Patients' Reflections on Treatment Decision After Surgery for Laryngeal Cancer.

Importance: Clinicians should understand how patients who were treated with laryngeal cancer surgery think about this later on and what factors may be related with regretting surgery.

Objective: To assess variables associated with a positive attitude toward laryngeal cancer surgery.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This combination of 2 cohorts, based on patient interviews and questionnaires, was studied in 16 hospitals in Germany.

Course of social support and associations with distress after partial laryngectomy.

Purpose: Social support has been shown to be positively associated with quality of life and adjustment after a cancer diagnosis. The present study investigates the course of social support up to one year after partial laryngectomy and its association with distress.

Design: Longitudinal questionnaire study.

Results and clinical aspects of primary endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy with silicone tube.

Objective: Endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a common treatment for saccal and post-saccal stenosis of the lacrimal pathway or chronic dacryocystitis (DC). The main symptom is chronic epiphora (tearing) and dacryocystitis (infection). The objective of this study is to assess the short-term surgical result of this treatment based on possible prognostic factors; such as gender, age, the pathogen spectrum and the histopathological result as well as the influence of these parameters on hospital stay.

Effects of Finding the Speech-Language Pathologist Likeable on Postlaryngectomy Speech Intelligibility Outcomes.

Introduction: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with patients after total laryngectomy (TL) to regain verbal communication. The influence of the quality of the therapeutic relationship on the success of TL voice rehabilitation in terms of speech intelligibility is not known. Finding each other likeable is an important factor in establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships in everyday life.

Quality of life during the first year after partial laryngectomy: Longitudinal study.

Background: This prospective study was conducted to assess changes in quality of life (QOL) of patients who undergo a partial laryngectomy.

Methods: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires Core and Head and Neck (EORTC-QLQ-C30, QLQ-H&N35) were used preprocedure (n = 218), 1 week (n = 159), 3 months (n = 122), and 1 year after partial laryngectomy (n = 88). Changes over time were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test and the Holm-Bonferroni method, and interpreted regarding clinical relevance.

Feasibility and safety of dilatational tracheotomy using the rigid endoscope: a multicenter study.

Background: Fiberoptic tracheo-bronchoscopy is the most commonly used procedure for percutaneous dilational tracheotomy (PDT). However, PDT can be associated with major complications, including death. Furthermore it is unclear, whether the tracheal ring fractures may contribute to the development of tracheal stenosis after PDT nor whether tracheal ring fractures can be prevented by using a rigid endoscope for this procedure.

Course of psychiatric comorbidity and utilization of mental health care after laryngeal cancer: a prospective cohort study.

In a German multi-center prospective cohort study, we wanted to assess the course of psychiatric comorbidity, utilization of mental health care and psychosocial care needs in laryngeal cancer patients during the first year after partial laryngectomy (PRL). Structured interviews with patients were conducted before surgery, 1 week (1 w), 3 months (3 m) and 1 year (12 m) after PRL. Psychiatric comorbidity was assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID).

Tobacco and alcohol consumption after total laryngectomy and survival: A German multicenter prospective cohort study.

Background: We examined the relation of tobacco and alcohol consumption after total laryngectomy with overall survival (OS).

Methods: Tobacco and alcohol consumption was assessed at 5 time points after total laryngectomy. Patients were followed up for survival until December 31, 2014.

Psychological distress and need for psycho-oncological support in spouses of total laryngectomised cancer patients-results for the first 3 years after surgery.

Purpose: A total laryngectomy (TLE) leads to a variety of functional restrictions, which reduce the quality of life of cancer patients as well as their spouses. However, to date, there is little research focusing on the psychological distress of spouses of total laryngectomised cancer patients. The current study assesses psychological distress, need for psycho-oncological treatment and use of professional psychological care among spouses of total laryngectomised cancer patients.

Quality of life before and after total laryngectomy: results of a multicenter prospective cohort study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine what quality of life (QOL) areas improve and deteriorate during the first year after total laryngectomy and to identify predictors of these changes.

Methods: One hundred seventy-four patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QOL questionnaires before laryngectomy, n = 133 before discharge from hospital, n = 110 at the end of rehabilitation, and n = 86 1 year after laryngectomy. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to estimate the effect of potential predictors on QOL.

[Vocational rehabilitation after total laryngectomy].

Background: Aim of this study was to find out how many patients after a total laryngectomy (TLE) return to work successfully and what factors support vocational rehabilitation.

Patients And Methods: Laryngectomees (n=231) aged up to 60 years completed questionnaires and structured interviews before TLE (t1), before rehabilitation (t2), at the end of rehabilitation (t3), 1 year after TLE (t4), 2 years after TLE (t5), and 3 years after TLE (t6).

