1/10. A huge epiglottic cyst causing airway obstruction in an adult.An epiglottic cyst causing airway obstruction is rare in an adult. Early definitive diagnosis and management obviate an unnecessary tracheostomy. We report a case of a 64-year-old woman who arrived at our hospital with progressive stridor and foreign body sensation when swallowing for 6 weeks. A hot potato voice and biphasic stridor were remarkable upon physical examination. Indirect mirror and fibroscopic examination revealed a huge epiglottic cyst. The neck lateral X-ray and computed tomography scan demonstrated a huge cystic mass over the epiglottis. A 2.5 x 3.0 cm cystic mass was removed with endoscopic CO2 laser after needle decompression. The patient was discharged on the third day after surgery without complications. An epiglottic cyst in an adult seldom causes upper airway obstruction and is easily ignored by clinicians. We emphasize that complete airway evaluation including routine check-up of the larynx is mandatory for patients with intractable obstructive airway disease. Endoscopic laser surgery is effective in the surgical removal of an epiglottic cyst.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/10. paracoccidioidomycosis and larynx carcinoma.Report of a case of paracoccidioidomycosis associated with a carcinoma: both located in the larynx in a patient whose therapeutic response to antifungal treatment produced a recovery of physical conditions. This case shows the importance of taking into account the diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis in all patients with problems in the larynx, especially those who inhabit or inhabited endemic areas of paracoccidioides brasiliensis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.063002413730453keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/10. Multidisciplinary management of the airway in a trauma-induced brain injury patient.laryngomalacia occurs in some brain injury patients secondary to global muscle hypotonia. Surgical therapies for epiglottis prolapse have centered around removal or reshaping of the epiglottis. This approach has brought mixed success and frequent complications. We present a case that demonstrates successful nonsurgical treatment of a 33-year-old male brain injury patient with moderate obstructive sleep apnea that is believed to be a consequence of post-brain injury nocturnal epiglottis prolapse. The presence of a tracheostomy performed at the time of emergency surgery had become an emotional and physical barrier to our patient's recovery. The tracheostomy could only be reversed if the obstructive sleep apnea disorder could be managed in an alternative fashion. A titratable mandibular repositioning appliance was prescribed and its effectiveness was demonstrated with nasolaryngoscopy and polysomnography. After initially fitting the oral appliance, a period of accommodation and gradual protrusive adjustments was allowed. Subsequent confirmation polysomnography demonstrated improvement, but not suitable resolution, of disordered breathing events. However, an additional 1.25-mm protrusive titration of the oral appliance during the course of the confirmation polysomnogram led to therapeutic success. The patient's tracheostomy was subsequently reversed with significant quality of life benefits.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.063002413730453keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/10. vocal cord dysfunction presenting as asthma.A 14 year old boy presented with deteriorating asthma and marked stridor. Neither asthma nor stridor responded to an increase in anti-asthma medication, including high dose oral steroids. Indirect laryngoscopy revealed adduction of the vocal cords throughout the respiratory cycle, a phenomenon previously identified as a psychosomatic conversion reaction. When gently confronted with these findings and offered psychological assistance the boy's symptoms abated totally. After two sessions of hypnotherapy he has had better control of both his physical (asthma) and psychological problems.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.063002413730453keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/10. Obligate mouth breathing during exercise. Nasal and laryngeal sarcoidosis.A young black man presented with simultaneous nasal and laryngeal sarcoidosis, each uncommon entities. Despite severe upper airway obstruction and emergent tracheostomy, there was an uncharacteristic rapid response to oral steroids alone. The patient's predominant initial complaint of early mouth breathing during routine army physical training demonstrates a symptom complex and an alternate mechanism of dyspnea to consider in sarcoidosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.063002413730453keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/10. Bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis in charcot-marie-tooth disease.This report descirbes the unusual association of bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis (BAbVCP) and charcot-marie-tooth disease in a boy and his natural mother who have been followed for eight years. The boy initially presented with life-threatening respiratory distress at age ten years; BAbVCP was documented by direct laryngoscopy. Mirror laryngoscopy confirmed BAbVCP in the mother. Neurological diagnosis was made by history, physical examination, electromyography, and nerve conduction velocity studies. The BAbVCP may represent an additional genetic marker within the spectrum of heredodegenerative disorders. Of clinical importance is examination of voice and respiratory symptomatology of patients with heredodegenerative diseases and neurological