Mechanism of the Immediate Effect of Balloon Dilation Therapy in Spinal Muscular Atrophy With Dysphagia: A High-Resolution Manometric Study.

Balloon dilation therapy (BDT) is used to treat pharyngeal dysphagia in patients with impaired upper esophageal sphincter (UES) relaxation due to cricopharyngeal dysfunction. However, the mechanism underlying this immediate effect remains unclear. Here, we present a case in which we investigated the immediate effects of BDT on UES dysfunction using high-resolution manometry (HRM). A 67-year-old man was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). He gradually developed dysphagia, and a gastrostomy was performed. Despite continuing oral intake of supplemental nutrition, the patient developed dysphagia. Videofluoroscopic (VF) examination of swallowing revealed pharyngeal residue, while HRM showed weak pharyngeal contractility and impaired UES opening. BDT was performed to address the UES dysfunction. Immediately following BDT, VF demonstrated improved pharyngeal bolus passage. As for the UES function during swallowing, HRM revealed that the UES relaxation duration was significantly longer and the UES nadir pressure was significantly decreased. The patient continued the BDT before oral intake. HRM revealed immediate and prolonged UES opening with decreased UES pressure during swallowing as an immediate effect of BDT. This suggests that these findings represent the mechanisms underlying dysphagia in this patient with SMA. BDT resulted in an immediate improvement in UES function, potentially leading to dysphagia improvement. BDT should be combined with conventional rehabilitation for impaired UES opening. However, further studies are needed to confirm the long-term effectiveness of BDT for dysphagia due to SMA.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Pharyngeal Gonorrhea in Korean Men With Urethritis.

Background: Pharyngeal infection is more difficult to diagnose and treat than genital or rectal infection and can act as a reservoir for gonococcal infection. We determined the prevalence of pharyngeal gonorrhea in Korean men with urethritis and analyzed the molecular characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. Methods: Seventy-two male patients with symptoms of urethritis who visited a urology clinic in Wonju, Korea, between September 2016 and March 2018 were included. Urethral and pharyngeal gonococcal cultures, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, Neisseria gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST), and multiplex real-time PCR (mRT-PCR) were performed. Results: Among the 72 patients, 59 tested positive for gonococcus by mRT-PCR. Of these 59 patients, 18 (30.5%) tested positive in both the pharynx and urethra, whereas 41 tested positive only in the urethra. NG-MAST was feasible in 16 out of 18 patients and revealed that 14 patients had the same sequence types in both urethral and pharyngeal specimens, whereas two patients exhibited different sequence types between the urethra and pharynx. Of the 72 patients, 33 tested culture-positive. All patients tested positive only in urethral specimens, except for one patient who tested positive in both. All culture-positive specimens also tested positive by mRT-PCR. All isolates were susceptible to azithromycin and spectinomycin, but resistance rates to ceftriaxone and cefixime were 2.9% and 14.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of pharyngeal gonorrhea in Korean men with gonococcal urethritis is as high as 30.5%, highlighting the need for pharyngeal screening in high-risk groups. Ceftriaxone is the recommended treatment for pharyngeal gonorrhea.

Time-to-Treatment Delays and Their Prognostic Implications in Pharyngeal Cancer-An Exploratory Analysis in Western Romania.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis and treatment for pharyngeal cancer are decisive in determining prognosis. Diagnosis delays are frequent, representing a significant cause of avoidable mortality, and an important factor in subpar survival across the continuous HNC care delivery. METHODS: The present study represents a retrospective analysis of medical records from Western Romania, which included 180 patients, to evaluate the impact of time-to-treatment delay on patients diagnosed with pharyngeal cancer. The data analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method R (version 3.6.3) packages, including tidyverse, final-fit, mcgv, survival, stringdist, janitor, and Hmisc. RESULTS: The mean days from diagnosis until the end of treatment were higher for the nasopharynx group. Cox regression analysis regarding diagnosis to treatment duration categories showed an increased risk mortality by 3.11 times (95%CI: 1.51-6.41, p = 0.0021) with a Harrell's C-index of 0.638 (95%CI: 0.552-0.723). The hypopharynx and oropharynx locations increased risk mortality by 4.59 (95%CI: 1.55-13.55) and 5.49 times (95%CI: 1.79-16.81) compared to the nasopharynx location. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study led to the conclusion that it seems there is a trend of mortality risk for oropharynx and hypopharynx cancers due to delays in the time to treatment over 70 days, standing as a basis for further research as there is an imperative need for prospective multicenter studies.