Results: Prior to TLE, 38% of all respondents were employed, 34% were unemployed, 23% received disability-related and 3% age-related pension retirement.

[Results of stapedotomies performed under general anesthesia].

Introduction: It is recommended that a stapedotomy be performed under local anaesthesia to enable intraoperative monitoring of hearing and vestibular function. In contrast, we prefer to carry out stapedotomies under general anesthesia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this practice has an adverse effect on hearing results.

[Use of cancer support groups by laryngectomees in central Germany].

Background: Cancer support groups provide information and coping resources as well as represent patients' interests. To date it is unknown how often cancer patients post-laryngectomy use support groups and in which parameters users of support groups differ from non-users.

Material And Methods: In a multicentre study, 224 laryngectomees were asked about their support group membership.

Speech rehabilitation during the first year after total laryngectomy.

Background: Gaining a new voice is one of the major aims after total laryngectomy. The objective of this study was to describe the process and results of speech rehabilitation during the first year after surgery.

Methods: Speech intelligibility was measured 6 months (n = 273) and 1 year (n = 225) after total laryngectomy.

[Evaluation of the Freiburg monosyllabic speech test in background noise].

Background: The Freiburg speech test has been the gold standard in speech audiometry in Germany for many years. Previously, however, this test had not been evaluated in assessing the effectiveness of a hearing aid in background noise. Furthermore, the validity of particular word lists used in the test has been questioned repeatedly in the past, due to a suspected higher variation within these lists as compared to the other word list used.

[Swallowing disorders after partial laryngectomy. Prevalence and predictors].

Background: Improvements in surgical techniques have led to a higher percentage of larynx preservations. These do not always include preservation of the swallowing function. This study investigates the prevalence of swallowing disorders after partial laryngectomy and their predictors.

Motivation as a predictor of speech intelligibility after total laryngectomy.

Background: It has often been argued that if patients' success with speech rehabilitation after laryngectomy is limited, it is the result of lacking motivation on their part. This project investigated the role of motivation in speech rehabilitation.

Methods: In a multicenter prospective cohort study, 141 laryngectomees were interviewed at the beginning of rehabilitation and 1 year after laryngectomy.

Clinical relevance of quality-of-life data in laryngectomized patients.

Objectives/hypothesis: Statistically significant differences in health-related quality of life (HRQL) are not always clinically relevant. It is also plausible that patients perceive other changes to be relevant than health professionals do. The objective of this study was to find thresholds for HRQL that laryngectomees consider to be clinically relevant 1 year after surgery, (i.

[The role of sex in voice restoration and emotional functioning after laryngectomy].

Background: Data on psychosocial factors of laryngectomized women is rare. All means of alaryngeal voice production sound male due to low fundamental frequency and roughness, which makes postlaryngectomy voice rehabilitation especially challenging to women. Aim of this study was to investigate whether women use alaryngeal speech more seldomly and therefore are more emotionally distressed.

[Smoking behaviour after laryngectomy].

Background: Tobacco smoking is an important risk factor for laryngeal cancer. Aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of smoking and to identify factors that can promote tobacco abstinence.

Patients And Methods: In a multi-centre cross-sectional study, 187 patients after laryngectomy were surveyed regarding their smoking behaviour.

[Videoendoscopic endonasal-transsphenoidal surgery of pituitary adenomas from a rhinological viewpoint].

Introduction: Videoendoscopic endonasal-transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is a modern minimally invasive surgical technique, which requires interdisciplinary cooperation between ENT and neurosurgery.

Patients And Methods: Between December 2006 and July 2008, 25 patients (13 male, 12 female, average age 55 years old) suffering from pituitary adenomas were operated on with the abovementioned method. All operations were done four-handed with the ENT surgeon carrying out the sphenoidectomy and the neurosurgeon the adenomectomy.

Sexual problems after total or partial laryngectomy.

Objectives: To investigate sexual problems that can occur after laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer surgery and to specify possible influencing factors.

Study Design: Multi-institutional cross-sectional study.

Methods: Two hundred six patients were interviewed in person using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire, Head and Neck Module (EORTC QLQ-H&N35), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and a structured interview assessing alcohol and tobacco consumption, sociodemographic data, and specific sexual problems.

Validation of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 in patients with laryngeal cancer after surgery.

Background: The aim of this study was to test the validity of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core Module (QLQ-C30) and Head and Neck Module (QLQ-H&N35) for patients who have undergone surgery due to laryngeal cancer.

Methods: A total of 323 patients from 6 different centers in Germany who had been operated on completed the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-H&N35 in addition to being surveyed in a personal interview.

Results: Multitrait scaling analysis confirmed the proposed scale structure of both questionnaires.