Non-invasive methods to maintain cervical spine position after pediatric tracheal resections.

OBJECTIVES: To present our experience with two methods of neck stabilization after pediatric tracheal resection with primary anastomosis as possible alternatives to the traditional chest-chin suture. METHODS: Children undergoing tracheal resection and/or cricotracheal resection with anastomosis under tension were placed in cervical spine flexion postoperatively with either a chest-chin (Grillo) suture, an Aspen cervical collar or Trulife Johnson cervical-thoracic orthosis (CTO). A retrospective chart review of tracheal resections performed between 2005 and 2016 was completed to evaluate the positive and negative factors associated with each neck flexion technique. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients, there were 13 patients with the Grillo suture, 4 with the Aspen collar and 3 patients with the Johnson CTO. There were 13 tracheal resection procedures and 7 cricotracheal resections, all of which had anastomosis under tension. One major anastomosis dehiscence was noted with the Grillo suture technique which required reoperation. Two patients with the Grillo suture experienced skin breakdown at the suture site. The Aspen cervical collar, which fixed the cervical spine and prevented lateral and rotational motion, was limited in several cases in that it placed the spine in slight hyperextension. The Johnson CTO provided the most support in a flexed position and prevented cervical spine motion in all directions. No anastomosis complications were noted with the Aspen collar or the Johnson CTO, however, several patients sustained minor cutaneous wounds. CONCLUSION: In this series the Aspen cervical collar and Johnson CTO were used successfully as non-Grillo alternatives to postoperative neck stabilization in pediatric tracheal resections. Modifications to both devices are proposed to minimize cutaneous injuries and increase immobilization of the cervical spine in the desired flexed position. Although these devices appear to be safe and may be better tolerated, further innovation is needed to improve the design and fit of these devices.

Laryngomalacia in the older child: clinical presentations and management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the literature on laryngomalacia that manifests in older children and contrast this with congenital laryngomalacia seen more prevalently in infants. In doing so, we hope to offer relevant diagnostic and management options to treat late-onset laryngomalacia based from our experience and the current literature. RECENT FINDINGS: Laryngomalacia in older children can present differently than congenital laryngomalacia, and the most common and best understood consequence of late-onset laryngomalacia is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Other manifestations include exercise-induced stridor and possibly even dysphagia. When the diagnosis is properly made and the etiology is isolated to the larynx, supraglottoplasty can be an effective treatment option. SUMMARY: Compared with congenital laryngomalacia, the diagnosis and management of late-onset laryngomalacia is not as well defined. Few articles have addressed this condition directly, and more research is needed to better delineate how it presents and how it should be diagnosed. Finally, its treatment options, including the role of supraglottoplasty, need to be better understood.

Flexible carbon dioxide laser-assisted endoscopic marsupialization and ablation of a laryngeal saccular cyst in a neonate.

OBJECTIVE: To report the occurrence of a neonate with a lateral saccular cyst that was successfully managed by flexible, carbon dioxide laser-assisted endoscopic marsupialization and ablation. CASE SUMMARY: A full-term, 14-day-old girl presented to the clinic for progressively worsening stridor since birth. On fiber optic laryngoscopy, she was found to have a large, right saccular cyst obstructing the laryngeal inlet. The patient was admitted and underwent microlaryngeal endoscopic CO2 laser marsupialization and ablation of the saccular cyst. She was observed overnight and was discharged without complication the next day. At that time, stridor was no longer present and she remained symptom free at both her 2-week and 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: The congenital saccular cyst is a rare, abnormal dilation of the laryngeal saccule that is known to be a cause of airway obstruction. A variety of contrasting treatment strategies for laryngeal saccular cysts in children have been reported in the literature. Determining the definitive treatment modality thus remains a challenge that is compounded further by the rarity of the lesion. CONCLUSION: We introduce a new surgical technique that employs a 30-degree angled telescope with a flexible laser fiber system that provides excellent visualization of saccular cysts, in particular, lateral lesions that are less visible using line-of-sight technology.

