Polysomnographic Findings Versus Degree of Obstruction During Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy and Muller's Maneuver

PURPOSE

To investigate associations between polysomnographic findings and the severity of upper airway obstructions during Muller's Maneuver (MM) and Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study. Adult patients newly diagnosed with OSAS in a tertiary sleep center were included consecutively and evaluated by polysomnography and MM. They then underwent DISE in an operating room. The associations between polysomnographic findings and the severity of upper airway obstructions during MM and DISE were assessed. Also, the degree and pattern of obstructions were compared using a modified VOTE questionnaire.

RESULTS

145 patients (mean age 41.5 ± 10.1 years) were enrolled. There were no associations between Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI), mean and lowest O2 saturation, and body mass index on the one hand, and obstruction degree in MM and DISE (p > 0.05). However, a significant positive correlation was observed between RDI and total VOTE scores in DISE and MM (r = 0.179, p = 0.031 and r = 0.221, p = 0.008 respectively). There were no differences between MM and DISE in diagnosing the degree of obstruction in the velum area (p = 0.687) and the epiglottis (p = 0.50). However, a significant difference was observed between the two techniques in the oropharynx lateral wall (p < 0.001) and tongue base (p = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

Although there was no association between polysomnographic findings and the severity of obstruction in MM and DISE for the separate levels of the upper airway, obstruction severity may be assessed more accurately by total VOTE score, which is representative of RDI severity.

Skull base osteomyelitis: A case report of Garcin syndrome due to mucormycosis in COVID pandemic

Garcin syndrome is characterized by progressive unilateral multiple cranial nerve palsy without the presence of intracranial hypertension. In this case, we present a patient who experienced lower cranial nerve (CN 9-12) involvement attributed to post-mucormycosis osteomyelitis of the skull base. The osteomyelitis resulting from mucormycosis led to the development of Garcin syndrome, which manifested as progressive paralysis of the cranial nerves. It is important to recognize this rare complication and consider it in the differential diagnosis when evaluating patients with lower cranial nerve palsy following mucormycosis-related skull base osteomyelitis.

Cervicofacial Lymphangioma: Is it Time to Put Down the Scalpel?

To assess the efficacy of intralesional injection of bleomycin for treatment of pediatric lymphangiomas in head and neck region in Iranian population. This prospective study was conducted from February 2017 to March 2019. All consecutive patients presented to pediatric otolaryngology clinic in Children Medical Center Hospital in Tehran with macrocystic lymphangiomas of head neck were enrolled in this study. Informed consent was taken from parents. Bleomycin was diluted to a concentration of 1 mg/ml by normal saline and a dose of 0.5 mg/kg was injected into the lymphangioma. Ultrasonography was performed before and after each injection at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Age, gender, number of injections, size of lymphangioma and complications including fever, discoloration and respiratory problems were recorded. A total of 20 patients were assessed. Mean age at first injection was 31.9 months. Average reduction in size was 84%. Complete disappearance of mass was observed in 65% (13/20) of patients. Twenty-five percent (5/20) of patients had more than 50% reduction in size. Ten percent (2/20) had unsatisfactory results. Three patients developed transient erythema or swelling of injection site, but none of the patients had any respiratory problem. Intralesional injection of bleomycin is an effective modality to use as a first-line treatment of macrocystic head and neck lymphangiomas in Iranian pediatric population.

Middle Ear Status in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients: A Five-Year Follow-Up

INTRODUCTION

The best strategy to treat otitis media with effusion in cleft lip/palate patients is still under debate. This research aimed to evaluate the otologic outcomes in children at least five years post-repair.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 40 children who underwent palatoplasty between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2014, at Children's Medical Center (Tehran, Iran). Patients had intervelar veloplasty under magnification (Sommerlad's Technique). Based on patients' charts, their age, gender, cleft type, date of palatoplasty, as well as the date and the frequency of ventilation tube (VT) insertion, were recorded. Furthermore, otomicroscopy, middle ear status, and tympanometry were assessed five years postoperatively.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in middle ear status between children with complete and incomplete cleft palates. The mean age at the time of study and the mean follow-up duration were significantly higher in the normal middle ear group, compared to the abnormal middle ear group (7.7±1.6 vs. 6.8±0.9, P=0.03 and 6±1.15 vs. 5.42±0.9, P=0.04, respectively). Middle ear status was not significantly different between early or late palatoplasty patients. In addition, the frequency and timing of VT insertion were not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Middle ear status improved as patients grew older; however, the age of palatoplasty and the frequency of VT insertion were not significant prognostic factors in patients who underwent intervelar veloplasty under magnification.

Effect of Paracetamol versus Ibuprofen in Adenotonsillectomy

INTRODUCTION

The present study aimed to compare the effects of paracetamol and ibuprofen on pain, bleeding, nausea, and vomiting following adenotonsillectomy in children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a prospective, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Block randomization was used to assign 50 patients to two groups of paracetamol and ibuprofen. In the paracetamol group, subjects received 15 mg/kg oral paracetamol 30 minutes before the induction of anesthesia, followed by the same dosage every 6 hours postoperatively. Meanwhile, the ibuprofen-treated group took 10 mg/kg oral ibuprofen 30 minutes before and every 6 hours after the operation. The subjects in both groups received the medication for three postoperative days. The postoperative pain score was assessed 6 hours after the surgery and during the second and the third postoperative days. Nausea and vomiting episodes were recorded in the first postoperative day and first postoperative week.

