Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Spasmodic Dysphonia: A Phase I Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Trial.

Background: Adductor spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a dystonia of the vocal folds causing difficulty with speech. The current standard of care is repeated botulinum toxin injections to weaken the adductor muscles. We sought to ameliorate the underlying neurological cause of SD with a novel therapy-deep brain stimulation (DBS).

Concurrent Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia and Hemi-Laryngopharyngeal Spasm (HeLPS): A Case Report and a Review of the Literature.

Background And Importance: Hemi-laryngopharyngeal spasm (HeLPS) has been recently described but is not yet widely recognized. Patients describe intermittent coughing and choking and can be cured following microvascular decompression of their Xth cranial nerve. This case report and literature review highlight that HeLPS can co-occur with glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GN) and has been previously described (but not recognized) in the neurosurgical literature.

Vagus Associated Neurogenic Cough Occurring Due to Unilateral Vascular Encroachment of Its Root: A Case Report and Proof of Concept of VANCOUVER Syndrome.

Objectives: A patient is presented with neurogenic cough due to a unilateral vascular compression of a vagus nerve rootlet at the brainstem with complete resolution of cough following microvascular decompression of that nerve. This etiology of a neurogenic cough has not been previously reported to our knowledge. The proportion of patients with neurogenic cough refractory to all current therapies and suffering with this treatable condition remains to be defined.

Unilateral Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Voice Tremor.

Background: Voice tremor (VT) is the involuntary and rhythmical phonatory instability of the voice. Recent findings suggest that unilateral deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim-DBS) can sometimes be effective for VT. In this exploratory analysis, we investigated the effect of Vim-DBS on VT and tested the hypothesis that unilateral thalamic stimulation is effective for patients with VT.

Hemi-laryngopharyngeal spasm as a novel cause of inducible laryngeal obstruction with a surgical cure: report of 3 cases.

Inducible laryngeal obstruction has been described under at least 40 different monikers, including vocal cord dysfunction, paroxysmal vocal fold motion, and irritable larynx. The etiology of this condition is believed to be laryngeal hyperactivity in response to psychological issues or acid reflux. Most patients are treated with some combination of proton pump inhibitors, speech therapy, and psychotherapy.

Buckled Thyroid Cartilage: An Anatomic Variant.

Objective: Anatomic abnormalities in the larynx can cause significant and bothersome symptoms. Identified here is an anatomical variant of the thyroid cartilage.

Study Design: This study is a retrospective case series of 11 subjects diagnosed with an anatomic variant of the thyroid cartilage.

The effect of unilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation on the vocal dysfunction in a patient with spasmodic dysphonia: interrogating cerebellar and pallidal neural circuits.

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a neurological disorder of the voice where a patient's ability to speak is compromised due to involuntary contractions of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Since the 1980s, SD has been treated with botulinum toxin A (BTX) injections into the throat. This therapy is limited by the delayed-onset of benefits, wearing-off effects, and repeated injections required every 3 months.

The Reliability of the Reflux Finding Score Among General Otolaryngologists.

Background: The reflux finding score (RFS) is a validated clinical severity scale for findings of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) on fiberoptic laryngoscopy. To our knowledge, there have been no studies to determine whether severity of patient symptoms influence the RFS; in addition, the reliability of the RFS has not been tested for general otolaryngologists.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were (1) to determine whether the RFS for LPR is influenced by symptoms of reflux and (2) to determine the inter-rater reliability for general otolaryngologists in diagnosing LPR using the RFS.

Laryngeal candidiasis in the outpatient setting.

Objectives: We present the largest case series on laryngeal candidiasis and review the literature on the diagnosis and management of laryngeal candidiasis.

Subjects And Methods: Fifty-four patients were included in a retrospective chart review of all cases seen at the Pacific Voice Clinic, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, from 1995 to 2005.

Results: The most common presenting symptom was dysphonia (37 patients; 69%).

Injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid for unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Randomized controlled trial comparing two different particle sizes.

The objective was to determine if particle size affects durability of medialization in patients undergoing injection laryngoplasty (IL) with hyaluronic acid (HA) for unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP). We hypothesized that large particle-size HA (LPHA) persists longer after injection to produce a more durable vocal result. The study design used was a prospective randomized controlled single-blind trial.

Raman spectroscopy for optical diagnosis in the larynx: preliminary findings.

Background And Objectives: Raman spectroscopy (RS) provides information about molecular structure and is a potential tool for non-invasive tissue diagnosis. To determine if Raman spectra could be obtained rapidly from laryngeal tissue in vitro, and compare Raman spectra from normal, benign, and cancerous laryngeal tissue.

Study Design/materials And Methods: Forty-seven laryngeal specimens were studied using RS with signal acquisition times (SAT) between 1 and 30 second(s).

Raman spectroscopy for optical diagnosis in normal and cancerous tissue of the nasopharynx-preliminary findings.

Background And Objectives: Raman spectroscopy (RS), which can detect molecular changes associated with cancer, was explored as a means of distinguishing normal and cancerous nasopharyngeal tissue.

Study Design/patients And Methods: Tissue from six patients with normal and cancerous biopsies was studied using a rapid acquisition Raman spectrometer.

Results: Spectra were obtainable within 5 seconds.