Systemic Bevacizumab for Treatment of Respiratory Papillomatosis: International Consensus Statement

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

The purpose of this study is to develop consensus on key points that would support the use of systemic bevacizumab for the treatment of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), and to provide preliminary guidance surrounding the use of this treatment modality.

STUDY DESIGN

Delphi method-based survey series.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary, multi-institutional panel of physicians with experience using systemic bevacizumab for the treatment of RRP was established. The Delphi method was used to identify and obtain consensus on characteristics associated with systemic bevacizumab use across five domains: 1) patient characteristics; 2) disease characteristics; 3) treating center characteristics; 4) prior treatment characteristics; and 5) prior work-up.

RESULTS

The international panel was composed of 70 experts from 12 countries, representing pediatric and adult otolaryngology, hematology/oncology, infectious diseases, pediatric surgery, family medicine, and epidemiology. A total of 189 items were identified, of which consensus was achieved on Patient Characteristics (9), Disease Characteristics (10), Treatment Center Characteristics (22), and Prior Workup Characteristics (18).

CONCLUSION

This consensus statement provides a useful starting point for clinicians and centers hoping to offer systemic bevacizumab for RRP and may serve as a framework to assess the components of practices and centers currently using this therapy. We hope to provide a strategy to offer the treatment and also to provide a springboard for bevacizumab's use in combination with other RRP treatment protocols. Standardized delivery systems may facilitate research efforts and provide dosing regimens to help shape best-practice applications of systemic bevacizumab for patients with early-onset or less-severe disease phenotypes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

5 Laryngoscope, 131:E1941-E1949, 2021.

First Clinical Consensus and National Recommendations on Tracheostomized Children of the Brazilian Academy of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (ABOPe) and Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP)

Introduction

Tracheostomy is a procedure that can be performed in any age group, including children under 1 year of age. Unfortunately health professionals in Brazil have great difficulty dealing with this condition due to the lack of standard care orientation.

Objective

This clinical consensus by Academia Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia Pediátrica (ABOPe) and Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria (SBP) aims to generate national recommendations on the care concerning tracheostomized children.

Methods

A group of experts experienced in pediatric tracheostomy (otorhinolaryngologists, intensive care pediatricians, endoscopists, and pediatric pulmonologists) were selected, taking into account the different regions of Brazil and following inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results

The results generated from this document were based on the agreement of the majority of participants regarding the indications, type of cannula, surgical techniques, care, and general guidelines and decannulation.

Conclusion

These guidelines can be used as directives for a wide range of health professionals across the country that deal with tracheostomized children.

Salivary gland surgery for control of chronic pulmonary aspiration in children with cerebral palsy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the outcome of surgical saliva reduction to decrease pulmonary aspiration in children with cerebral palsy and its repercussions in respiratory infection control.

METHODS

Twenty-nine children with neurological impairment and diagnosis of chronic pulmonary aspiration were submitted to bilateral submandibular gland excision and bilateral parotid duct ligation at the Association for the Welfare of Physically Handicapped Children, from December 2001 to December 2004. Postoperative frequency of lower respiratory tract infection, hospitalization rate due to pulmonary infection and airway secretion level after the surgery were compared to preoperative period.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine children with cerebral palsy aged 18 months to 9 years were submitted to submandibular glands excision and parotid ducts ligation. All children had gastrostomy and no oral intake. There were no major complications; two children had reopening of one parotid duct. Frequency of lower respiratory tract infections, rate of hospitalization for treatment of pulmonary infections and level of airway secretion were statistically reduced. Preoperative mean rate of lower respiratory tract infection was 6.9/year; in postoperative period, rate was 2.4/year (p<0.001). Pneumonia hospitalization mean rate was 63.4 days/year preoperatively and 17.5 days/year postoperatively (p<0.001). There was also a significant improvement in the need for suctioning of upper airway secretion (mean 11 times/day in preoperative period and 3.1 times/day in the postoperative period; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

In children with cerebral palsy, surgical saliva reduction by submandibular glands excision and parotid ducts ligation is an effective and safe technique for frequency reduction of lower respiratory tract infection and level of airway secretion.

