Henry A. Milczuk

Airway Management in Children with Craniofacial Anomalies

Craniofacial anomalies (CFA) predispose children to airway obstruction. A retrospective study was conducted to describe airway intervention required to manage patients with craniofacial syndromes and diseases involving the midface and mandible (i.e., Pierre Robin, Apert, Treacher Collins, Saethre-Chotzen, CHARGE, Nager, Stickler, Goldenhar, and Pfeiffer). The type of airway intervention, duration of intervention, and associated physical and medical conditions were evaluated. One hundred nine patients had charts available for review and met inclusion criteria. Sixty-five of these patients required airway management, most commonly in the first month of life, ranging from positioning to tracheotomy. Nineteen patients required a tracheotomy. Associated medical conditions and feeding difficulties were associated with airway obstruction. This study evaluates factors that predispose children with CFA to have airway problems that need treatment, as well as the types of airway management that are necessary.

Pediatric vocal fold paralysis after cardiac surgery : Rate of recovery and sequelae

Objective To determine the rate of recovery of pediatric vocal fold paralysis (VFP) after cardiac surgery. Study Design and Setting Retrospective case series from January 2000 to 2005 at 4 tertiary care pediatric hospitals. Results A total of 109 children with VFP were identified. Of 80 patients with follow-up >3 months, 28 (35%) recovered vocal fold function with a median time to diagnosis of recovery of 6.6 months. Fifty-two (65%) patients had persistent vocal fold paralysis with a median follow-up time of 16.4 months. Twenty-five (45%) of 55 patients demonstrated aspiration or laryngeal penetration with modified barium swallow. Twenty-nine (27%) of the 109 patients underwent surgical intervention for their airway, feeding, or voice. Conclusions Pediatric VFP is not an uncommon complication after cardiac surgery and can result in serious sequelae. This study demonstrates a 35% rate of recovery, 45% rate of aspiration, and 27% rate of complications that require surgical intervention.

Intralesional cidofovir for the treatment of severe juvenile recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: long-term results in 4 children.

Abstract Objective We sought to determine the efficacy of intralesional injection of cidofovir in improving resolution of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Study design and setting We conducted a prospective, observational trial at an academic tertiary children’s hospital. Results Four children with RRP requiring more than 6 surgical excisions per year were treated with intralesional cidofovir. Cidofovir (5 mg/mL) was injected into airway sites where papillomas had just been excised using sharp technique. Each patient had 6 treatments performed 6 to 8 weeks apart. Biopsies confirmed benign papilloma lesions in all cases. During treatment with intralesional cidofovir there was diminished growth of the papillomas in each patient. Once cidofovir treatment was stopped, the rate of regrowth and frequency of surgical excision returned to pretreatment levels in 3 of the 4 patients. Conclusions Intralesional cidofovir may provide benefit in reducing the rate of RRP growth while under treatment, but RRP severity returned to pretreatment levels once cidofovir treatment was stopped using this treatment program.

Congenital laryngeal webs: surgical management and clinical embryology

Laryngeal webs are uncommon congenital anomalies. The formation of a laryngeal web represents anomalous embryologic development of the larynx. The extent of airway involvement varies which ultimately affects surgical management. A series of five congenital laryngeal webs each with subglottic involvement is reported. One patient also had a ventral laryngeal cleft. All patients ultimately required open laryngeal reconstruction, either laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) or thyrotomy (laryngofissure) and silastic keel, to correct the defect and all were decannulated. Findings at surgery correlate with recent descriptions of embryonic laryngeal development though the actual mechanism by which webs develop remains unknown. The findings suggest that congenital glottic webs require accurate endoscopic diagnosis and open airway reconstruction for definitive treatment.

