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Voice problems and risk factors among aerobics instructors.

Fifty female and four male aerobics instructors completed a questionnaire pertaining to vocal problems and variables that could indicate an increased risk for developing problems. The questions concerned teaching experience, physical data regarding instructional facilities, method of voice projection, music volume, history of illness, allergies, voice loss, hoarseness, smoking habits, and knowledge of vocal hygiene. The results showed that a significant number of instructors experienced partial or complete voice loss (44%) during and after instructing, as well as increased episodes of voice loss, hoarseness, and sore throat unrelated to illness since they began instructing. Significant variables associated with voice problems included sore throat and hoarseness following instruction, and shouting to cue the participants. It was also found that very few instructors in this study had any knowledge of vocal hygiene techniques.

Adult↗

Laryngeal involvement in the Dowling-Meara variant of epidermolysis bullosa simplex with keratin mutations of severely disruptive potential.

The clinical features of the Dowling-Meara variant of epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS-DM) can, in an infant, be indistinguishable from other severe forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Two unrelated infants with no family history of skin disease are described who, within hours of birth, developed extensive blistering of skin and oral mucosae and who both subsequently developed hoarse cries. Despite this superficial resemblance to other forms of EB, electron microscopy revealed a basal cell rupture and keratin aggregates characteristic of EBS-DM in the skin of both infants and in the vocal cord epithelium of one. Molecular analysis confirmed the diagnosis by identification of mis-sense point mutations in basal cell keratin genes in both cases. One patient carries a point mutation in keratin 14 (converting arginine at position 125 to histidine) and the other has a novel point mutation in keratin 5 (converting serine at position 181 to proline). Hoarseness is not a well documented feature of EBS-DM and is usually associated with junctional EB. These two patients demonstrate that the presence of a hoarse cry in an infant affected by severe EB does not necessarily indicate a poor prognosis.

DNA Mutational Analysis↗

[Impact of 24-hour intraesophageal pH monitoring with 2 channels in the diagnosis of reflux-induced otolaryngologic disorders].

BACKGROUND: Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may suffer from a large variety of symptoms in the upper aerodigestive tract such as globus sensation, chronic cough, hoarseness and many others. Diagnosis and causal therapy may sometimes be difficult with gastroenterologic evaluation sometimes revealing no pathologic result. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of 24-hour intraesophageal pH monitoring with 2 channels (gastric and laryngeal) in the diagnosis of reflux-induced otolaryngologic disorders. METHODS: This study included 22 patients presenting to the Department of Otolaryngology with symptoms like chronic cough (n = 3), globus sensation and dysphagia (n = 11), heartburn (n = 2), hoarseness and dysphonia (n = 2) or burning sensation of the tongue (n = 1). Three patients had a pathologic formation in the glottic area (leukoplakia, granuloma, polyp). All patients underwent a otolaryngological examination, a gastroenterological investigation and a 24-hour intraesophageal pH monitoring with 2 channels. RESULTS: All 22 patients showed laryngeal mucosal lesions (posterior laryngitis). The gastroenterological evaluation with esophagogastroduodenoscopy was normal in 4 cases. 13 patients showed a hiatal hernia, 4 patients were suffering from a reflux-esophagitis grade I and 2 patients from grade II. One patient had an erythema and 5 patients showed erosions of the gastric mucosa. Seven patients had more than one of the above mentioned diagnoses. Intraesophageal pH-monitoring with 2 channels over 24 hours revealed a gastroesophageal reflux of all 22 patients and a high reflux to the laryngeal level of 21 patients, probably causing laryngopharyngeal symptoms. Therapy of the patients consisted of medical antireflux treatment with proton pump inhibitor esomeprazol (Nexium, 40 mg, 1-0-0). Within 4 weeks 15 of 22 patients had no more laryngopharyngeal symptoms or at least a significant reduction. CONCLUSION: Patients with laryngopharyngeal symptoms such as hoarseness, globus sensation or dysphagia can suffer from GERD, even if typical symptoms such as heartburn or retrosternal pain do not exist and gastroesophageal intervention reveals a normal result. The best diagnostic instrument for the diagnosis of reflux-induced otolaryngologic disorders is a 24-hour intraesophageal pH-monitoring with 2 channels (measure-points at the distal esophagus and laryngeal level). Medical antireflux treatment should consist of proton pump inhibitors (e. g. Nexium) in a dose of 40 mg per day over at least 4 weeks.

