The Incidence of Laryngotracheal Stenosis in Neonates With a History of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Neonatal patients requiring prolonged intubation are susceptible to both infection and laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS). This study investigated the effect of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) on the development of LTS in neonates. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. METHODS: The incidence of LTS in neonates with VAP was compared with the incidence of LTS in matched intubated controls without VAP. Patients were treated at a tertiary-care medical center from 2004 to 2014. Eligible patient records were assessed for the development of LTS. Demographics, medical comorbidities, infection characteristics, and treatment variables were compared using unpaired t test or χ2 test. Statistical significance was set a priori at P < .05. RESULTS: When comparing the VAP patients with matched non-VAP controls, we found no significant differences in the incidence of LTS (VAP vs. non-VAP, 8.3% vs. 6.7%; P = .73). In subgroup analysis of the VAP cohort, LTS and non-LTS patients demonstrated similar VAP organisms on broncho-alveolar lavage (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Enterobacter). Additionally, within the VAP cohort, LTS and non-LTS patients showed similar gestational age (LTS vs. non-LTS, 31.3 days vs. 28.1 days; P = .22), birth weight (LTS vs. non-LTS, 1.6 kg vs. 1.2 kg; P = .33), and similar intubation duration (LTS vs. non-LTS, 37.8 days vs. 27.5 days; P = .52). CONCLUSIONS: In this neonatal cohort, VAP was not associated with an increased incidence of LTS. Given severity of the burden of LTS on the healthcare system, multi-institutional longitudinal investigation into contributing risk factors for neonatal LTS is warranted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 130:2252-2255, 2020.

Incidence of Laryngotracheal Stenosis after Thermal Inhalation Airway Injury.

Inhalation injury is independently associated with burn mortality, yet little information is available on the incidence, risk factors, or functional outcomes of thermal injury to the airway. In patients with thermal inhalation injury, we sought to define the incidence of laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS), delineate risk factors associated with LTS development, and assess long-term tracheostomy dependence as a proxy for laryngeal function. Retrospective cohort study of adult patients treated for thermal inhalation injury at a single institution burn critical care unit from 2012 to 2017. Eligible patients' records were assessed for LTS (laryngeal, subglottic, or tracheal stenosis). Patient characteristics, burn injury characteristics, and treatment-specific covariates were assessed. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U-tests, odds ratio, and chi-square tests compared LTS versus non-LTS groups. Of 129 patients with thermal inhalation injury during the study period, 8 (6.2%) developed LTS. When compared with the non-LTS group, patients with LTS had greater mean TBSA (mean 30.3, Interquartile Range 7-57.5 vs 10.5, Interquartile Range 0-15.12, P = .01), higher grade of inhalation injury (mean 2.63 vs 1.80, P = .05), longer duration of intubation (12.63 vs 5.44; P < .001), and greater inflammatory response (mean white blood cell count on presentation 25.8 vs 14.9, P = .02, mean hyperglycemia on presentation 176.4 vs 136.9, P = .01). LTS patients had a significantly higher rate of tracheostomy dependence at last follow-up (50 vs 1.7%, P < .001). Six percent of patients with thermal inhalation injury develop LTS. LTS was associated with more severe thermal airway injury, longer duration of intubation, and more severe initial host inflammation. Patients with inhalation injury and LTS are at high risk for tracheostomy dependence. In burn patients with thermal inhalation injury, laryngeal evaluation and directed therapy should be incorporated early into multispecialty pathways of care.

Long-Term Hearing Outcomes following Total Ossicular Reconstruction with Titanium Prostheses.

OBJECTIVE: (1) Characterize a large cohort of patients undergoing total ossicular chain reconstruction with titanium prosthesis. (2) Analyze long-term hearing outcomes of the same cohort. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. SETTING: Tertiary care center. SUBJECT AND METHODS: This study reviews patients who underwent total ossicular chain reconstruction (OCR) with titanium prostheses (TORPs) at a single tertiary care center from 2005 to 2015. Patient charts were reviewed for demographic data, diagnosis, and operative details. Patients were included in statistical analysis if length of follow-up was 2 years or more. Evaluation of hearing improvement was made by comparing preoperative air-bone gap (ABG) and ABG at follow-up at 2 years. RESULTS: In total, 153 patients were identified who met inclusion criteria. The mean age of included patients was 40 years (range, 6-89 years). Sixty patients (39%) had a history of OCR, and 120 patients (78%) had a diagnosis of cholesteatoma at the time of OCR. Preoperatively, the mean ABG was 36 ± 12, whereas the mean ABG at 2-year follow-up improved to 26 ± 13. This was statistically significant (P < .0001) using a Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test. Twelve patients (8%) required revision OCR. Two revisions were performed due to prosthesis extrusion (<1%). CONCLUSION: Titanium prostheses lead to significant improvement in hearing over long periods. The results are sustained as far out as 5 years following surgery. In addition, rates of revision surgery with titanium TORPs are low. Based on this series, there are no readily identifiable predictors for outcomes following total OCR.