Multicenter Interrater and Intrarater Reliability in the Endoscopic Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency

OBJECTIVE To explore interrater and intrarater reliability (R (inter) and R (intra), respectively) of a standardized scale applied to nasoendoscopic assessment of velopharyngeal (VP) function, across multiple centers. DESIGN Multicenter blinded R (inter) and R (intra) study. SETTING Eight academic tertiary care centers. PARTICIPANTS Sixteen otolaryngologists from 8 centers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Raters estimated lateral pharyngeal and palatal movement on nasoendoscopic tapes from 50 different patients. Raters were asked to (1) estimate gap size during phonation and (2) note the presence of the Passavant ridge, a midline palatal notch on the nasal surface of the soft palate, and aberrant pulsations. Primary outcome measures were R (inter) and R (intra) coefficients for estimated gap size, lateral wall, and palatal movement; kappa coefficients for the Passavant ridge, a midline palatal notch on the nasal soft palate, and aberrant pulsations were also calculated. RESULTS The R (inter) coefficients were 0.63 for estimated gap size, 0.41 for lateral wall movement, and 0.43 for palate movement; corresponding R (intra) coefficients were 0.86, 0.79, and 0.83, respectively. Interrater kappa values for qualitative features were 0.10 for the Passavant ridge; 0.48 for a notch on the nasal surface of the soft palate, 0.56 for aberrant pulsations, and 0.39 for estimation of gap size. CONCLUSIONS In these data, there was good R (intra) and fair R (inter) when using the Golding-Kushner scale for rating VP function based on nasoendoscopy. Estimates of VP gap size demonstrate higher reliability coefficients than total lateral wall, mean palate estimates, and categorical estimate of gap size. The reliability of rating qualitative characteristics (ie, the presence of the Passavant ridge, aberrant pulsations, and notch on the nasal surface of the soft palate) is variable.

Surgical outcomes for velopharyngeal insufficiency in velocardiofacial syndrome and nonsyndromic patients.

Objective: To compare speech outcomes after operative intervention for velopharyngeal insufficiency between velocardiofacial syndrome patients and nonsyndromic patients. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Tertiary academic center. Patients: Cohorts of 14 velocardiofacial syndrome and 15 nonsyndromic patients without overt cleft palate who underwent operative procedures to correct velopharyngeal insufficiency. All velocardiofacial syndrome patients were positive for 22q11.2 microdeletion by fluorescent in situ hybridization and possessed phenotypic features of velocardiofacial syndrome. Interventions: Operative procedures, including sphincter pharyngoplasty, Furlow palatoplasty, or both, were selected based on preoperative endoscopic assessments of velopharyngeal motion and residual gap size and shape, as well as velocardiofacial syndrome status. Five single and 9 combined procedures were performed in the velocardiofacial syndrome group, whereas 13 single and 2 combined procedures were performed in the nonsyndromic group. Outcome Measures: Pre- and post-op evaluation was conducted by a speech pathologist. Assessment parameters scored on a numerical scale included speech intelligibility, resonance, nasal air emissions, and overall severity of velopharyngeal insufficiency. Postoperative complications were recorded. Results: Most velocardiofacial syndrome patients and nonsyndromic patients demonstrated significant improvements in all parameters. Comparison of the two groups demonstrated similar improvements in both. Changes in speech resonance were significantly different between the two groups, whereas other speech parameters did not reach significance. There was no difference in airway complications between groups. Conclusions: Velocardiofacial syndrome patients may have comparable outcomes to nonsyndromic patients in selective surgical management of velopharyngeal insufficiency. In addition, the data demonstrate the efficacy of a single-stage combined procedure without increased morbidity.

The Effect of the Palatoplasty Method on the Frequency of Ear Tube Placement

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the type of palate repair affects the frequency of subsequent ventilation tube placement. DESIGN Combined retrospective and prospective cohort with more than 2 years clinical follow-up after palatoplasty. SETTING Tertiary care childrens hospital and clinic. PATIENTS A total of 170 patients with cleft palate (with or without cleft lip) underwent palatoplasty between 1995 and 2003. Sixty-nine patients with less than 2 years of follow-up visits and 1 patient who did not require ear tubes were excluded from this analysis. INTERVENTIONS Either traditional 2-flap palatoplasty (group A) or double-opposing Z-plasty (group B) was performed. The type of palatoplasty performed was based on the reconstructive surgeons clinical decision. Ventilation tubes were placed for otitis media, conductive hearing loss, or eustachian tube dysfunction. Patients received routine follow-up care every 6 months or whenever acute problems arose. Data were analyzed with independent t tests, chi(2) tests, and Fisher exact tests. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Number of ear tubes placed after palatoplasty in each group. RESULTS Group A had a mean (SE) of 2.9 (0.2) sets of tubes placed, while group B had a mean (SE) of 1.8 (0.2) sets of tubes. Group A had significantly more sets of ventilation tubes placed (P < .001) than group B. Subgroup analysis based on type of cleft was performed. CONCLUSION Children with cleft palate who underwent double-opposing Z-plasty had fewer sets of ear tubes placed postoperatively than patients who had traditional repair.