Adult↗

CT of submucosal and occult laryngeal masses.

Computed tomographic examinations were performed on 24 patients with entirely submucosal laryngeal mass lesions. Presenting complaints were hoarseness (17 patients), dysphagia (1 patient), airway obstruction (5 patients), and a cervical nodal metastasis (1 patient). The masses were visible endoscopically as submucosal bulges in 21 patients. Three other patients presenting with hoarseness and vocal cord paresis or paralysis had otherwise negative endoscopy and a mass demonstrated on CT. Thirteen patients were eventually diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma, which was the primary working diagnosis following CT in 12 cases. The group of 13 carcinoma patients had a range of two to five endoscopic procedures with one to four negative biopsies and a 6 week to 9 month delay in histologic confirmation of cancer. Other lesions included five laryngoceles, two chondrosarcomas, and one case each of paraganglioma, fibrosarcoma, lymphoma, and tuberculous laryngitis. Computed tomography is an indispensable tool for evaluating submucosal laryngeal masses or otherwise unexplainable symptoms (usually hoarseness) that might herald such a mass. A definite submucosal mass on CT should prompt a deep or wedge biopsy to reach a pathologic diagnosis. This will avoid the delay in diagnosis that frequently occurs in these patients.

Humans↗

Laryngeal amyloidosis in 10 patients.

OBJECTIVES: Review the location, symptoms, treatment, and outcomes in 10 consecutive laryngeal amyloid (LA) patients. STUDY DESIGN: Pre and retrospective evaluation after treatment. METHODS: Analysis of visual and phonatory pathology and detailed description of surgery. RESULTS: Amyloid on the undersurface of both true vocal cords (TVCs) was found in two cases, uni- or bilaterally submucosally in the false vocal cords (FVCs) in eight cases, extending down into the lateral TVC in four cases, or on the undersurface of the TVCs as well in one case. The chief complaint was hoarseness and not shortness of breath. The amyloid was resected with a CO2 laser by way of microdirect laryngoscopy (MDL) on one side at a time to try to prevent anterior commissure scarring. Removal of most of the FVC improved the voice, but removal of the whole FVC to the inner thyroid perichondrium was found to be necessary to avoid recurrence from supraglottic deposits. Removal of at least 2 mm of the upper edge of a 3 to 4 mm thick submucosal deposit to the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle along with the overlying mucosa on at least one side was necessary to improve hoarseness when amyloid was present on the undersurface of both TVCs. Partial regrowth occurred in a few months to years after partial removal. Seven patients had had one to seven prior removals. Any hard amyloid in the lateral TVC (floor of ventricle) as an inferior extension from FVC amyloid needed to be at least partially removed to avoid hoarseness from a convex vocal cord. The voice improved postoperatively in all patients. Follow-up after the first operation was 6 months to 16 years, with an average of 6.5 years. Four FVC patients required re-excision on the same side after the first operation, but none has required a third removal as of yet.

Adolescent↗

Acoustic and perceptual indicators of normal and pathological voice.

The aim of this study was to obtain acoustic correlates to vocal quality of a group of men and women with and without voice disorders, based on evaluations of a group of judges experienced in the field of vocal rehabilitation. In male subjects, perceptual evaluation of normal, hoarse and rough voice qualities was related to the following acoustic features: frequency perturbation measures (JITA, RAP, and SPPQ), amplitude perturbation (SAPQ and VAM), soft phonation index (SPI) and fundamental frequency tremor intensity (FTRI). While these measures presented normal values for normal voice, hoarseness showed some deviations in perturbation frequency variables and very high SPI values, while rough voice showed deviations in all the measures. Qualities of female voices were perceived as normal, breathy and hoarse, but the acoustic correlates of these qualities were less conclusive.

