Fatores que influenciam nas complicações das tireoidectomias

O resultado pós-operatório das tireoidectomias é imputado a fatores relativos ao paciente, à tireopatia e ao cirurgião. OBJETIVO: Analisar a experiência de um serviço quanto a complicações com a tireoidectomia. Desenho do estudo: coorte histórica com corte transversal. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foram avaliados os prontuários de 228 pacientes submetidos à tireoidectomia, entre 1991 e 2004. Foram estudadas as complicações transitórias, definitivas e totais, persistência e recidiva da tireopatia de base, em relação a fatores clínico-laboratoriais. RESULTADOS: Ocorreram 34,65% de complicações totais, 18,86% de complicações transitórias (9,21% hipocalcemia, 0,44% paralisia de cordas vocais, 4,82% outras), associadas aos primeiros anos de cirurgia no serviço e queixas compressivas, e 17,98% de complicações definitivas (8,77% hipoparatireoidismo, 1,75% paralisia de cordas vocais, 0,44% rouquidão), associadas à malignidade e cirurgias mais radicais. Houve persistência da doença de base em 17,98% dos casos, associada à idade, e recidiva em 10,96%, associada aos primeiros anos de cirurgia, benignidade e cirurgias menos radicais. CONCLUSÃO: Complicações pós-operatórias se associaram a queixas compressivas, história curta, malignidade e cirurgias mais radicais. A recidiva se associou aos primeiros anos de cirurgia no serviço, tireopatias benignas e cirurgias menos radicais. A persistência da doença se associou à maior idade.

An update in thinking about nonorganic voice disorders

OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate psychosocial factors in nonorganic voice disorders (NVDs). Nonorganic voice disorders are presumed to be the result of increased muscular tension that is caused to varying extents by vocal misuse and emotional stress. It is therefore necessary to include both of these in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with voice disorders. DESIGN: Clinical survey. SETTING: Academic tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: To evaluate psychosocial factors in NVDs, a sample of 74 patients with NVDs was examined psychologically using the Giessen Test and Picture Frustration Test. The results were compared with a control group of 19 patients with an organic dysphonia (vocal cord paralysis). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Six scales of the Giessen Test (social response, dominance, control, underlying mood, permeability, and social potency), 3 reaction types of the Picture Frustration Test (obstacle dominance, ego defense, and need persistence), and 3 aggression categories of the Picture Frustration Test (extrapunitivity, intropunitivity, and impunitivity). RESULTS: The most striking significant difference between the 2 groups was that in conflict situations, patients with NVDs sought a quick solution or expected other people to provide one, which prevented them from understanding the underlying causes of the conflict. CONCLUSIONS: Only if the psychosocial aspects are taken into account can patients with NVD be offered a therapy that treats the causes of the voice disorder. It must be decided individually whether and when a voice training approach or a more psychological-psychotherapeutical approach is preferable.

Important excess morbidity due to upper airway anomalies in the perioperative course in infant cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: The study aimed at defining the excess morbidity or mortality caused by an additional airway malformation in children with congenital heart disease requiring surgery. METHODS: All patients requiring surgery for heart disease during an 8-year period ending in 2003 who had an associated upper airway malformation were retrospectively studied. All patients were seen in 2004 for a prospective follow-up examination. RESULTS: Eleven patients with upper airway anomalies were identified (tracheobronchial malacia in 6 patients, long-segment tracheal stenosis in 3, and bilateral vocal cord paralysis and tracheal hemangioma in 1 patient each). They accounted for 1.5% of the entire cardiac surgical load of 764 patients. In 5 infants, the airway anomaly was diagnosed before cardiac repair, in 6 patients thereafter. Diagnosis was made by bronchoscopy in all patients, by additional bronchography in 2. Failure of rapid postoperative extubation was the most common finding. Airway management was surgical in 2 and conservative in 8 patients, 1 newborn having been denied therapy because of the severity of airway hypoplasia. Compared with patients with isolated cardiac disease, those with additional airway anomalies had significantly longer duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation (median, 24 days versus 3), perioperative hospitalization (median, 72 days versus 11) and total number of days of hospitalization during the first year of life (median, 104 days versus 14). After a maximum follow-up of 8 years (median, 37 months) only 3 of 10 surviving patients remained symptomatic owing to the airway malformation. CONCLUSIONS: Upper airway anomalies accompanying heart disease in infancy resulted in a significant prolongation of perioperative intensive care and hospital stay, as well as duration of mechanical ventilation. Failure of early postoperative extubation was the leading symptom.