A Potential Role of fgf4, fgf24, and fgf17 in Pharyngeal Pouch Formation in Zebrafish.

In vertebrates, Fgf signaling is essential for the development of pharyngeal pouches, which controls facial skeletal development. Genetically, fgf3 and fgf8 are required for pouch formation in mice and zebrafish. However, loss-of-function phenotypes of fgf3 and fgf8 are milder than expected in mice and zebrafish, which suggests that an additional fgf gene(s) would be involved in pouch formation. Here, we analyzed the expression, regulation, and function of three fgfs, fgf4, fgf24, and fgf17, during pouch development in zebrafish. We find that they are expressed in the distinct regions of pharyngeal endoderm in pouch formation, with fgf4 and fgf17 also being expressed in the adjacent mesoderm, in addition to previously reported endodermal fgf3 and mesodermal fgf8 expression. The endodermal expression of fgf4, fgf24, and fgf17 and the mesodermal expression of fgf4 and fgf17 are positively regulated by Tbx1 but not by Fgf3, in pouch formation. Fgf8 is required to express the endodermal expression of fgf4 and fgf24. Interestingly, however, single mutant, all double mutant combinations, and triple mutant for fgf4, fgf24, and fgf17 do not show any defects in pouches and facial skeletons. Considering a high degree of genetic redundancy in the Fgf signaling components in craniofacial development in zebrafish, our result suggests that fgf4, fgf24, and fgf17 have a potential role for pouch formation, with a redundancy with other fgf gene(s).

Do Palatoplasty Procedures Resolve Hypernasality as Effectively as Pharyngoplasty Procedures in Patients with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome?

OBJECTIVE: Compare the effectiveness of palatoplasty and pharyngoplasty procedures at resolving hypernasality in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Metropolitan children's hospital. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients with 22q presenting for management of velopharyngeal insufficiency. INTERVENTIONS: Palatoplasty or pharyngoplasty procedure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Resolution of hypernasality 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Both procedure groups had a mean preoperative velopharyngeal gap of 6.2 mm during phonation. No patient who underwent palatoplasty achieved resolution of hypernasality; 1/7 patients had worse hypernasality, 4/7 had no change, and 2/7 had improved hypernasality. In contrast, hypernasality was resolved in 6/7 patients in the pharyngoplasty group, which was significantly (P = .03) higher than the palatoplasty group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with 22q, palatoplasty procedures may be less effective than pharyngoplasty procedures at resolving hypernasality. This may be due to underlying anatomic or physiologic differences, such as increased pharyngeal depth and hypodynamic muscles.

Pharyngeal Constrictor-Sparing Salvage Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy with Tongue-Out for In-Field Recurrence after Definitive Radiation Therapy for Head & Neck Cancer: Guide to Tongue-Out Radiation Therapy (TORT).

This report details a pharyngeal constrictor muscle (PCM)-sparing stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) using our institutional technique of "Tongue-out" RT (TORT) for treating a local recurrent cancer in the uvula (GTVuvula) in a patient with history of a definitive chemo-RT (70 Gy with weekly cisplatin) for a locally advanced laryngeal cancer four years ago. TORT includes optimizing the patients' reproducible tongue-out position using readily available medicine cup (30 cc) followed by sculping the thermoplastic mask with tongue-out, and real-time visual monitoring of the tongue position during the CT-simulation scan, CBCT acquisition, and treatment. Between arcs during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), time for tongue relaxation and saliva swallowing can be given to the patient. Without TORT, the patient's GTVuvula abutted the medial aspect of superior PCM (medial-sPCM) and a substantial volume of the previously irradiated sPCM would have received high radiation dose from this salvage SBRT (32.5 Gy in 5 fractions). Compared to without TORT, the shortest distance between medial-sPCM-to-GTVuvula was increased by 13 mm with TORT, which reduced radiation dose to sPCM in salvage SBRT plan. The mean dose (Dmean) to sPCM was decreased from 20.5 Gy without TORT to 12.7 Gy with TORT. With TORT, minimal sPCM volumes fell within higher isodose line: volume receiving ≥ 60% prescription dose (V60%Rx), V80%Rx, and V100%Rx to sPCM was, 4.8 vs. 0.7 cc (without vs. with TORT, respectively), 2.9 vs. 0.19 cc, and 1.6 vs. 0.04 cc, respectively. Maximum dose (Dmax) to medial-sPCM was 34.6 Gy without TORT vs. 22.7 Gy with TORT. These high doses to the sPCM and intrafractional swallowing-related geographic misses of GTVuvula were avoided through the application of TORT in this salvage re-RT setting. The patient successfully finished salvage SBRT with TORT resulting no dysphagia or mucositis and maintained complete response at 12 months after treatment.