Benefits of ultrasound vs. computed tomography in the diagnosis of pediatric lateral neck abscesses.

OBJECTIVE: There are no studies comparing the accuracy of ultrasound and computed tomography in the same population of pediatric patients with lateral neck abscesses. This case series assesses the accuracy of the two imaging techniques. METHODS: One hundred and forty imaging studies (ultrasound n=39 or CT n=101) that were performed from 2005 to 2011 prior to incision and drainage of a lateral neck mass at a tertiary care academic institution were retrospectively reviewed. All children 0-18 years of age with lateral neck abscesses who underwent CT or ultrasound imaging prior to drainage were included. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of ultrasound and CT were determined as compared to the gold standard, incision and drainage of the suspected abscess. RESULTS: In children undergoing incision and drainage, the prevalence of an abscess was 89%. Ultrasound has a high specificity (100%) but a low sensitivity (53%). The positive predictive value (96%) is high while the negative predictive value is low (16%), assuming a positive abscess prevalence of 0.9. In contrast, CT has low specificity (18%) but slightly higher sensitivity (68%) compared to ultrasound. Similar to ultrasound, CT had low negative (6%) and high positive (88%) predictive values. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that ultrasound may be an equivalently sensitive and more specific diagnostic tool when compared to CT in the work-up of lateral neck abscesses in children. It is safe and effective in diagnosis when there is an undetermined probability of an abscess.

Congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis: conservative management.

OBJECTIVES: This case series outlines the advantages of using 0.1% intranasal dexamethasone drops (IDD) to treat nasal obstruction in patients with congenital pyriform aperture stenosis (PAS). METHODS: Five consecutive cases of PAS were reviewed. RESULTS: Three patients were treated with IDD alone, and 2 were treated surgically and had residual postoperative nasal obstruction before IDD. Four patients in follow-up (mean, 1 year) were weaned off the steroid drops with good breathing results. One patient developed iatrogenic Cushing's disease, and another, who was initially treated with surgery, eventually required nasal vestibular stenosis repair in addition to IDD. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to review the use of IDD in treating PAS. The potential impact of midnasal stenosis is discussed, and a conservative management algorithm for patients with PAS is presented. Careful surveillance for potential side effects of IDD is recommended, especially in cases that require elevated doses.

Endoscopic Coblation for the treatment of advanced juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.

We present 2 cases of advanced juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) to illustrate the advantages of endoscopic Coblation-assisted resection of intranasal extensions of these masses. Both patients-an 11-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy-presented with a large, extensive mass (Radkowski stage IIIb and Fisch stage IVb in both cases). After embolization was performed on each patient, his JNA was partially ablated via an endoscopic approach with the Coblator II Surgery System with an EVac Xtra Plasma Wand in conjunction with an image-guided navigation system. Both patients experienced resolution of their nasal obstruction with removal of the intranasal extension of the tumor. Coblation allowed for a controlled debulking of the tumors with less blood loss and without the need for multiple instruments. To the best of our knowledge, our report is one of the first to describe image-guided endoscopic Coblation of advanced JNA tumors. Future studies in adequately sized populations are needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of Coblation-assisted endoscopic removal of both advanced and lower-stage JNAs.

