S. Brosch

Tonsillectomy as a treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in adults with tonsillar hypertrophy.

Objectives High surgical success rates for adenotonsillectomy in children with sleep‐related breathing disorders have been described in various studies. The purposes of the present study were to observe how often a substantial tonsillar hypertrophy is associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults and to evaluate the efficiency of a bilateral tonsillectomy.

The submucous cleft palate: Diagnosis and therapy

OBJECTIVES To investigate age of diagnosis, typical symptoms, finding of the palate, therapy options and accompanying diseases. METHODS A retrospective analysis of 439 patients with symptomatic submucous cleft palate (SMCP), who received a veloplasty operation (butterfly suture technique developed by Haase) was made. RESULTS SMCP was initially diagnosed at the mean age of 4.9 years. Main symptoms were hyper nasal speech (51%) and conductive hearing loss (45%), which resolved after veloplasty (often in combination with adenotomy and insertion of ventilation tubes). Typical findings of the palate were a lack of posterior nasal spine (68%) and bifid uvula (59%). Following surgery 17.1% required speech therapy and 5.5% needed velopharyngoplasty due to continuing hyper nasal speech. CONCLUSION SMCP is often diagnosed very late, though symptoms of velopharyngeal insufficiency (hyper nasal speech, Eustachian tube dysfunction) and bifid uvula are present. We therefore recommend that all patients with such findings are examined by an appropriate specialist such as Phoniatrics, Otolaryngologist and Oral-Maxillofacial-Surgeon so that early diagnosis and palatoplasty can be performed. The veloplasty operation (butterfly suture technique) can be recommended as a safe therapy for velopharyngeal insufficiency for patients with symptomatic SMCP.

Laryngoplasty With Hyaluronic Acid in Patients With Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis

OBJECTIVES Augmentation of vocal fold with hyaluronic acid (Restylane; Q-Med AB, Uppsala, Sweden) is used as a therapeutic option for insufficient glottic closure in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVP). Analysis of the optimal glottic width, effectiveness (long-term voice improvement as a consequence of longevity of Restylane), and safety of this new method was made. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS In a prospective clinical cohort study, 19 consecutive patients with UVP who received vocal fold augmentation with hyaluronic acid (Restylane) were examined preoperatively; 6 weeks, 6, and 12 months postoperatively by laryngostroboscopy; and their voice was evaluated by subjective, objective, and self-assessment (Voice Handicap Index). RESULTS In 11 of 19 (58%) patients, a subjectively and objectively acceptable voice quality was observed in a follow-up of 12 months. Eight of 19 (42%) patients had a considerable impairment of the voice after 6 weeks (range: 1-24 weeks). Therefore, another intervention (eg, injection laryngoplasty or thyroplasty) was recommended. An impairment of voice was mainly observed if the preoperative glottal gap during phonation was more than 1 mm. CONCLUSION A long duration (up to 12 months) of acceptable quality of voice was achieved by augmentation with Restylane, if the glottal gap was 1 mm or less videolaryngostroboscopically during phonation. The authors recommend this therapy for temporary voice improvement and to augment vocal therapy, if spontaneous recovery of voice is likely. Long-term results remain to be seen.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty changes fundamental frequency of the voice - a prospective study

The aim of the study was to find whether a muscle-sparing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and tonsillectomy cause a measurable change in the voice. The fundamental frequency and the first two formants of five sustained vowels were measured before and nine (six to 15) months following operation. The operation consisted of tonsillectomy and UPPP with preservation of the musculature of the soft palate. All patients received a pre- and post-operative 12-canal polysomnography (level-I sleep study). No patient showed signs of any post-operative velopharyngeal insufficiency. Acoustic analysis showed a significant raising of the fundamental frequency of up to 10 Hz. There was also a lowering of the second formant in two of the five vowels. This was correlated with the volume of the excised tissue. The minimal changes will probably have no significance for those who place no special reliance on their voice, but the possible post-operative changes should be made clear to singers and those relying on their voice for professional reasons.

How safe is percutaneous ethanol injection for treatment of thyroid nodule? Report of a case of severe toxic necrosis of the larynx and adjacent skin.

Objective—Since 1990, percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) has been clinically applied as a treatment for autonomous functioning nodules of the thyroid as well as for cystic lesions. Some additional indications are currently under consideration, e.g. inoperable advanced cancer of the thyroid. Since its inception, PEIT has generally been regarded as an effective, low-risk, inexpensive procedure which can be performed on an ambulatory basis. Material and Methods—We report the first case of severe ethyl toxic necrosis of the larynx combined with necrotic dermatitis in a patient treated with PEIT by a radiologist. Results—The patient was admitted to hospital, where the necrosis and dermatitis were treated conservatively. A cyst which developed in the right false vocal fold was removed by microsurgery 10 months later. Voice was restored almost to normal but a significant reduction in nodular volume was not seen, probably due to the inexperience of the operator. Conclusion—PEIT for functional thyroid gland autonomy is an inexpensive method of treating hyperthyroidism with focal autonomy on an ambulatory basis if surgical intervention and radioiodine therapy are not feasible either for medical reasons or because of refusal by the patient. Severe complications must be taken into consideration and discussed with the patient. To avoid complications, substantial experience and a precise ultrasound-guided injection are required. In the case of complications the opinion of a specialist should be sought at an early stage.

