Midline palate perforation secondary to cocaine abuse

Non-neoplasic and non-syndromic palatal perforations. Presentation of 5 cases and systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Palatal perforations not associated with syndromes or neoplasms are rare lesions whose frequency has increased recently. However, their clinical and demographic characteristics have not been fully described. Therefore, this report aimed to establish the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with non-syndromic and non-neoplastic palatal perforations.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The file of an oral medicine teaching clinic from January 2004 to December 2018 was reviewed to identify and isolate all cases with a diagnosis of palatal perforation. Cases with a diagnosis of palatal perforation related to congenital alteration, syndrome, or neoplasia were excluded. Age, sex, medical history, and diagnosis were obtained from the clinical history. In addition, a systematic review of the literature was performed using a PICO strategy. MEDLINE electronic databases from January 1990 to December 2018 were systematically reviewed using the combination of keywords with Boolean terms "OR" (palatal perforation, destruction of the palate) and "AND" (drugs, cocaine, mycosis, syphilis, mucormycosis, tuberculosis, trauma). The PRISMA guide was used to identify the different results of the literature search and article selection process. Case reports and case series were included.

RESULTS

Five cases of non-syndromic, non-neoplastic palatal perforations were identified. All cases were male with a mean age of 42 years. Two cases were related to cocaine use, 2 cases were caused by mucormycosis, and one case by trauma. As for the systematic literature review, 51 non-neoplastic and non-syndromic cases were collected. The cases showed a male predominance, with a mean age of 41 years. The most frequent etiology was chronic cocaine use followed by mucormycosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Since cocaine use and type II Diabetes Mellitus, risk factors related to non-syndromic and non-neoplastic palatal perforations, have shown a worldwide increase, the clinician should be alert to make an early diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment. Key words:Palatal perforation, cocaine-induced, mucormycosis, mycotic infection, drug users.

Cocaine-Induced Midline Destructive Lesions: A Real Challenge in Oral Rehabilitation

Cocaine abuse is associated with severe local effects on mucosal and osteocartilaginous structures, with a centrifugal spreading pattern from the nose, a condition known as cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions (CIMDL). When the soft or hard palate is affected, a perforation may occur, with subsequent oro-nasal reflux and hypernasal speech. Both diagnosis and therapy (surgical or prosthetic) constitute a serious challenge for the physician. The cases of three patients affected by cocaine-induced palatal perforation and treated with a palatal obturator at San Raffaele Dentistry department between 2016 and 2019 are presented. In addition, the literature was reviewed in search of papers reporting the therapeutic management in patients affected by cocaine-induced palatal perforation. All the patients in our sample suffered from oro-nasal reflux and hypernasal speech, and reported a significant impact on interpersonal relationships. The results at the delivery of the obturator were satisfactory, but the duration of such results was limited in two cases, as the progression of the disease necessitated continuous modifications of the product, with a consequent increase in costs and a reduction in patient satisfaction. In conclusion, the therapy for palatal defects in CIMDL includes both reconstructive surgery and prosthetic obturators, the latter being the only possibility in the event of active disease. It successfully relieves symptoms, but the long-term efficacy is strongly related to the level of disease activity.

Velopharyngeal dysfunction from intranasal substance abuse: Case series and review of literature

OBJECTIVE

Intranasal substance abuse with cocaine or opioids can result in complications involving the midline nasal and oral structures. When the defect involves the velopharyngeal musculature, this leads to velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD). This article aims to illustrate this clinical entity through a series of four patients and a review of the literature.

METHODS

A series of four cases of VPD due to intranasal narcotic use and their management are discussed. A comprehensive search in PubMed was conducted for cases of VPD associated with intranasal drug use in the English-language literature.

RESULTS

Four female patients presented with symptoms of VPD, including worsening nasal regurgitation, poor speech intelligibility, and hypernasal speech. One patient presented with nasopharyngeal stenosis. All patients admitted to intranasal cocaine, methamphetamine, and/or prescription narcotics use prior to the onset of symptoms. The diagnosis was confirmed with abnormal velopharyngeal musculature seen on nasopharyngoscopy. Both conservative and surgical treatment options were proposed. A literature review identified nine cases of VPD. Erosion of the velum was seen in all cases. Reported treatments included obturator prosthetic, local flap, and free flap. Ancillary investigations were not consistently pursued to rule out other etiologies to VPD.

CONCLUSION

Intranasal illicit drug use can result in destructive changes leading to VPD. This is the largest case series to date of this difficult clinical problem. Management principles including options for conservative and surgical interventions are summarized.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 128:2721-2725, 2018.

Repair of cocaine-related oronasal fistula with forearm radial free flap

BACKGROUND

Cocaine snorting may cause significant local ischemic necrosis and the destruction of nasal and midfacial bones and soft tissues, leading to the development of a syndrome called cocaine-induced midline destructive lesion. A review of the English-language literature reveals only a few articles describing the treatment of hard and/or soft palatal perforation related to cocaine inhalation. Described here are 4 patients with a history of cocaine abuse showing palatal lesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2010 to 2013, a total of 4 patients affected by cocaine-related midline destructive lesions were referred to our department. They all presented signs of a cocaine-induced midline destructive lesion. They showed wide midfacial destruction involving the nasal septum as well as the hard and soft palates causing an ample oronasal communication.

