Risk Factors for Recurrence Free Survival in Patients With Parotid Gland Cancer: 10-Year Single Center Experience / 대한이비인후과학회지

Background and Objectives@#Parotid cancer is a rare malignancy tumor, constituting about 3% of head and neck cancers. Treatment of parotid carcinoma is challenging because of its rarity and unpredictable clinical course. Therefore, it is important to evaluate risk factors associated with prognosis and to predict adverse outcomes. In this article, we aimed to analyze risk factors associated with recurrence free survival in our 10-year single center retrospective study.Subjects and Method Retrospective medical chart review was performed for patients with parotid gland cancer who underwent parotidectomy with or without adjuvant treatment in our institute 2011 to 2020. Patient demographics, histopathologic results, operative method, treatment outcome were assessed. @*Results@#A total of 8 patients (15%) experienced recurrence. Old age and low body mass index was associated with recurrence. Univariate analysis also revealed that high clinical stage, tumor involvement in deep lobe and facial nerve, postoperative radiotherapy or concurrent chemo radiotherapy, positive resection margin, and high histologic grade were statistically significant with recurrence. Multivariate analysis concluded that facial nerve involvement with tumor was associated with higher incidence of recurrence. Deep lobe and facial nerve involvement, postoperative radiotherapy or concurrent chemo radiotherapy, positive resection margin, clinical stage, and histologic grade were statistically significant factors associated with recurrence free survival. @*Conclusion@#Our 10-year single institute study will be helpful for predicting adverse outcomes in parotid cancer patients.

Microlaryngobronchoscopy Without Tracheostomy in Large Subglottic Cyst Obliterating Airway / 대한이비인후과학회지

Extended endotracheal intubation in infancy causes various complications. Upper airway disruption is very rare but reversible cause of respiratory insufficiency. Tracheostomy may not be avoidable in severe upper respiratory tract lesions especially in large subglottic cysts and severe subglottic stenosis; however, avoiding it is a priority when possible. A 7-month-old child who had a history of newborn respiratory distress syndrome and extended endotracheal intubation developed respiratory symptoms including stridor. A subglottic cyst was found by bronchoscopy and surginally removed with the tubeless anesthesia technique without tracheostomy. This method was successful even on infants. We report this case with a review of literature.

Risk Factors for Local Recurrence in Patients With N1b Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma / 대한이비인후과학회지

Background and Objectives@#Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with lateral neck lymph node metastasis is known as a major risk factor for tumor recurrence after surgical treatment. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for loco-regional recurrence in patients with PTC with lateral neck lymph node metastasis, which has a high risk of recurrence.Subjects and Method This study involved 319 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, central lymph node (LN) and lateral LN dissection due to PTC. The patients’ demographics and pathological factors, including lymph node metastasis were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate, multivariate and C-index with variable selection analyses were performed to identify factors associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS). @*Results@#A mean follow-up of 101 months, 35 (10.9%) patients had a loco-regional recurrence. In multivariate analysis according to loco-regional recurrence, patients with a primary tumor of more than 4 cm, multifocality, vascular invasion, and bilateral lateral cervical metastasis were associated with worse RFS. In the variable selection analysis, lateral lymph node metastasis ratio was also statistically significant. @*Conclusion@#PTC with lateral neck lymph node metastasis included tumors larger than 4 cm. Multifocality, vascular invasion, high lateral lymph node metastasis ratio and bilateral neck lymph node metastasis are predictive factors of loco-regional recurrence, and these risk factors should be carefully followed-up after surgery.

A Case of Migrated Esophageal Foreign Body Removal Through Cervical Approach Under C-Arm Fluoroscopic Guidance / 대한이비인후과학회지

Foreign bodies in the upper airway and the esophagus are common and often removed in the outpatient setting using the rigid or flexible laryngoscope. Although most esophageal foreign bodies are removed from the digestive tract, in some cases, surgical intervention is required due to its difficult location. Esophageal foreign bodies often removed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy, but when they penetrate the esophagus and move to deep neck spaces, other approaches should be taken into consideration. We report a rare case of a 13-year-old patient whose esophageal foreign body moved to a deep neck compartment, which was embedded in the anterior vertebral muscle. We decided to perform neck exploration under C-arm guidance, successfully targeted and removed the foreign body.

