Elio Gilberto Pfuetzenreiter

Complicações dos esvaziamentos cervicais

UNLABELLED Because of the proximity of vital structures, certain complications are inherent to neck dissection (ND) for the treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. AIM To establish the incidence of complications of ND. METHODS A cross-sectional retrospective study of patient registries. ND with curative intention was evaluated in 480 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract from January 1995 to December 2008 to identify perioperative complications. RESULTS Considering the total quantity of dissected neck sides, 413 radical ND and 295 selective ND were studied, of which 220 were supraomohyoid ND and 75 were jugular ND, totaling 708 sides. There were no deaths. The most frequent complication was marginal mandibular nerve injury (5.5%), followed by accessory nerve injury (5.1%). However, in 18 out of 21 cases this nerve was sacrificed for oncological completeness. CONCLUSIONS There were no perioperative deaths. Nerves were the most commonly injured structures; the marginal mandibular branch is injured most (5.5%).

Prospective study of clinical and laboratorial hypocalcemia after thyroid surgery

UNLABELLED Hypocalcemia can be detected clinically and through lab tests after thyroidectomy. AIM To analyze the incidence and risk factors of clinical and laboratorial hypocalcemia after thyroid surgery. METHODS Prospective study of 91 patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Demographics, intraoperative, and pathological aspects were correlated to our hypocalcemia findings. RESULTS Age higher than 50 (p = 0.022) and complete thyroidectomy (p < 0.001) were considered risk factors for hypoparathyroidism. Complete thyroidectomy was considered a risk factor for the 48-hour laboratorial hypoparathyroidism (p = 0.004). There was no risk factor associated with the one-month laboratorial hypoparathyroidism. There was significance between the 48-hour and the one-month laboratorial hypoparathyroidism. CONCLUSIONS Thyroidectomy extension is a risk factor for both the clinical and laboratorial hypoparathyroidism, whereas age is a risk factor for clinical hypoparathyroidism. The detection of 48-hour laboratorial hypoparathyroidism is a predisposing factor for the one-month laboratorial hypoparathyroidism. However, most of the cases were temporary.

Fatores de risco para metástases à distância no câncer de cabeça e pescoço

OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors for the development of distant metastasis (MD) among patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) surgically treated. METHODS A retrospective study of 253 patients from January, 1997 to December, 2002 was performed. Out of them, 10 patients presented DM during the follow up. The following aspects were analyzed: gender, age, tumor primary site, TNM classification, cervical lymph node status, and the presence of extracapsular spread - gross or microscopic. RESULTS The survival average for the patients with DM, after finishing the oncological treatment, was 16 months (standard deviation = 2.256). The presence of both gross extracapsular spread (Odd ratio = 14.429) and the microscopic one (OR = 17.471) and the both the neck advanced pathological staging (OR = 4.409) and the primary tumor staging (RR = 2.929) presented statistical significance as risk fators for the occurrence of DM. CONCLUSION The risk factors for DM were: microscopic and gross extracapsular spread, the pathological presence of positive neck lymph node and advanced primay tumor.

Schwannoma of the arythenoid

ABSTRACT Schwannoma is a benign encapsulated tumor that originates from the Schwann cells lining nerve fibers outside the central nervous system. We report a rare case of schwannoma that arose from the left arythenoid cartilage The patient underwent excision of the mass through microlaryngeal endoscopic procedure. No recurrence was observed during follow-up.

Original ArticleVideolaryngostroboscopy and voice evaluation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

UNLABELLED Arthritis may affect the larynx and produce symptoms such as hoarseness and vocal fatigue. OBJECTIVE This paper aimed to evaluate the laryngeal manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS This is prospective study assessed 27 patients with rheumatoid arthritis with the aid of videolaryngostroboscopy, auditory-perceptual analysis of the speech using the GIRBAS scale, acoustic analysis and the Voice Handicap Index questionnaire. RESULTS Nineteen patients had laryngeal complaints, the main ones being intermittent dysphonia and sensation of a foreign body in the throat. The most frequent laryngoscopical finding was overlapping arytenoids. Three patients had low pitch, nine patients had mild dysphonia and roughness. Median acoustic measures were: F0, 198.39 Hz; Jitter, 0.815; Shimmer, 4.915; and NHR, 0.144. Regarding the Voice Handicap Index, the median score was zero in all domains. There was a statistically significant correlation between voice complaints and the domains of this index. Functional classes were significantly correlated to: overlapping arytenoids (p = 0.001), PPQ (p = 0.0257), Shimmer (p = 0.0295), APQ (p = 0.0195), and the VHI physical (p = 0.0227) and total domains (p = 0.0425). CONCLUSION Laryngeal complaints were reported by 70.4% of the patients and laryngoscopical alterations were observed in 48% of the subjects. Voice acoustic evaluation and self-perception were altered.

