Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy for Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19

Background and Objectives@#The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a major impact on healthcare, especially in the area of critical care due to the longer period of mechanical ventilation. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous tracheostomy (US-PDT) is considered a safe alternative method.Materials and Method Patients with severe COVID-19 hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) who were on mechanical ventilation for 5 days or longer were evaluated for percutaneous dilational tracheostomy. The procedure was performed with personal protective equipment with powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) in the ICU isolated by negative pressure. Parameters such as mortality, incidence of infection to medical staff, major and minor complications were observed. @*Results@#The average time taken for US-PDT was 6.4 minutes. Five patients (27.8%) showed oxygen saturation of less than 90% due to apnea during tracheotomy, but there was no case of severe hypoxemia that required discontinuation or re-intubation. There was no COVID-19 infection of medical staff related to the procedure. A total of 9 patients (50%) died from COVID-19 pneumonia, and 1 patient (5.6%) was decannulated. There was no death due to US-PDT and no serious complications such as pneumothorax or accidental decannulation were observed. @*Conclusion@#As patients eligible for tracheostomy increased significantly due to the COVID-19 epidemic, US-PDT can be considered to be a useful technique for COVID-19 patients who require long-term mechanical ventilation. This technique can lower the risk of transmission to medical staffs who are at the forefront of being exposed to the risk of infection when an epidemic breaks out.

Comparison between Real-Time Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy and Surgical Tracheostomy in critically ill Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives@#Tracheostomy is an important procedure for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), and percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) has gained popularity due to its safety and effectiveness. However, there are limited data comparing ultrasound-guided PDT (US-PDT) with surgical tracheostomy (ST). In our previous study, we reported that US-PDT had similar safety and effectiveness to ST, with a shorter procedure time. However, the study design was retrospective, and the sample size was small. Therefore, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of US-PDT compared to ST. @*Methods@#A total of 70 patients who underwent either US-PDT (n=35) or ST (n=35) were enrolled in the study between October 20, 2020, and July 26, 2022. The patients were randomly assigned to their respective procedures. The data collected included patient clinical characteristics, procedure time and details, complications, duration of ICU stay, time taken for weaning from mechanical ventilation, and hospital mortality. @*Results@#The procedure time of US-PDT was shorter than that of ST (4.0±2.2 minutes vs. 10.1±4.6 minutes). The incision length of US-PDT was also shorter than that of ST (1.5±0.5 cm vs. 1.8±0.4 cm). There were no statistically significant differences in demographics, procedure details, complications, length of ICU stay, ventilator weaning time, and hospital mortality. @*Conclusion@#US-PDT has a similar complication rate and shorter procedure time compared with ST. It can be safely and effectively performed in critically ill patients and can serve as a potential alternative to ST.

Guideline for the Surgical Management of Locally Invasive Differentiated Thyroid Cancer From the Korean Society of Head and Neck Surgery

The aim of this study was to develop evidence-based recommendations for determining the surgical extent in patients with locally invasive differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Locally invasive DTC with gross extrathyroidal extension invading surrounding anatomical structures may lead to several functional deficits and poor oncological outcomes. At present, the optimal extent of surgery in locally invasive DTC remains a matter of debate, and there are no adequate guidelines. On October 8, 2021, four experts searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases; the identified papers were reviewed by 39 experts in thyroid and head and neck surgery. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the quality of evidence, and to develop and report recommendations. The strength of a recommendation reflects the confidence of a guideline panel that the desirable effects of an intervention outweigh any undesirable effects, across all patients for whom the recommendation is applicable. After completing the draft guidelines, Delphi questionnaires were completed by members of the Korean Society of Head and Neck Surgery. Twenty-seven evidence-based recommendations were made for several factors, including the preoperative workup; surgical extent of thyroidectomy; surgery for cancer invading the strap muscles, recurrent laryngeal nerve, laryngeal framework, trachea, or esophagus; and surgery for patients with central and lateral cervical lymph node involvement. Evidence-based guidelines were devised to help clinicians make safer and more efficient clinical decisions for the optimal surgical treatment of patients with locally invasive DTC.