A dysphagia model with denervation of the pharyngeal constrictor muscles in guinea pigs: functional evaluation of swallowing.

Introduction: Swallowing impairment is a crucial issue that can lead to aspiration, pneumonia, and malnutrition. Animal models are useful to reveal pathophysiology and to facilitate development of new treatments for dysphagia caused by many diseases. The present study aimed to develop a new dysphagia model with reduced pharyngeal constriction during pharyngeal swallowing. Methods: We analyzed the dynamics of pharyngeal swallowing over time with the pharyngeal branches of the vagus nerve (Ph-X) bilaterally or unilaterally transected, using videofluoroscopic assessment of swallowing in guinea pigs. We also evaluated the detailed anatomy of the pharyngeal constrictor muscles after the denervation. Results: Videofluoroscopic examination of swallowing showed a significant increase in the pharyngeal area during swallowing after bilateral and unilateral sectioning of the Ph-X. The videofluoroscopy also showed significantly higher pharyngeal transit duration for bilateral and unilateral section groups. The thyropharyngeal muscle on the sectioned side was significantly thinner than that on the intact side. In contrast, the thickness of the cricopharyngeal muscles on the sectioned and intact sides were not significantly different. The mean thickness of the bilateral thyropharyngeal muscles showed a linear correlation to the pharyngeal area and pharyngeal transit duration. Discussion: Data obtained in this study suggest that denervation of the Ph-X could influence the strength of pharyngeal contraction during pharyngeal swallowing in relation to thickness of the pharyngeal constrictor muscles, resulting in a decrease in bolus speed. This experimental model may provide essential information (1) for the development of treatments for pharyngeal dysphagia and (2) on the mechanisms related to the recovery process, reinnervation, and nerve regeneration following injury and swallowing impairment possibly caused by medullary stroke, neuromuscular disease, or surgical damage from head and neck cancer.

Effect of Slow Maxillary Expansion and Alternative Rapid Maxillary Expansion Protocols on Airway Volume in Cleft Palate Cases: A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Based Study.

A total of 22 patients with cleft palate aged 8 to 12 years were selected and categorized into two groups: the first group was treated with alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction (Alt-RAMEC) using an expander with differential opening (EDO) and facemask, while the second group was treated using slow maxillary expansion (SME) using an EDO. Finally, the pharyngeal airway volume in the two groups was compared using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBCT scans were performed before expansion and six months following the expansion. Alveolar crest level, maxillary breadth, nasal cavity width, arch width, inclination of the molar teeth, buccal and palatal alveolar bone thickness, and maxillary alveolar width were all assessed. Paired t-tests (p=0.05) were applied to compare interphase data. The two groups showed a non-significant difference in terms of nasopharyngeal volume (cm3), oropharyngeal volume (cm3), and overall pre- and post-treatment results (p>0.005). Results of comparison of pre- and post-treatment periods in the Alt-RAMEC group revealed a significantly higher cleft volume (cm3) (p=0.001). Results of comparison of pre- and post-treatment periods in the SME group revealed a substantial rise in cleft volume (cm3) (p=0.003). Results from a comparison of the cleft volume (cm3) between the two study groups pre- and post-intervention revealed a non-significant difference (p=0.200 and 0.054, respectively).

Orthognathic surgery improves compromised natural head position and pharyngeal airway in patients with Skeletal Class II or III malocclusion.