Adult↗

Detection of laryngeal cancer--the case for early specialist assessment.

The first 300 patients referred from 11 participating general practices (GPs) to the Hoarse Voice Clinic, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, were studied prospectively to estimate the accuracy of GPs' diagnosis of laryngeal symptoms and to assess whether the provision of a direct referral immediate access service for the assessment of persistent laryngeal symptoms is an effective way of ensuring early referral and detection of laryngeal cancer. The GPs' assessment of laryngeal symptoms was inaccurate. Diagnosis after the initial clinic visit was accurate, predicting all histological cases of cancer. Laryngoscopy was possible in all patients at the first clinic visit. Disease requiring admission for direct laryngoscopy and biopsy was found in 39 patients (14%). Ten (3.3%) were found to have laryngeal cancer, of which eight were early lesions. When seen in the clinic 102 (34%) had normal voices and larynxes. A hoarse voice is a symptom requiring specialist assessment. By using the flexible fibreoptic nasendoscope all patients larynxes can be seen in clinic, an accurate diagnosis quickly made and the appropriate management instigated. It is feasible to offer this service without appointments to patients with persistent hoarseness.

Ambulatory Care↗

[A case report; systemic lupus erythematosus associated with lupus laryngitis].

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune collagen vascular disease which produces widespread damage to multiple organs. Few studies on laryngeal involvement in SLE have been reported. We report here a case of SLE complicated by lupus laryngitis. A 27-year-old woman was diagnosed as having SLE in October 1996 based on findings of polyarthritis, lymphocytopenia, positive anti-nuclear antibody and anti-Sm antibodies. Polyarthralgia disappeared transiently, and no other clinical symptoms were found. Therefore, she was followed with no medication. She presented hoarseness with high fever and facial erythema in September 1998. Laboratory findings on admission revealed pancytopenia and hypocomplementemia. Anti-nuclear antibody, anti-Sm antibody and anti-RNP antibody were all positive with high titers. Chest X ray examination showed pleural effusion. Laryngoscopy showed a bamboo-joint-like lesion at the middle of the bilateral vocal cords. She was treated with 60 mg of prednisolone (i.v.) which resulted in improvement of hoarseness, pancytopenia, hypocomplementemia and pleuritis. Based on these findings, we diagnosed her hoarseness as the manifestation of laryngitis associated with SLE (lupus laryngitis).

Adult↗

[Adult laryngeal hemangioma].

