BackgroundIt is crucial to find a balance between functional and oncological outcome when choosing an adequate method for the management of vocal fold leukoplakia. Therefore, a detailed examination is a milestone in the decision-making process.AimTo examine whether narrow-band imaging (NBI) can be helpful in vocal fold assessment in the case of leukoplakia and how to overcome the “umbrella effect”- understood as the submucosal vascular pattern hidden under the plaque.Material and methodsProspective cohort of 41 consecutive patients. Inclusion criteria: vocal fold leukoplakia, no previous procedures (surgery, radiotherapy), and preoperative endoscopy with an optical filter for NBI. Two groups: “suspicious” and “normal”, according to the submucosal microvascular pattern of peripheral regions of the mucosa surrounding the plaque, were distinguished. Patients were qualified for a full-thickness or partial-thickness biopsy, respectively. Criteria defining suspected characters were well-demarcated brownish areas with scattered brown spots corresponding to type IV, Va, Vb, and Vc NI classifications.ResultsIn 22/41 (53.7%) patients with “suspected” microvascular pattern, full-thickness biopsy was performed. Moderate and severe dysplasia was revealed in 15 type IV and 7 type Va NI patients. In 19/41 (46.3%) patients with proper NBI vessel pattern treated by partial-thickness biopsy, hyperkeratosis was diagnosed. There was a strong correlation between the NBI pattern and final histology: Chi2 (2) = 41.0 (p = 0.0000).ConclusionThe results demonstrate that NBI endoscopic assessment of the submucosal microvascular pattern of mucosa surrounding the plaque can be an effective method to categorise the risk in vocal fold leukoplakia prior to treatment.

Objective:To determine the long-term efficacy of submucosal corticosteroid injection plus dilatation for subglottic stenosis as a single modality treatment in granulomatosis with polyangiitis and relapsing polychondritis, as compared with idiopathic subglottic stenosis and traumatic subglottic stenosis.Method:Patients who underwent dilatation for autoimmune causes were identified. Corticosteroid injection into the submucosa of a stenotic segment was followed by serial dilatation. Definitive improvement was defined as good airway patency for more than 24 months with no further procedures needed. Clinical, demographic and procedural data were recorded.Results:Patients (n = 45) were divided into three subglottic stenosis groups: traumatic (n = 24), idiopathic (n = 9) and autoimmune (n = 12). Patients were treated with dilatations, with a median follow-up time of 76 months. Six patients were tracheostomy-dependent. There were no statistical differences in the number of final improvements between autoimmune, idiopathic and traumatic groups, with values of 75, 56 and 71 per cent, respectively. There was no statistical difference between granulomatosis with polyangiitis plus relapsing polychondritis and idiopathic subglottic stenosis in terms of decannulation rates.Conclusion:Granulomatosis with polyangiitis and relapsing polychondritis patients have better improvement rates than patients with other subglottic stenosis types.

ObjectivesThe aim of the survey was to introduce knowledge of HPV's role in head and neck pathologies to general physicians (GPs), otorhinolaryngologists (ENTs) and newly graduated doctors, as well as to promote HPV-related diseases prevention.Study DesignCross-sectional study.MethodsSelf-designed questionnaire was sent to 2100 doctors. A total of 404 doctors, including 144 ENTs, 192 GPs and 68 trainees, responded.ResultsThe majority of ENTs (86.8%) had contact with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) and oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs) patients; in contrast, the majority of GPs (55.7%) did not (p = 0.00). The knowledge of HPV aetiology of cervical cancer versus OPCs and RRP was statistically higher. 7% of ENTs, 20% of GPs and 10% of trainees had not heard about HPV in oropharyngeal diseases. Women had greater knowledge than men. Both in the group of GPs and ENTs, 100% of respondents had heard about the impact of vaccination on the reduction of cervical cancer incidence. Only 39.11% of respondents had heard about the possibility of using vaccination against HPV in RRP—ENT doctors significantly more often than GPs and trainees (p = 0.00). Only 28.96% of physicians had heard about the potential value of HPV vaccination in preventing OPCs, including 44.44% of ENT doctors, 23.44% of GPs and 11.76% of trainees (p = 0.00). The doctors from district hospitals showed lower level of knowledge compared with clinicians (p = 0.04).ConclusionsThe different levels of knowledge and awareness of HPV issues highlight the need for targeted awareness strategies in Poland with implementation of HPV testing and vaccination. The information should be accessible especially to those with lower education levels: ENTs from small, provincial wards, GPs from cities of < 200 000 inhabitants and older physicians. The incorporation of HPV issues into the studies curriculum would be fruitful in terms of improving the knowledge of trainees.