Postoperative acute respiratory insufficiency following adenotonsillectomy in children with neuropathy

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the incidence of acute respiratory insufficiency (ARI) in the immediate postoperative period following adenotonsillectomy in children with neurological diseases.

METHODS

Medical records from all pediatric adenotonsillectomies performed from January 1997 through August 2003 at the Roberto de Abreu Sodré Hospital of the Association for the Welfare of Physically Handicapped Children (AACD) in São Paulo were reviewed. Data were collected for patient age, neurological diagnosis, associated comorbidities, index of respiratory insufficiency in the immediate postoperative period and period of hospitalization.

RESULTS

One hundred and nine patients charts had sufficient documentation to be included in this study. Of these, 15 (13.7%) developed ARI in the immediate postoperative period. Ages ranged from 1 to 12 years old (average of 5). Of the 15 patients that presented ARI, 10 (67%) were intubated in the first 3h following extubation. The predominant neurological diagnosis was non-progressive chronic encephalopathy, observed in 84 children (77%), and, among that, 14 (17%) presented ARI. Other neurological diagnoses present in this study were Rett syndrome, neuromuscular disease and meningomyelocele. All of the children that developed ARI presented quadriplegia. Among children that did not develop ARI, the predominant motor pattern was: 28 with quadriplegia, 38 diplegia, 10 hemiplegia, 12 with involuntary movement (choeroathethosis) and six without motor involvement. Children presenting ARI needed mechanical ventilation for an average of 37.87 h (1.5 days) in the intensive care unit. ARI increased the period of hospitalization; these children had an average length of stay of 7 days versus 1.5 days for those that did not develop complications.

CONCLUSION

Children with neurological disorders, especially those with quadriplegic pattern of motor involvement and severe oropharyngeal dysphagia, are at higher risk for respiratory insufficiency in immediate postoperative period of adenotonsillectomy and should be observed in intensive care unit.

Evolução de 31 crianças submetidas à ressecção bilateral das glândulas submandibulares e ligadura dos ductos parotídeos para controlar a sialorréia

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a segurança da ressecção bilateral das glândulas submandibulares e ligadura dos ductos parotídeos em crianças para reduzir a saliva, a eficácia e as complicações em médio e longo prazo no tratamento da sialorréia. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Coorte longitudinal. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Trinta e uma crianças, com idades entre 6 e 13 anos (média de 7,6 anos), com múltiplas deficiências de etiologia neurológica foram submetidas à ressecção bilateral das glândulas submandibulares e ligadura dos ductos parotídeos, para controle da sialorréia, entre dezembro de 1999 a dezembro de 2005, e seguimento médio de 36 meses. RESULTADOS: O critério de sucesso foi o estabelecido por Wilkie, e 87% das crianças tiveram resultados excelentes e bons, sendo a morbidade insignificante e a principal complicação foi o edema temporário na região parotídea. CONCLUSÃO: A ressecção bilateral das glândulas submandibulares e a ligadura dos ductos parotídeos constituem técnica segura e eficaz para ser realizada em crianças, com 87% de sucesso no controle da sialorréia.

Surgery for Aspiration: Analysis of Laryngotracheal Separation in 23 Children

The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of laryngotracheal separation (LTS) in eliminating aspiration in children by comparing pre- and postoperative conditions. This prospective study used an internal control group. Children with neurologic impairment and a diagnosis of chronic aspiration were subjected to LTS at the Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente (AACD). Twenty-three children had undergone LTS with the modified Lindeman technique. All of them gained complete control of aspiration. Frequency of hospitalization, number of respiratory infections, and level of secretion were statistically reduced. After surgery only 21.7% of the children were capable of oral intake exclusively. LTS is an effective and safe technique that can be used in children resulting in aspiration control in 100% of the patients and without repercussions in the respiratory secretion and pulmonary infections.

Drooling: analysis and evaluation of 31 children who underwent bilateral submandibular gland excision and parotid duct ligation

Summary

Aim: To evaluate the safety of bilateral submandibular gland excision and parotid duct ligation in order to control drooling in children; to assess its long-term efficacy and complications.

Study design

longitudinal cohort.

Materials and Methods

Thirty-one children aged 6 to 13 years (7.6 years old in average), with multiple neurological disabilities were submitted to a bilateral submandibular gland excision with parotid duct ligation in order to control ptyalism between December 1999 and December 2005, mean follow up of 36 months.