Discrimination of native and non-native vowel contrasts in bilingual Turkish-German and monolingual German children: Insight from the Mismatch Negativity ERP component.

The development of native-like memory traces for foreign phonemes can be measured by using the Mismatch Negativity (MMN), a component of the auditory event-related potential. Previous studies have shown that the MMN is sensitive to changes in neural organization depending on language experience. Here we measured the MMN response in 5-6year-old monolingual German and bilingual Turkish-German kindergarten children growing up in Germany. MMN was investigated to a German vowel contrast and to a vowel contrast that exists in Turkish and in German. The results show that compared to a German control group, the MMN response is less robust in Turkish-German children to the German vowel contrast. The response to the contrast that exists in both languages does not differ between groups. Overall, the results suggest that the Turkish-German children have not yet fully acquired the German phonetic inventory despite living in Germany since birth and being immersed in a German-speaking environment.

Stuttering children and the probability of remission—the role of cerebral dominance and speech production

OBJECTIVE The identification of critical characteristics which might predict whether childhood stuttering will become chronic. Part of the study investigates the relationship between hearing and central processing of acoustic stimuli, cerebral dominance and the clinical course of the stuttering. METHODS A prospective study of 79 stuttering children aged 3-9 years. The subjects were examined with regard to their cerebral dominance in various tests of laterality, their peripheral hearing and their ability to discriminate sound using the dichotic discrimination test according to Uttenweiler (V. Uttenweiler, Dichotischer Diskriminationstest für Kinder, Sprache Stimme Gehör 4 (1980) 107-111). Results were correlated with the probability of remission of stuttering. Comparisons were made with a control group of 18 children of kindergarten age with normal speech. The period of investigation was 18 months. RESULTS Seventy-two children underwent follow-up examinations. Of these, 36 achieved fluency of speech. The results of the dichotic discrimination test showed no relation to the rate of remission. When the relationship between handedness and stuttering was investigated, it was found that left-handed children had a significantly poorer chance of attaining speech fluency. CONCLUSIONS The Uttenweiler test allowed no prognostic evaluation of the future course of stuttering in the age group studied, though auditory dominance was not completely developed in a majority of the 3-6 year-old children. Handedness, however, appears to be related to the probability that stuttering will become chronic.

Safe and Reliable Sound Threshold Measures with Direct Vibration of the Ossicular Chain

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of piezoelectric malleus vibration audiometer (MVA), which presents micromechanical vibrations to the umbo membranae tympani.

Long term outcome of psychogenic voice disorders

OBJECTIVES To evaluate different therapy for psychogenic voice disorders. METHODS Epidemiological data, organic and psychological symptoms, therapeutic options and outcome were prospectively analyzed in 40 consecutive patients with psychogenic voice disorders. Their voice was evaluated by subjective means and self assessment (voice handicap index) and an organic or functional disorder was excluded by videolaryngostroboscopy. Additionally, a detailed psychological examination and exploration were made. Every patient received intensive voice exercises with biofeedback by a phoniatrician and counseling by a clinical psychologist. Following this, therapy options of psychotherapy or a combination of psychotherapy and voice therapy were given. After an interval (average 16 months) from first contacting our section, every patient was asked to complete a questionnaire about their therapies and quality of voice. RESULTS Patients had previously received insufficient voice therapy or antibiotics. The psychological examination detected psychological disorders as a basic problem. Overall, in 70% of patients there was either an improvement or resolution of voice problems. For all patients psychotherapy or a combination of voice therapy and psychotherapy was recommended, but only accepted in 37.5%. In all cases, when psychotherapy in combination with speech therapy took place, it was successful, whereas speech therapy alone provided improvement only in 12.5%. CONCLUSION Psychogenic voice disorders are often misdiagnosed, leading to inadequate therapy. Psychotherapy (often in combination with voice therapy) was most effective also in the long term, but is often not accepted by patients. Voice therapy alone had a poor success rate.

Genetic and environmental risk factors for submucous cleft palate

A multifactorial aetiology with genetic and environmental factors is assumed for orofacial clefts. Submucous cleft palate (SMCP), a subgroup of cleft palates with insufficient median fusion of the muscles of the soft palate hidden under the mucosa, has a prevalence of 1:1,250-1:5,000. We described the prevalence of risk factors among 103 German patients with the subtype SMCP and genotyped 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 12 candidate genes for orofacial clefts. Analysis of risk factors yielded a positive history for maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy in 25.2% of the patients, and this was significantly more frequent than in the normal population. The group of patients differed in allele frequencies at SNP rs3917192 of the gene TGFB3 (nominal P = 0.053) and at SNP rs5752638 of the gene MN1 (nominal P = 0.075) compared with 279 control individuals. Our results indicate a potential role of maternal smoking during pregnancy for the formation of SMCP. The analysis of genetic variants hints at the contribution of TGFB3 and MN1 in the aetiology of SMCPs.