BACKGROUND: Natural head position (NHP), pharyngeal airway and maxillofacial growth pattern are correlated. The author's previous studies proved that following surgical correction of Skeletal Class II malocclusion, the over-extended NHP returned upright, and the pharyngeal airway space (PAS) dimension expanded. OBJECTIVE: The present study compares the post-operative change in NHP and PAS after orthognathic surgery in Skeletal Class II and III malocclusion patients. METHODS: Patients receiving orthognathic procedures to correct Skeletal Class II or III malocclusions were reviewed in this retrospective study. Pre-operative and 6-week post-operative cone-beam computed tomography datasets were collected. Variables representing the craniofacial pattern, the NHP and the PAS were measured three-dimensionally. Post-operative variables were compared with their pre-operative counterparts using either repeat-measure 2-way analysis of variance or Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test. RESULTS: Thirty cases of Skeletal Class II malocclusion and 13 cases of Skeletal Class III malocclusion were collected. Preoperatively, the inter-group differences were significant in craniofacial pattern (68.14 ± 3.552 degree vs. 79.63 ± 2.497 degree, p < .0001) and the NHP (68.77 ± 11.02 degree vs. 82.83 ± 7.738 degree, p = .0002) while not significant in PAS; after surgery, the intergroup differences in craniofacial pattern and the NHP between groups decreased, and the PAS increased in both groups. CONCLUSION: Orthognathic surgery may improve compromised NHP and increase PAS in Skeletal Class II and III malocclusion patients.

Cephalometric Pharyngeal Morphology in Adults with Unoperated Cleft Palate.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to cephalometrically evaluate the pharyngeal morphology in adults with unoperated Submucous Cleft Palate (SMCP), adults with unoperated Overt Cleft Palate (OCP), and adults without clefts. DESIGN: This study employed a retrospective cross-sectional design. Lateral cephalometric radiography was performed on three groups of adults: 1) 29 with unrepaired SMCP; 2) 41 with unrepaired OCP; and 3) 39 without clefts, who served as controls. One-way ANOVA and rank-sum tests were used for intergroup comparisons. P value was set at .05. RESULTS: The soft palate length and the ratio of soft palate length to pharyngeal depth were significantly lower in subjects with unoperated SMCP and OCP than in non-cleft controls. Significant differences were also observed in pharyngeal depth, nasopharyngeal depth, and posterior pharyngeal wall thickness between subjects with unoperated OCP and non-cleft controls. CONCLUSIONS: Pharyngeal morphology differs significantly between individuals with and without clefts, particularly in soft palate length and the ratio of soft palate length to pharyngeal depth.

Pan-immune-inflammation value: a new prognostic index in operative laryngeal and pharyngeal carcinomas.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to further evaluate the potential value of Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value (PIV) as a prognostic marker in patients with laryngeal and pharyngeal tumors. METHODS: A total of 545 patients with laryngeal and pharyngeal tumors who underwent surgery at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University were included. We determined the optimal cutoff of PIV and divided the patients into two groups. The relationship between PIV and clinicopathological features was explored by the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between PIV and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). We also compared the prognostic predictive value of PIV with other inflammation-related markers. Finally, we developed a simple scoring prediction model based on several independent prognostic parameters. RESULTS: We found that PIV was statistically associated with clinicopathological features such as tumor stage (p < 0.001), node stage (p = 0.001), postoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.026), and vascular thrombosis (p = 0.027). Survival analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between elevated PIV and reduced OS and DFS (p < 0.0001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis further confirmed PIV as a prognostic indicator (HR 2.507; 95% CI 1.343-4.681; p = 0.004), which is superior to SII, NLR, MLR and PLR. Three of the independent prognostic factors screened by multivariate Cox regression analysis were selected to be used to create a scoring system with a concordance index of 0.756. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PIV is associated with poor prognosis in patients with laryngeal and pharyngeal tumors, suggesting that PIV may be an important adjunctive indicator for assessing patient prognosis. REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Registration number: KYLL-202307-001, date: July 2023.

Wideband Tympanometry and Pressurized Otoacoustic Emissions in Children with Surgical Excision of Palatine and/or Pharyngeal Tonsils.

