Sayuri Yamamoto

Pretreatment Hematologic Findings as Novel Predictive Markers for Facial Palsy Prognosis

Objective To examine the relationship between prognosis of 2 different facial palsies and pretreatment hematologic laboratory values. Study Design Multicenter case series with chart review. Setting Three tertiary care hospitals. Subjects and Methods We examined the clinical records of 468 facial palsy patients who were treated with an antiviral drug in combination with either oral or intravenous corticosteroids in participating hospitals between 2010 and 2014. Patients were divided into a Bell’s palsy group or a Hunt’s palsy group. We used the Yanagihara facial nerve grading system to grade the severity of facial palsy. “Recovery” from facial palsy was defined as achieving a Yanagihara score ≥36 points within 6 months of onset and having no accompanying facial contracture or synkinesis. We collected information about pretreatment hematologic findings, demographic data, and electrophysiologic test results of the Bell and Hunt group patients who recovered and those who did not. We then compared these data across the 2 palsy groups. Results In the Bell’s palsy group, recovered and unrecovered patients differed significantly in age, sex, electroneuronography score, stapedial muscle reflex, neutrophil rate, lymphocyte rate, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and initial Yanagihara score. In the Hunt’s palsy group, recovered and unrecovered patients differed in age, electroneuronography score, stapedial muscle reflex, monocyte rate, platelet count, mean corpuscular volume, and initial Yanagihara score. Conclusions Pretreatment hematologic findings, which reflect the severity of inflammation and bone marrow dysfunction caused by a virus infection, are useful for predicting the prognosis of facial palsy.

Modified endoscopic transnasal-transmaxillary-transpterygoid approach to parapharyngeal space tumor resection

Conventional approaches for removing parapharyngeal space tumors require a cervical skin incision and resection of soft tissues between the skin and parapharyngeal space. The surgical visual field for this conventional approach is limited.

Novel pre-therapeutic scoring system using patient and haematological data to predict facial palsy prognosis

We describe a novel scoring system, the facial Palsy Prognosis Prediction score (PPP score), which we test for reliability in predicting pre‐therapeutic prognosis of facial palsy. We aimed to use readily available patient data that all clinicians have access to before starting treatment.

Successful continual intratympanic steroid injection therapy in a patient with refractory sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by relapsing polychondritis

OBJECTIVE To report the treatment efficacy of continual intratympanic steroid injection (ITSI) therapy in a patient with refractory sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by relapsing polychondritis. PATIENT A 49-year-old female diagnosed with relapsing polychondritis at the age of 45 years and who had been treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants developed sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear. INTERVENTION Her unilateral hearing loss did not recover despite receiving one cyclophosphamide pulse treatment, one methylprednisolone pulse treatment, and weekly leukapheresis. Thus, we decided to initiate weekly ITSI therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Pure tone audiometry. RESULTS A week after the first ITSI treatment, the patients hearing improved. We continued ITSI therapy and attempted to extend the interval between treatments, but her hearing worsened when ITSI therapy was delivered at 2- to 3-week intervals. Thus, we returned ITSI therapy to once per week for 21 months (total of 71 treatments). She experienced no adverse events, like tympanic perforation, and 1 year after terminating the therapy, her hearing remained stable and did not worsen. CONCLUSIONS Continual, weekly ITSI therapy was effective in treating sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by relapsing polychondritis. ITSI therapy may be a promising treatment option for sensorineural hearing loss caused by autoimmune disease.

Utility of clinico-biological data for long-term prognosis of head and neck terminal cancer

Abstract Objective: The prognosis of terminal head and neck cancer is traditionally determined using indices such as the palliative prognosis index. We aimed to develop an alternative prognosis index using clinico-biological data. Methods: This retrospective case-series study included 33 head and neck cancer patients whose cancer recurred despite receiving radiation therapy between April 2010 and April 2014. Clinico-biological data were collected the day patients were diagnosed as terminal. Bivariate correlation analyses were performed on survival times and clinico-biological data. For multivariate regression analyses, patients were divided into two groups: (1) patients who survived >120 days, and (2) those who survived <120 days. Group clinico-biological data were used to determine survival-time cutoff points for the prognosis index. Results: Bivariate analyses revealed significant correlations between survival time and BMI, hemoglobin, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), Onodera’s Prognostic Nutritional Index (O-PNI), modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), and Performance Status (PS). Multivariate analyses showed a strong correlation between survival time and BMI. The two groups differed significantly in BMI, albumin, CRP, O-PNI, and mGPS. In multivariate analyses BMI, CRP, and O-PNI differed significantly in the two groups. Conclusion: BMI ≤16.4, CRP ≥1.01, and O-PNI ≤33.4 are significant predictors of long-term survival in terminal cancer patients.

Closure of tracheoesophageal puncture with pedicled fascia flap of the sternocleidomastoid muscle

OBJECTIVE Closure of a tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) formed during voice prosthesis implantation may sometimes be required. We report a new method of closure that we have termed the RESET method. METHODS We used the RESET method for four patients. An initial incision was made at the mucocutaneous junction of the tracheostoma, and the trachea and esophagus were separated. The TEP was sectioned, and the tracheal and esophageal sides were sutured into separate layers. A pedicled fascia flap lifted from the sternocleidomastoid muscle was sandwiched between the trachea and the esophagus, and subsequently secured. RESULTS The TEP was closed in all patients, and no complications were observed. CONCLUSION The RESET method, using a pedicled fascia flap with stable perfusion, is a simple, reliable method of TEP closure.