The hybrid tracheoesophageal puncture procedure: indications and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: This report aimed to describe a novel and efficient method of tracheoesophageal puncture using a hybrid device assembled from 2 commercially available puncture kits; to demonstrate the utility of this technique in the performance of primary and secondary procedures, under general and local anesthesia, with and without flap reconstruction; and to evaluate the efficacy of concurrent puncture and valve placement. METHODS: Thirty-four patients who underwent either primary or secondary tracheoesophageal puncture for voice restoration. Charts were reviewed retrospectively for complications, time to first valve change, operative time, and blood loss. RESULTS: Using this novel hybrid device, simultaneous puncture and valve placement was achieved in 34 consecutive patients. There was 1 major complication; blood loss was negligible; and the procedure could be accomplished in all cases. There were no cases of prosthesis failure as a result of the insertion technique. CONCLUSION: Concurrent tracheoesophageal puncture and voice prosthesis placement is a simple and efficient method of voice restoration in the laryngectomized patient and can be more easily accomplished with a hybrid device assembled from the components of 2 commercially available puncture kits. It can be performed under local as well as general anesthesia. The procedure is adaptable to a variety of clinical situations.

Complications of patient selection: recognizing the difficult patient.

This article reviews some basic principles of patient selection for facial plastic surgery. There are patients who are not good candidates, independent of the deformity and the ability of the surgeon. Reasons include subtle and not so subtle psychiatric disorders, unrealistic expectations, lack of communication despite multiple visits, and litigious patients. Complications or suboptimal results are not well handled in these patients and often produce an uncomfortable experience for the surgeon and staff in the postoperative period. These patients are best avoided or should be provided a much longer evaluation period prior to any surgery.

Continuous lesser palatine nerve block for postoperative analgesia after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a commonly performed surgical intervention used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome. Continuous peripheral nerve blocks have been shown to reduce postoperative pain and opioid requirements for other surgical procedures but have not been described previously for palate surgery. We present the use of a continuous lesser palatine nerve block catheter as a part of the multimodal postoperative pain management for UPPP. CASE REPORT: Three patients were scheduled to undergo elective UPPP and tonsillectomy for OSA with scheduled postoperative hospital admission. Each patient gave written consent to share the details of his or her case. Upon completion of the surgical procedure, but before emergence from general anesthesia, a 20-G multiorifice epidural catheter was inserted into the left nasal passage, passed into the oropharynx, and either tunneled posteriorly within the anterior portion of the soft palate with the aid of a 16-G angiocatheter or placed submucosally within the soft palate by the surgeon. Each catheter was secured using clear adhesive dressings along the cheek and anchored to the ipsilateral shoulder. A continuous infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% at 2 mL/h was delivered using a disposable infusion device postoperatively, in addition to the prescribed oral and intravenous opioids. No immediate or long-term complications due to catheter placement were identified during the patient follow-up. DISCUSSION: Continuous lesser palatine nerve block may be a useful regional anesthetic technique in the multimodal postoperative pain management of opioid-sensitive OSA patients undergoing UPPP and deserves further study.

The floating mass transducer on the round window versus attachment to an ossicular replacement prosthesis.

HYPOTHESIS: The Vibrant Soundbridge floating mass transducer (FMT) is part of a commercially available implantable hearing device in which the FMT can be placed in the round window (RW) niche or attached to a partial (V-PORP) or total ossicular replacement prosthesis (V-TORP) contacting the stapes head or footplate. The goal is to provide efficient transfer of sound vibration into the cochlea. The hypothesis is that the FMT location on the prosthesis is superior to the RW location. BACKGROUND: No direct comparisons of the 3 FMT sites have been performed using the same measurement location. METHODS: A new measurement method called the third window method was used in eleven fresh human temporal bones to compare the sites. A small hole was made into the scala tympani of the temporal bones preserving the endosteum. A reflective target was placed on the third window endosteum and displacement of the cochlear fluid was measured using a Polytec HLV-1000 laser Doppler vibrometer. The input to the FMT at all locations was a constant 316 millivolts (mV); the frequency range was 0.5 to 8.0 kHz. RESULTS: The V-PORP and V-TORP FMT locations both provided statistically significant better performance above 1.0 kHz than the RW site but not below that frequency. The V-PORP and V-TORP responses were similar at all test frequencies. CONCLUSION: In this temporal bone model, the FMT provided better higher frequency performance when attached to a PORP or TORP than in the RW niche.

