ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to form astute deductions regarding the presentation, treatment and mortality of otogenic brain complications. METHODS: A systematic literature search of four medical databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus) was conducted. Studies associated with otogenic brain complications were considered eligible. Fixed- and random-effects model meta-analysis was developed to assess the proportion estimate for each outcome individually. RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies, with 1650 patients in total, were included. In 66 per cent of patients there was a known history of chronic otitis media. The most common symptoms were purulent otorrhoea (84 per cent), headache (65 per cent) and otalgia (45 per cent). A brain abscess was observed in 49 per cent of patients, followed by meningitis (34 per cent) and sinus thrombosis (22 per cent). A combination of surgical and conservative therapy was chosen in 84.3 per cent of cases and the mortality rate approached 11.1 per cent. CONCLUSION: Otogenic brain complications are a possibly life-threatening condition. Prompt imaging examination may set the final diagnosis and lead to an effective treatment.
ABSTRACT
The critical role of epiglottis in airway narrowing contributing to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) intolerance has recently been revealed. This systematic review was conducted to evaluate available surgical treatment options for epiglottic collapse in adult patients with OSA. The Pubmed and Scopus databases were searched for relevant articles up to and including March 2022 and sixteen studies were selected. Overall, six different surgical techniques were described, including partial epiglottectomy, epiglottis stiffening operation, glossoepiglottopexy, supraglottoplasty, transoral robotic surgery, maxillomandibular advancement and hypoglossal nerve stimulation. All surgical methods were reported to be safe and effective in managing selected OSA patients with airway narrowing at the level of epiglottis. The surgical management of epiglottic collapse can improve OSA severity or even cure OSA, but can also improve CPAP compliance. The selection of the appropriate surgical technique should be part of an individualised, patient-specific therapeutic approach. However, there are not enough data to make definitive conclusions and additional high-quality studies are required.