CASE DESCRIPTION: A patient aged 31 was admitted to the Ward because of hoarseness and difficulties in breathing. Family case history was negative. Personal case history shows pneumonia and jaundice. Hoarseness occurred suddenly, four months earlier, and did not change until hospitalization. The patient occasionally woke up for air loss. He first came for otolaryngological examination on November 23, 1995, and was admitted for examination and treatment. By frontal rhinoscopy, oropharingoscopic and otoscopic findings are regular. Indirect laryngoscopy shows regular findings in the hypopharynx. The epiglottis has regular configuration and appropriate insertion, but lay extremely low, covering the passage to larynx and thus making its examination impossible. As it was impossible to examine the patient by indirect laryngoscopy, we decided for directoscopy of larynx in neurolept analgesia, finding that the mucous membrane of epiglottis and larynx was pink, smooth, and glossy. The passage to larynx was free. Plicae aryepiglotticae and false vocal chords were regular. Morgagni's ventricles were free. The left vocal chord was yellowish, with smooth surface, sharp edge, slightly edematous. The front third of the upper surface of the right vocal chord showed a wide grip of a large globular formation of livid colour, the size of a cherry, taking two thirds of larynx's lumen, and a hematoma on the same vocal chord, spreading into Morgagni's chamber. Due to the local findings the patient was intubated and given general endotracheal anesthesia. In direct laryngomicroscopy, ablation of the polypous formation was performed. Bleeding was minimal. The removed material was sent for histopathological analysis. The post-operative course passed regularly. The patient was released from hospital on the third postoperative day without subjective discomforts and with appropriate local post-operative findings. Histopathological finding: hemangioma cavernosum. At control examinations the patient shows no subjective discomforts and has regular local findings, with no signs of local recurrence. DISCUSSION: The first larynx hemangioma was described by Mackenzie in 1871 (1). In 1921 Sweeter (1) classified hemangiomas as infantile and adult. Infantile hemangiomas are in 40-50% cases followed by multiple skin and gastrointestinal localizations (2). They are more frequent with girls. Dyspenia and inspiratory stridor with obstruction signs and cough are the main symptoms with neonates (3,4,5,6,7). These discomforts are not permanent, there are periods of improvement and deterioration. In most cases a spontaneous involution of hemangioma occurs during the second year of life. Adult hemangiomas are bluish red, clearly defined, appearing most often in the region of glottis and supraglottis. They are more frequent with males. The principal symptom is hoarseness, occasional hemoptysis, and in advanced cases dysphagia and difficult breathing (1,8,9). They do not show tendency of spontaneous regression. The sources give varied opinions on therapeutic procedure with laryngeal hemangioma (3,5,7,10,11,12,13,14). The factors influencing the choice of therapy are age, type, size and localisation of the tumor, and the patient's discomforts. With infantile hemangiomas which do not cause significant discomforts, we can expect spontaneous regression (15,16,17). The greatest discomforts are caused by hemangiomas during the first years of life, when followed by difficult breathing and choking. In these cases tracheotomy is inevitable. Radiotherapy used to play the principal role in therapy of hemangiomas (15,10,12). Nowadays the treatment of laryngeal hemangiomas with neonates is done with steroids (3,5,7), embolisation (5,14), laser (3,713) and cryotherapy (12). Adult hemangiomas are mostly treated surgically, applying various methods, from tumor ablation to laryngectomy, depending on the size of tumor (1,8,18,19,20). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Adult↗

[Treatment of solid tumor by a direct electric current].

This is a case report of a 37-year-old Japanese married female with laryngeal sarcoma, treated by direct electric current so as to obtain remission for more than 4 years without signs of recurrence. Due to her hoarseness and laryngeal numb feeling she underwent a laryngeal examination including a biopsy, resulting in a diagnosis of sarcoma. She refused a total laryngectomy and was given Cobalt treatment of 40 Grey. In the following several months, no improvement was observed, objectively or subjectively. In Nagoya University Hospital the patient then received direct electric current therapy of 36 Coulombs through two platinum electrodes inserted into the tumor under a CT guide, pericutaneously. Two months later, as the hoarseness remained in spite of some improvement, she underwent another session of direct electric current therapy of 14.4 Coulombs through the platinum electrodes by bronchoscope-guided direct insertion. Her hoarseness soon disappeared thereafter and there was a regression of the tumor in 6 months. She did well thereafter without any signs of recurrence for 4 years. Clinical treatment of solid tumors with electric treatment with direct electric current has been done in more than 8,000 cases with CR in 25% of all cases and PR in 50%. Its mechanism, however, remains unclear. In our experimental animal studies, apoptosis was observed. It is considered that this electric therapy using direct electric current will be recognized as one method to treat solid tumors.

Adult↗

A review of the results of two different surgical procedures for the repair of clefts of the soft palate only.