A self-adjusting ossicular prosthesis containing polyurethane sponge.

HYPOTHESIS: Middle ear ossicular replacement prostheses whose length can adjust in vivo to changes in middle ear dimensions following insertion may have acoustic advantages. BACKGROUND: Optimal tension is an important factor in the acoustic performance of incus-stapes replacement prostheses. Length is the primary determinant of postinsertion tension with conventional prostheses. Postoperative changes in prosthesis tension may occur leading to a worsening of postoperative hearing. METHODS: Testing of a self-adjusting prosthesis (SAP) containing a polyurethane sponge attached to the head of a titanium partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) was performed in 5 fresh temporal bones. This SAP was compared with optimal length PORPs at different tensions. Sound input was 80 dB sound pressure level at 0.1 to 10 kHz. Stapes footplate displacement was measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer before and after incus removal and after PORP and SAP insertion between the malleus and stapes. One to 3 glass shims were then inserted between the malleus and optimal length PORP and SAP to change prosthesis tension. Measurement of stapes displacement was repeated with increased prosthesis lengths of 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 mm. RESULTS: There was a clear tendency in the optimal length PORPs for a decrease in footplate displacement below 1.0 kHz, in general proportional to the increasing length. The SAP provided equivalent transmission as the optimal length PORP below 4.0 kHz and better transmission below 1.0 kHz at the varying increased lengths. CONCLUSION: An SAP seems to decrease the effect of changes in prosthesis length between the malleus and stapes at lower frequencies.

Brow elevation ratio: a new method of brow analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To introduce a novel quantitative method measuring preoperative and postoperative brow position and apply it to a cohort of patients undergoing endoscopic brow suspension. DESIGN: Retrospective review of patients who underwent endoscopic brow- and forehead-lift using a consistent operative technique and method of fixation. Changes in brow position were measured using standardized digital photographs of patients taken before and after surgery. Brow elevation was determined using a novel measurement system based on the ratio of the vertical height of the brow to the distance between the lateral corneal limbus and the medial canthus. RESULTS: Sixteen consecutive patients (32 eyebrows) underwent surgery between January 7, 2003, and January 15, 2006, without any major complications. With follow-up ranging from 6 to 31 months (mean follow-up, 18 months), a statistically significant elevation of brow position was found. Mean brow ratio measurements increased by 18.0% on the right side and 16.1% on the left side, for an overall mean increase in brow position of 17.1%. The brow elevation ratio remained increased by a mean of 16.8% for patients who were followed up for almost 2 years and beyond. CONCLUSIONS: The brow elevation ratio can be applied to patients undergoing brow suspension procedures with standard office photography. The ratios provide the surgeon with a quantitative dimension for assessing outcomes of brow elevation and can be used in comparative analysis of each patient's baseline brow position.

Effect of absence of malleus on ossiculoplasty in human temporal bones.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of malleus presence or absence on middle ear sound transmission after middle ear reconstruction in a temporal bone model. STUDY DESIGN: Human cadaveric temporal bone study. METHODS: The velocity of the stapes footplate was measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer. After baseline measurements in eight intact temporal bones, reconstructed middle ear transmission with and without the malleus was analyzed. Furthermore, to assess the influence of interposed cartilage, cartilage pieces of three different diameters were inserted and the three test conditions compared. RESULTS: Reconstruction without a malleus tended to be slightly worse at 0.6 to 3.0 kHz. However, these differences were not statistically significant. In the cartilage experiments, the large-diameter cartilage was the worst at 0.25 kHz and 0.5 kHz but was better than the medium-diameter cartilages at 3.0 kHz and 4.0 kHz (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Absence of the malleus impaired middle ear sound transmission slightly in the mid frequencies compared to reconstruction with the malleus present; the differences were not statistically significant.

The unhappy patient following facial plastic surgery: what to do?

Some patients are unhappy with the results of facial plastic surgery, even if the surgeon is pleased with the outcome. Dealing with this potential problem begins with the preoperative assessment as to how the patient might handle a result that is less than perfect. "When in doubt, don't" is a good rule but needs refinement. This article, based on some 40 years of experience, attempts to provide that refinement.

Success and failure in treatment of sleep apnea patients.

