Modified method for tracheoesophageal fistula closure in intractable cases.

Objective: Tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) is one of the most established methods for voice reacquisition following total laryngectomy. The most difficult complication following TEP is the management of saliva leakage or secretion into the trachea due to TE fistula enlargement. In this study, we devised a new strategy to close TE fistulas and confirmed its safety and effectiveness.

Phonosurgery training using Japanese deer larynx.

Objective: To develop phonosurgery skills, surgical training of the actual larynx is essential. In our institution, the Japanese deer (Cervus Nippon aplodontids) larynx is used in phonosurgery training. This study aimed to examine the similarities and differences between the Japanese deer and human larynx and to demonstrate their utility in vocal surgery practice.

Thyroid Lobectomy Under Local Anesthesia Before Lung Transplantation Owing to Diffuse Panbronchiolitis: A Case Report.

We herein report a case of thyroid lobectomy performed under local anesthesia for thyroid cancer in a patient who was at a high risk for general anesthesia due to diffuse panbronchiolitis. Although thyroid surgery has been performed in the past under local anesthesia in low-risk patients, thyroid surgery is now rarely performed under local anesthesia. If they are performed, thyroid surgery under local anesthesia is usually performed under monitored anesthesia care; sedation is considered safe and does not cause discomfort to patients.

Osteoradionecrosis of the occipitocervical junction: A rare case of C1 anterior arch disruption.

We report the case of a 57-year-old man who developed osteoradionecrosis (ORN) at the occipitocervical (OC) junction after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. During soft-tissue debridement using a nasopharyngeal endoscope, the anterior arch of the atlas (AAA) was spontaneously disrupted, which was later spat out. Radiographic examination revealed complete disruption of the AAA that caused OC instability.

Intraoperative computed tomography imaging for laryngoplasty.

Objectives: Intraoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging has the potential to facilitate the surgical procedure. The current preliminary retrospective chart review investigated the benefits of intraoperative CBCT during laryngoplasty.

Method: This study examined 26 cases that underwent intraoperative CBCT imaging during laryngoplasty, with one patient who counted twice due to first and revision surgery.

Swallowing function improvement using costal cartilage for severe dysphagia after supracricoid hemilaryngopharyngectomy.

Supracricoid hemilaryngopharyngectomy (SCHLP) is a laryngeal preservation surgery for hypopharyngeal carcinoma confined to the pyriform sinus or laryngeal carcinoma with arytenoid infiltration. Postoperative dysphagia is inevitable, but both voice and swallowing functions can be preserved. Here, we present a case of severe dysphagia secondary to unexpected postoperative tissue loss and scarring.

Outcomes of Aspiration Prevention Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using a Japanese Claims Database.

Aspiration prevention surgeries, such as laryngotracheal separation and total laryngectomy are performed to prevent aspiration pneumonia. We aimed to investigate the outcomes of surgery for intractable aspiration and relevant factors. This retrospective cohort study used a nationwide insurance claims database that included company employees and their family members aged < 75 years in Japan.

Early Cochlear Implantation Allows Deaf Children to Control Voice Pitch and Loudness independently.

Objective: Congenitally deaf children with a cochlear implant (CI) improve their speech production intelligibility, but their prosody, including stress and intonation produced by voice pitch and loudness changes, often differs from normal hearing people, which affects their fluent oral communication. This study is aimed to clarify abnormal characteristics of voice pitch and loudness control in CI recipients using a newly developed visually guided pitch change task.

Methods: We included 13 normal hearing volunteers (NH group) and 17 congenitally deaf CI users who showed good speech intelligibility.

Airway ciliated cells regenerated on collagen sponge implants acquire planar polarities towards nearby edges of implanted areas.

Tissue-engineered tracheae have been developed to replace defective tracheae. However, the direction of ciliated cells in the regenerated epithelium remains unclear. We investigated planar polarity formed in the regenerated airway epithelium after tracheal graft implantation.

Questionnaire survey on pharyngolaryngeal sensation evaluation regarding dysphagia in Japan.

Objective: The objective is to conduct a questionnaire survey regarding pharyngolaryngeal sensation evaluation in dysphagia to understand the current situation in Japan.

Method: The questionnaire was sent to the councilor of the Society of Swallowing and Dysphagia of Japan and the Japanese Society of Dysphagia Rehabilitation-Certified Clinician. The prospective questionnaire survey included the questions listed below: Q1: What do you think of the importance of pharyngolaryngeal sensory evaluation? Q2: Select one of the essential swallowing sensations.

Axillary lymph node metastases from thyroid carcinoma: Report of seven cases.

Axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM) of well- or poorly-differentiated thyroid cancer is rare. Notably, there are only 14 single case reports available; therefore, the mechanism of metastasis is unclear at this point. Because we encountered seven cases at a single institution, we were able to infer the mechanism of ALNM of thyroid cancer.

A novel method for live imaging of human airway cilia using wheat germ agglutinin.

Multiciliated epithelial cells in the airway are essential for mucociliary clearance. Their function relies on coordinated, metachronal and directional ciliary beating, appropriate mucus secretion and airway surface hydration. However, current conventional methods for observing human airway ciliary movement require ciliated cells to be detached from airway tissues.

A simple and useful method for evaluation of oxidative stress in vivo by spectrofluorometric estimation of urinary pteridines.

