Laryngotracheal stenosis of autoimmune aetiology.

Autoimmune origin ranks fifth in the etiologic classification of laryngotracheal stenosis. Wegener's disease is the autoimmune illness most associated with stenosis; however, there are other autoimmune diseases that may also be associated with it. A descriptive, retrospective study of 9 cases of laryngotracheal stenosis associated with autoimmune disease was carried out.

Functional outcomes of transoral laser surgery of supraglottic carcinoma compared with a transcervical approach.

Background: Several functional advantages have been described for the transoral laser supraglottic laryngectomy as compared with open techniques. However, comparative studies have been rarely performed.

Methods: Functional results in 26 patients treated with a transoral approach were retrospectively compared with those of a comparable series of 26 patients who underwent a transcervical approach.

Social and psychological burden of dysphagia: its impact on diagnosis and treatment.

The social and psychological impact of dysphagia has not been routinely reported in large studies. We sought to determine the effects of dysphagia on broad measures of the quality of life of patients and to explore the relationship between the psychological handicaps of the condition and the frequency of diagnosis and treatment. A total of 360 patients selected on the basis of known subjective dysphagia complaints, regardless of origin, in nursing homes and clinics in Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom were interviewed using an established questionnaire.