A Case of Zenker’s Diverticulum Who Underwent Secondary Open Diverticulectomy After Failed Rigid Transoral Endoscopic Diverticulotomy / 대한이비인후과학회지

The traditional approach to diagnosis and management of Zenker’s diverticulum is open surgical treatment. More recently, however, endoscopic technique is also frequently used for Zenker’s diverticulum because it has advantages of shortening operation time, postoperative hospitalization and reducing the complication such as recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. A 75-year-old male, who was diagnosed with Zenker’s diverticulum, underwent a secondary open diverticulectomy after failed attempt at rigid transoral endoscopic diverticulotomy. Here we report this case with a review of literature.

A Case of Bilateral Bronchial Foreign Body

Foreign body (FB) aspiration remains a serious health problem, particularly in children. The complications due to occlusion by FB or related to procedures for removal can lead to morbidity and mortality. Most of the FBs are located in the unilateral bronchus, however, the organic FB can be multiple or bilaterally located when children chewed the FB. Here, we present a case of successful retrieval of bilateral bronchial FBs. Preoperatively, FB in the left main bronchus was diagnosed, however, FB of the right upper bronchus was not definitive on X-ray and CT scan. During the rigid bronchoscopy, occult FB in the right upper bronchus was detected and successfully removed.

Intractable Muscle Tension Dysphonia Treated by Injection Laryngoplasty and Lidocaine Injection

Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a voice disorder characterized by excessive tension of the laryngeal muscles during phonation. Voice therapy is the gold standard of treatment for MTD. However, patients with MTD do not always respond to voice therapy. Multidisciplinary approaches have been attempted to treat intractable MTD such as lidocaine instillation, lidocaine injection to recurrent laryngeal nerve, botox injection and excision of false ventricle using CO2 laser. Recently, injection laryngoplasty is suggested that assists in more efficient phonation and voice therapy to MTD patients. A patient with intractable MTD underwent lidocaine injection and injection laryngoplasty showed improved voice quality and remained stable until postoperative 3 months without any complications.

Clinical Characteristics of Neck Stab Wounds: A Single-Institute Retrospective Study of 89 Patients / 대한이비인후과학회지

Background and Objectives@#Neck stab wounds should be managed properly as they can result in life-threatening complications and death. However, guns are prohibited in South Korea and many previous studies conducted in other countries are thus inapplicable. Also, most of the existing case reports deal mostly with profound neck injury and might lead to misunderstanding regarding the severity of injuries when considering neck stab wounds. This study analyzed the clinical characteristics of neck stab wounds according to the cause of trauma.Subjects and Method A total of 89 patients with neck stab wounds who visited the emergency room between January 2005 and June 2017 were enrolled. Medical records and radiological findings were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups according to the cause of trauma (suicide attempt or assault by another person). A comparative analysis of the two groups was conducted. @*Results@#The patients consisted of 41 cases of (46.1%) attempted suicides and 26 cases of (29.2%) psychiatric disorders. Of these, more than half had superficial wounds above the platysma, and multiple anatomical lacerations were found in 40 cases (45%). Psychiatric diagnoses were identified only in the attempted-suicide group (p<0.001), and injuries to the posterior neck triangle were observed only in the assault-by-another-person group (p=0.029). There were 11 cases (12.4%) of profound injury, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. One patient with injury by another person died due to the cutting of the common carotid artery. @*Conclusion@#Superficial injuries were more common while profound injuries were relatively uncommon in this study. However, physicians should pay attention to proper evaluation and management comprehensively in cases of neck stab wounds.

Human Papilloma Virus-Related Metachronous Tracheal Cancer in a Patient with Tonsillar Cancer / 대한이비인후과학회지

Second primary malignancy (SPM) is a well-known cause of death in head and neck cancers. Recently, with reports of many incidences of human papilloma virus (HPV) associated SPM, the disease has been widely investigated. We report a HPV-positive tracheal cancer in a 49-yearold male who had been diagnosed with HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsil within intervals of two years. In this case, the metachronous tracheal cancer lesion as well as the primary tonsillar cancer showed the same subtype HPV-16.