Sleep apnea in children with laryngomalacia: diagnosis via sedated endoscopy and objective outcomes after supraglottoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: The authors study the contribution of laryngomalacia to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children older than 12 months. The clinical and polysomnographic outcomes in patients with OSAS who underwent a supraglottoplasty were also studied. SETTING: Tertiary care children's hospital. STUDY DESIGN: A case series with chart review. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A review of consecutive pediatric patients diagnosed with both OSAS and state-dependant laryngomalacia (SDL) between 2005 and 2008. The diagnosis of SDL was made via laryngoscopy under light general anesthesia (sleep endoscopy). All subjects underwent a supraglottoplasty. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients met inclusion criteria, and 36 patients had complete pre- and postoperative data available for review. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score decreased following supraglottoplasty for 33 (92%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 78%-98%) of the 36 patients. The mean (SD) change in AHI score (calculated as the postoperative minus the preoperative measure) was -9.2 (11.2), representing a statistically significant reduction (95% CI, -13.0 to -5.5; P < .0001). The mean (SD) preoperative AHI was 13.3 (12.9). The minimum oxygen saturation increased following supraglottoplasty for 21 (58%; 95% CI, 41%-74%). The mean (SD) change in the minimum oxygen saturation was 3.5 (8.3), which was a statistically significant increase (95% CI, 0.7-6.3; P = .015). CONCLUSION: Laryngomalacia may contribute significantly to OSAS in some children who are 12 months and older. Sleep endoscopy appears to be an effective method in the diagnosis of SDL. When present, a supraglottoplasty can be an effective procedure and may significantly improve symptoms of OSAS.

Bacteriology of the paranasal sinuses in pediatric cystic fibrosis patients.

OBJECTIVES: To review the characteristic microbiology of the paranasal sinuses in patients with cystic fibrosis who undergo endoscopic sinus surgery. To examine the subtypes of organisms cultured from the maxillary sinuses and determine their sensitivity to antibiotic therapy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary care children's hospital. METHODS: Sinus cultures were obtained from 51 patients with cystic fibrosis during endoscopic sinus procedures between 2000 and 2004 at a tertiary care children's hospital. A retrospective chart review was undertaken to obtain culture and sensitivity data of the sinus contents. RESULTS: The most common bacteria isolated was Staphylococcus aureus (71%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSA) (27%), Haemophilus influenzae (21%), Staphylococcus non-aureus (16%) and Streptococcus viridans (12%). Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis were rarely isolated (2% and 0% respectively). Twenty-nine percent of the patients with cultures positive for PSA were of the mucoid variant. Only one patient had culture positive Escherichia coli. Antibiotic resistance among the more common organisms cultured from the sinus samples is also listed. CONCLUSION: Staph. aureus is the most common isolate in the sinuses of this pediatric CF population followed by P. aeruginosa and H. influenzae. Although many isolates are pansensitive, some isolates are panresistant.

Changes in sleep apnea after supraglottoplasty in infants with laryngomalacia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical and polysomnography outcomes in infants with laryngomalacia undergoing supraglottoplasty. METHODS: Infants (<1 year old) who underwent polysomnography pre- and post-supraglottoplasty at our tertiary referral center between 2003 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Outcome measures included changes in stridor, sleep disordered breathing, swallowing, and polysomnography parameters before and after surgery. Pre- and postoperative distributions were compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: 20 children met inclusion criteria. Statistically significant improvements were found in pre- to postoperative median values for apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (median change: -6.4 points, p=0.02) and obstructive apnea index (median change: -2.9 points, p=0.01) values. Obstructive AHI, O2 saturation nadir, and percentage of sleep spent with <90% O2 saturation improved, although not significantly. Postoperative AHI scores correlated with improvements in stridor in 80% of patients. Stratification showed similar improvements in AHI after supraglottoplasty regardless of reflux treatment, secondary airway lesions, age at supraglottoplasty, or time lag between supraglottoplasty and postoperative polysomnography. Secondary airway lesions are the only potential confounders shown to have significantly better improvements in O2 nadir. While the sleep study improved in patients with AHI >5, infants with AHI <5 had worse polysomnography parameter values postoperatively. Five patients had dysphagia that resolved within one month postoperatively; otherwise, supraglottoplasty resulted in no complications. CONCLUSION: Supraglottoplasty may be an effective and safe option to improve moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in infants with laryngomalacia. In addition, polysomnography may be useful in infants with laryngomalacia to identify obstructive sleep apnea and/or to objectively measure outcomes after supraglottoplasty. This pilot study warrants a larger, prospective, and controlled study to validate these findings.