A variety of surgical procedures exist to treat obstructive sleep apnea in adults. Some, such as tracheotomy and maxillomandibular advancement, have very high cure rates, over 90%. These procedures have significant disadvantages, however, and there is a need to define the best combination of low morbidity procedures to provide similar success. To do this, better means to diagnose the sites of obstruction must be used and new procedures must be developed. This article reviews where we are in reaching these goals.

Mature results from a randomized Phase II trial of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil and radiotherapy with or without tirapazamine in patients with resectable Stage IV head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this article was to report the results from a randomized trial that evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of adding tirapazamine (TPZ) to chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). METHODS: Sixty-two patients with lymph node-positive, resectable, TNM Stage IV HNSCC were randomized to receive either 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy (TPZ, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]) followed by simultaneous chemoradiotherapy (TPZ, cisplatin, and 5-FU) or to receive the same regimen without TPZ. Patients who did not achieve a complete response at 50 Grays underwent surgical treatment. Stratification factors for randomization included tumor site, TNM stage, and median tumor oxygen tension. The primary endpoint was complete lymph node response. RESULTS: The addition of TPZ resulted in increased hematologic toxicity. There was 1 treatment-related death from induction chemotherapy. The complete clinical and pathologic response rate in the lymph nodes was 90% and 74% for the standard treatment arm and the TPZ arm, respectively (P = .08) and 89% and 90% at the primary site in the respective treatment arms (P = .71). The 5-year overall survival rate was 59%, the cause-specific survival rate was 68%, the rate of freedom from recurrence was 69%, and the locoregional control rate was 77% for the entire group. There was no difference with regard to any of the outcome parameters between the 2 treatment arms. The significant long-term toxicity rate also was found to be similar between the 2 arms. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of TPZ increased hematologic toxicity but did not improve outcomes in patients with resectable, Stage IV HNSCC using the protocol administered this small randomized study. The combination of induction and simultaneous chemoradiotherapy resulted in excellent survival in these patients.

Advanced-staged tonsillar squamous carcinoma: organ preservation versus surgical management of the primary site.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to review our experience in the management of advanced tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to compare treatment outcomes between patients treated with and without surgery to the primary site. METHODS: The records of 74 patients with advanced-stage tonsillar SCC were reviewed. The median age at diagnosis was 58 years. Thirty-eight patients received definitive surgery to the primary site, and 36 were treated with an organ-preservation approach (OP) using radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy. RESULTS: No significant difference in overall survival (OS) or freedom from relapse (FFR) by treatment was found. T classification and N status were significant independent predictors on multivariate analysis for OS and FFR. Major late toxicity was noted in 10 patients in the surgical group and nine in the OP group. CONCLUSION: Patients treated with OP and primary surgery had comparable OS and FFR. T classification and N status were significant independent predictors for tumor relapse and survival. On the basis of these results, we favor organ-preservation therapy for patients with advanced-stage tonsillar SCC.

Transmission properties of bone conducted sound: measurements in cadaver heads.

In the past, only a few investigations have measured vibration at the cochlea with bone conduction stimulation: dry skulls were used in those investigations. In this paper, the transmission properties of bone conducted sound in human head are presented, measured as the three-dimensional vibration at the cochlear promontory in six intact cadaver heads. The stimulation was provided at 27 positions on the skull surface and two close to the cochlea; mechanical point impedance was measured at all positions. Cochlear promontory vibration levels in the three perpendicular directions were normally within 5 dB. With the stimulation applied on the ipsilateral side, the response decreased, and the accumulated phase increased, with distance between the cochlea and the excitation position. No significant changes were obtained when the excitations were on the contralateral side. In terms of vibration level, the best stimulation position is on the mastoid close to the cochlea; the worst is at the midline of the skull. The transcranial transmission was close to 0 dB for frequencies up to 700 Hz; above it decreased at 12 dB/decade. Wave transmission at the skull-base was found to be nondispersive at frequencies above 2 kHz whereas it altered with frequency at the cranial vault.

Bone-conducted sound: physiological and clinical aspects.

