Prognostic factors for therapeutic sialendoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To review our experience with therapeutic sialendoscopy in both the submandibular and parotid glands in order to determine prognostic factors and improve successful outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Single-centre, retrospective chart review. METHOD: The medical records of patients who had undergone sialendoscopy for sialolithiasis were reviewed, and demographic details, stone data (location, size, multiplicity, mobility), and operative technique and success were recorded. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients were included: 70 patients with submandibular stones and 15 with parotid stones. Sialendoscopy was successful in all cases. Complete endoscopic removal was successful in 51 per cent of patients with submandibular stones and 47 per cent of those with parotid stones. Size (less than 5 mm) and distance from the papilla (less than 3 cm) were significant factors affecting success for patients with submandibular duct stones. However, this was not the case for patients with parotid duct stones, with neither variable achieving significance; nevertheless, numbers were small. CONCLUSION: Stone size and location significantly affect the success of therapeutic sialendoscopy in submandibular glands.

Role of neck dissection in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the parotid gland.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the rate of occult neck disease in patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the parotid gland following parotidectomy and neck dissection. METHODS: A consecutive series of patients treated between 2000 and 2014 for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the parotid were analysed. Patients were included if they had no clinical or radiological evidence of neck disease. Pathology of parotidectomy and neck dissection specimens was reviewed. Other variables analysed included patient immune status, surgery type, complications, use of positron emission tomography scanning and treatment with radiotherapy. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients had no clinical or radiological evidence of neck disease initially. Forty-six patients (70.8 per cent) underwent neck dissection. Occult neck disease was only found in 8 of the 46 patients (17.3 per cent). Occult neck disease was found more often in those with immunocompromise (5.7 vs 38.5 per cent, p = 0.003). Patients who were immunocompromised had a significantly worse disease-specific survival rate at five years (0 vs 92 per cent, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Occult neck disease was seen in 17.3 per cent of patients and immunosuppression was a significant predictor for this.

Pharyngeal pouch: which technique?

BACKGROUND: Pharyngeal pouches have been recognised as a cause of dysphagia for centuries and have been treated in a variety of ways over that time. OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to analyse the results of surgery by a variety of techniques, as performed by one surgeon. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of a case series was conducted, analysing the variables of patient age, sex, type of surgery, length of hospital stay, leak, recurrence and other complications. RESULTS: A total of 121 patients were treated by 135 operations. There were no leaks in the group treated by endoscopic stapling and this group also had a significantly shorter hospital stay. As for recurrence, the lowest rate appeared to be in the group treated by excision of the pouch. CONCLUSION: The techniques used by the author all still seem to have a role in the management of pharyngeal pouch, with the endoscopic stapling approach associated with a low rate of complications and short hospital stay.

Overexpression of miR-210 is associated with SDH-related pheochromocytomas, paragangliomas, and gastrointestinal stromal tumours.

miR-210 is a key regulator of response to hypoxia. Pheochromocytomas (PCs) and paragangliomas (PGLs) with germline SDHx or VHL mutations have pseudohypoxic gene expression signatures. We hypothesised that PC/PGLs containing SDHx or VHL mutations, and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs), would overexpress miR-210 relative to non-SDH or -VHL-mutated counterparts. miR-210 was analysed by quantitative PCR in i) 39 PC/PGLs, according to genotype (one SDHA, five SDHB, seven VHL, three NF1, seven RET, 15 sporadic, one unknown) and pathology (18 benign, eight atypical, 11 malignant, two unknown); ii) 18 GISTs, according to SDHB immunoreactivity (nine SDH-deficient and nine SDH-proficient) and iii) two novel SDHB-mutant neurosphere cell lines. miR-210 was higher in SDHx- or VHL-mutated PC/PGLs (7.6-fold) compared with tumours without SDHx or VHL mutations (P=0.0016). miR-210 was higher in malignant than in unequivocally benign PC/PGLs (P=0.05), but significance was lost when benign and atypical tumours were combined (P=0.08). In multivariate analysis, elevated miR-210 was significantly associated with SDHx or VHL mutation, but not with malignancy. In GISTs, miR-210 was higher in SDH-deficient (median 2.58) compared with SDH-proficient tumours (median 0.60; P=0.0078). miR-210 was higher in patient-derived neurosphere cell lines containing SDHB mutations (6.5-fold increase) compared with normal controls, in normoxic conditions (P<0.01). Furthermore, siRNA-knockdown of SDHB in HEK293 cells increased miR-210 by 2.7-fold (P=0.001) under normoxia. Overall, our results suggest that SDH deficiency in PC, PGL and GISTs induces miR-210 expression and substantiates the role of aberrant hypoxic-type cellular responses in the development of these tumours.