Recent Advances in Examination of Vocal Fold Vibration

Human vocal cords vibrate as quickly as 100–250 times per second, so it is impossible to observe them with normal endoscopic diagnostic equipment. High-speed videolaryngoscopy (HSV) allows the visualization of non-periodic vibratory motion of vocal fold beyond the limitation of videostroboscopy. New developed post-processing methods that converts HSV to two-dimensional videokymography (2D VKG) using U-medical image-processing software can provide quantitative information on vocal fold mucosa vibration. Multifunctional laryngeal examination system is composed of 3 kinds of examinations such as HSV, 2D scanning digital kymography (2D DKG) and line scanning digital kymography (DKG). Evaluation of entire vocal cord vibratory pattern in each cord is possible using 2D DKG and a faster and more reliable quantitative information can be obtained. As this system is used in clinical and research, it is expected to bring much advances to the diagnosis of voice disorders. In this review, I will introduce the principles and advantages on examination of the vocal fold vibration, which is in the spotlight recently, and proceed with the literature review.

Recent Advances in Examination of Vocal Fold Vibration

Human vocal cords vibrate as quickly as 100–250 times per second, so it is impossible to observe them with normal endoscopic diagnostic equipment. High-speed videolaryngoscopy (HSV) allows the visualization of non-periodic vibratory motion of vocal fold beyond the limitation of videostroboscopy. New developed post-processing methods that converts HSV to two-dimensional videokymography (2D VKG) using U-medical image-processing software can provide quantitative information on vocal fold mucosa vibration. Multifunctional laryngeal examination system is composed of 3 kinds of examinations such as HSV, 2D scanning digital kymography (2D DKG) and line scanning digital kymography (DKG). Evaluation of entire vocal cord vibratory pattern in each cord is possible using 2D DKG and a faster and more reliable quantitative information can be obtained. As this system is used in clinical and research, it is expected to bring much advances to the diagnosis of voice disorders. In this review, I will introduce the principles and advantages on examination of the vocal fold vibration, which is in the spotlight recently, and proceed with the literature review.

Application of an Intraoperative Neuromonitoring System Using a Surface Pressure Sensor in Parotid Surgery: A Rabbit Model Study

Objectives@#. Facial nerve monitoring (FNM) can be used to identify the facial nerve, to obtain information regarding its course, and to evaluate its status during parotidectomy. However, there has been disagreement regarding the efficacy of FNM in reducing the incidence of facial nerve palsy during parotid surgery. Therefore, instead of using electromyography (EMG) to identify the location and state of the facial nerve, we applied an intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) system using a surface pressure sensor to detect facial muscle twitching. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using the IONM system with a surface pressure sensor to detect facial muscle twitching during parotidectomy. @*Methods@#. We evaluated the stimulus thresholds for the detection of muscle twitching in the orbicularis oris and orbicularis oculi, as well as the amplitude and latency of EMG and the surface pressure sensor in 13 facial nerves of seven rabbits, using the same stimulus intensity. @*Results@#. The surface pressure sensor detected muscle twitching in the orbicularis oris and orbicularis oculi in response to a stimulation of 0.1 mA in all 13 facial nerves. The stimulus threshold did not differ between the surface pressure sensor and EMG. @*Conclusion@#. The application of IONM using a surface pressure sensor during parotidectomy is noninvasive, reliable, and feasible. Therefore, the IONM system with a surface pressure sensor to measure facial muscle twitching may be an alternative to EMG for verifying the status of the facial nerve.

Application of Novel Intraoperative Neuromonitoring System Using an Endotracheal Tube With Pressure Sensor during Thyroid Surgery: A Porcine Model Study

Objectives@#. The loss of signal during intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) using electromyography (EMG) in thyroidectomy is one of the biggest problems. We have developed a novel IONM system with an endotracheal tube (ETT) with an attached pressure sensor instead of EMG to detect laryngeal twitching. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and reliability of this novel IONM system using an ETT with pressure sensor during thyroidectomy in a porcine model. @*Methods@#. We developed an ETT-attached pressure sensor that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure laryngeal muscle twitching. Stimulus thresholds, amplitude, and latency of laryngeal twitching evaluated using the pressure sensor were compared to those measured using transcartilage needle EMG. The measured amplitude changes by EMG and the pressure sensor during recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) traction injury were compared. @*Results@#. No significant differences in stimulus threshold intensity between EMG and the pressure sensor were observed. The EMG amplitude detected at 0.3 mA, increased with increasing stimulus intensity. When the stimulus was more than 1.0 mA, the amplitude showed a plateau. In a RLN traction injury experiment, the EMG amplitude did not recover even 20 minutes after stopping RLN traction. However, the pressure sensor showed a mostly recovery. @*Conclusion@#. The change in amplitude due to stimulation of the pressure sensor showed a pattern similar to EMG. Pressure sensors can be feasibly and reliably used for RLN traction injury prediction, RLN identification, and preservation through the detection of laryngeal muscle twitching. Our novel IONM system that uses an ETT with an attached pressure sensor to measure the change of surface pressure can be an alternative to EMG in the future.