This study evaluated results of the two surgical procedures for repair of cleft palate. Simple closure using the Von Langenbeck technique was compared with the V-Y retroposition technique as modified by Wardill and Kilner. The population consisted of two groups of children who were similar in chronological age and intelligence and for whom surgery was performed at an average age of 1 year, 11 months, in the simple closure group and 1 year, 8 months, in the V-Y repair group. In the early pre-school years, the children were evaluated in the areas of intelligence, language, hypernasality hearing, articulation, and voice quality. The two groups were found to be roughly similar in intelligence, language, and articulation at that time. The simple closure group was at first found to be slightly more hoarse than the V-Y repair group while the latter was found to have slightly more hypernasality. Hearing acuity was somewhat poorer in the simple closure group. The final evaluation was carried out when the mean chronological ages were 10 years, 1 month, for the simple closure group and 10 years, 2 months, for the V-Y repair group. Included in the second assessment were measurements of intelligence, language, articulation, nasal resonance, hoarseness, nasal emission, hearing, and velopharyngeal closure, The groups were judged to roughly comparable in intelligence, language, articulation, hypernasality, nasal emission, and velopharyngeal closure. A difference between groups occurred in regard to hearing acuity where the simple closure group showed slightly more hearing loss. This group was also judged to have more hoarseness. In regard to velopharyngeal closure, it was noted that all subjects in both groups had mechanisms of adequate or borderline efficiency. However, the children in the simple closure group compared as well as they did with the V-Y retroposition group only after 27 per cent had had secondary procedures as compared to 11 per cent in the V-Y repair group...

Child↗

[Value of the relative phonetogram (RP) for the evaluation of organic dysphonias].

UNLABELLED: The phonetogram in a recognized element of voice evaluation, but its relation to perceptual voice quality is unclarified. The phonetograms area is easy to measure since the existence of efficient computer software. So information about frequency and intensity range can be united in one single parameter. The individual phonetogram area in relation to a gender- and training-specific normal value constitutes the "relative phonetogram (RP)". A prospective evaluation of the relative phonetogram was performed by means of a statistical analysis of its correlation to perceptual voice assessment (grade/rough/breathy) and to maximal phonation time. The acoustic parameters jitter, shimmer, SNR were examined in the same way, to allow for comparison of the RP's importance with the importance of common "objective" features in the identical group of patients. 114 patients with two subsets are included: 61 patients after partial laryngectomy (laser or conventional surgery), 53 patients with different glottic pathologies. The perceptive evaluation was done by a trained jury of an ENT-specialist and a speech therapist. The phonetogram and the maximal phonation time were measured by a trained medical student with regard of the examination references publicated by the Union of European Phoniatrics. The computer software for area measurement was MSImageProPlus, the one for sound analysis was Dr. Speech (Tiger Electronics). Statistical program: SPSS 8.0. RESULTS: The comparison between the two subsets of patients shows lower RPs for partial laryngectomy than for other patients in all degrees of hoarseness. In both subsets there is a correlation between RP and hoarseness values: the average values of RP differ significantly in dependence of grande. This is even more marked for the patients after laryngeal surgery. Furthermore high RPs are only present in patients with (relatively) high maximal phonation time, and mean RP correlates with maximal phonation time. A correlation between the parameters of sound analysis and the score of "grade" exists, but is not as marked as for the RP. CONCLUSION: The significance of the RP's mean value for subsets of 15-20 patients has been demonstrated. It is justified to interpret a certain variance of this parameter as difference in the degree of hoarseness. In this context, the importance of the mean RP is higher than the importance of jitter, shimmer, SNR (when measured with the above mentioned computer program, which allows no evaluation of parameter combinations). Therefore this parameter could be interesting for comparison of dysphonic patients, for instance after glottic cancer treatment.

Adult↗

Radiological manifestations of cardiovocal syndrome.

Cardiovocal syndrome is a rare clinical diagnosis that signifies vocal cord palsy associated with various cardiovascular diseases. The radiological manifestations of six cases of clinically diagnosed cardiovocal syndrome are reviewed retrospectively. The common clinical presentation of these six cases was hoarseness that was due to left vocal cord palsy. By means of chest X-rays (CXR) and cardioangiography, four cases were respectively diagnosed to have atrial septal defect (n = 1), ventricular septal defect (n = 1) and mitral stenosis (n = 2), all of which were associated with a common radiological finding of dilatation of pulmonary trunk. The other two cases were separately diagnosed to have proximal descending aortic saccular aneurysm (n = 1) by means of CXR and angiography, and fusiform ascending aortic aneurysm (n = 1) by computed tomography and magnetic resonance image. All these radiological presentations of either aortic aneurysm or dilated pulmonary trunk were associated with encroachment of aorticopulmonary window for which the left recurrent laryngeal nerve was presumably compressed with the result of left vocal cord palsy. Hoarseness that is caused by these underlying cardiovascular diseases is correctable after treatment of the underlying diseases. Hence, clinicians and radiologists should pay attention to the radiological manifestations of patients whose chief complaints are hoarseness and cardiovocal syndrome.