OBJECTIVE: The fact that vibration of the skull causes a hearing sensation has been known since the 19th century. This mode of hearing was termed hearing by bone conduction. Although there has been more than a century of research on hearing by bone conduction, its physiology is not completely understood. Lately, new insights into the physiology of hearing by bone conduction have been reported. Knowledge of the physiology, clinical aspects, and limitations of bone conduction sound is important for clinicians dealing with hearing loss and is the purpose of this review. DATA SOURCES: The data were compiled from the published literature in the areas of clinical bone conduction hearing, bone conduction hearing aids, basic research on bone conduction physiology, and recent research on bone conduction hearing from our laboratory. CONCLUSION: Five factors contributing to bone conduction hearing have been identified: 1) sound radiated into the external ear canal, 2) middle ear ossicle inertia, 3) inertia of the cochlear fluids, 4) compression of the cochlear walls, and 5) pressure transmission from the cerebrospinal fluid. Of these five, inertia of the cochlear fluid seems most important. Bone conduction sound is believed to reflect the true cochlear function; however, certain conditions such as middle ear diseases can affect bone conduction sensitivity, but less than for air conduction. The bone conduction route can also be used for hearing aids; since the bone conduction route is less efficient than the air conduction route, bone conduction hearing aids are primarily used for hearing losses where air conduction hearing aids are contraindicated.

Outcomes of hyoid suspension for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of hyoid myotomy and suspension as a treatment of hypopharyngeal obstruction in obstructive sleep apnea. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: Twenty-nine consecutive male patients with suspected hypopharyngeal obstruction INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent hyoid suspension. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with or without tonsillectomy was performed at the same time for those patients who had not undergone this procedure previously. Patients underwent clinical examination and sleep study prior to surgery and approximately 1 year postoperatively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was a successful surgical result, defined as apnea-hypopnea index lower than 20, 50% or greater decline in apnea-hypopnea index, and no oxygen desaturations below 85% on the postoperative sleep study. Secondary outcomes included daytime sleepiness as determined by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the severity of snoring. Postoperative complications were also recorded. RESULTS: Only 5 (17%) of 29 patients achieved a successful outcome. The respiratory disturbance index did not change significantly for the group as a whole, although the lowest oxygen saturation did show some improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Hyoid suspension does not provide results equivalent to those reported for genioglossus advancement or multisession tongue radiofrequency. Hyoid suspension alone is not an efficacious treatment for hypopharyngeal airway obstruction in most patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Experimental study of an adjustable-length prosthesis in a temporal bone model.

CONCLUSIONS: This prosthesis has the advantage of rapid adjustment at the time of insertion in order to achieve optimal tension and, as a result, optimal sound transmission. OBJECTIVE: To test the acoustic performance of a new, adjustable incus replacement prosthesis in a human temporal bone model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experiments were performed in seven human temporal bones, before and after removal of the incus and insertion of the prosthesis. The input comprised 406 pure tones ranging in frequency between 0.1 and 10 kHz at an intensity of 80 dB SPL at the tympanic membrane. The output measurement was stapes footplate displacement, determined by means of a laser Doppler vibrometer. Three lengths of the prosthesis were investigated: optimal, optimal +0.2 mm and optimal +0.4 mm. RESULTS: The optimal-length prosthesis produced similar results to those of an intact middle ear. The slightly longer prostheses decreased middle ear sound transmission at all test frequencies, except those near 1.5 kHz.

Round window membrane motion with air conduction and bone conduction stimulation.

The vibration patterns of the round window (RW) membrane in human cadaver temporal bone specimens were assessed by measurements of the velocity of reflective targets placed on the RW membrane with an approximate spacing of 0.2 mm. The velocity was measured in the frequency range 0.1-10 kHz by a laser Doppler vibrometer in four specimens with air conduction (AC) stimulation and in four specimens with bone conduction (BC) stimulation. The response pattern was investigated by analyzing the velocity response of all targets on the RW membrane, by making iso-amplitude and iso-phase contour plots of the membrane surface, and by creating animations of the surface vibration at several frequencies. Similar response pattern was found with AC and BC stimulations. At frequencies below 1.5 kHz, the RW membrane vibrates nearly as a whole in an in-and-out motion and above 1.5 kHz, the membrane moves primarily in two sections that vibrate with approximately 180 degrees difference. Indication of some traveling wave motion of the RW membrane at those frequencies was also found. At higher frequencies, above 3 kHz, the membrane motion is complex with a mixture of modal and traveling wave motion. An increase of the stimulation level did not alter the vibration pattern; it only gave an increase of the RW membrane vibration amplitude corresponding to the increase in stimulation. When the mode of stimulation at the oval window was altered, by the insertion of a 0.6 mm piston, the vibration pattern of the RW membrane changed.