Feeding outcomes in infants after supraglottoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Review the impact of bilateral supraglottoplasty on feeding and compare the risk of postoperative feeding difficulties between infants with and without additional comorbidities. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. SETTING: Children's hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The medical records of all patients between birth and 12 months of age treated for laryngomalacia with bilateral supraglottoplasty by a single surgeon (GPD) between December 2005 and September 2009 and followed for a minimum of 1 month were reviewed. Infants with significant comorbidities were evaluated separately. Nutritional intake before and after surgery, as well as speech and language pathology reports, was reviewed to qualify any feeding difficulties. Age at the time of surgery, additional surgical interventions, medical comorbidities, and length of follow-up were also noted during chart review. RESULTS: Of 81 infants who underwent bilateral supraglottoplasty, 75 were eligible for this review. In the cohort of infants without comorbidities, 46 of 48 (96%) had no change or an improvement in their oral intake after surgery. Of the 2 patients with initial worsening of feeding, all resumed oral intake within 2 months. In the group of patients with additional medical comorbidities, 22% required further interventions such as nasogastric tube, dietary modification, or gastrostomy tube placement. CONCLUSIONS: Supraglottoplasty in infants has a low incidence of persistent postoperative dysphagia. Infants with additional comorbidities are at a higher risk of feeding difficulty than otherwise healthy infants.

Diagnosis and management of upper aerodigestive tract foreign bodies.

Although often listed together in review articles and case series, tracheobronchial and esophageal foreign bodies can be dissimilar. Airway foreign bodies can range widely in the severity of presentation. When to proceed with a diagnostic bronchoscopy is not always obvious and is based on three diagnostic tools: clinical history, physical examination, and radiography. Radiography plays a more central role in the diagnosis of an esophageal foreign body. In either condition, a delay in diagnosis leads to a greater complication rate. This article provides diagnostic and treatment guidelines in the management of aerodigestive foreign bodies.

Congenital aural atresia: review of short- and long-term surgical results.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To review the short- (<1 yr) and long-term (>1 yr) surgical and hearing outcomes for congenital aural atresia and to analyze the stability of surgical results over time. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of 45 patients (54 ears) who underwent surgery for congenital aural atresia during a 5-year period at a tertiary care institution. METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative speech reception thresholds, air-bone gaps (ABGs), and pure-tone averages were compared and further analyzed for outcome stability over time. The complication rate was reviewed and compared with results from similar studies. RESULTS: Approximately 50% of patients achieved a speech reception threshold of 30 dB or better both in the short and long term. The average improvement in ABG was 22 dB, resulting in a postoperative ABG of 30 dB or less in three of four patients. Short- and long-term outcomes were not significantly different. Patients with an intact ossicular chain did not seem to have a significant advantage in hearing when compared with patients with a prosthetic reconstruction prosthesis. We report a low incidence of meatal stenosis compared with other similar reviews and describe surgical modifications that may attribute to this outcome. CONCLUSION: Overall, the mean hearing outcome for this group collectively did not significantly degrade over time and compared favorably with other series. However, there was significant variability among individual patients. The safety of this procedure and the demonstrated hearing improvement makes it a reasonable option in patients with congenital aural atresia with favorable anatomy.

Congenital stridor secondary to an upper airway cyst in a patient with Ellis-van Creveld syndrome.

We report the occurrence of a pyriform sinus cyst in a patient with Ellis-van Crevald syndrome. The patient presented with congenital stridor. The cyst was drained but recurred. MRI scanning revealed extensive involvement in the neck. Marsupialization and CO2 laser ablation of the lesion was successful, and the patient remained free of symptoms. Although oral lesions have been described in association with this syndrome, to our knowledge this is the first case report of an upper airway cyst in a patient with the Ellis-van Crevald syndrome.