Simplified Technique of Tracheoesophageal Prosthesis Placement at the Time of Secondary Tracheoesophageal Puncture

3D-printed tracheoesophageal puncture and prosthesis placement simulator

OBJECTIVES

A tracheoesophageal prosthesis (TEP) allows for speech after total laryngectomy. However, TEP placement is technically challenging, requiring a coordinated series of steps. Surgical simulators improve technical skills and reduce operative time. We hypothesize that a reusable 3-dimensional (3D)-printed TEP simulator will facilitate comprehension and rehearsal prior to actual procedures.

METHODS

The simulator was designed using Fusion360 (Autodesk, San Rafael, CA). Components were 3D-printed in-house using an Ultimaker 2+ (Ultimaker, Netherlands). Squid simulated the common tracheoesophageal wall. A Blom-Singer TEP (InHealth Technologies, Carpinteria, CA) replicated placement. Subjects watched an instructional video and completed pre- and post-simulation surveys.

RESULTS

The simulator comprised 3D-printed parts: the esophageal lumen and superficial stoma. Squid was placed between components. Ten trainees participated. Significant differences existed between junior and senior residents with surveys regarding anatomy knowledge(p<0.05), technical details(p<0.01), and equipment setup(p<0.01). Subjects agreed that simulation felt accurate, and rehearsal raised confidence in future procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

A 3D-printed TEP simulator is feasible for surgical training. Simulation involving multiple steps may accelerate technical skills and improve education.

Total laryngectomy with primary tracheoesophageal puncture: Intraoperative versus delayed voice prosthesis placement

BACKGROUND

Studies support using intraoperative voice prosthesis insertion performed at the time of primary tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) during laryngectomy. However, none have compared intraoperative voice prosthesis insertion with delayed voice prosthesis insertion. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine patient, services, and cost benefits of intraoperative versus delayed voice prosthesis placement.

METHODS

Voice prosthesis use, duration to the first voice prosthesis change, early communication, and costs were compared between 14 patients who underwent a laryngectomy and who received intraoperative voice prosthesis placement, and 10 patients who underwent initial catheter stenting and then delayed voice prosthesis insertion.

RESULTS

Intraoperative voice prosthesis placement was associated with significantly fewer early device changes (1.4 vs 2), voice prosthesis changes because of resizing (8% vs 80%), longer durations to initial voice prosthesis change (159.7 vs 24.5 days), earlier commencement of voice rehabilitation (13.2 vs 17.6 days), reduced length of hospital stay (17.2 vs 24.5 days), and cost savings of $559.83/person.

CONCLUSION

Superior clinical and patient benefits are associated with intraoperative voice prosthesis placement during primary TEP. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1138-1144, 2017.

Placement of a 16-French voice prosthesis at the time of secondary tracheoesophageal voice restoration

PURPOSE

Tracheoesophageal voice restoration (TEVR) has traditionally been described with fistula tract creation, catheter placement, and prosthesis placement. Prosthesis placement at the time of tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) utilizing 20-French prostheses has been previously described. Smaller initial prostheses may allow fluent speech with reduced long-term complications, such as widening of the fistula and peri-prosthesis leakage. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of the 16-French prostheses placement at the time of secondary TEP.

METHODS

All cases of 16-French tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis (TEVP) placement at the time of secondary TEP were reviewed from 1/2011 through 12/2013 at a large academic medical center. Perioperative complications attributable to device placement were recorded, including inability to place prosthesis, intraoperative complications, post-operative infection, prosthesis dislodgement, prosthesis leakage, and inability to obtain voice.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients received placement of a 16-French TEVP at the time of secondary TEP. All prostheses were placed without intraoperative complications. The proportion of patients who had minor complications within the first postoperative month was 23.8%, including leakage through the prosthesis (3 of 21), granulation tissue near the prosthesis (1 of 21), retained sheath (1 of 21) and prosthesis displacement (1 of 21). Leakage and displacement were addressed with change and replacement, respectively. Fluent voicing was achieved in 85.7% patients, with a median time to voicing of 18.5days.

CONCLUSIONS

Placement of 16-French TEVPs is effective and safe, with an acceptable rate of minor complications attributable to the prosthesis. Therefore, a smaller prosthesis may be primarily placed at the time of secondary TEP and is our preference.

The hybrid tracheoesophageal puncture procedure: indications and outcomes

OBJECTIVES

This report aimed to describe a novel and efficient method of tracheoesophageal puncture using a hybrid device assembled from 2 commercially available puncture kits; to demonstrate the utility of this technique in the performance of primary and secondary procedures, under general and local anesthesia, with and without flap reconstruction; and to evaluate the efficacy of concurrent puncture and valve placement.

