Nicole Maronian

Association of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease and subglottic stenosis.

Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) disease and extraesophageal manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux have been recognized to have dramatic effects in the upper airways. Patient-reported symptoms alone underestimate the presence of LPR, making accurate clinical diagnosis difficult. Many previous studies examine populations with only standard dual-probe pH testing that does not include a test probe in the pharynx. Therefore, documentation of acid exposure at the laryngeal inlet is lacking. In adult patients with subglottic stenosis (SGS), whether due to granulomatous disease or presumed idiopathic causes, LPR is often a contributing or causative factor. a retrospective chart review from 1991 to 1999 identified 19 patients with SGS. Ten of the 19 patients had concomitant disease states, including sarcoidosis (3), Wegeners granulomatosis (3), laryngeal trauma (3), and a history of intubation (1). Fourteen patients underwent 24-hour ambulatory pH probe testing with 3- or 4-port probes. The proximal port in either catheter was positioned by manometric guidance directly behind the laryngeal inlet. Measurements of pH of less than 4 were recorded at the level of the larynx in 12 of the 14 patients tested (86%). This finding was noted in half of the patients despite empirical therapy with proton pump inhibitors at the time of the testing. Seven of 10 patients with underlying disease were studied, and all demonstrated acid reflux in the hypopharynx. In 9 patients, the stenosis was presumed to be idiopathic. Five of the 7 patients (71%) with idiopathic SGS tested had positive pH probe studies (pH below 4 in the pharyngeal probe). Our results demonstrate a strong association of LPR and SGS. In the idiopathic group, reflux is the probable cause of their stenosis. In the group of patients with underlying disease states, reflux was involved in all tested patients and likely acts as a synergistic factor that stimulates their granulomatous disease to react and subsequently result in the development of stenosis. Evaluation for LPR with pharyngeal pH testing should be performed in all patients with SGS.

A multi-institutional analysis of tracheotomy complications.

To define the prevalence of tracheotomy tube complications and evaluate risk factors (RFs) associated with their occurrence.

Laryngoscopy and pharyngeal pH are complementary in the diagnosis of gastroesophageal-laryngeal reflux.

Pharyngeal pH monitoring and laryngoscopy are routinely used to diagnose gastroesophageal-laryngeal reflux as a cause of respiratory symptoms. Although their use seems intuitive, their ultimate diagnostic value is yet to be defined. We studied 10 asymptomatic (control) subjects and 76 patients with respiratory symptoms. Both patients and control subjects were given a symptom questionnaire. Each underwent direct laryngoscopy using the reflux finding score (RFS) to grade laryngeal injury, esophageal manometry, and 24-hour esophagopharyngeal pH monitoring. The patients were then classified as RFS+, if the score was greater than 7, and pharyngeal reflux (PR)+, if they had more than one episode of PR detected during pH monitoring. The most common symptoms reported by patients were hoarseness (87%), cough (53%), and heartburn (50%). Control subjects had a significantly lower RFS (2.1 vs. 9.6, P < 0.01) and fewer episodes of PR (0.2 vs. 3.4, P < 0.01), than patients. None of the control subjects had more than one episode of PR during a 24-hour period. Fifty patients (66%) were RFS+ and 26 (34%) were RFS—. Thirty-two patients (42%) were PR+ and 44 (58%) were PR-. Fifteen patients had a normal RFS and no PR (group I = RFS—/PR—). Forty patients had discordance between the laryngoscopic findings and the pH monitoring (group II = RFS—/PR + or RFS+/PR—). Twenty-one patients had both an abnormal RFS and PR (group III = RFS+/PR+). Patients in group III had significantly higher heartburn scores and distal esophageal acid exposure. Eighty-three percent of patients in group III but only 44% in group I improved their respiratory symptoms as a result of antireflux therapy. An abnormal PR or RFS differentiates patients with laryngeal symptoms from control subjects. Agreement between PR and RFS helps establish or refute the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux as a cause of laryngeal symptoms. Patients who are RFS+ and PR—may have laryngeal injury from another source, whereas patients who are RFS— and PR+ may not have acid entering the larynx, despite the presence of PR. Patients who are RFS+ and PR+ have more severe gastroesophageal reflux disease and their reflux causes laryngeal damage. Laryngoscopy and pharyngeal pH monitoring should be considered complementary studies in establishing the diagnosis of laryngeal injury induced by gastroesophageal reflux.