Human papillomavirus modifies the prognostic significance of T stage and possibly N stage in tonsillar cancer.

BACKGROUND: Despite the association with more advanced nodal stage, patients with human papillomavirus (HPV) positive oropharyngeal cancers have better outcomes. We examined whether the HPV can modify the effect of known prognostic factors in tonsillar cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 489 patients from 10 centres were followed up for recurrence or death for a median of 3.2 years. Determinants of the rate of locoregional recurrence, death from tonsillar cancer and overall survival were modelled using Cox regression. RESULTS: The prognostic value of T and N stages were modified by HPV as indicated by statistically significant interaction terms. After adjusting for age, gender and treatment, T stage appeared relevant only for HPV-positive cancers (where a higher T stage was associated with worse outcomes). There was some evidence that N stage was a more relevant prognostic factor for HPV-negative than -positive cancers. There was no evidence that the HPV modifies the effect of age, gender or grade on outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the prognostic significance of the conventional staging system in tonsillar cancer is modified by HPV.

Endoscopic treatment of glottic stenosis: a report on the safety and efficacy of CO2 laser.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of glottic stenosis is a considerable challenge to the otolaryngologist. Glottic airway patency can be compromised by bilateral vocal fold palsy, anterior webbing or a posterior segment scar, which may be significant enough to impair arytenoid movement. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of a prospective database of patients (n = 34) treated by a specialist airway surgeon. All patients underwent endoscopic treatment with a CO(2) laser in an attempt to improve airway calibre and, in 12 patients, to decannulate tracheostomy tubes. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients had bilateral vocal fold palsy and 13 had predominantly posterior glottic stenosis. A variety of pathology-directed treatment approaches were used to achieve good functional results. Four patients required a second endoscopic procedure. The overall revision rate was 5 per cent for bilateral fold palsy and 23 per cent for posterior glottic stenosis (p < 0.05). All patients had an adequate functional airway calibre, and all 12 tracheotomised patients were decannulated. DISCUSSION: Pathology-directed endoscopic laser surgery is safe and effective treatment for glottic stenosis. Rather prescriptive use of unilateral or bilateral cordotomy or combined cordo-arytenoidectomy, clinicians must perform the procedure that will treat the lesion most adequately. Our success rate compared favourably with the best reported results.

Chemotherapy alone with curative intent in patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the pharyngolarynx classified as T1-T4N0M0 complete clinical responders.