Adult↗

[Long-term follow-up of autogenous fat injection for unilateral vocal cord paralysis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term results of autogenous fat injection for unilateral vocal cord paralysis. METHODS: Twenty cases with unilateral vocal cord paralysis were treated by autogenous fat injection into the thyroarytenoid muscle to achieve medialization. The patients were divided into 3 groups by hoarse degree before operation, all of them were followed more than 12 months with serial video laryngoscope and voice evaluation. The ratio between paralyzed vocal cord upper surface and that of the normal vocal cord were adopted as the measurement for the vocal cord volume changes before and after operation. RESULTS: 1. The volume of paralyzed vocal cord was increased. The degree of hoarse and normalized noise energy (NNE) were evaluated by objective methods after operation. 2. The hoarse symptom was less severe after operation than that before operation. The cure cases 3 to 6 months and over 12 months after operation were nearly the same. 3. NNE of over 12 months and 3 to 6 months after operation were not significantly different, but the postoperative NNE were different with that before operation. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous fat injection was an effective method for treating unilateral vocal cord paralysis, and the long term effects were reliable.

Adipose Tissue↗

[Betamethasone injection in chronic hypertrophic laryngitis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the curative effects of Betamethasone for treatment of voice hoarseness of chronic hypertrophic laryngitis. METHODS: From July, 2001 to December, 2002, 48 cases of the chronic hypertrophic laryngitis had been treated by injected of Betamethasone at vocal cords. Fundamental frequency (FO), jitter, shimmer, normalized noise energy (NNE) acoustics' parameters were tested and paired t test were calculated. The voice quality of 1 month and 6 months after treatment were synthetically graded, one-way ANOVA and the DANCAN test were conducted. RESULTS: Eight cases were injected under surface anesthesia with indirect laryngoscopy at the clinic service. Thirty-eight cases were injected under general anesthesias with micro-laryngoscopes. After six months following up, the voice hoarseness was obviously improved, the congestion or oedema of vocal cord was lessened, and the voice quality was improved as well. The results of F0, jitter, shimmer, NNE acoustics' parameters after treatment 6 months showed: 8 of 48 cases (17.39%) had treatment effect, 22 out of 48 cases (47.83%) had obviously effect, 10 out of 48 cases (21.74%) had cured. The total effectiveness had reached 86.96% (40 of 48 cases). Six of 48 cases (13.04%) was failure. CONCLUSION: Vocal cord injection of Betamethasone for the hoarseness of chronic hypertrophic laryngitis is an effective treatment method.

Adult↗

[Recurrent laryngeal nerve decompression].

OBJECTIVE: To study the result of recurrent laryngeal nerve decompression in the treatment of functional disturbance of recurrent laryngeal nerve caused by thyroid surgery or thyroid benign tumors. METHODS: From October 2002 to June 2005, 9 cases of unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and 4 cases of glottic insufficiency were treated with recurrent laryngeal nerve decompression. Seven cases of the nerve paralysis were caused by the surgery of benign thyroid tumors resection which were done by general surgeons. The paralysis nerve were found ligated in 6 of the 7 cases, and nerve-scar adhesion was found in the other case. Beside nerve decompression, type I thyroplasty have been undertaken in the same time to 2 of the 7 cases with severe hoarseness. One case of thyroid adenoma and 1 case of nodular goiter with unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis were treated with tumor resection and nerve decompression respectively. Four cases of glottic insufficiency, 3 cases of nodular goiter were treated with tumor resection and nerve decompression, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis in the other case was treated with partial lobe resection and nerve decompression. The recovery of function of recurrent laryngeal nerve were detected to the recovery of vocal cord mobility through electrolaryngoscope postoperatively. RESULTS: For the 7 cases of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis after thyroid surgery, the motion of the paralysed vocal cord restored within 3 months in 6 cases with the interval of 1 week to 3 months between the two operations, no restoration was found in the other patient with an interval above 4 months between the two operations after 1 year follow-up. For the thyroid adenoma and nodular goiter with unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, the motion of paralysed vocal cord restored within 3 months respectively after decompression. The glottic closure recovered within 1 week after decompression in the 4 cases of the glottic insufficiency patient. CONCLUSIONS: Exploration and decompression as soon as possible to the paralysed recurrent laryngeal nerve because of thyroid surgery are very important for the restoration of the function of the nerve. For the patient with serve hoarseness, nerve decompression and type I thyroplasty at the same time is recommended in an effort to relieve hoarseness as soon as possible. For the functional disturbance of recurrent laryngeal nerve with thyroid neoplasm patient, early exploration and decompression of the nerve is imperative.