Análise videolaringoestroboscópica de pacientes submetidos à radioterapia para tratamento de câncer glótico

UNLABELLED Radiation therapy is an adequate treatment for early laryngeal cancer, and it is important to study the vocal fold vibratory pattern, which is essential for a favorable voice outcome. AIM To analyze laryngostroboscopic findings in a group of patients who underwent radiation therapy for the treatment of early glottic cancer. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted in order to evaluate 20 patients staged as T1a glottic tumors in the period from 1995 to 2005. A laryngostroboscopic protocol was applied. RESULTS Glottic closure was complete in 17 patients. The amplitude was normal in 14 treated vocal folds and in 18 contralateral vocal folds. The mucosa wave vibratory pattern was totally present in all vocal folds. The periodicity was always regular in all cases. The vestibular fold and arytenoid symmetry and movements were normal. There was occasional supraglottic lateral constriction in 4 cases. The mucosal appearance was normal in 14 and edematous in 6 patients. Mucus build up was observed in 12 patients. CONCLUSIONS The vibratory pattern was normal or slightly diminished in both vocal folds after radiation therapy for early glottic cancer.

The Relationship Between the Glottic Configuration After Frontolateral Laryngectomy and the Acoustic Voice Analysis

The relative measurement of the anterior commissure synechia (S) is a crucial factor worsening voice quality and the perceptual analysis score has a strong correlation to the synechias impact. The aim of this study is to correlate the laryngeal configuration regarding the anterior commissure synechia and its relationship with the acoustic vocal parameters. Fifteen male patients underwent frontolateral partial vertical laryngectomy and reconstruction with bipedicle sternohyoid muscle flap for the treatment of T1b/T2 glottic cancer. The patients were free of disease, and the evaluation was performed after a minimum postoperative period of 12 months. Measurements of the anterior commissure synechia and the free border of both the preserved and the reconstructed vocal folds were simultaneously performed with the acoustic analysis of the voice. We calculated the mathematical proportion between the midsagital dimension of the synechia of the anterior commissure and the measurement of the free border of the intermembranous region of each vocal fold-the preserved one and that reconstructed with the bipedicle sternohyoid muscle flap. The acoustic evaluation showed an important increase in the fundamental frequency, and the values of all parameters were changed regardless of the anterior commissure synechia findings. These results suggest that the acoustic voice parameters are always changed because of the aperiodic pattern regardless of the anterior commissure synechia findings.

Associação de doença tireoideana ao adenoma de paratireóide

BACKGROUND: to evaluate the prevalence of incidental thyroid disease in patients with surgical indication due to PH. METHODS: Twenty patients with clinical and laboratorial evidence of HP underwent parathyroidectomy from January, 1998 to December, 2004. The casuistic included 15 women and 5 men, whose ages varied from 44 to 83. The criteria employed for the diagnosis of thyroid disease were clinical, laboratorial, through ultrasound-Doppler, cytopathological analysis of the fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), and intraoperatively. All patients had parathyroid adenoma, with two cases of double adenomas. RESULTS: The clinical examination showed palpation changes in 7 patients, with 5 surgical indications. The laboratorial evaluation presented thyroid function changes in 3 cases. Ultrasound-Doppler indicated thyroid nodular disease in 15 cases, but without impact on the surgical indication. The FNAB of the thyroid nodules was indicated in 9 patients, with 3 cases de papillary carcinoma. Intra-operative exploration did not add any finding to the ultrasound examination. CONCLUSION: The pathological association between thyroid and parathyroid diseases is not rare (75%). The ultrasound is the most sensible method. However, clinical examination and FNAB have a higher impact upon the surgical indication on the thyroid gland during the parathyroid approach.

Morphological Evaluation of Thyroid Cartilage Invasion in Early Glottic Tumors Involving the Anterior Commissure

Introduction: The anterior commissure is an area of glottic cancer infiltration, even in early stages. Objective: To evaluate the invasion by tumors into the anterior commissure cartilage in surgical specimens of frontolateral laryngectomy. Methods: Forty-eight patients who had undergone frontolateral laryngectomy for T1b/T2 squamous cell carcinoma were included. Epidemiological and clinical aspects as well as morphological histopathological analysis were evaluated. Results: Of the 48 patients, 42 (87.5%) had T1b lesions and 6 (12.5%) had T2. Thirty-four cases (70.8%) showed healthy tissue between the tumor and the thyroid cartilage, 10 cases (20.8%) had a tumor in close proximity to the cartilage, and in 4 cases (8.3%) there was cartilage invasion. There was no major risk of adverse outcome in the groups with infiltration or tumor adjacent to the cartilage. Level of differentiation, mitotic index, nuclear irregularity, and the presence of nucleolus and tumor necrosis were not related to cartilage invasion. Conclusion: The infiltration of thyroid cartilage occurred in 8.3% of tumors and did not change the outcome in patients submitted to frontolateral laryngectomy. The morphological characteristics did not present any statistical significance.

Predictive Value for Malignancy of the Thyroid Nodule Macroscopically

Introduction  The fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a method of high accuracy in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules, but the “follicular” remains a factor of failure. Furthermore, the usefulness of intraoperative examination of freezing is controversial. Macroscopic aspects of thyroid nodules may increase the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative and intraoperative FNA biopsy and freezing. Objective  To evaluate the macroscopic aspects of the surgical specimen in the decision facing the nodular disease of thyroid gland. Methods  During 2007, 85 patients underwent surgical treatment for thyroid nodular diseases were evaluated by prospective and macroscopic aspects of 125 nodules were compared with histopathological findings. Results  We found that the pattern of recent growth, the presence of adhesions of the thyroid, absence of hemorrhage, necrosis and poor demarcation of the nodule had statistical significance in the outcome of malignant disease. Conclusion  Pattern of growth, thyroid adhesions, necrosis and poor demarcation of the nodule are predictors of malignancy, while the presence of hemorrhage is a protective factor.