Pharyngeal pH monitoring in 222 patients with suspected laryngeal reflux

To determine the existence of and characterize gastroesophagopharyngeal reflux in patients with symptoms of airway irritation, we monitored pharyngeal pH over a 24-hour period in 222 consecutive patients. Pharyngeal reflux was defined as a drop in pH to less than 4 at the pharyngeal sensor, which occurred simultaneously with acidification of the distal esophagus. Patients were divided into two groups: those with pharyngeal reflux (PR+) and those without (PR-). The Mann-Whitney U test and Student’s t test were used to assess intergroup comparisons. Episodes of pharyngeal reflux (range 1 to 36, average 4.4) were identified in 90 PR+ patients (40%). No pharyngeal reflux was identified in the remaining 132 patients (PR-). Episodes of pharyngeal reflux were rapidly cleared (average duration 1.5 minutes), and occurred while in the upright position in 77 (86%) of 90 patients and while in the supine position in 11 (12%) of 90 patients. Twenty-three patients (25%) experienced symptoms in association with an episode of pharyngeal reflux. In the distal esophagus, the percentage of time the pH was below 4 during the upright position and the total percentage of time the pH was below 4 were greater in PR+ patients (6.4% and 5.8%, respectively) when compared to PR-patients (2.6% and 2.6%, respectively). Laryngoscopic findings did not distinguish PR+ from PR- patients. Pharyngeal reflux occurs most commonly in the upright position and can be identified in more than 40% of patients thought to have acid-induced laryngeal symptoms. Even though these episodes are short lived and rapidly cleared, symptoms occur concomitantly in 25% of patients with proven pharyngeal reflux. Patients with laryngeal symptoms and documented pharyngeal reflux have greater amounts of esophageal reflux when compared to patients with laryngeal symptoms and no demonstrable pharyngeal reflux.

A New Electromyographic Definition of Laryngeal Synkinesis

Laryngeal synkinesis involves the misdirected reinnervation of an injured recurrent laryngeal nerve to vocal fold abductor and adductor musculature. The resultant laryngeal dyscoordination can cause vocal fold immobility and airway compromise. Although this entity is sometimes considered in the differential diagnosis, it is only demonstrable with laryngeal electromyography (EMG). We propose a new EMG definition of synkinesis to assist in its identification during workup of vocal fold immobility. A retrospective chart review from 1992 to 1997 in the Voice Disorders Clinic identified 10 patients with laryngeal synkinesis. Five patients had bilateral immobility, and 5 had unilateral immobility. Monopolar EMG was performed on all patients. Fine-wire EMG was performed when monopolar EMG did not elucidate the cause of the immobility. The EMG studies revealed synkinetic reinnervation in all subjects. On the basis of the EMG results, 7 of the 10 patients were treated with botulinum toxin to weaken the undesired reinnervation. Three of the 7 patients had benefit from this therapy. Laryngeal synkinesis should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of vocal fold immobility. Awake laryngeal EMG is the only method to demonstrate synkinesis of the larynx. The diagnosis of synkinesis is clinically significant in cases of immobility to identify patients who might benefit from botulinum toxin therapy. Additionally, the presence of synkinesis in cases of unilateral immobility may be a contraindication to laryngeal reinnervation procedures. The benefit of botulinum toxin therapy is likely greater in the treatment of bilateral as opposed to unilateral immobility.

Electromyographic Findings in Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Reinnervation

Abductor, adductor, and combined reinnervation procedures have been explored with variable success rates. We describe the experience of a tertiary care center with adductor reinnervation procedures, including preoperative and postoperative videostroboscopy and electromyography (EMG) findings. A retrospective chart review was performed from 1997 to 2001 that included 9 patients. Preoperative and postoperative voice comparison was performed by 3 blinded speech pathologists. Clinical comparisons of videostroboscopy findings for vocal fold bulk, tone, position, presence of gap, and movement are elucidated. The preoperative and postoperative EMG findings are described. In all patients, preoperative EMG revealed a dense, complete denervation of the affected recurrent laryngeal nerve. No movement was noted on videostroboscopy with persistent glottic gap. Reinnervation involved a nerve-muscle pedicle or a direct neurorrhaphy of the ansa cervicalis to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Voice improvement was noted between 60 days and 3 months after reinnervation. Four postoperative EMG studies were performed. An early postoperative EMG study at 5 months revealed activation of the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle and thyroarytenoid muscle with head-lift. Videostroboscopy showed excellent near-midline static positioning of the vocal fold. Late EMG studies, performed 12 to 16 months after reinnervation, revealed “learning” of these muscles, with new activation on “eee” phonation. We conclude that recurrent laryngeal nerve reinnervation procedures belong in the armamentarium of the laryngologist for the treatment of vocal fold paralysis. The EMG findings reported in this study suggest that ongoing reinnervation allows for activation with phonation in matured neuronal anastomoses. Overall, this procedure results in excellent patient acceptance and near-normal vocal quality.