A Case of Huge Vocal Polyp in a Patient With Difficult Laryngeal Exposure Treated by Fiberoptic Laryngeal Laser Surgery Under Local Anesthesia

Indications of fiberoptic laryngeal laser surgery (FLS) procedure have broadened by the development of flexible fiberoptic endoscopes and flexible laser systems. FLS procedure performed under local anesthesia and it is the unique value of FLS. The surgery can be performed on patients who are impossible to undergo general anesthesia and difficult to be exposed by laryngeal microsurgery. Main indication of FLS procedure was small to moderate sized hemorrhagic vocal polyp, but we experienced a case of huge vocal polyp with difficult laryngeal exposure treated by FLS procedure under local anesthesia. The vocal polyp was removed successfully without vocal fold scar through fiberoptic laryngeal laser surgery under local anesthesia.

Intractable Muscle Tension Dysphonia Treated by Injection Laryngoplasty and Lidocaine Injection

Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a voice disorder characterized by excessive tension of the laryngeal muscles during phonation. Voice therapy is the gold standard of treatment for MTD. However, patients with MTD do not always respond to voice therapy. Multidisciplinary approaches have been attempted to treat intractable MTD such as lidocaine instillation, lidocaine injection to recurrent laryngeal nerve, botox injection and excision of false ventricle using CO2 laser. Recently, injection laryngoplasty is suggested that assists in more efficient phonation and voice therapy to MTD patients. A patient with intractable MTD underwent lidocaine injection and injection laryngoplasty showed improved voice quality and remained stable until postoperative 3 months without any complications.

Delayed Detection of Middle Turbinate Fracture after Nasotracheal Intubation: Any Tips for Prevention?

Nasotracheal intubation is valuable during intra-oral surgery. A common complication of this technique is epistaxis. We experienced a case of middle turbinate fracture which showed no immediate signs of fracture such as bleeding or avulsed particles. Two months later, it was discovered in the form of nasal obstruction with a mass-like lesion. Symptoms associated with traumatic intubation usually develop during surgery, and it is rare to be found a long time after surgery. We will review the anatomical and technical aspects for safe nasotracheal intubation.

A Case of Thyroarytenoid Myectomy with Selective Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Section in Intractable Spasmodic Dysphonia: A Long-Term Follow-Up

Spasmodic dysphonia is a disease presumed to be a form of focal laryngeal dystonia. The widely used first-line treatment is botulinum toxin injection to the thyroarytenoid muscles. In spite of the effectiveness and safety of this method, it has a temporary effect that lasts only several months, resulting the patients’ symptom fluctuating, called ‘Botox rollercoaster.’ Some surgical techniques had tried, but they had shown several limitations including high rate of recurrence. We tried thyroarytenoid myectomy with selective recurrent laryngeal nerve section in a patient with intractable spasmodic dysphonia. This procedure is an alternative treatment of spasmodic dysphonia to prevent recurrence and improve symptoms. During five years of follow-up, she has shown steady quality voice without any complication. To the best of our knowledgement, this is the longest follow-up case of this operation in South Korea.

A Case of Surgical Treatment of Intractable Vocal Fold Scar Using Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor and Collagen Scaffold

Vocal fold scarring is an intractable phonosurgical condition. The number of patients with vocal fold scars is increasing with the aging of society and with the increasing application of laryngeal microsurgery. Many methods are available to treat these, including voice therapy, stem cells, regenerative scaffolds, and growth factors. However, no standard treatment strategy has yet been established, and novel techniques are required. Basic fibroblast growth factor has been shown to be effective for the treatment of mild chronic vocal fold scarring. The combined use of basic fibroblast growth factor and regenerative scaffolds is currently under investigation. Here, we report a female patient in whom vocal fold scarring developed after two laryngeal microsurgeries. We performed laryngeal microsurgery to remove the scar tissue and used basic fibroblast growth factor and a collagen scaffold to promote healing. The patient's voice quality was greatly increased, and she was content with her voice after 2 years of follow-up. This is the first report of this methodology in Korea and is presented along with a review of the literature.