The use of polydimethylsiloxane for injection laryngoplasty

BACKGROUND: Injuries of the recurrent laryngeal nerve with consecutive vocal cord paralysis is a typical complication in chest, esophageal, thyroideal, and neck surgery. Glottic insufficiency secondary to such a lesion can be treated by endolaryngeal vocal cord augmentation (injection laryngoplasty). Many different substances have been used, often showing complications or disadvantages. This study reports on the use of injectable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), with special regard to the long-term results. METHODS: In this prospective study, 21 patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis underwent injection laryngoplasty using PDMS at a volume of 0.5-1.0 ml. Preoperatively, 6 weeks and 12 months after the injection the following parameters concerning patients' voice were evaluated: Glottic closure by videolaryngostroboscopy, maximum phonation time, voice range, voice dynamic, jitter, shimmer, noise-to-harmonic-ratio, and roughness, breathiness, and hoarseness (RBH). In addition, patients were asked to give their own evaluation of how satisfied they felt with their voice and of the handicaps it caused them. RESULTS: Postoperatively an improvement was evident in all the parameters that were investigated, and this significant improvement was still in evidence for most of the parameters more than one year after the injection. In our study no complications were observed more than one year after injection. CONCLUSION: PDMS is a safe substance for injection laryngoplasty in unilateral vocal cord paresis. Objective and subjective parameters confirm its effectiveness. It is suitable for obtaining satisfying results in the reestablishment of the patient's voice and communication ability.

The presence of a vocal ligament in fetuses: a histochemical and ultrastructural study

Although it is currently believed that the vocal ligament of humans undergoes considerable development postnatally, there is no consensus as to the age at which it first emerges. In the newborn infant, the lamina propria has been described as containing a sparse collection of relatively unorganized fibres. In this study we obtained larynges from autopsy of human fetuses aged 7-9 months and used light and electron microscopy to study the collagenous and elastic system fibres in the lamina propria of the vocal fold. Collagen fibres were viewed using the Picrosirius polarization method and elastic system fibres were stained using Weigert`s resorcin-fuchsin after oxidation with oxone. The histochemical and electron microscopic observations were consistent, showing collagen populations with an asymmetric distribution across different compartments of the lamina propria. In the central region, the collagen appeared as thin, weakly birefringent, greenish fibres when viewed using the Picrosirius polarization method, whereas the superficial and deep regions contained thick collagen fibres that displayed a strong red or yellow birefringence. These findings suggest that the thin fibres in the central region consist mainly of type III collagen, whereas type I collagen predominates in the superficial and deep regions, as has been reported in studies of adult vocal folds. Similarly, elastic system fibres showed a differential distribution throughout the lamina propria. Their distribution pattern was complementary to that of collagen fibres, with a much greater density of elastic fibres apparent in the central region than in the superficial and deep regions. This distribution of collagen and elastic fibres in the fetal vocal fold mirrors that classically described for the adult vocal ligament, suggesting that a vocal ligament has already begun to develop by the time of birth. The apparently high level of organization of connective tissue components in the newborn is in contrast to current hypotheses that argue that the mechanical stimuli of phonation are essential to the determination of the layered structure of the lamina propria and suggests that genetic factors may play a more significant role in the development of the vocal ligament than previously believed.

Relationship between the morphologic alterations of vocal cords from adult autopsies and the cause of death

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the possible alteration in the thickness of the epithelium basal membrane of the vocal cords and correlate it with the cause of death. METHOD: Larynxes collected from adult autopsies during the period of 1993 to 2001 were utilized. We used the hematoxylin-eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining methods for the morphological and morphometric analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-six vocal cords were analysed; increased thickness was identified in 14 cases (21.2%), with equal proportions between the genders. Increased vocal-cord thickness was more frequent in patients of the white ethnicity (12 cases, 85.7%). Respiratory alterations were found in 10 (71.4%) of the cases with increased vocal-cord thickness. Of the patients that were maintained with mechanical ventilation before death, 7 (18.4%) had thickening of the basal membrane. Among the smokers, 9 (19.63%) had basal membrane thickening. CONCLUSION: No statistically significant differences were found between the cases in which the cause of death was related to respiratory diseases as compared to non-respiratory diseases and the thickening of the basal membrane of the vocal cords. However, new studies are needed in order to verify the etiopathogenesis of this thickening.