Palatine and pharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy may lead to dysfunction of the auditory tube due to a propensity for infection, potentially giving rise to otitis media. This is a quantitative and longitudinal study, developed from 2019 to 2021, at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). The studied sample comprised 15 participants aged 5 to 12 years (mean 7.9 years), 12 male and 3 female, arranged into two groups: children diagnosed with pharyngeal and/or palatine tonsil hypertrophy who were candidates for surgery (G1), and children who were later evaluated after surgery (G2). As part of the test, an otoscopy and measurements of logoaudiometry, pure-tone threshold audiometry, wideband tympanometry (ambient and peak pressure), and otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs and DPOAEs, both at ambient and peak pressure) were all performed. There were statistically significant differences between phases in pure-tone audiometry, in terms of 226 Hz tympanometry, wideband tympanometry in peak pressure conditions, in the amplitude measurement TEOAEs in both pressure conditions, in DPOAEs in ambient pressure conditions, and in the signal/noise measurement in both pressures in DPOAEs. Overall, it was found that hearing tests were different for subjects with palatine and pharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy compared to the post-surgical group.

Preliminary Assessment of an Ambulatory Device Dedicated to Upper Airway Muscle Training in Patients With Sleep Apnea: Proof-of-Concept Study.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a prevalent condition affecting a substantial portion of the global population, with its prevalence increasing over the past 2 decades. OSAHS is characterized by recurrent upper airway (UA) closure during sleep, leading to significant impacts on quality of life and heightened cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity. Despite continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) being the gold standard treatment, patient adherence remains suboptimal due to various factors, such as discomfort, side effects, and treatment unacceptability. OBJECTIVE: Considering the challenges associated with CPAP adherence, an alternative approach targeting the UA muscles through myofunctional therapy was explored. This noninvasive intervention involves exercises of the lips, tongue, or both to improve oropharyngeal functions and mitigate the severity of OSAHS. With the goal of developing a portable device for home-based myofunctional therapy with continuous monitoring of exercise performance and adherence, the primary outcome of this study was the degree of completion and adherence to a 4-week training session. METHODS: This proof-of-concept study focused on a portable device that was designed to facilitate tongue and lip myofunctional therapy and enable precise monitoring of exercise performance and adherence. A clinical study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of this program in improving sleep-disordered breathing. Participants were instructed to perform tongue protrusion, lip pressure, and controlled breathing as part of various tasks 6 times a week for 4 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 35 minutes. RESULTS: Ten participants were enrolled in the study (n=8 male; mean age 48, SD 22 years; mean BMI 29.3, SD 3.5 kg/m2; mean apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] 20.7, SD 17.8/hour). Among the 8 participants who completed the 4-week program, the overall compliance rate was 91% (175/192 sessions). For the tongue exercise, the success rate increased from 66% (211/320 exercises; SD 18%) on the first day to 85% (272/320 exercises; SD 17%) on the last day (P=.05). AHI did not change significantly after completion of training but a noteworthy correlation between successful lip exercise improvement and AHI reduction in the supine position was observed (Rs=-0.76; P=.03). These findings demonstrate the potential of the device for accurately monitoring participants' performance in lip and tongue pressure exercises during myofunctional therapy. The diversity of the training program (it mixed exercises mixed training games), its ability to provide direct feedback for each exercise to the participants, and the easy measurement of treatment adherence are major strengths of our training program. CONCLUSIONS: The study's portable device for home-based myofunctional therapy shows promise as a noninvasive alternative for reducing the severity of OSAHS, with a notable correlation between successful lip exercise improvement and AHI reduction, warranting further development and investigation.

Screening for optimal parameters for modified pharyngeal electrical stimulation for the treatment of dysphagia after stroke in rats.

Pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES), a novel noninvasive peripheral nerve stimulation technique, can effectively improve neurogenic dysphagia and increase the safety and effectiveness of swallowing in the clinic. However, the lack of animal models for dysphagia has limited the mechanistic research on PES, which affects its wide application. Therefore, determining optimal parameters for PES in rats is needed to enable mechanistic studies. Modified PES (mPES), which has different waves and pulse widths from PES, was used; in previous studies mPES was found to have a neurological mechanism like that of PES. A poststroke dysphagia (PSD) model was established, and rats with dysphagia were grouped into three different intensities (0.1 mA, 0.5 mA, and 1 mA) for the selection of optimal intensity and three different frequencies (1 Hz, 2 Hz, and 5 Hz) for the selection of optimal frequency based on a stimulation duration of 10 min in the clinic. A Videofluroscopic Swallow Screen (VFSS) was used to assess swallowing function in rats before and after mPES treatment. The results showed that the 1 mA group had better swallowing function (p < 0.05) than the model group. Compared with the model group, the 1 Hz and 5 Hz groups had the same improvement in swallowing function (p < 0.05). However, the increase in excitatory signals in the sensorimotor cortex was more pronounced in the 5 Hz group than in the other frequency stimulation groups (p < 0.05). Combining the clinical findings with the above results, we concluded that the optimal stimulation parameter for mPES in rats is "frequency: 5 Hz, current intensity: 1 mA for 10 min/day", which provides a basis for future basic experimental studies of mPES in animals.