Validity and Reliability of Korean Version of the Aging Voice Index (KAVI)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Voice disorder is recognized as a major problem because it negatively affects the elderly's social participation and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of Korean aging voice index (KAVI), which assesses the quality of life related to the voice of the elderly. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study was conducted on 211 elderly people aged 65 years or older : 111 patients with voice disorder (mean age 69.8, range 65–80 years) and 100 nomorphonic participants (mean age 70.6, range 65–82 years). Aging voice index was translated into Korean and used and Korean voice-related quality of life (KVQOL) was conducted to verify KAVI. The validity (item validity, concurrent validity, and construct validity) and reliability (test-retest reliability and internal consistency reliability) of KAVI. RESULTS: The item validity (ICC=0.895) and construct validity (r=0.765) showed a high correlation, respectively. And concurrent validity (r=0.748), test-retest reliability (0.851), and internal consistency reliability (α=0.832) were statistically significant in voice disorder group. In addition, there was a significant difference between the voice disorder and the nomorphonic group in AVI total score. CONCLUSION: KAVI is a validated and reliable quality of life tool that will be useful for assessing the presence and effectiveness of interventions in clinical settings.

A Case of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Mixed with Osteosarcoma of the Parotid Gland Extending to the Parapharyngeal Space / 대한이비인후과학회지

Carcinosarcomas, also known as true malignant mixed tumors, are rare tumors of the salivary gland and are composed of both malignant epithelial and malignant mesenchymal elements. They may occur in pre-existing pleomorphic adenomas or arise de novo. Here we report the first case of carcinosarcoma of the parotid gland composed of mucoepidermoid carcinoma and osteosarcoma. The tumor had originated from the parotid gland and extended into the parapharyngeal space. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports on mucoepidermoid carcinoma mixed with osteosarcoma ex pleomorphic adenoma in the parotid gland.

A Case of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Mixed with Osteosarcoma of the Parotid Gland Extending to the Parapharyngeal Space / 대한이비인후과학회지

Carcinosarcomas, also known as true malignant mixed tumors, are rare tumors of the salivary gland and are composed of both malignant epithelial and malignant mesenchymal elements. They may occur in pre-existing pleomorphic adenomas or arise de novo. Here we report the first case of carcinosarcoma of the parotid gland composed of mucoepidermoid carcinoma and osteosarcoma. The tumor had originated from the parotid gland and extended into the parapharyngeal space. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports on mucoepidermoid carcinoma mixed with osteosarcoma ex pleomorphic adenoma in the parotid gland.

Development of a Novel Intraoperative Neuromonitoring System Using an Accelerometer Sensor in Thyroid Surgery: A Porcine Model Study

OBJECTIVES: The sensitivity and positive predictive value of widely used intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) using electromyography (EMG) of the vocalis muscle in thyroid surgery are controversial. Thus, we developed a novel IONM system with an accelerometer sensor that uses the piezoelectric effect instead of EMG to detect laryngeal twitching. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of this novel IONM system during thyroid surgery in a porcine model. METHODS: We developed an accelerometer sensor that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure laryngeal twitching in three dimensions. This novel accelerometer sensor was placed in the anterior neck skin (transcutaneous) or postcricoid area. Stimulus thresholds, amplitude, and latency of laryngeal twitching measured using the accelerometer sensor were compared to those measured through EMG of the vocalis muscle. RESULTS: The amplitudes of the accelerometer sensor at the anterior neck and postcricoid area were significantly lower than those of EMG because of differences in the measurement method used to evaluate laryngeal movement. However, no significant differences in stimulus thresholds between the EMG endotracheal tube and transcutaneous or postcricoid accelerometer sensors were observed. CONCLUSION: Accelerometer sensors located at the anterior neck or postcricoid area were able to identify laryngeal twitching. The stimulus intensity measured with these sensors was equivalent to that from conventional vocalis EMG. Our novel IONM system with an accelerometer sensor that checks changes in surface acceleration can be an alternative to EMG of the vocalis muscle for IONM in the future.

