Crico Arytenoid Joint Fixation in Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH): A Case Report

Otolaryngologic manifestations of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (Forestier's disease): A systematic review of the literature

OBJECTIVES

Forestier's disease or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a common, yet underreported, disease affecting the elderly population. From an otolaryngologic perspective, DISH may manifest with dysphagia, dysphonia, or even dyspnea. The purpose of this study was to identify all published cases of dysphagia and other associated upper airway symptoms resulting from DISH in the last decade and to establish subsequently a management algorithm.

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted in May 2020 on Medline and Embase databases following the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Sixty-three articles, consisting of 50 case-reports and 13 case-series, met the inclusion criteria. A total of 236 cases of DISH were reported from 2010 to date. Otolaryngology instrumental evaluation, by fiberoptic laryngoscopy and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, was frequently reported. Surgery was the most common treatment strategy for the management of dysphagia in 58.9% of patients, while conservative treatment was used in 41.1%. Tracheotomy for acute airway obstruction relief was performed in 6% of patients. No correlation was found between the type of treatment and dysphagia improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Forestier's disease is currently a growing source of complications in elderly, mostly dysphagia and less commonly upper airway obstruction. The management of these complications requires a multidisciplinary team and a thorough approach, where the otolaryngologist plays a pivotal role.

Symptomatic dyspnoea addressed by excision of ossified anterior longitudinal ligament

Ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL) in cervical spine is known to cause dysphagia. However, dyspnoea and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) due to OALL is a rare entity. A 50-year-old man presented to our clinic 2 years after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with complaints of dysphagia, dyspnoea and difficulty in sleeping supine. The clinico-neurological examination of patient was normal without any long tract signs. The diagnosis of OALL was made on plain lateral radiographs. Ultrasonic bone cutter was used to convert sessile osteophyte mass into a pedunculated mass. It was then disconnected from the anterior aspect of vertebral bodies with a chisel. The patient showed immediate relief from dysphagia and OSA. Dyspnoea improved over a week and the postoperative change in voice responded well to speech therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of dyspnoea due to OALL after ACDF.

Laryngeal Manifestation of Forestier's Disease

BACKGROUND:

Forestier’s disease is a rare disorder involving bony growths that can occur in various parts of the spinal column, mostly asymptomatic, but these osteophytes, very rarely have been associated with serious complications.

AIM:

We report a 69-year-old man who was admitted at foniatric departement for evaluation of presenting hoarseness, dysphagia and laborious breathing.

CASE PRESENTATION:

Noninvasive endolaryngeal imaging and radiological examination revealed distortion of left side of the larynx pushing to the right due to bony mass of the anterior part of cervical spine which was prominent at the left side. The symptoms of the patient presented were caused by Forestier’s disease as found by the imiging.

CONCLUSIONS:

In clinical practice it is advisable to take into consideration Forestier’s disease as a possible cause of hoarseness and dysphagia in rare cases.

Extraskeletal symptoms and comorbidities of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a non-inflammatory disease characterized by calcification and ossification of soft tissues, mainly enthesis and spinal ligaments. The clinical presentation primarily includes spinal involvement-induced pain and range of motion. Although rare, life-threatening gastrointestinal, respiratory or neurological events or severe morbidity due to bone compression on the adjacent structures may develop. There is a limited amount of data on DISH-related events in the literature. In recent years, comorbid metabolic disorders are of great interest in patients with DISH. The early diagnosis of these conditions as well as rare entities allows an effective multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of DISH. In this article, we review extraskeletal symptoms and associated comorbidities in patients with DISH.

Otolaryngologic manifestations of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is characterized by formation of large cervical osteophytes that may compress the posterior wall of the aerodigestive tract. It is a rare cause of dysphagia in the elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the various otolaryngologic manifestations of DISH. Eleven elderly patients with DISH were included in the study. All patients presented with dysphagia that was graded on the swallowing screening tool (EAT-10), and the diagnosis of DISH was based on computed tomographic criteria. The patients were subjected to otolaryngologic examination and flexible laryngoscopy. Polysomnography was used for patients with excessive daytime sleepiness for detection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In addition to dysphagia of varying severity, OSA was found in nine patients, change of voice in six, globus sensation in seven, aspiration in three, and cervical pain in seven. Flexible laryngoscopy showed bulging of the posterior pharyngeal wall in all patients. DISH may be an unrecognized contributory factor to both dysphagia and OSA in the elderly. Change of voice, aspiration, globus sensation, and cervical pain are other otolaryngologic manifestations that may be encountered symptoms of the disease. An otolaryngologist should be aware of the disease that may be overlooked, and computed tomography is a confirmatory diagnostic method.