METHODS

Thirty-four patients who underwent either primary or secondary tracheoesophageal puncture for voice restoration. Charts were reviewed retrospectively for complications, time to first valve change, operative time, and blood loss.

RESULTS

Using this novel hybrid device, simultaneous puncture and valve placement was achieved in 34 consecutive patients. There was 1 major complication; blood loss was negligible; and the procedure could be accomplished in all cases. There were no cases of prosthesis failure as a result of the insertion technique.

CONCLUSION

Concurrent tracheoesophageal puncture and voice prosthesis placement is a simple and efficient method of voice restoration in the laryngectomized patient and can be more easily accomplished with a hybrid device assembled from the components of 2 commercially available puncture kits. It can be performed under local as well as general anesthesia. The procedure is adaptable to a variety of clinical situations.

Secondary Tracheoesophageal Puncture In-Office Using Seldinger Technique

Objective

Evaluate the safety and efficacy of in-office secondary tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) technique using transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE) and the Seldinger technique in conjunction with a cricothyroidotomy kit for placement.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Subject and Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed on 83 subjects who underwent in-office secondary TEP. Variables that were examined included disease site, staging, histologic diagnosis, extent of resection and reconstruction, chemoradiation, functional voice status (as assessed by speech pathologist in most recent note), and complications directly related to the procedure.

Results

Eighty-three individuals from our institution met our criteria for in-office secondary TEP from 2005 to August 2012. Of these, 97.6% (81/83) had no complications of TEP. The overall complication rate was 2.4% (2/83). Complications included bleeding from puncture site and closure of puncture site after dislodgement of prosthesis at the time of puncture. Fluent conversational speech was achieved in 69.9% of all patients (58/83), and an additional 19.3% (16/83) achieved functional/intelligible speech; of those, 3.6% (3/83) were unable to achieve fluent conversational speech due to anatomic defects from previous surgery.

Conclusion

An in-office TEP can be safely performed using the Seldinger technique with direct visualization using TNE, despite the extent of resection or reconstruction, with functional speech outcomes comparable to other studies available in the literature.

New Method for in-Office Secondary Voice Prosthesis Insertion under Local Anesthesia by Reverse Puncture from Esophageal Lumen

Objectives:

We clarify and demonstrate the utility of our new method of voice prosthesis insertion using puncture from the esophageal lumen.

Methods:

Our new reverse puncture method using a flexible endoscope can be performed in an outpatient clinic under local anesthesia. We conducted a clinical trial with patients with head and neck cancer between April 2010 and February 2012. Our study focused on the following three points: 1) the percentage of patients for whom the procedure was successful; 2) the duration of the operation; and 3) any adverse effects.

Results:

The puncture was performed successfully for 21 of 22 patients (95%). The mean duration of the operation, excluding the time for local anesthesia, was only 11.6 minutes. All patients began voice rehabilitation and attained peroral intake immediately after the operation. None of the patients suffered complications from the procedures.

Conclusions:

Most patients were treated with our new method with ease and at low risk. The high success rate and the absence of complications demonstrate the benefits of our method. We conclude that our method can be recommended for secondary reverse tracheoesophageal puncture.

[A novel puncture instrument: the Provox-Vega® puncture set. Its use in voice prosthesis insertion following laryngectomy]

BACKGROUND

The use of voice prostheses has been considered the gold standard in voice rehabilitation following laryngectomy for the last 20 years. Insertion is generally performed as a primary procedure during laryngectomy or as a secondary procedure with a re-usable trocar or rigid esophagoscope, a guidewire and anatomic hemostatic forceps. The use of these instruments requires a certain level of experience on the one hand, while on the other use of a trocar and subsequent manipulation with the hemostatic forceps can lead to tissue trauma around the membranous wall or damage to the voice prosthesis. We present the results of a phase I/II study using a novel atraumatic puncture set for primary and secondary insertion of voice prostheses.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Once patients had been fully informed and given their consent, the Provox-Vega® puncture set was used in 21 patients in either a primary (16) or a secondary (5) procedure. All procedures were documented on video, while approach, complications and surgical success were recorded using a questionnaire.

RESULTS

The average surgical time was 83.5 (± 19.12) s for primary voice prosthesis insertion and 212.57 (± 93.03) s in secondary procedures. The prosthesis could be inserted without complication in 19 patients, while a longer prosthesis needed to be selected intraoperatively in two patients due to a thick membranous wall. No serious complications were observed. One patient incurred a discrete injury to the mucosa of the esophageal posterior wall.

CONCLUSION

The Provox-Vega® puncture set proved itself to be a safe aid in the insertion of voice prostheses. It is significantly easier to use than other systems and tissue trauma is minimal. In most cases, no further instruments were required.