Findings of Multiple Muscle Involvement in a Study of 214 Patients with Laryngeal Dystonia Using Fine-Wire Electromyography

Although perceptual and stroboscopic data help in diagnosing and classifying laryngeal dystonia, these measures do not aid the voice clinician in targeting which specific muscles to treat with botulinum toxin. Most patients achieve smoother, less effortful voicing with standard injection regimens. However, there is a notable failure rate. We performed fine-wire electromyography on 214 consecutive patients with laryngeal dystonia. We correlated voice ratings, stroboscopy data, and fine-wire electromyography data. Videostroboscopy was successful in visually demonstrating most of the audible findings in isolated vocal tremor, but it was much less successful in identifying breaks alone or a combination of breaks and tremor. Fine-wire electromyography revealed that the thyroarytenoid muscle was significantly more likely than the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle to be the predominant muscle associated with adductor spasmodic dysphonia, and that the thyroarytenoid and lateral cricoarytenoid muscles were equally likely to be predominantly involved in tremor spasmodic dysphonia. In addition, several patients in both the adductor spasmodic dysphonia and the tremor spasmodic dysphonia groups presented with interarytenoid muscle predominance. All of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles are capable of being the predominant muscle in laryngeal dystonia, and there are patterns of muscle abnormalities that differ between adductor spasmodic dysphonia and tremor spasmodic dysphonia. Some of the failures in treating adductor spasmodic dysphonia with botulinum toxin, and the greater difficulty with success in treating patients with tremor spasmodic dysphonia, are due to failure to deliver toxin to the appropriate muscles.

Paraneoplastic movement disorder in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and CRMP-5 autoantibody†

The paraneoplastic autoantibody, collapsin response‐mediator protein (CRMP)‐5 immunoglobulin G (IgG), is specific for neuronal cytoplasmic CRMP‐5, and is usually associated with small‐cell lung carcinoma or thymoma. We report on details of a movement disorder that followed anti‐B‐cell therapy in a patient with lymphoma, and was accompanied by CRMP‐5 IgG.

Pharyngeal pH measurements in patients with respiratory symptoms before and during proton pump inhibitor therapy

BACKGROUND Pharyngeal pH monitoring is a diagnostic tool used to identify Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as an etiology of respiratory symptoms. We performed pharyngeal pH monitoring on 14 patients with respiratory symptoms thought to be induced by GERD. METHODS Symptoms and pH monitoring (esophageal and pharyngeal) were assessed prior to and 3 months after the initiation of double-dose proton pump inhibitor therapy. RESULTS Symptoms included cough, hoarseness, and throat clearing. Ten patients had at least one episode of pharyngeal reflux (PR+) and 4 patients had no pharyngeal reflux (PR-). Pharyngeal reflux episodes in PR+ patients decreased from 3.5 to 0.9 (P <0.05) per day with 8 of 10 (80%) patients having elimination or reduction of such episodes. Eight of 9 PR+ patients (89%) with suppressed pharyngeal reflux on medical therapy had resolution of respiratory symptoms. Three of 4 PR- patients (75%) had persistent symptoms on medical therapy. CONCLUSIONS Proton pump inhibitor therapy improves clinical symptoms and decreases pharyngeal reflux episodes in patients with respiratory symptoms related to GERD. Direct measurement of pharyngeal pH is helpful in the identification of patients likely to respond to antireflux therapy.

Laryngeal and Other Otolaryngologic Manifestations of Crohn's Disease

Laryngeal and other otolaryngologic manifestations of Crohns disease are uncommon and may be subtle. Crohns disease is a well-known inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology marked by relapsing and remitting granulomatous inflammation of the alimentary tract. Extraintestinal manifestations of Crohns disease may appear anytime during the course of the disease process and may be the initial symptom. Findings are nonspecific, primarily edema and ulcerations, and may be confused with a multitude of other disease processes. Awareness of these manifestations in the head and neck will prevent misdiagnosis or a delay in diagnosis.