Patients: Twenty-two patients with achondroplasia, who were treated from 1994 to 2005, with a focus on otolaryngologic diagnoses. Main Outcome Measures: Descriptive statistics of common otolaryngologic diagnoses in patients with achondroplasia. Results: Of the 22 patients, 15 (68%) received an otologic diagnosis, including 6 with recurrent otitis media and 5 with otitis media with effusion, and 11 patients (50%) underwent an otologic procedure, with 10 undergoing tympanostomy tube insertion. Nine patients (41%) had adenotonsillar hypertrophy, 6 of whom had polysomnogram-documented obstructive sleep apnea. Seven patients underwent adenotonsillectomy (TA). Two patients had significant residual postoperative obstructive sleep apnea, and 1 patient died from acute respiratory distress syndrome following TA. All patients had preoperative neurosurgical evaluation for foramen magnum stenosis, with 11 (50%) requiring decompression. No other airway or laryngeal diagnoses were seen. Conclusion: Patients with achondroplasia often present with common diagnoses such as otitis media and adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and familiarity with the condition and its common otolaryngologic manifestations improves the likelihood of successful patient care.

Short-term stenting does not appear to reduce the rate of postoperative stenosis of the common frontal ostium after an EMLP.

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To provide assistance to otolaryngologists to decide the best manner in which to reprocess flexible nasopharyngoscopes, a review of existing English language medical literature regarding the methods of flexible endoscope reprocessing was performed, including previously published guidelines from other medical disciplines. Multiple steps were confirmed to be critical to effectively reprocess flexible nasopharyngoscopes. High-level disinfection has been determined to be the minimum level of disinfection required for reprocessing of flexible nasopharyngoscopes. Several steps are important in all reprocessing techniques, including manual cleaning, leak testing, cleaning with an enzymatic agent, high-level disinfection, and drying with vertical storage. Three techniques are available to achieve high-level disinfection: manual disinfection with a liquid disinfectant/sterilant, use of an automated endoscope reprocessor, and use of a disposable sheath. Achieving high-level disinfection of flexible nasopharyngoscopes can be accomplished by a variety of methods. Strict adherence to recommended procedures is critical.