Negative excess oral and pharyngeal cancer mortality in Europe during the early pandemic years.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic had direct and indirect effects on oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) mortality due to high COVID-19 mortality risk among cancer patients, and to the COVID-19 response that caused treatment delays and reduced routine visits. This study investigated the excess OPC mortality in Europe during the early pandemic years. METHODS: Mortality and population data were gathered from the Eurostat database. The 2011-2019 mortality rates were used to estimate the 2020-2021 expected rates through joinpoint trend analysis. The excess mortality rates (observed minus expected mortality) with 95% confidence intervals (95 CIs) were assessed. RESULTS: Statistically significant negative excess age-standardized and crude (age strata <65 and ≥65 years) OPC mortality rates in males and females, in the European Union (EU, 27 countries) and Europe were reported. The estimated OPC missing deaths in EU were 831 (95 CI, 630-985) and 1240 (95 CI, 1039-1394) in 2020 and 2021, respectively, with differences between sexes, age strata, and countries. The OPC deaths in the EU and Europe were 3.6% and 3.5% lower than expected. CONCLUSION: Missing OPC deaths reported in Europe in 2020-2021 could be explained by changes in death certification of OPC patients who developed COVID-19, rather than a real OPC mortality decline.

Palate Shape, Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy Findings, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Pharyngeal Surgery Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Pharyngeal surgery is a treatment option for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) unable to tolerate positive pressure therapy. This study aims to determine the association between palate shape as described by Woodson and pharyngeal surgical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Exploratory analysis of retrospective cohort. SETTING: Multicenter. METHODS: Three blinded reviewers assessed palate shape using drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) videos from a previously-assembled cohort of adults undergoing pharyngeal surgery. Palate shape scores were examined for association with surgical outcomes with univariate and multivariate analyses. Multivariate analyses included adjustment for consensus DISE findings determined previously. RESULTS: Two hundred nine study subjects were included from 13 centers. Age was 53.7 ± 11.5 years, body mass index (BMI) was 30.3 ± 5.0 kg/m2, and 21% were female. In isolated soft palate surgery, greater GenuAP narrowing was associated with lesser odds of surgical response, whereas greater GenuLW narrowing was associated with greater odds of surgical response. These findings largely persisted after adjustment for key DISE findings, age, gender, OSA severity, BMI, and tonsil size. Other palate-shape findings were not clearly associated with surgical outcomes, although some palate-shape findings demonstrated trends toward an association with outcomes (P < .10). CONCLUSION: Greater GenuAP narrowing and GenuLW narrowing were associated with lesser and greater, respectively, odds of surgical response after isolated soft palate surgery. Palate shape and other palate shape level scores were not clearly associated with surgical outcomes. Larger studies may determine more precisely the association between palate shape and pharyngeal surgery outcomes.

Pharyngeal Residues Scoring through the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale (YPRSRS): Efficacy of Training.