RESULTS

In 3 patients, oronasal communication has been treated successfully using a personal technique based on a partially de-epithelialized forearm free flap. The fourth patient had been treated only with local debridement because, when she came to our attention, her abusive habits were still unsolved.

DISCUSSION

Different surgical options have been reported such as local, regional, and free flaps for hard and soft palate reconstruction. However, because of an unpredictable vascularization of the palatal tissues and owing to the scarceness of the local soft tissues, local flaps are at high risk for partial and complete failure. The transfer of free vascularized tissue, however, seems to be the most reliable and logical solution for medium- to large-sized fistulas. Among the various free flaps, we choose the radial forearm type because of the pedicle length and the flap thickness.

Palatal perforation secondary to tuberculosis: a case report

Palatal perforation though rarely seen in adults but may have infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, or traumatic cause. We present here a case of palatal perforation due to tuberculosis which was managed successfully using greater palatine artery pedicled flap closure at our centre.

The manifestation of cocaine-induced midline destructive lesion in bone tissue and its identification in human skeletal remains

Cocaine-induced midline destructive lesion (CIMDL) is a condition that may arise in response to chronic insufflation ("snorting") of cocaine. It is clinically diagnosed when the nasal septum, lateral nasal walls, and/or hard palate show signs of destruction in association with cocaine use. Although its true incidence is unknown, CIMDL is not an uncommon clinical finding amongst intranasal cocaine abusers and is likely to be encountered by forensic anthropologists and medical examiners working worldwide. Given the preponderance of drug abusers amongst the subjects of forensic casework, the ability to diagnose CIMDL in dry bone may provide crucial insight into an investigation and even help confirm an individual identification. This paper aims to make practicing forensic anthropologists aware of CIMDL. Through the analysis of existing clinical literature, patient CT scans, and histology sections, it works toward the establishment of formal diagnostic criteria for identifying CIMDL in human skeletal remains. Lytic destruction regularly involves the vomer and frequently extends to the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid, the palatal process of the maxillae or the palatine bones, and the inferior nasal conchae. The middle nasal conchae, medial walls of the maxillary sinuses, ethmoid sinuses, and cribriform plate are often damaged. Destruction may also implicate the superior nasal conchae, the orbit, and the sphenoid. Bones affected by CIMDL may contain necrotic lesions or may be absent entirely. Lesions show minimal, if any, signs of repair. The author proposes that this lack of new bone formation may be mediated by potentially elevated leptin levels in cocaine abusers and CIMDL patients and may be the key to differentiating CIMDL from other lytic processes of the midface.

Repair of the cocaine-induced cleft palate using the modified double-opposing z-plasty

Cocaine is a potent vasoconstrictor, and long-standing use can result in an acquired palatal cleft. Similar to congenital cases, this palatal defect can cause nasal emission and hypernasal speech. The goals of palate repair include optimizing palatal function for speech and feeding while avoiding dehiscence or postoperative fistulae. The modified double-opposing Z-plasty is an effective technique for cleft palate repair. We describe the first reported case using this technique to repair a palatal defect resulting from chronic cocaine use. Recommended requirements for using this technique include absence of future or ongoing ischemic insults to the tissue (cocaine abstinence) for at least 1 year, an intact vascular pedicle demonstrated by greater palatine dimples, presence of sufficient vascularized soft tissue with preserved pharyngeal arches, small to medium defect sizes within 10 cm(2), and extensive flap mobilization with tension-free closure. The advantages of this technique include preservation and reorientation of functional muscle, single-stage repair, and obviated requirement for distant donor sites.

Hard palate perforation in cocaine abusers: a systematic review

Cocaine abuse has increased in the past decade, with a rise in the reported cases of midpalatine perforations produced as a result. The vasoconstrictive and caustic effect of the drug can produce direct irritation and ischemia of the nasal and palatine mucosa, leading over the long term to the creation of an oronasal perforation secondary to maxillary bone destruction. The present study offers a systematic review of all the clinical cases of necrotic nasopalatine perforations attributed to inhaled cocaine documented in the PubMed literature database. The main clinical characteristics of the disorder and its different management options are examined. Likewise, emphasis is placed on the importance of a correct differential diagnosis with respect to other conditions also characterized by midfacial necrotic destruction. Of the 36 cases included in the study, 21 corresponded to females and 15 to males. Most of the lesions were located in the hard palate (77.7%) with only 5.5% being found in the soft palate. Combined hard and soft palate presentations in turn accounted for 16.6% of the cases. The mean diameter of the perforation was 19.32 ± 16.94 mm (95%CI: 11.81-26.83). The most frequent clinical manifestation was rhinolalia together with the regurgitation of solid food and liquids through the nares. Management consists of a combination of antibiotics, analgesics, prostheses (obturators), and surgical reconstructions of the defect.