Decompression, Surgical↗

[A case of unilateral VIIIth, IXth and Xth cranial nerve involvement with herpes zoster].

A 46-year-old healthy man suffered from sore throat, fever and right otalgia. On the next day, he developed hoarseness and difficulty in swallowing. On the 6th day, he suffered from vertigo, nausea and vomiting associated with unsteady gait. He was admitted to the otorhinolaryngology department in our hospital and pointed out to have vesicles at his right ear. On the 13th day, he was referred to our service. On admission, no vesicles were noted at the right ear or pharynx. Neurological examination revealed mild nuchal rigidity and marked hoarseness, associated with poor elevation of soft palate and loss of pharyngeal reflex on the right side. He also had horizontal-clockwise rotatory nystagmus in primary gaze and ataxic gait. There was no hearing loss nor facial palsy. No other abnormal neurological findings were noted. The cerebrospinal fluid showed pleocytosis associated with increased protein. The viral antibody titre for herpes zoster was significantly elevated on 18th day in serum as well as in cerebrospinal fluid. Vertigo, nausea, vomiting, ataxia and difficulty in swallowing were all disappeared by the 25th day, whereas hoarseness was improved but still noted 6 months later. Among cranial nerves, trigeminal and facial nerves are the most commonly affected in patients with herpes zoster, but there have been a few reported cases of the 9th and 10th cranial nerve involvement in the literature. In these previously reported cases, all were written before the era of serological diagnosis, and herpes zoster was diagnosed by the vesicles at the ear or pharynx.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Viral↗

[Multi-dimensional analysis of vocal function. A case-control study].

The aim of this study was to select the most appropriate methods for analyzing vocal function from an array of existing tests. A case-control study (64 patients and 64 controls) was made of teaching staff in Logroño, Spain. The 64 patients had 25 nodules, 7 polyps, 15 hyperfunctional dysphonia, 6 hypofunctional dysphonia, 6 submucosal suffusion and 5 chronic laryngitis. The study methods included anamnesis, ENT examination, videostrobolaryngoscopy, perceptual evaluation of hoarse voices, basic aerodynamic tests, the frequency range of phonation, physical analysis of the voice signal of the vowel /a/ and the sentence ìmi padre era castellanoî, and spectrographic analysis of Spanish vowels according to Yanagiharaís classification using Sound Scope 1.0 software. We found no single test that consistently differentiated between hoarse and normal voices; values always overlapped. In contrast the phonation quotient (PQ), maximum phonation time (MPT) of the vowel /a/, S/Z quotient (Eckel and Boone), frequency range of phonation, APQ (average perturbation quotient), HNR (harmonic-to-noise ratio), BR (breathiness, or the high-frequency content of the source wave), RAP (relative average perturbation), standard deviation (SD) of the fundamental frequency (F0) of the vowel /a/, intensity and SD of the sentence ìmi padre era castellanoî, and the sound spectrographic analysis of Spanish vowels disclosed statistically significant differences between hoarse and normal voices.

Case-Control Studies↗