Resuscitated sudden cardiac death caused by left main coronary artery compression by an aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva.

A 49-year-old woman, without known cardiovascular risk factors. Hoarseness of voice caused by a paralysis of left vocal cord. She was admitted to hospital because of acute coronary syndrome, associated to resuscitated cardiac arrest (asystolia documented) without later neurology sequels. Physical examination was anodyne. Echocardiographic study demonstrated a compatible image with a large left sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) (Panel A) and mild aortic regurgitation. Cardiac catheterization confirmed the presence of left SVA (Panel B) that produced extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery (Panels C and D). Repair surgery was made by means of closing the aneurysmal orifice with a patch of dacron. Intra-operatory echocardiographic control study found severe aortic regurgitation, so valvular replacement with 19 mm mechanical prosthesis and extension of the valve annulus with patch of dacron was performed, associated with bypass with safena vein graft to left coronary artery. SVA is a very infrequent cardiac anomaly, generally with silent clinical course until it ruptures. Myocardial ischaemia caused by coronary artery compression is unusual. We described the case of a patient diagnosed of left SVA, whose initial clinical manifestation was the appearance of resuscitated sudden cardiac death in the context of an acute coronary syndrome.

Paralyzed neonatal larynx in adduction. Case series, systematic review and analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Bilateral vocal cord abductor paralysis (BVCAbP) is considered a rare cause of stridor in the newborn. The goal of this work is to present a case series and to review systematically the literature on bilateral vocal cord abductor paralysis in the newborn to better characterize the current knowledge on this entity. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review with Medline (1950-2011). The authors screened all cases of BVCAbP reported and selected those affecting newborns. RESULTS: Out of the 129 articles screened, 16 were included. A total of 69 cases could be retrieved and analyzed. Associated co-morbidities were found in 54% of the patients, most notably malformative conditions (intracranial or other), or a positive perinatal history (trauma/asphyxia, prematurity). Tracheostomy placement was required in 59% of children, and of these 44% were successfully decannulated. In terms of functional outcome full recovery or improvement were seen in 61% of patients. Major underlying co-morbidities affected negatively the functional outcome (p=.004), but not the need for tracheostomy (p=.604) or the decannulation success rate (p=.063). CONCLUSION: BVCAbP in the newborn is a serious cause of airway obstruction. It can be seen either in a context of multisystem anomalies or as an isolated finding. Newborns with major co-morbidities affecting their normal development are more likely to have poor functional outcomes and to remain tracheostomy-dependant.

Lipoinyección laríngea en el tratamiento de parálisis vocal

Introducción. La parálisis de pliegue vocal unilateral constituye una de las causas de incompetencia glótica, presentando síntomas como disfonía, tos crónica, aspiración y fonastenia, afectando de forma significativa el desempeño y calidad de vida del paciente. Según las diversas corrientes de trabajo se ha manejado esta patología con terapia vocal como coadyuvante en opciones quirúrgicas como la laringoplastia de inyección. Objetivo. Realizar seguimiento clínico de pacientes con parálisis vocal unilateral que consultan al Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana centro de referencia de III nivel de Cundinamarca. Materiales y Métodos. Se toma una población de 36 pacientes aleatorizados en dos grupos cuyas intervenciones son manejo con terapia vocal (conservador) y laringoplastia de inyección con grasa. Resultados. Cierre glótico postratamiento mayor en el grupo de intervención médica con terapia vocal ( promedio 10-20 sesiones ) donde se logró un cierre completo en el 77,8% de los pacientes comparado con 33,3% en el grupo de intervención quirúrgico . Conclusión. Es preciso realizar detección temprana, establecer la etiología en nuestra población e instauración de una terapéutica oportuna como el manejo conservador con terapia vocal para disminuir los malos hábitos fonatorios adoptados por estos pacientes, establecer un manejo adecuado para mejorar los síntomas clínicos y generar políticas preventivas para minimizar las complicaciones inherentes a la patología.