work-up of patients with familial vocal cord paralysis. Further genetic and clinical studies of X cranial nerve involvement in heredodegenerative disorders are warranted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/10. Pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia of the larynx due to candida albicans.A female patient presented with hoarseness. Findings on physical examination showed whitish true vocal cords. Laryngeal biopsies were performed on two two occasions. On the first biopsy a histopathological diagnosis of candida albicans and acanthosis was controversial because the acanthosis resembled squamous cell carcinoma. On the second biopsy, several months later, the diagnosis of acanthosis was again controversial, but a diagnosis of pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia was not determined until several months later. Finally, we can point out that pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia can be associated with primary candidiasis and state that hoarseness, whitish true vocal cords, and pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia can masquerade as squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/10. Intermittent throat tightness in a 37-year-old woman.Intermittent throat tightness with dysphagia can be a complaint with numerous potential underlying causes. It was useful to think of this patient's complaints as secondary to an allergic, neuromuscular, or mechanical/structural disorder. Dysphagia can usually be separated into two broad categories according to location: oropharyngeal or esophageal. The patient typically can help one localize the area of involvement by pointing to the area where the difficulty in swallowing is felt to be present. This patient pointed to the throat area. Helpful diagnostic studies in the evaluation of oropharyngeal dysphagia include barium swallow with cine-esophagogram, rhinopharyngoscopy, or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. It was interesting that this patient was referred to the Allergy Service because a physician felt that intermittent laryngeal angioedema was also a possible consideration. It is known that dysphagia, hoarseness, and sensations of throat tightness or closing frequently accompany this entity. The finding of a palpable thyroid was the clue that further evaluation of this organ was also indicated. Alfonso et al have reported on tracheal or esophageal compression secondary to benign thyroid disease. In their series, goiter, though previously felt to be associated with a low incidence, was reported to have an overall high incidence. Of the several types of thyroid disease encountered, they noted thyroiditis was associated with the highest likelihood of compression and a 67% frequency of associated obstruction. Our patient's scan and uptake findings are consistent with thyroiditis although multinodular goiter may occasionally show similar results. This case reminds us that in the differential of laryngeal angioedema and complaints associated with the throat or referred in the throat area, local extrinsic compression secondary to masses should be included. In this patient, a goiter, of which the extent of gland enlargement may not be fully appreciable on physical examination, was determined to be the etiology of her complaints. She was placed on a thyroid hormone suppression treatment regimen. At a followup visit several months later, she noted marked improvement of her symptoms with resolution of her dysphagia and episodes of throat tightness.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/10. vocal cord dysfunction presenting as acute asthma in a pediatric patient.We report a pediatric patient with an acute onset of paradoxical vocal cord movement which presented as his first episode of wheezing. history and physical examination suggested the diagnosis of vocal cord dysfunction, which was confirmed by a flexible fiberoptic nasophayrngoscopic examination. This is the first report of paradoxical vocal cord movement being made on initial presentation of wheezing in the emergency department and supports earlier reports that this diagnosis can be made in the pediatric population. The practicing pediatric emergency physician should consider the diagnosis of paradoxical vocal cord dysfunction in the differential diagnosis of wheezing in the pediatric patient, especially if the patient does not have the typical historical and physical findings associated with reactive airway disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.0630024137305keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/10. Evaluating hoarseness: keeping your patient's voice healthy.hoarseness is the term often used by patients to describe changes in their voice quality. The causes of hoarseness are determined after obtaining a detailed medical history of the circumstances preceding the onset of hoarseness and performing a thorough physical examination. The latter may include visualization of the vocal cords, possibly using indirect laryngoscopy, flexible nasolaryngoscopy or strobovideolaryngoscopy. In the absence of an upper respiratory tract infection, any patient with hoarseness persisting for more than two weeks requires a complete evaluation. When the patient has a history of tobacco use, cancer of the head and neck must be considered and ruled out. voice abuse is one of the most common causes of hoarseness and can lead to other vocal pathologies such as vocal nodules. Good vocal hygiene can prevent and treat some pathologies, and voice therapy is a cornerstone of management in some cases of hoarseness.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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