The assessment of pharyngeal residues during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is based on visual-perceptual scales that involve clinical subjectivity. Training might be helpful to increase agreement among clinicians. This paper aims to assess the efficacy of training for the assessment of pharyngeal residue in FEES frames and videos through the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale (YPRSRS). Twenty-nine clinicians (Phoniatricians, Otorhinolaryngologists, Speech and Language Pathologists) and 47 students in Speech and Language Pathology participated in this study. Fourteen clinicians were randomly allocated to the training group, whilst the remaining 15 served as a control group; all the students participated in the training. Participants scored 30 pairs of videos and frames using the YPRSRS twice, before and after the training for the training groups and at least two weeks apart for the control group. Construct validity, defined as the agreement between each rater and the experts' scores, and inter-rater reliability were compared among the groups and between the first and the second assessments to verify the efficacy of the training. Construct validity significantly improved at the second assessment in the training group for the pyriform sinuses videos (baseline 0.71 ± 0.04, post-training 0.82 ± 0.05, p = .049) and in the students' group for the valleculae (baseline 0.64 ± 0.02, post-training 0.84 ± 0.02, p < .001) and pyriform sinuses videos (baseline 0.55 ± 0.03, post-training 0.77 ± 0.02, p < .05). No significant differences were found in the inter-rater reliability in any group. In conclusion, the training seems to improve participants' agreement with experts in scoring the YPRSRS in FEES videos.

Autonomic Stimulation Action of EAT (Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy) on Chronic Epipharyngitis.

This study investigated the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of chronic epipharyngitis, which presents a variety of symptoms, with a focus on autonomic neuropathy symptoms, and also investigated the literature for information on EAT, which is useful as a treatment method. The mechanism of action of EAT has recently been clarified in terms of its immune system-stimulating and endocrine system-stimulating effects. However, the autonomic nerve-stimulating effects of EAT are still largely unexplained. This study was conducted to collect and integrate previous studies and papers focusing on the autonomic nerve-stimulating effects of EAT and to provide insight into the still not fully elucidated autonomic nerve-stimulating effects of EAT on chronic epipharyngitis. The local stimulating effects of zinc chloride and the bleeding and pain effects of EAT are also summarized, suggesting that EAT exerts its therapeutic effects through the interaction of the immune system, the endocrine system, and the autonomic nervous system. It is important to determine which mechanism is predominantly involved in each case of chronic epipharyngitis and to utilize it in treatment. Elucidating the effects of EAT on the autonomic nervous system will be an important guideline in determining the treatment strategy for chronic epipharyngitis.

Facial Deformity in an Operated Case of Bilateral Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis results in malocclusion, poor feeding, difficulty in maintaining oral hygiene, and facial esthetic deformity. The basic surgical objectives in the treatment of TMJ ankylosis are to establish joint movement, prevent relapse, and achieve normal growth and development. Here, we present an operated case ofsurgical correction of mandibular hypoplasia; however, the patient came back after three years due to unsatisfactory results and underwent bilateral coronoidectomy and gap arthroplasty. Bones were osteotomized at the LeFort I level and the maxillary segment was down-fractured and mobilized to bring into occlusion with the mandible. In the present case, the lower pharyngeal airway changed from 5 mm pre-treatment to 10 mm post-treatment, and the facial angle was changed from 73 to 84 post-treatment. Assessment of the pharyngeal airway is done with a high suspicion of obstructive sleep apnea and facial deformity is mandatory in the management of TMJ ankylosis.

Differential retinoic acid sensitivity of oral and pharyngeal teeth in medaka (Oryzias latipes) supports the importance of pouch-cleft contacts in pharyngeal tooth initiation.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have claimed that pharyngeal teeth in medaka (Oryzias latipes) are induced independent of retinoic acid (RA) signaling, unlike in zebrafish (Danio rerio). In zebrafish, pharyngeal tooth formation depends on a proper physical contact between the embryonic endodermal pouch anterior to the site of tooth formation, and the adjacent ectodermal cleft, an RA-dependent process. Here, we test the hypothesis that a proper pouch-cleft contact is required for pharyngeal tooth formation in embryonic medaka, as it is in zebrafish. We used 4-[diethylamino]benzaldehyde (DEAB) to pharmacologically inhibit RA production, and thus pouch-cleft contacts, in experiments strictly controlled in time, and analyzed these using high-resolution imaging. RESULTS: Pharyngeal teeth in medaka were present only when the corresponding anterior pouch had reached the ectoderm (i.e., a physical pouch-cleft contact established), similar to the situation in zebrafish. Oral teeth were present even when the treatment started approximately 4 days before normal oral tooth appearance. CONCLUSIONS: RA dependency for pharyngeal tooth formation is not different between zebrafish and medaka. We propose that the differential response to DEAB of oral versus pharyngeal teeth in medaka could be ascribed to the distinct germ layer origin of the epithelia involved in tooth formation in these two regions.