Efectos en las cualidades de la voz posteriores a la intervención con fonoterapia y lipoinyección en parálisis de pliegue vocal unilateral paramediana. Comparación de dos casos.

La temática del presente proyecto de investigación se centra en la descripción de los efectos en las cualidades de la voz, analizadas por el Multidimensional Voice Program (MDVP) de Kay - Elemetrics Corp. y el análisis de la estructura y dinámica de las cuerdas vocales a partir de la Videoestroboscopia Laríngea Computarizada (VELC), luego de la intervención en la Parálisis de Pliegue Vocal Unilateral en posición Paramediana (PPVUP), realizada a dos usuarios que consultaron la unidad de Laringe y Voz de la Clínica Avellaneda entre los años 2000 y 2003. En uno de los casos se utilizó la infiltración paracordal de grasa o lipoinyección y en el otro la fonoterapia o terapia vocal.

The relationship between chronic cough and paradoxical vocal fold movement: A review of the literature

Chronic cough (CC) and paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM) are debilitating conditions. PVFM has been given many labels,(1) including vocal cord dysfunction, Munchausen's stridor, functional inspiratory stridor, nonorganic functional or psychogenic upper airway obstruction, factitious asthma, psychogenic stridor, emotional laryngeal wheezing, and episodic laryngeal dyskinesia. 3 Although CC and PVFM have been considered separate entities in many reports, there is preliminary support for the notion that there may be an underlying link between these two conditions. Speech pathologists have become increasingly involved in the treatment of these patients and therefore need to understand the theoretical background of these disorders, the pathophysiological links between the two, and the impact of voice disorders on these populations. The aim of this article is to review the current literature on CC and PVFM from a speech pathology perspective to provide a model for defining and conceptualizing the disorders and to provide a framework for management and future research.

T-Shaped Microsuture: A New Suture Technique for Laryngeal Microsurgery

To describe a new suture technique for laryngeal microsurgery and to test its applicability in human cadaver larynges. The new technique was experimentally tested in freshly excised human larynges fixed to a larynx holder appropriate for the simulation of laryngeal microsurgery. A mucosal flap was created in the vocal fold for the fabrication of a pocket for subepithelial fat implantation, and the wound edges were then brought together and sutured using the proposed technique. The time necessary for suture was measured with a stopwatch for five successive sutures performed by one of the surgeons. The presence or absence of mucosal rupture was determined for five sutures performed by two surgeons, for a total of 10 sutures. The sutures were performed without the help of an assistant, with no laceration of the mucosa being observed in any of the attempts, and within a relatively short period of time even without previous training. The sutures performed permitted the implanted fat to remain stable under the mucosal flap. Conclusions: the new suture technique is an easy procedure, which can be performed by a single surgeon under microscopic vision, with a low risk of tissue rupture. The technique does not markedly prolong the duration of surgery and a single suture thread can be used for the fabrication of more than one stitch.