Guidelines for the Surgical Management of Oral Cancer: Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery

Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery appointed a Task Force to provide guidance on the implementation of a surgical treatment of oral cancer. MEDLINE databases were searched for articles on subjects related to “surgical management of oral cancer” published in English. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. The quality of evidence was rated with use RoBANS (Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Nonrandomized Studies) and AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews). Evidence-based recommendations for practice were ranked according to the American College of Physicians grading system. Additional directives are provided as expert opinions and Delphi questionnaire when insufficient evidence existed. The Committee developed 68 evidence-based recommendations in 34 categories intended to assist clinicians and patients and counselors, and health policy-makers. Proper surgical treatment selection for oral cancer, which is directed by patient- and subsite-specific factors, remains the greatest predictor of successful treatment outcomes. These guidelines are intended for use in conjunction with the individual patient's treatment goals.

Development of a Novel Intraoperative Neuromonitoring System Using a Surface Pressure Sensor to Detect Muscle Movement: A Rabbit Model Study

OBJECTIVES: False-negative or false-positive responses in intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) using electromyography (EMG) in thyroid surgery pose a challenge. Therefore, we developed a novel IONM system that uses a surface pressure sensor instead of EMG to detect muscle twitching. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of a new IONM system using a piezo-electric surface pressure sensor in an experimental animal model. METHODS: We developed the surface pressure sensor by modifying a commercial piezo-electric sensor. We evaluated the stimulus thresholds to detect muscle movement, as well as the amplitude and latency of the EMG and surface pressure sensor in six sciatic nerves of three rabbits, according to the stimulus intensity. RESULTS: The surface pressure sensor detected the muscle movements in response to a 0.1 mA stimulation of all six sciatic nerves. There were no differences in the thresholds of stimulus intensity between the surface pressure sensor and EMG recordings to detect muscle movements. CONCLUSION: It is possible to measure the change in surface pressure by using a piezo-electric surface pressure sensor instead of EMG to detect muscle movement induced by nerve stimulation. The application of IONM using a piezo-electric surface pressure sensor during surgery is noninvasive, safe, and feasible. Measuring muscle twitching to identify the state of the nerves using the novel IONM system can be an alternative to recording of EMG responses.

The Factors Involved in Bilateral Central Lymph Node Metastasis of Isthmus Papillary Thyroid Cancer / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the rate and risk factors involved in bilateral central lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) found in the isthmus and compared them to tumors located in other thyroid regions, using those findings to establish a surgical strategy for treating these tumors. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We compared the clinical and pathological data of 48 patients with isthmic PTC and 141 patients with PTC found in other thyroid regions, all of whom underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral central neck dissection. RESULTS: The rates of bilateral central lymph node metastasis were higher in the isthmus group than in the non-isthmus group (29.2% vs. 9.9%; p=0.001). On multivariate analysis, the isthmic location of the tumor was an independent risk factor for bilateral central lymph node metastasis (OR=3.458; p=0.005). But the positional relationship between the tracheal midline and the nodule was not clear in lymph node metastasis in the isthmus group. CONCLUSION: Bilateral central neck dissection should be considered for isthmic PTC regardless of the relation between nodule and tracheal midline because of the high rate of bilateral central lymph node metastasis.

Guidelines for the Surgical Management of Laryngeal Cancer: Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery

Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery appointed a Task Force to develop clinical practice guidelines for the surgical treatment of laryngeal cancer. This Task Force conducted a systematic search of the EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed databases to identify relevant articles, using search terms selected according to the key questions. Evidence-based recommendations were then created on the basis of these articles. An external expert review and Delphi questionnaire were applied to reach consensus regarding the recommendations. The resulting guidelines focus on the surgical treatment of laryngeal cancer with the assumption that surgery is the selected treatment modality after a multidisciplinary discussion in any context. These guidelines do not, therefore, address non-surgical treatment such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The committee developed 62 evidence-based recommendations in 32 categories intended to assist clinicians during management of patients with laryngeal cancer and patients with laryngeal cancer, and counselors and health policy-makers.

Histopathologic Evaluations of the Lingual Artery in Healthy Tongue of Adult Cadaver

