and other pulmonary complications, as well as social isolation and reduced overall quality of life. This review provides an overview of dysphagia associated with neuromuscular disease in adults, along with a concise review of swallowing assessment and intervention options.

Functional Outcomes after Behavioral Treatment of Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion in Adults.

Objective: Paradoxical vocal fold motion (PVFM) is responsive to behavioral therapy, often resulting in a remission of symptoms, but little is known about whether treatment is beneficial with regard to PVFM-associated psychological symptoms or functional limitations. The goal of the study was to identify patient perceptions of the impact of treatment for PVFM and characteristics associated with treatment outcomes.

Methods: A survey was conducted of all adults who had received at least 1 session of treatment for PVFM in our outpatient clinic over a 2-year period.

Treatment Outcomes of Bilateral Medialization Thyroplasty for Presbylaryngis.

Background: Presbylaryngis is a common cause of dysphonia in elderly patients. Type I thyroplasty serves to improve glottic closure and vocal quality by correcting bowing. Although unilateral and injection-based procedures are well-characterized in the treatment of broadly defined glottic insufficiency, there are insufficient outcomes data for bilateral medialization thyroplasty in the treatment of presbylaryngis.

Bilateral vocal fold paralysis and dysphagia secondary to diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Background: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is an idiopathic spinal disease common in the elderly and characterized by flowing ossification and osteophyte formation along the spinal column. Cervical hyperostosis is capable of producing dysphagia, stridor, and airway obstruction; however, there are no extant reports of true paralysis of bilateral vocal folds in patients fulfilling the criteria for DISH.

Methods And Results: We report a case of a 61-year-old man presenting with dysphagia and dyspnea.

The safety and efficacy of endoscopic Zenker's diverticulotomy: A cohort study.

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine whether the application of laser-assisted techniques for the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum would reduce the failure rate of endoscopic procedures without compromising safety or durability.

Study Design: Cohort study with long-term follow-up.

Methods: We performed a single-institution review of 106 consecutive patients in whom endoscopic laser-assisted diverticulotomy (ELD) or endoscopic stapler-assisted diverticulotomy (ESD) was attempted.

Disease homogeneity and treatment heterogeneity in idiopathic subglottic stenosis.

Objectives/hypothesis: Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) is a rare and potentially life-threatening disease marked by recurrent and progressive airway obstruction frequently requiring repeated surgery to stabilize the airway. Unknown etiology and low disease prevalence have limited the ability to characterize the natural history of iSGS and resulted in variability in surgical management. It is uncertain how this variation relates to clinical outcomes.

Refractory Dysphonia Due to Isolated Cricothyroid Muscle Dystonia.

Objective: To demonstrate the utility of electromyography (EMG) in the evaluation and management of treatment-resistant dysphonia.

Method: We report a case of refractory dysphonia in which EMG was used to identify and treat isolated cricothyroid (CT) dystonia.

Results: The patient, a healthy 43-year-old woman, presented with 9 months of progressive hoarseness.

Anesthesia care for the professional singer.

The professional singer comes to the day of surgery with a measure of anxiety about the effects of anesthesia or surgery on his or her voice. A detailed informed consent should be obtained to discuss and document risks, as well as set realistic expectations for recovery. The smallest endotracheal tube possible should be used to intubate in the least traumatic way.

Hybrid Capture 2 is as effective as PCR testing for high-risk human papillomavirus in head and neck cancers.

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a common cause of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, especially in young male nonsmokers. Accurately diagnosing HPV-associated oral cancers is important, because they have a better prognosis and may be treated differently than smoking-related oral carcinomas. Various methods have been validated to test for high-risk HPV in cervical tissue samples, and they are in routine clinical use to detect dysplasia before it progresses to invasive disease.