ABSTRACT
Neonates are obligatory nasal breathers hence nasal obstruction is a very important symptom to be evaluated. Although causes can be trivial most of the time, they can be life-threatening in some. Respiratory distress immediately after birth, feeding difficulties, paradoxical cyanosis, and failure to thrive are the most evident symptoms, and determination of unilateral or bilateral involvement guides the rationale for elective or emergency intervention. This study aimed to evaluate the causes, presentation, and management of neonates with nasal obstruction. We collected the data of all the neonates evaluated for nasal obstruction at our hospital over the past 20 years from June 2003 to May 2023 and assessed the strategy of approach for diagnosis and management of those cases. In our study, the commonest cause for neonatal nasal obstruction was found to be choanal atresia and the rarest was iatrogenic. A variety of other causes were also reported. As neonatal nasal obstruction has a multitude of rare causes each carries a unique assessment and treatment plan. History taking and clinical examination are the most important parts of evaluation including endoscopic evaluation in an office-based setup. Imaging studies add to the evaluation of cases of anatomical obstructions and associated anomalies (syndromes). Early diagnosis and swift intervention can be life-saving. The need for follow-up visits and second-stage corrections should be emphasized in getting the best long-term results.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To analyze the effects of chronic adenoid hypertrophy on quality of life (QOL) of children and caregivers and compare quality of life of child before and after adenoidectomy. Materials & Methods: Prospective, observational before and after questionnaire based assessment study at a pediatric otorhinolaryngology specialty center in a metropolitan quaternary care hospital. Children aged between 2 and 12 years undergoing adenoidectomy were included. Parents were asked to fill the Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 (OSA-18) Quality of Life Index Questionnaire one day before surgery and after one month of surgery during their scheduled follow-up visit. The study was conducted over a period of 1 year and total of 40 children's assessment was done. Results were tabulated and analyzed. Results: The mean age of presentation was 6 years. Based on OSA-18 quality of life assessment scoring the total pre-operative mean score was 73.3 and post-operative was 40.5. There was significant change in OSA-18 total score and individual domain scores post-operatively indicating significant improvement in QOL post adenoidectomy. The domains most affected due to chronic adenoid hypertrophy were physical suffering, caregiver concerns and sleep disturbance (p value < 0.001).Conclusion: Chronic adenoid hypertrophy has major impact on quality of life of a child along with caregiver concern and they show significant improvement after adenoidectomy. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-023-04000-z.
ABSTRACT
A case of nasopharyngeal glial heterotopia with persistent craniopharyngeal canal is being reported. These lesions though rare should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neonates who present with nasal obstruction. Careful radiological evaluation for a persistent craniopharyngeal canal and differentiating the nasopharyngeal mass from brain tissue is of paramount importance.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Identifying surgical candidacy for the management of laryngomalacia is a challenge. Objective: To develop a simple scoring system for surgical candidacy in laryngomalacia. Methods: Eighteen years retrospective observational study of children with laryngomalacia (LM) clinically categorized into mild, moderate and severe LM and were analyzed for surgical candidacy. Results: There were 113 children (age ranging from 5 days to 14 months), 44% being mild, 30% moderate and 26% severe LM. None in mild, 32% in moderate, and all in severe LM had surgical intervention. Presence of stridor on feeding or crying and isolated type 1 or type 2 LM on laryngoscopy were significant indicators for conservative treatment (p-< 0.0001). Moderate failure to thrive, retraction at rest/sleep, with low oxygen saturation while feeding/at rest were significantly higher in both moderate and severe groups with laryngoscopic evidence of combined type 1 and 2 in moderate LM (p < 00,001). Aspiration pneumonia, hospitalization, pectus and mean pulmonary arterial pressure of more than 25 mmHg with laryngoscopic findings of all three combined types were significantly higher in severe LM (p < 0.0001).A simple scoring system was then developed and it revealed that a score of 10 or more required surgical intervention. Conclusion and clinical significance: A clinical scoring system is being reported for the first time in medical literature to identify 'the difficult to treat' subset within moderate laryngomalacia category simplifying decision making in its management for otolaryngologists and pediatricians as well as a referral criterion for pediatric otolaryngologists' services.
ABSTRACT
Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common condition affecting children. It is one of the most common causes for reduced hearing in pediatric age group leading to various learning disabilities including delayed speech development. The aim of this study was to find out various epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for developing OME and various treatment modalities depending on the clinical features and their outcomes in urban pediatric population. A prospective comparative study was done in 100 children taken 50 as cases and 50 as controls for a period of 2 years. The risk factors, common presenting features and the examination and investigational findings (tympanometry) of the study condition were compared among the cases and controls. Among the 50 cases, 28 children were treated medically and 22 underwent surgical treatment in the form of Myringotomy and Grommet insertion. The patients were followed up-to 6 months in both groups.
ABSTRACT
Sixty head injury patients were evaluated for hearing loss; ten underwent ABER testing. Forty percent of the cases had hearing loss of different degrees. The audiometric pattern was variable in the different types of injuries, although the incidence of conductive deafness was quite low (5%). In most of the cases of sensorineural hearing loss, the end organ was implicated. Recruitment was demonstrated in the ABERs, as well as in the retrocochlear lesions, by studying the IPLs present.