Results

According to Wilkie's success criteria, 87% of children had excellent or good results and insignificant morbidity was insignificant; with temporary parotid edema as the major complication.

Conclusion

Bilateral submandibular gland excision with parotid duct ligation were safe to be performed in children, with 87% of success in drooling control.

Aplicação de toxina botulínica tipo A para reduzir a saliva em pacientes com esclerose lateral amiotrófica

OBJETIVO: Demonstrar o efeito da aplicação local Botox® em glândulas salivares de pacientes com diagnóstico de esclerose lateral amiotrófica (ELA), seguindo nosso protocolo institucional de tratamento da sialorréia de 2002. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Clínico prospectivo. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Cinco pacientes com ELA avaliados na Clínica de Otorrinolaringologia da AACD (Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente) foram submetidos à aplicação tópica de Botox® nas glândulas salivares e acompanhados por um ano. O protocolo consiste num questionário clínico sobre as habilidades de deglutir saliva e as repercussões na qualidade de vida. Os pacientes deveriam ter tratamento odontológico prévio, intolerância aos efeitos adversos dos anti-colinérgicos, e ausência de aplicação de. Botox® em outros sítios por pelo menos seis meses. A aplicação foi guiada por ultra-sonografia para as glândulas submandibulares e a dose administrada foi de 30U em um ponto, e 20U em cada glândula parótida distribuída em dois pontos, após anestesia tópica com prilocaína. RESULTADOS: Cinco pacientes com ELA, com idade entre 45 e 59 anos foram submetidos ao tratamento de redução de saliva pela aplicação de Botox® em glândulas salivares. Nós observamos que os sintomas de sialorréia melhoraram dramaticamente em quatro pacientes. Três pacientes permaneceram quatro meses sem queixas, com acentuada melhora na qualidade de vida. Nenhum paciente apresentou efeitos colaterais locais ou sistêmicos com a aplicação de Botox® em glândulas salivares. Nós observamos que os sintomas de sialorréia melhoraram dramaticamente em quatro pacientes. Três pacientes permaneceram quatro meses sem queixas, com acentuada melhora na qualidade de vida. Nenhum paciente apresentou efeitos colaterais locais ou sistêmicos com a aplicação de Botox® em glândulas salivares.

Application of botulinum toxin to reduce the saliva in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

AIM

To demonstrate the effect of local application of Botox(R) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), following our 2002 institutional protocol of sialorrhea treatment.

STUDY DESIGN

Clinical prospective.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Five patients with ALS assisted at Clinic of Otolaryngology of AACD (Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente). They were all submitted to local application of Botox in salivary glands and followed up for a year. The protocol consisted of clinical questionnaire about the inability of swallowing saliva and its repercussions in quality of life. Patients were submitted to previous odontological treatment, had intolerance to the adverse effects of anti-cholinergic agents and had not used Botox for at least six months. The application was guided by ultrasound and the doses were 30U in one point for submandibular gland, and 20U in two points for each parotid gland, after topic anesthetic with prilocaine.

RESULTS

Five patients with ALS with sialorrhea, aged 45 to 59 years, were submitted to Botox salivary glands application. We observed that the symptoms of sialorrhea changed dramatically in four patients. Three patients stayed almost four months without complaints with repercussion in quality of life. No patient presented local or systemic effects with local injection of Botox.

Evolutionary Local Search of Fuzzy Rules through a novel Neuro-Fuzzy encoding method

This paper proposes a new approach for constructing fuzzy knowledge bases using evolutionary methods. We have designed a genetic algorithm that automatically builds neuro-fuzzy architectures based on a new indirect encoding method. The neuro-fuzzy architecture represents the fuzzy knowledge base that solves a given problem; the search for this architecture takes advantage of a local search procedure that improves the chromosomes at each generation. Experiments conducted both on artificially generated and real world problems confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

[Fiberoptic endoscopic swallowing disorders in chronic encephalopathy]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing safety in children with cerebral encephalopathy in order to identify patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia. METHODS: 68 children from the Association for the Care of Disabled Children (Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente -AACD), São Paulo, were submitted to fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing safety from March 1999 to March 2000. RESULTS: We observed premature spillage (53%), penetration in a pureed consistency (5.9%), penetration in a liquid consistency (4.4%), tracheal aspiration in a pureed consistency (14.7%), tracheal aspiration in a liquid consistency (32.3%), residue (7.4%), cough effectiveness (44.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Children showed a high incidence of pharyngeal swallowing disorders. Tracheal aspiration was the most important disorder because it is related with high morbidity in children with cerebral encephalopathy. The texture and consistency of the patientacute;s diet may be modified to decrease the risk of aspiration and improve swallowing examination.