Pteridine derivatives are intermediate metabolites of folic acid and its cofactors. Oxidized-form pteridines, but not reduced-form pteridines, are fluorescent substances. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether oxidized-form pteridine level in urine, estimated by spectrofluorometry, reflects oxidative stress in vivo.

A summary of the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Voice Disorders, 2018 in Japan.

Objective: To develop a summary of the first version of the Clinical Practice Guideline of Voice Disorders for Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment in Japan by the Clinical Practice Guideline Committee of the Japan Society of Logopedics and Phoniatrics and The Japan Laryngological Association. The 2018 recommendations, based on a review of the scientific literature, are intended to serve as clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of voice disorders in Japan.

Methods: A summary of the original version of the Clinical Practice Guideline of Voice Disorders for Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment in Japan was described.

Transplantation of multiciliated airway cells derived from human iPS cells using an artificial tracheal patch into rat trachea.

Tracheal resection is often performed for malignant tumours, congenital anomalies, inflammatory lesions, and traumatic injuries. There is no consensus on the best approach for the restoration of tracheal functionality in patients with tracheal defects. Artificial grafts made of polypropylene and collagen sponge have been clinically used by our group.

Collagen sponge scaffolds containing growth factors for the functional regeneration of tracheal epithelium.

Tracheal epithelia have barrier and mucociliary clearance functions that prevent invasion of extraneous particles and infectious materials. Hence, following tracheal reconstructions, functional and morphological regeneration of epithelia is required to prevent respiratory declines and infectious diseases. Although growth factors (GFs) promote the regeneration of tracheal epithelial morphologies, it remains unclear whether tracheal grafts containing GFs are beneficial for regeneration of tracheal epithelial functions.

Designer aromatic peptide amphiphiles for self-assembly and enzymatic display of proteins with morphology control.

We herein designed bi-functional aromatic peptide amphiphiles both self-assembling to fibrous nanomaterials and working as a substrate of microbial transglutaminase, leading to peptidyl scaffolds with different morphologies that can be enzymatically post-functionalized with proteins.

Endoscopic laryngo-pharyngeal surgery for elderly patients.

Objective: Due to the rising number of elderly patients and advances in endoscopic devices, early laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers are increasingly found in elderly patients. In these cases, minimally invasive endoscopic larygo-pharyngeal surgery (ELPS) may be indicated. However, the safety and efficacy of ELPS in elderly populations has not been established.

Long-term preservation of planar cell polarity in reversed tracheal epithelium.

Background: Planar cell polarity (PCP) coordinates the patterning and orientation of cells and their structures along tissue planes, and although its acquisition during the formation of airway epithelium has been described, the mechanisms for its maintenance and reconstruction are poorly understood. We aimed to clarify whether ambient environment change by orthotropic autologous transplantation affected PCP at the cellular level.

Methods: We performed orthotropic autologous transplantation by inverting tracheal segments in rats, and then performed morphological evaluation by microscopy.

Process of tight junction recovery in the injured vocal fold epithelium: Morphological and paracellular permeability analysis.

Objectives/hypothesis: The vocal fold epithelium that includes tight junction (TJ)-based barrier function protects underlying connective tissues from external insults. TJs play an important role to control paracellular permeability of not only solutes but also ions, and preserve the vocal fold homeostasis. However, the distribution of TJs and paracellular diffusion barrier across the entire vocal fold epithelium are still unknown.

A case of desmoid tumor co-existing with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma in the larynx.

Extra-abdominal desmoid tumor, also known as aggressive fibromatosis, has aggressive behavior with local infiltration and tendency for recurrence. Though head and neck is reported to be one of the most common sites, a desmoid tumor in the larynx is extremely rare. A 67-year-old male visited our hospital with prolonged hoarseness and received laryngo-microsurgery with the diagnosis of laryngeal polyp.

Measurement of urinary advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) using a fluorescence assay for metabolic syndrome-related screening tests.

Aims: The simple screening test of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) has not been established yet. We aimed to clarify the usefulness of simple measurement of AGEs for screening tests.

Methods: The subjects were healthy participants and patients with metabolic syndrome.

Bilateral duplication of the internal auditory canal: a case with successful cochlear implantation.

We report a case of bilateral duplication of the internal auditory canal (IAC). An 11-month-old girl with congenital profound hearing loss was referred to our hospital. Imaging evaluations revealed bilateral IAC duplication, which contained the facial and cochleovestibular nerves in one canal, but no nerves in the other.

Detection of subclinical recurrence or second primary cancer using (18) F-FDG PET/CT in patients treated curatively for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The efficacy of posttreatment surveillance (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18) F-FDG PET)/CT was evaluated in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods: The subjects were 158 patients with HNSCC who underwent PET/CT after definitive treatment. PET/CT detection of subclinical recurrence or a second primary cancer and the effect of timing of PET/CT scans on survival were analyzed.

Characteristics and prognosis of patients with thyroglobulin-positive and radioactive iodine whole-body scan-negative differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Objective: The prognosis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma is generally favorable. However, some patients have negative radioiodine whole-body scans and detectable serum thyroglobulin with biochemical radioiodine-refractory carcinoma and are candidates for treatment with a multikinase inhibitor, such as sorafenib. The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics and prognosis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients who are thyroglobulin positive and scan negative.