Smell-related quality of life changes after total laryngectomy: a multi-centre study.

Purpose: A total laryngectomy creates an alternate airway for gas exchange that bypasses the upper aerodigestive tract. The subsequent reduction in nasal airflow, and therefore, reduction in deposition of particles to the olfactory neuroepithelium leads to hyposmia or anosmia. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life impairment conferred by anosmia following laryngectomy and identify any specific patient-related risk factors that are associated with poorer outcomes.

Swallowing outcomes following division of pseudo-epiglottis resulting from vertical pharyngeal closure in laryngectomy.

Background: Vertical closure of the pharynx after laryngectomy can result in an outpouch of the anterior wall of the neopharynx below the tongue base, called a pseudo-diverticulum. The prolapsed mucosa that separates the rest of the neopharynx from the pseudo-diverticulum is termed a pseudo-epiglottis.

Methods: Prospective study of patients with pseudo-epiglottis.

Isolated vocal cord palsy secondary to a paraoesophageal hiatus hernia: a rare variant of Ortner's syndrome.

Dysphonia is a common presenting symptom to the outpatient ear, nose and throat team and the need to have a systematic approach to its investigation and management is imperative. Red flag features combined with clinical examination including flexible nasoendoscopy will help to identify laryngeal causes of dysphonia. Vocal cord palsy can have both laryngeal and extralaryngeal aetiologies including Ortner's syndrome.

Retropharyngeal abscess after chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy increases susceptibility to infection due to the effect on cell-mediated and humoral immunity. Retropharyngeal abscess is a serious head and neck infection that rapidly progresses from toxicity, whether the patient is neutropenic or not. The risk should be carefully assessed with any chemotherapeutic agent, especially docetaxel.

Complications after CO2 laser surgery for early glottic cancer: An institutional experience.

Background: Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) of the glottis is increasingly utilized in the current management of early glottic cancer, its advantages being administrative ease, potential to be repeated, ability to keep radiotherapy and open laryngeal surgery available as salvage options, and low complication rates.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of prospectively gathered data on all patients over a 10-year period who had undergone TLM for Tis or early (T1-2) glottic squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) was analyzed to examine the complications experienced.

Results: Of 132 patients undergoing TLM, complications were: edema requiring tracheostomy (n = 1), surgical emphysema (n = 1), pharyngeal bruising (n = 1), endotracheal tube cuff perforation (n = 1), anterior glottic web (n = 14), vocal cord granuloma (n = 14), laryngocele (n = 1), and none of airway fire or intraoperative or postoperative hemorrhage.

Relationship between CO2 laser-induced artifact and glottic cancer surgical margins at variable power doses.

Background: The carbon dioxide laser can induce thermal cytologic artifacts at the margin of early glottic squamous cell carcinoma histologic specimens, which makes assessment of the margin difficult. This study assesses and correlates the depth of laser-induced thermal artifact with laser power rating.

Methods: The surgical margins of 30 patients with early glottic squamous cell carcinomas who underwent laser resection were reanalyzed retrospectively.

Endoscopic or external approach revision surgery for pharyngeal pouch following primary endoscopic stapling: which is the favoured approach?

This study aimed to assess outcomes of revision endoscopic stapling and external excision of pharyngeal pouch. A 5-year prospective study was performed on all patients requiring revision pouch surgery following primary endoscopic stapling. Data were collected retrospectively.

An unusual headache: sphenoiditis in children and adolescents.

Sphenoid sinus infection is a rare cause of headaches in children and adolescents. Its symptoms are often non-specific and confusing. The diagnosis is made on the history, examination, nasendoscopy, cultures and CT or MRI.

Cochlear implantation update: contemporary preoperative imaging and future prospects - the dual modality approach as a standard of care.

The selection of cochlear implant (CI) candidates requires consideration of a variety of clinical and radiographic factors. The present article reviews the current knowledge regarding the preoperative imaging of CI candidates and explores emerging developments in different imaging modalities. Preoperative radiologic assessment should evaluate the status of the middle/inner ear, auditory nerve and central acoustic pathways.

Cystic schwannoma of the cervical plexus masquerading as a type II second branchial cleft cyst.

This case illustrates the rare occurrence of a cystic schwannoma of the neck, presenting clinically and ultrasonographically as a type II second branchial cleft cyst. Histology demonstrated that it was in fact a rare cystic schwannoma, most likely arising from the cervical plexus. This is the first documented case of a cystic schwannoma of the neck being mistaken for a type II second branchial cleft cyst based on clinical and ultrasound findings alone.

A prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial of the effect of topical bupivacaine on post-operative pain in bilateral nasal surgery with bilateral nasal packs inserted.

To ascertain whether local anaesthetic use is of clinical benefit in nasal surgery, a prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial of topical bupivacaine on post-operative pain in patients packed after bilateral nasal surgery was carried out. Each patient received a bupivacaine-soaked and a saline-soaked Merocel pack, thereby acting as their own control. Power analysis ascertained the number of patients required to enter the trial to detect a statistically significant difference in pain.

Complete inhibition of goiter in mice requires combined gene therapy modification of angiopoietin, vascular endothelial growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor signaling.

In goiter, increased expression of growth factors and their receptors occurs. We have inhibited the action of some of these growth factors, alone and in combination, to determine which are important in goitrogenesis. Recombinant adenovirus vectors (RAds) expressing truncated, secreted forms of human Tie2 (RAd-sTie2) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (RAd-sVEGFR1) or a truncated, dominant-negative fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (RAdDN-FGFR1) were used.