Safe use of systemic bevacizumab for respiratory recurrent papillomatosis in two children.

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis can be a devastating condition for a child, with severe consequences. Currently, there is no proven successful medical treatment. We describe the use of systemic bevacizumab to treat two children affected by aggressive recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Respiratory symptoms and quality of life improved dramatically in both patients, without observing any toxicity. The only complication was mild proteinuria. Systemic bevacizumab is a promising adjuvant treatment in aggressive recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in children. It is effective and well tolerated. Further studies are needed to establish the optimal dosing frequency and duration of therapy. Laryngoscope, 129:1001-1004, 2019.

Endoscopic closure of large septal perforations with bilateral Hadad-Bassagasteguy flaps.

Surgical closure of nasal septal perforations is one of the most challenging procedures in nasal surgery. Defects greater than 2 cm are especially difficult to repair with the traditional approaches due to the challenges of mobilizing enough mucosa to close big gaps, and avoiding airway stenosis in the process. We present a new technique to endoscopically close major septal perforations using bilateral Hadad-Bassagasteguy flaps. Four consecutive patients with septal perforations greater than 2 cm were operated at our institution. Bilateral Hadad-Bassagasteguy flaps were endoscopically raised, one of them above the defect and the other one below it, and rotated to partially cover the defect on each side. A deep temporalis fascia graft was sandwiched between the two flaps to provide a scaffold for schneiderian mucosa growth. Both flaps were covered with a silicone sheet for 3 weeks. A complete closure of the defect was accomplished in three of the four patients; partial closure was achieved in the other. Nasal crusting, epistaxis, and nasal breathing improved in all patients. Large defects of the nasal septum may be closed in selected cases by rotation of bilateral pedicled septal mucosal flaps partially covering the defect area, followed by secondary healing of the nasal mucosa over an autologous graft acting as an epithelial scaffold. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Delayed diagnosis of childhood deafness: the value of false negatives in the Programme for Early Detection of Neonatal Hearing Loss. / Retraso en el diagnóstico de sordera infantil: el valor de los falsos negativos en el Programa de Detección Precoz de Hipoacusias Neonatales.

INTRODUCTION: Despite its importance, the existence of false negatives (patients who are told they hear well, but they have some degree of hipacusia) is rarely evaluated in programs for early detection of hearing loss. The aim of this study is to determine the variables that can lead to a delayed diagnosis, especially the existence of false negatives and the lack of registration of risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective study of prevalence has been carried out, in which the medical records of children diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss born within 2005 and 2012 in the health centers of study have been analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 32 children with sensorineural hearing loss, 16 passed the OAE, 12 did not passed the OAE, and in four they were not carried out. Of the children who passed the OAE, 57% have severe hearing loss. 66% of children with hearing loss presented a risk factor for hearing loss at birth, being the most frecuent family history of hearing loss, but only 7% of those with family history of hearing loss were included in the risk group. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study indicate that the late diagnosis of hearing loss is related to the presence of false negatives to the OAE and the non-registration of risk factors.