The laryngeal mask airway for pediatric adenotonsillectomy: Predictors of failure and complications

OBJECTIVES We hypothesize that the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is a safe technique for airway management in pediatric adenotonsillectomy (T&A). METHODS After institutional review board (I.R.B.) approval, we conducted a retrospective review of 1199 medical records of children who underwent T&A from 2002 to 2006 at Doernbecher Childrens Hospital, a teaching institution in Portland, OR. There were no significant demographic differences between the LMA (n=451), endotracheal tube (ETT) (n=715), and failed LMA groups (n=33). Outcome variables were LMA failure (LMA replaced with endotracheal tube), and any complication. We collected demographic and medical data to determine the incidence and predictors of LMA failure, and to characterize the failed LMA group. RESULTS The incidence of LMA failure was 6.8%. Patients who underwent adenoidectomy had significantly lower odds of LMA failure compared to patients who had a tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.15-0.52, P<0.0001). One of the surgeons (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.45-0.48, P<0.0001) was also associated with decreased odds of LMA failure. Controlled ventilation (OR 7.17, 95% CI 4.99-10.32, P<0.0001), and younger patients (OR 1.05 for each year decrease in age, 95% CI 1.03-1.07, P ≤ 0.0001) were associated with increased odds of LMA failure. The complication rate was 14.2% in the LMA group and 7.7% in the ETT group. Increased odds of developing any complication were seen in male patients (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.01-1.7, P=0.04), and in patients with co-morbidities other than obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or upper respiratory tract infection (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.03-17.2, P=0.04). The odds of developing a complication were lower in the ETT group compared to the LMA group (0.63, 0.46, 0.8, P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS LMA use for pediatric T&A is associated with a higher incidence of complications, mainly as a result of airway obstruction following insertion of the LMA or McIvor gag placement. Complications were more likely if tonsillectomy was performed when compared to adenoidectomy alone. Appropriate patient selection, careful insertion, and avoidance of controlled ventilation may decrease the incidence of LMA failure, especially if tonsillectomy is performed. The ability of surgeons to work around the LMA can modify the failure rate significantly.

Assessment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea using a drug-induced sleep endoscopy rating scale.

Assess the reliability of a Sleep Endoscopy Rating Scale (SERS) and its relationship with pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity.

Generation of consensus in the application of a rating scale to nasendoscopic assessment of velopharyngeal function.

OBJECTIVE To generate consensus ratings of velopharyngeal function on nasendoscopy (NE) with the goal of creating a video instruction tool. METHODS The American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Study Group convened to identify NE segments to be included in an instructional video. Of 24 segments reviewed, 11 were selected based on the quality of the examinations and spectrum of closure patterns. Participating otolaryngologists independently rated NE segments using the Golding-Kushner scale. The participants then convened and rated each of the NE segments as a group. Thirty-nine members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology met and agreed with the group ratings, creating a consensus standard. RESULTS Individual scores for palate and lateral wall motion showed high variability, ranging from 0 to 6 points difference from the consensus. Variability was also seen for the following qualitative findings: the Passavant ridge, aberrant pulsations, and dorsal palatal notch. The individual ratings are presented graphically to demonstrate the range of individual responses as well as to compare responses to the consensus ratings. No further changes were made to the proposed consensus ratings when reviewed by the larger group. CONCLUSIONS Rating of NE evaluations of velopharyngeal function was variable among a group of pediatric otolaryngologists experienced in treating velopharyngeal insufficiency. These results highlight the need to develop a standardized method of reporting NE findings for velopharyngeal insufficiency. Despite this, consensus ratings were achieved that will facilitate development of a video instruction tool.