Treatment of Carcinoma in Situ of Glottis by KTP Fiberoptic Laryngeal Laser Surgery Under Local Anesthesia

The optimal treatments of carcinoma in situ of glottis include radiotherapy, laser surgery and vertical partial laryngectomy. Conventional surgical treatments need general anesthesia and radiotherapy has several complications. Recently, the effectiveness of 532 nm potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser has been proven and widely used in vocal fold diseases even some cases of vocal fold dysplasia. A patient with difficult laryngeal exposure underwent fiberoptic laryngeal laser surgery using KTP laser under local anesthesia, showed improved voice outcome and the glottic lesion was removed successfully without local recurrence and regional metastasis 18 months after surgery.

Two Cases of Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare idiopathic tracheobronchial abnormality characterized by diffuse cartilaginous and osseous nodules protruding into the airway lumen of the trachea and bronchus. TO is easy to misdiagnose because of nonspecific symptoms and chest CT scan with pathologic biopsy is necessary for definitive diagnosis. We report two cases of patient with TO who underwent laryngomicroscopic biopsy and tracheostomy with literature review.

Predictive Factors for Occult Contralateral Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Patients with Ipsilateral Multifocality on Frozen Biopsy / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) frequently occurs as multifocal and bilateral tumors. However, multifocality and bilaterality are not easy to detect preoperatively and contralateral remnant tumor might lead to reoperation after hemithyroidectomy. We aimed to demonstrate the frequency of bilaterality and predictive factors for occult contralateral PTC when a frozen biopsy of hemithyroidectomy shows multifocal PTCs in one of the lobes. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: One hundred and thirty patients with PTC were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent hemithyroidectomy and frozen biopsy, followed by total thyroidectomy because of ipsilateral multifocality. Medical records, pathologic results, and preoperative ultrasound results were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups depending on bilaterality (unilateral or bilateral). RESULTS: Bilaterality was detected in 74 of 130 patients (56.9%). Bilateral group showed more number of carcinomas (3.9±1.4 vs. 2.3±0.9) and more tendency of existence of contralateral nodule (87.8% vs. 55.3%). Tumor size of 1 cm or more and contralateral nodules were significant predictive factors for the existence of occult contralateral PTC. The suspicious sonographic feature of contralateral nodule had 75.7% sensitivity and 75% specificity for detecting bilaterality. CONCLUSION: The incidence of bilateral PTC is high in patients with ipsilateral multiple tumors. When the frozen biopsy result shows multifocality in one of the lobes, the remnant tumor may lead to reoperation under recent guidelines on thyroid surgical extent. Characteristics of contralateral nodule can help physicians and patients to make the decision regarding surgical extent.

The Efficacy of Fibroblast Growth Factor for the Treatment of Chronic Vocal Fold Scarring: From Animal Model to Clinical Application

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the regenerative efficacy of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in a rabbit model of chronic vocal fold scarring and then confirmed its utility and safety in a prospective trial of patients with this condition. METHODS: FGF was injected three times, at 1-week intervals, into a chronic vocal fold scar created in a rabbit model. After 1 month, mRNA level of procollagen I, hyaluronic acid synthetase 2 (HAS 2), and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP 2) were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The relative densities of hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen were examined 3 months post-injection. From April 2012 to September 2014, a prospective clinical trial was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Korea. FGF was injected into the mild vocal fold scar of 17 consecutive patients with a small glottic gap. The patients underwent perceptual, stroboscopic, acoustic aerodynamic test, and Voice Handicap Index (VHI) survey prior to and 3, 6, and 12 months after FGF injection. RESULTS: FGF injection of the vocal fold scar decreased the density of collagen and increased mRNA level of HAS 2 and MMP 2 expression significantly compared to the control group injected with phosphate buffered solution in a rabbit model (P < 0.05). In the clinical trial, significant improvements in the majority of the subjective and objective voice parameters were registered 3 months after FGF injection and were maintained at 12 months. Complications associated with the FGF injections, such as granuloma, were not observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Based on the animal model and the prospective clinical trial, vocal fold injections of FGF in patients with mild chronic vocal fold scarring can significantly improve voice quality for as long as 1 year and without side effects. Our results recommend the use of FGF vocal fold injection as an alternative treatment modality for mild chronic vocal fold scarring.