RESULTS

Based on the results, intraoperative and postoperative bleeding in both groups was not significantly different. The mean score of pain in the first postoperative day (6 hours after the surgery) and the second and the third postoperative days did not show any statistical difference. The ibuprofen group experienced fewer vomiting episodes, compared to the paracetamol group during the first postoperative day (P=0.011). Vomiting episodes in the first postoperative week did not illustrate any significant difference.

CONCLUSION

As evidenced by the results of the current study, Ibuprofen had the same effect on the alleviation of postoperative pain, caused fewer vomiting episodes, and did not cause excessive bleeding as an NSAID. Therefore, oral administration of ibuprofen is suggested for pain relief and management of other complications following adenotonsillectomy in children.

Primary rhinoplasty in unilateral incomplete cleft lip nose: A 4-year follow up

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess aesthetic result and parents' satisfaction of primary rhinoplasty in unilateral incomplete cleft lip patients.

METHODS

Thirty-two consecutive unilateral incomplete cleft lip nose patients were operated in the tertiary hospital from 2012 to 2014. Primary rhinoplasty was done following the principle of the modified McComb repair. Nostril height, dome height, alar base width, nostril height to width ratio, dome height to nostril width ratio, nasolabial angle and columella deviation were measured on preoperative and 4-year postoperative photographs. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was assessed for each parent before the surgery and 4-year postoperatively.

RESULTS

The preoperative and postoperative photographic analysis revealed significant improvement in nostril height ratio and dome height ratio. Nostril height to width ratio and dome height to nostril width ratio significantly increased. Alar base width significantly decreased. The nasolabial and columella deviation angles improved significantly. The mean parent-related satisfactory assessment based on the VAS showed statistically improved scores postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

We believe this technique with minimal dissection could improve symmetry and satisfaction, although every individual surgeon could choose his preferable technique based on the components of correction that he is capable of executing reliably while considering the long-term outcomes.

A 15-Month-Old Boy With Respiratory Distress and Parapharyngeal Abscess: A Case Report

Parapharyngeal abscess is a life-threatening disease. Upper respiratory tract infection is the main cause in children. We present a 15-month-old boy admitted to the emergency ward with the chief complaint of difficulty in breathing caused by parapharyngealabscess. His condition deteriorated gradually, and he transferred to the operation theater quickly for abscess drainage and because of the difficulty in orotracheal intubation; a tracheostomy was performed. His respiratory condition deteriorated 2 days after PICU admission, and the medical team noticed an unexplainable respiratory distress. A chest x ray obtained and showed a right side pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema around theneck area. The case presented here, had not been diagnosed at the first examination; however, there were enough clinical clues (such as respiratory distress, drooling, torticollis, bulging of theneck, previous viral respiratory infection, possible pharyngeal trauma). The story of this case reminds us the importance of the precise physical exam and history taking which could be life-saving.

TP53 gene expression in HPV-positive oral tongue SCC and its correlation with nodal metastasis

In this study, we investigated the prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and TP53 expression in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue and, subsequently, its significance in cervical lymph node metastases and tumor differentiation. Sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from 94 histologically confirmed tongue SCC cases were investigated in this study. Immunohistochemistry was used to study TP53 expression, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for the detection of high risk HPV types (16 and 18). The frequency of HPV-16 and HPV-18 infection was 10.6% and 16%, respectively. Overexpression of TP53 was observed in 70.2% of patients. Young patients (aged below 45 years) comprised 20% of all patients. There was no significant association between TP53, HPV-16, or HPV 18 presence and higher stages of the tumor, tumor differentiation, or presence of nodal metastasis. Although an association between head and neck SCC and HPV infection is being recognized and reported, our data implicate that HPV infection or TP53 expression does not play a significant role in oral tongue SCC pathogenesis, differentiation, or metastasis, as seen in our patients.

Colposcopic and histologic findings in women with a cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance

BACKGROUND

The optimal method for managing a patient diagnosed with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) has not yet been established. The interim guidelines published by the National Cancer Institute suggest that a patient should be referred for colposcopy after the second ASCUS diagnosis within 2 years.

AIM

To assess the significance of ASCUS in predicting the presence of underlying squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) of the uterine cervix.

STUDY POPULATION

Women undergoing colposcopy for ASCUS cytology at a teaching hospital in Tehran University, in the years 1998-2001, considered eligible to enter this retrospective study.

RESULTS

Of the 266 patients who underwent colposcopy, 28 (11%) had low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), 16 (6.3%) had high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) two (0.8%) had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and 48 (18.8%) had flat condyloma.

CONCLUSION

Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) on a cervical smear is a good marker for detecting underlying SIL and condyloma. Thus, immediate colposcopy and directed biopsy are appropriate follow-up procedures.