The goal of this study was to compare the survival rate and functional outcome of an open partial horizontal laryngectomies, Type IIa and modified Type IIa (OPHL Type IIa and OPHL mType IIa), in treatment of moderately advanced glottic carcinoma. Retrospective analysis. 80 Patients underwent OPHL Type IIa and 27, OPHL modified Type IIa (OPHL mType IIa) between the years 2001 and 2009. Clinical staging was performed according to the UICC criteria (2002). Primary endpoints of study were recurrence rate, and 3- and 5-year survival time. Secondary endpoints were laryngeal functions: respiration, swallowing and voice. There were no significant differences within local and regional recurrence rates, organ preservation rate, 3- and 5-year specific disease survival rates between OPHL Type II and OPHL modified Type IIa. Significantly lower need for temporary (OPHL mType IIa 4/27, OPHL Type IIa 30/80) and permanent tracheostomy (OPHL mType IIa 2/27, OPHL Type IIa 16/80) was found. All but one patient (OPHL Type IIa) achieved unrestricted diet. Significantly differed social eating, this ability gained 25/27 OPHL mType IIa and 54/80 OPHL Type IIa (p < 0.05). Voice handicap index revealed a decrease in quality of life in all areas; OPHL Type IIa and OPHL mType IIa differed significantly (31 and 46 points respectively, p < 0.005). The MPT value (longest pitch) for OPHL Type IIa and OPHL mType IIa lasted 8 s and 10, respectively (p < 0.005). There was no significant difference in oncological outcomes between the two types of OPHL succeeded in the earlier extubation, thus significantly lowering the need for temporary and permanent tracheotomy and providing better long-term swallowing. Although the voice was altered in all observed OPHL patients, modified Type IIa technique proved to be superior to the Type IIa in terms of voice quality. Thus, OPHL modified Type IIa is worth promoting, as long as indications were strictly conformed.

Open partial horizontal laryngectomy (OPHL) specimens include cartilage and lymph nodes. Pathological adverse findings (PAF): perichondrium, cartilage, perineural invasion, microvessel spread and prelaryngeal metastases can be detected histologically. We aimed at examining PAF in OPHL specimens and examining the interdependence with oncological outcomes. Prospective analysis of 254 glottis cancers: 87-T2a, 77-T2b and 90-T3 with anterior commissure (AC) involvement treated by OPHL at tertiary referral centre between 2001 and 2008. In 38/254 patients (15 %) PAF were found (16 prelaryngeal metastases, 22 other); more often in stage T2b/T3 versus T2a (p = 0.008). PAF other than prelaryngeal metastases were found more often in T2b than T2a tumours (p = 0.005). Outcomes revealed that out of 36 patients with local recurrence, 19 had PAF. Comparison of 216 patients with no PAF and 16 patients with prelaryngeal metastases revealed, respectively: 7.9 versus 81.3 % local recurrences (p = 0.034), 3.2 versus 68.8 % nodal recurrences (p = 0.011), 90.7 versus 43.8 % of 5-year organ preservation (p = 0.021) and 92.6 versus 75 % 5-year overall survival (p = 0.022). Out of 10 patients with close margins, 1 developed the local recurrence; impact for organ preservation and overall survival was not significant. In 22/254 cases including the cartilage into the operating specimen were therapeutically meaningful; in 16/254 with prelaryngeal metastases, the impact for larynx preservation and overall survival was significant. T2b patients had higher probability of PAF than T2a. PAF significantly influenced higher local recurrence rate. This finding ensures the authors, that OPHL type II is not the "overtreatment" compared to the TLM.