Spontaneous Breathing for Panendoscopy? Retrospective Cohort and Results of a French Practice Survey

Objective Avoiding tracheal intubation by using general anesthesia with spontaneous breathing (GASB) is attractive for upper airway panendoscopy. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of adverse events during panendoscopy under GASB and to assess the practices of French anesthesiologists. Study Design Two-phase study: monocentric retrospective study and national survey. Setting University hospital center. Methods Patients who underwent a panendoscopy under GASB at the University Hospital of Angers between January 1 and December 31, 2014, were reviewed. Failure of GASB was defined as an episode of hypoxemia (SpO2 ≤88%) or the need for face mask ventilation with or without tracheal intubation. Then, we sent an electronic survey to all members of the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. Results Among the 95 included patients, 22 (23%) experienced a failure of GASB: 3 tolerated hypoxemia, 15 had face mask ventilation episodes, and 4 were intubated. Three factors were associated with failure: obesity (odds ratio, 11.94; 95% CI, 3.20-44.64), history of difficult intubation defined as a Cormack score ≥3 (odds ratio, 6.20; 95% CI, 1.51-25.41), and laryngeal tumor (odds ratio, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.04-7.56). Among the 3930 members of the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in 2018, 662 (16.8%) responded to the survey. The 2 preferred techniques to perform panendoscopy were intubation (62%) and intravenous sedation with spontaneous breathing (37%). Conclusion Although general anesthesia with orotracheal intubation remains the preferred technique for panendoscopy in France, GASB is an attractive alternative with a low failure rate. Risk factors for failure are obesity, history of difficult intubation, and laryngeal tumor.

A Case of Nasal Cavity and Laryngeal Involvement of Rosai–Dorfman Disease

Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare non-malignant disorder, characterized by painless multiple cervical lymphadenopathy, fever, and elevated inflammatory markers. Its diagnosis is difficult due to its rare incidence and various clinical presentations, especially in extranodal involvement. In this report, we demonstrate a patient with RDD who presented with a nasal septum and laryngeal tumor that caused dyspnea. We achieved a successful treatment outcome with combined surgical resection of the laryngeal mass and corticosteroid medication. The symptoms and tumors were resolved within 3 weeks after treatment. We reported our experiences with review of literatures.

Predictors of Aspiration and Silent Aspiration in Patients With New Tracheostomy

Purpose Hospitalized, medically complex patients with new tracheostomy are at risk for aspiration. This study reports incidence of aspiration in these patients with new tracheostomy and investigates possible risk factors for aspiration and silent aspiration in this patient population. Method Retrospective review of instrumental swallowing evaluations from hospitalized inpatients with new tracheostomy tubes to determine frequency of aspiration and silent aspiration and patient factors associated with aspiration. Patient variables including sex, age, reason for hospital admission, reason for tracheostomy, duration of intubation, time since tracheostomy placement, and tracheostomy cuff and cap status were examined as possible risk factors for aspiration and silent aspiration. Results Of the 272 patients with new tracheostomies who underwent instrumental swallowing evaluation, 59% aspirated on at least one consistency. Odds of aspiration were twice as high in patients with uncapped tracheostomy compared to closed (i.e., cap or speaking valve in place). Odds of aspiration were 3.4 times greater with patients who underwent tracheostomy for an oropharyngeal etiology (oropharyngeal or laryngeal tumor, surgery, or infection). Of the patients who aspirated, 81% aspirated silently on at least one consistency. Odds of silent aspiration was 4.5 greater with an uncapped tracheostomy. Conclusions Medically complex patients with new tracheostomy are at risk for aspiration and benefit from instrumental swallowing evaluations. Future prospective research is warranted to determine contributing factors responsible for this risk. Lastly, speech pathologists play an important role in the patient’s recovery.

Factors favoring neck metastasis in patients underwent laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer

Background One third of all head and neck cancers are caused by laryngeal cancer. However, the incidence and prevalence rates have decreased over the past 3 decades. Neck metastasis from cancer larynx is important to be addressed as its presence greatly reduces the probability of survival. However, quality of life should be taken into consideration. Hence, it was important to analyze factors related to neck metastasis from primary laryngeal cancer to detect any change of tumor behavior with time. Results One hundred thirty-eight patients underwent concomitant neck dissection with laryngectomy (total or partial). Supraglottic tumors had the greatest share in the neck metastasis with a count of 11 (of 26 neck metastasis), representing 42% and a total value of 11 (of 30 total supraglottic cancer) representing a tendency of spread in 37% of the total case number. Tumor midline crossing was present in 77% cases (20 of 26) with positive nodes, representing a P value 0.05. Conclusion This study investigated different factors related to lymph node metastasis from primary laryngeal tumor. The most important factors were the site of the tumor and its relation to the midline.

High-flow nasal oxygen for laryngeal tumor debulking: case report and current challenges

<p class="abstract">High-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) has brought new opportunities in shared airway surgery. Contemporary challenges with its use in severely obstructive conditions such as laryngeal tumors still need to be addressed as there is discrepancy in its use and access among centres. We reported a case in which the use of HFNO allowed laryngeal tumor debulking while avoiding tracheotomy in a stridulous patient. The patient described was a 70 year old patient with stridor at rest secondary to a laryngeal tumor diagnosed five days before surgery. Tumor debulking could be safely initiated under general anaesthesia, which would not have been possible without HFNO. This report served as an example of an alternative to awake tracheotomy in the management of severely obstructive laryngeal pathology We wish to discuss through this case management of severely obstructive laryngeal pathology in the era of HFNO, while encouraging discussion on its potential benefits and limits.</p>