Avaliação nasofibrolaringoscópica da deglutição em crianças

Introdução: As alterações da deglutição em crianças têm sido pouco estudadas, especialmente nas portadoras de doenças neurológicas, como a paralisia cerebral. No entanto, estas são freqüentes, levando a grande comprometimento das condições clínicas, devido às infecções pulmonares crônicas e complicações decorrentes da desnutrição. Forma de estudo: Prospectivo clínico não randomizado. Objetivo: Verificar a aplicabilidade da nasofibrolaringoscopia na avaliação funcional da deglutição em crianças e as alterações observadas à fase faríngea. Material e método: No período de março de 1998 a março de 2000, realizamos a avaliação funcional da deglutição, através da nasofibrolaringoscopia, em 134 crianças portadoras de paralisia cerebral, com quadro clínico sugestivo de disfagia e idade entre quatro meses e 14 anos (idade média de 5,3 anos), sendo 126 meninos (57,8%) e 92 meninas (42,2%). Resultados: No nosso estudo, nenhuma criança apresentou complicação ou intercorrências durante o exame ou complicação infecciosa decorrente de aspiração após o mesmo. Entre as alterações da deglutição, o escape precoce do alimento para a faringe foi a mais freqüente, ocorrendo em 72 crianças (53,7%). A aspiração traqueal ocorreu mais na testagem da consistência líquida, sendo observada em 45 crianças (33,6%), enquanto que a consistência pastosa deu-se em 20 crianças (14,9%). Houve concordância regular entre a ocorrência de escape precoce e aspiração traqueal. Conclusão: Concluímos que o exame é seguro para ser realizado em crianças, e permite a avaliação objetiva da fase faríngea da deglutição, fornecendo importantes informações, que poderão contribuir na orientação da alimentação dessas crianças.

Tratamento cirúrgico para aspiração

Introdução: Quando o mecanismo protetor da laringe está comprometido, o paciente pode apresentar aspiração traqueal, com graves complicações pulmonares. Objetivo: Relatar 15 casos de tratamento cirúrgico para o controle da aspiração crônica, incluindo as técnicas cirúrgicas empregadas, seus resultados e complicações. Forma de estudo: Avaliação retrospectiva. Material e método: No período de 1997 a 2000, 15 pacientes foram submetidos à cirurgia para controle da aspiração, na AACD - São Paulo/SP. As técnicas cirúrgicas empregadas foram classificadas em: oclusão laríngea supraglótica; oclusão laríngea glótica; oclusão subglótica ou separação laringotraqueal. Foi avaliado o perfil dos pacientes em relação a sexo, idade, etiologia de base, traqueotomia prévia, via preferencial de alimentação, redução das infecções pulmonares, tempo de seguimento pós-operatório e complicações. Resultados: Oito pacientes eram do sexo masculino e sete do feminino, com idade média de nove anos e dois meses. A doença etiológica de base mais comum foi a encefalopatia crônica. Dez pacientes foram submetidos à traqueotomia previamente à cirurgia. Nove pacientes apresentaram, no pós-operatório, dieta via oral de pelo menos 50% do volume requerido. Os 15 pacientes evoluíram com diminuição no número e na gravidade das infecções pulmonares. O tempo de seguimento pós-operatório variou de quatro a 36 meses. Um paciente evoluiu com deiscência parcial na técnica de oclusão laríngea supraglótica. Conclusão: A cirurgia para controle da aspiração traqueal, nas três técnicas utilizadas, foi eficaz para prevenção da aspiração, refletindo na melhora clínica e na qualidade de vida dos pacientes.