Nationwide Multicenter Survey for Current Status of Endoscopic Thyroidectomy in Korea

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the current status of endoscopic thyroidectomy procedures in Korea in terms of indications, contraindications, advantages, disadvantages, complications, and limitations of each approach. METHODS: An email survey, consisting of 15 questions, was sent to 29 experienced endoscopic thyroidectomy surgeons. RESULTS: The most commonly used approach was the gasless transaxillary approach (66.7%), followed by the bilateral axillo-breast approach with gas insufflation (23.8%). The most common indication was less than 1 cm, single papillary thyroid cancer. The role of endoscopic thyroidectomy is not still established; some consider it a novel procedure (34.8%), others a transition to robotic thyroidectomy (34.8%). CONCLUSION: Our results shed light on the general consensus of opinions about endoscopic thyroidectomy, such as the advantages, disadvantages, complications, limitations, and even its future role.

Does Postthyroidectomy Syndrome Really Exist Following Thyroidectomy? Prospective Comparative Analysis of Open vs. Endoscopic Thyroidectomy

OBJECTIVES: This study prospectively evaluated postthyroidectomy syndrome (PTS) through objective and subjective voice changes following thyroidectomy of open vs. endoscopic thyroidectomy. METHODS: A prospective clinical trial (SCHBC IRB 09 26) was performed from Jan 2008 to Aug 2010 to compare the open thyroidectomy (OPEN group) and endoscopic thyroidectomy (ENDO group). Of the 110 patients, 75 completed the evaluation before and 1 and 6 months after surgery. Subjective parameters included perceptual analysis (GRBAS [grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain] scale), stroboscopic or flexible fiberscopic analysis, voice handicap index, and 5-point visual analog scales for vocal fatigue, singing difficulty, difficulty with high-pitch phonation, and neck discomfort. Objective parameters included acoustic, aerodynamic analysis and the electroglottograph. RESULTS: For the ENDO group (n=36), the operation time was longer than in the OPEN group (n=39; P<0.01). For the OPEN group, two objective and five subjective parameters were worse 1 month postoperatively; of these, two subjective parameters persisted for 6 months (P<0.05). For the ENDO group, three objective and six subjective parameters were worse 1 month postoperatively, and three of the subjective parameters persisted 6 months postoperatively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PTS really exists following simple thyroidectomy and are very common for both OPEN and ENDO groups. Most of the parameters improved gradually over time, but some subjective changes persisted 6 months postoperatively.

Long-Term Results of Endoscopic Dilatation for Tracheal and Subglottic Stenosis

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term results of endoscopic dilatation of airway stenosis and to evaluate predictive factors for favorable results. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with tracheal and subglottic stenosis who underwent endoscopic dilatation with at least 12 months follow-up were enrolled in this study. We evaluated predictive factors for final treatment outcome such as stenosis length, location, characteristics, procedure type, and the severity of stenosis. RESULTS: The final outcome of endoscopic dilatation showed a cure rate of 40.7%, improvement rate of 46.3%, and failure rate of 13.0%. Patients with mild stenosis or a shorter stenotic segment and those who underwent a touch-up procedure following tracheal resection with end-to-end anastomosis showed better outcomes. The cure rate of endoscopic dilatation for patients with shorter mild stenosis was 72.2%. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic dilatation may be a primary treatment modality for patients with airway stenosis characterized by mild severity and a short stenotic segment.