BACKGROUND: The current studies documented the results achieved with chemotherapy alone with curative intent in a series of 67 patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the pharyngolarynx classified as T1-T4N0M0 complete clinical responders after a platin-based induction chemotherapy regimen. METHODS: Group I consisted of 36 patients with tumors originating from the glottis. Group II consisted of 31 patients with tumors originating from sites within the pharyngolarynx other than the glottis. A minimum of 3 years of follow-up was achieved. Statistical analyses of survival, local control, lymph node control, distant metastasis, and second primary tumor rates were based on the Kaplan-Meier life-table method. Laryngeal preservation rates and local control rates are presented. RESULTS: The 5-year actuarial survival estimate was 85.1% in Group I patients and 54.8% in Group II patients. Survival was statistically more likely to be reduced in Group II patients compared with Group I patients (P = 0.01). The 5-year actuarial local control estimate was 65.7% in Group I patients and 37.5% in Group II patients. Local failure was statistically more likely to occur in Group II patients compared with Group I patients (P = 0.02). Local control rates after salvage treatment were 100% in Group I patients and 83% in Group II patients. Laryngeal preservation rates after salvage treatment were 100% in Group I patients and 64% in Group II patients. The 5-year actuarial lymph node control estimate was 90% in Group I patients and 73.7% in Group II patients. Lymph node failure was statistically more likely to occur in Group II patients compared with Group I patients (P = 0.04). The 5-year actuarial estimate for patients without distant metastasis was 100% in Group I patients and 90% in Group II patients. Distant metastasis was statistically more likely to occur in Group II patients compared with Group I patients (P = 0.03). The 10-year actuarial estimate for patients without metachronous second primary tumors was 56.4% in Group I and 46.1% in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: The current report 1) contradicts the old dogma of nonchemocurability for invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract and 2) suggests that the use of a platin-based chemotherapy-alone regimen with curative intent in patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the pharyngolarynx who are classified as T1-T4N0M0 complete clinical responders after receiving an induction chemotherapy regimen is best indicated when the tumor originates from the glottis.

Supracricoid partial laryngectomy for non-squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the potential utility of supracricoid partial laryngectomies (SCPLS) for non-squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. To illustrate our management of such tumours we present a case series based on six patients. Local control was achieved in five patients, with the sixth being salvaged by total laryngectomy and post-operative radiation therapy. Three of the six patients died of distant metastases. We concluded that supracricoid partial laryngectomies should become part of the armamentarium of the otolaryngologist - head and neck surgeon for non-squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

Laryngeal stenosis after supracricoid partial laryngectomy.

The purpose of this study was to review the incidence, risks, management, and outcomes of nontumoral laryngeal stenosis after supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SCPL) in a case series of 376 consecutive SCPLs performed at 1 institution from 1975 to 1995 with a minimum of 3 years of follow-up. Post-SCPL nontumoral symptomatic laryngeal stenosis was defined as an inability to decannulate patients before the 60th postoperative day (group 1) or the development of dyspnea (in patients without local recurrence) after an initial period of prolonged, successful decannulation (group 2). Of 376 SCPLs performed, nontumoral symptomatic laryngeal stenosis developed in 14 (3.7%). There were 7 patients (1.85%) in group 1 and 7 patients (1.85%) in group 2. In univariate analysis, none of the following variables appeared to be statistically related to the risk of immediate stenosis (group 1): age, gender, comorbidity, diabetes mellitus, symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux, arteritis, preoperative radiotherapy, arytenoid cartilage disarticulation, type of reconstruction performed, and postoperative radiotherapy. A delayed laryngeal stenosis (group 2) was statistically more likely to occur if the reconstruction performed at the time of SCPL was a cricohyoidopexy (p = .01). Successful management of the laryngeal stenosis without permanent tracheostomy was achieved in 5 group 1 patients and 3 group 2 patients. We believe that stenosis in group I patients arose through technical error, whereas group 2 patients seemed to suffer from problems of healing, mainly cicatricial narrowing of the airway at the site of the cricohyoidal impaction, or pexis. As a result, whereas laryngeal stenosis in group 1 patients was usually more easily correctable through dilation, laser incision, or resection of redundant tissue or revision of the impaction, laryngeal stenosis in group 2 patients presented a more difficult and frustrating complication. The management and outcomes of these patients are presented.

Supracricoid partial laryngectomy for severe laryngeal stenosis.

We report 2 cases in which supracricoid partial laryngectomy and cricohyoidoepiglottopexy were used to restore the airway in cases of severe associated glottic and supraglottic laryngeal stenosis.