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the anatomical distribution of the lingual artery in normal adult subjects through histopathologic evaluations. METHODS: Eighteen healthy cadaveric tongues were used to produce 8 paraffin-embedded tissue sections each. Length from midline raphe, depth from dorsum of tongue and the whole transverse length tongue were measured. The lateral distance, depth, and proportion of lateral distance of deep lingual artery were determined from tip to base of tongue gradually. Lateral distance is length from median raphe to the center of deep lingual artery lumen. Depth is vertical distance from dorsal surface of tongue to the center of deep lingual artery. Proportion of lateral distance is obtained by dividing lateral distance with transverse length from median raphe to lateral border of tongue. The degree of symmetry between right and left sides and the difference between selected spots were evaluated. RESULTS: Right and left sides of the lingual artery were symmetric. The lingual artery was lateralized as it run posterior. The lingual artery runs gradually deeper from the surface as it goes near the base of tongue. Both length and depth of the lingual artery gradually increased between 0%–75% of the mobile tongue, but 75%–100% zone of the lingual artery showed no significant difference. There was no anastomosis between right and left side of the lingual arteries. The lingual artery was located within 50% of the transverse length of tongue from median raphe. CONCLUSION: The present study reveals 3-dimensional information on the anatomical distributions of the lingual artery in normal adult subjects. These findings gives us beneficial information about the handling of the lingual artery during oral and base of tongue-related surgery.

Analysis of the Prognostic Factors for Distant Metastasis after Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to identify the prognostic factors of distant metastasis (DM) after induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 321 patients with HNC who underwent IC followed by CRT treated between January 2005 and December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. IC consisted of three courses of docetaxel (70 mg/m2) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2) every three weeks, followed by radiotherapy of 66-70 Gy/2 Gy per fraction/5 fractions per week concurrent with weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2). Tumor/nodal stage, primary site, tumor differentiation, lower neck node involvement (level IV, VB, and supraclavicular regions), number of concurrent chemotherapy cycles, overall duration of radiotherapy, and response to IC were assessed as potential prognostic factors influencing DM and survival outcome. RESULTS: The five-year loco-regional recurrence and DM rates were 23.6% and 18.2%. N stage, overall duration of radiotherapy, lower neck node involvement, and response to IC were significant factors for DM. With a median follow-up period of 52 months (range, 4 to 83 months), the 5-year progression-free, DM-free, and overall survival rates were 41.2%, 50.7%, and 55.1%, respectively. Lower neck node involvement (p=0.008) and poor response to IC (p < 0.001) showed an association with significantly inferior DM-free survival. CONCLUSION: Even with the addition of IC, the DM rate and survival outcome were poor when metastatic lower neck lymph nodes were present or when patients failed to respond after receiving IC.

Detection of Plasma BRAF(V600E) Mutation Is Associated with Lung Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas

PURPOSE: The BRAF(V600E) mutation represents a novel indicator of the progression and aggressiveness of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of free circulating mutant BRAF(V600E) in predicting the advanced disease of PTC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy seven matched tumor and plasma samples obtained from patients with both benign and PTC were analyzed for BRAF(V600E) mutation using a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) clamp real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The BRAF(V600E) mutation was absent in tumor DNA samples obtained from patients with benign follicular adenomas or adenomatous goiter. In contrast, 49 of 72 (68.1%) PTC tumors were positive for the BRAF(V600E) mutation. Among them, 3 (6.1%) patients with PTC were positive for BRAF(V600E) mutation in plasma and tumor. However, all 3 patients (100%) had lateral lymph node and lung metastasis. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the BRAF(V600E) mutation can be detected using a PNA clamp real-time PCR in the blood of PTC patients with lung metastasis. Future studies are warranted to determine clinical significance of serum BRAF(V600E) mutation in large prospective studies.

The Relationship between the Number of Preserved Parathyroid Glands and Clinical Aspects after Total Thyroidectomy and Central Lymph Node Dissection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To identify the relation between the preservation status of the parathyroid glands and the risk of hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection in papillary thyroid carcinoma. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective review was carried out for the medical records of 63 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), who satisfied our inclusion criteria and received treatment at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital from May 2010 to December 2011. Patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection (CLND) were included and grouped according to the number of preserved parathyroid glands as follows: Group 1 (with four intact glands), Group 2 (three intact glands), Group 3 (less than two intact glands). The total and ionized serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone levels of each group were monitored after the surgery. Patients with postoperative symptomatic hypocalcemia were considered to have postoperative hypoparathyroidism and received calcium/vitamin D therapy. The hypoparathyroidism was considered to be permanent when calcium/vitamin D therapy was still required six months after surgery. RESULTS: Out of 63 cases of total thyroidectomy with CLND, 31 (49.2%) showed postoperative hypoparathyroidism as demonstrated by laboratory findings. Permanent hypoparathyroidism, however, was not observed in these cases. The development of hypoparathyroidism was not significantly related with the number of preserved parathyroid glands. CONCLUSION: To prevent postoperative hypoparathyroidism following total thyroidectomy and CLND, at least two parathyroid glands should be preserved in situ with an intact blood supply in order to prevent permanent hypoparathyroidism after the surgery.