Interface Humana Músculo-Facial

Esta dissertação tem como principal objetivo a criação de uma interface humana, baseada na eletromiografia dos músculos orbicular do olho e frontalis. O algoritmo de programação do microcontrolador ATmega2560 deteta o piscar de olhos voluntário, conta o número de vezes que este acontece e verifica se preenche os requisitos necessários à execução de um comando. Para este efeito foram utilizados elétrodos para a captação do sinal eletromiográfico. O sinal analógico é condicionado pela Shield ECG/EMG da Olimex sendo enviado para o arduíno ATmega2560. Este microcontrolador administra todos os atuadores, dos quais o mais importante é um painel de comandos (quatro comandos diferentes), no qual existe um ponteiro motorizado que indica qual a ação a realizar. O código de execução é extremamente simples:  se o utilizador piscar os olhos três vezes, o ponteiro movimenta-se para a secção do painel imediatamente à direita; e  se o utilizador piscar os olhos quatro vezes, o ponteiro movimenta-se para a secção do painel imediatamente à esquerda. Os testes realizados com este dispositivo indicam que os utilizadores demoram menos de 10 minutos a aprender a utilizar e executar todos os comandos do painel. Apenas num dos testes realizados o dispositivo não funcionou. Dos utilizadores que realizaram o teste:  vários usam óculos;  um idoso com graves problemas auditivos, cegueira parcial e dificuldades locomotoras;  nenhum foi incapaz de piscar, pelo menos, um dos olhos voluntariamente; e  a maioria referiu que, com alguma concentração e principalmente se ouvirem o bip sonoro, a aprendizagem de utilização torna-se muito fácil. Apesar dos limites impostos à concretização de um projeto deste tipo (dos quais se evidenciam as dificuldades em conseguir voluntários com paralisia medular, bem como os limites orçamentais), pode-se afirmar que este dispositivo é eficaz e seria uma mais valia quando implementado num cenário de paralisia medular (total ou parcial). A melhoria de qualidade de vida de um utilizador com estes problemas físicos, ou outros que lhe comprometam a locomoção é garantida. O cenário em que vivem é tremendamente limitado sendo urgente criar soluções para tornar estas vidas mais cómodas. Com os devidos aplicativos, o utilizador poderia abrir portas ou janelas, acender ou apagar luzes, pedir ajuda, ajustar a posição da cama, controlar cadeiras de rodas, entre outros. É neste sentido que surge a minha motivação de criar algo que ajude estas pessoas.

Management of severe pediatric subglottic stenosis with glottic involvement.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe our experience in the management of complex glotto-subglottic stenosis in the pediatric age group. METHODS: Between 1978 and 2008, 33 children with glotto-subglottic stenosis underwent partial cricotracheal resection, and they form the focus of this study. They were compared with 67 children with isolated subglottic stenosis (no glottic involvement). The outcomes measured were need for revision open surgical intervention, delayed decannulation (>6 months), and operation-specific and overall decannulation rates. Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of outcomes. RESULTS: Results of preoperative evaluation showed Myer-Cotton grade III or IV stenosis in 32 (97%) patients and grade II stenosis in 1 patient. All patients with glotto-subglottic stenosis were treated with partial cricotracheal resection and simultaneous repair of the glottic pathology. Bilateral fixed vocal cords were seen in 19 (58%) of 33 patients, bilateral restricted abduction was seen in 7 (21%) of 33 patients, and unilateral fixed vocal cord was seen in 7 (21%) of 33 patients. Ten patients underwent single-stage partial cricotracheal resection with excision of interarytenoid scar tissue. The endotracheal tube was kept for a mean period of 7 days as a stent. Twenty-three patients underwent extended partial cricotracheal resection with LT-Mold (Bredam S.A., St. Sulpice, Switzerland) or T-tube stenting. The overall decannulation rate included 26 (79%) patients, and the operation-specific decannulation rate included 20 (61%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Glotto-subglottic stenosis is a complex laryngeal injury associated with delayed decannulation and decreased overall and operation-specific decannulation rates when compared with those after subglottic stenosis without glottic involvement after partial cricotracheal resection.

Autosomal-dominant distal myopathy associated with a recurrent missense mutation in the gene encoding the nuclear matrix protein, matrin 3.

Distal myopathies represent a heterogeneous group of inherited skeletal muscle disorders. One type of adult-onset, progressive autosomal-dominant distal myopathy, frequently associated with dysphagia and dysphonia (vocal cord and pharyngeal weakness with distal myopathy [VCPDM]), has been mapped to chromosome 5q31 in a North American pedigree. Here, we report the identification of a second large VCPDM family of Bulgarian descent and fine mapping of the critical interval. Sequencing of positional candidate genes revealed precisely the same nonconservative S85C missense mutation affecting an interspecies conserved residue in the MATR3 gene in both families. MATR3 is expressed in skeletal muscle and encodes matrin 3, a component of the nuclear matrix, which is a proteinaceous network that extends throughout the nucleus. Different disease related haplotype signatures in the two families provided evidence that two independent mutational events at the same position in MATR3 cause VCPDM. Our data establish proof of principle that the nuclear matrix is crucial for normal skeletal muscle structure and function and put VCPDM on the growing list of monogenic disorders associated with the nuclear proteome.