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Laryngeal mobility disorder after a pediatric heart surgery is common (between 5 and 10% of cases), and has important consequences on swallowing, breathing and speaking. After reviewing the literature, the recovery rate is variable and the postoperative follow-up is often done on a short time frame. The primary objective of the study is to describe the recovery from laryngeal mobility disorder with a follow-up time of at least 5 years. The secondary objective is to describe of the quality of life of the child in terms of phonation and swallowing, and to identify potential risk factors for a lasting laryngeal mobility disorder.We collected data (morphological characteristics and details of the procedures and medical care) on children who had undergone a heart surgery with risks of complications, between 2010 and 2015, and with a laryngeal mobility disorder detected after the surgery through nasal flexible laryngoscopy. During a follow-up consultation, carried at least 5 years after the surgery, we performed a nasal flexible laryngoscopy to assess whether or not the patient had recovered a full mobility of the larynx. Two questionnaires were also given to the patients, the pVHI and the PEDI EAT-10, to assess respectively the quality of their speech and of their swallowing function.The recovery rate for a laryngeal mobility disorder more than 5 years after surgery was found to be 65% (9 children out of the 14 included in the study). We identified a risk factor for the persistence of a laryngeal mobility disorder after surgery: the presence of an associated genetic syndrome, p = 0.025. Children with persistent laryngeal mobility disorder have an impaired quality of life score, using the pVHI scale, which correlates well with the flexible laryngoscopy findings, p = 0.033.Children with a lasting laryngeal mobility disorder have disabling respiratory and vocal symptoms in their daily lives. Nasal flexible laryngoscopy should therefore be systematically performed postoperatively after a surgery carrying risks. For improved patient management, early detection of these disorders by pharyngolaryngeal nasal flexible laryngoscopy in the aftermath of high-risk cardiac surgery is strongly advised, with prolonged follow-up.

Introduction A foreign body aspiration is a risky situation, common in pediatric emergency. The “gold standard” to rule out a foreign body or proceed to its extraction, is rigid bronchoscopy (RB) under general anesthesia. However, RB is an intrusive exam with possible complications. Depending on authors, RB in emergency is a procedure at risk of complications in 4–17% of cases. Advances in radiology allow CT-scanners of fast acquisition and high definition, which could be used as an alternative to RB. Materials and methods This is a retrospective analysis of 6 years from May 2010 to May 2016, in a tertiary referral center. All children that presented a foreign body aspiration suspicion and had a cervical-thoracic CT with multiplanar reconstruction were analyzed. Results 200 children were included. The average age was 30 months. 132 were considered normal and 68 pathological. Among the 68 RB performed for pathological scanner, a foreign body was found in 59 cases, and we had 9 cases of false positives. Among the 132 considered normal, 27 have had a RB despite this, due to persistent symptoms, all were negative; 105 were discharged home without endoscopy with monitoring instructions. 1 child was reviewed three months later for asthma, without second choking event reported. A new CT-scan found a foreign body that was removed by RB. Due to the nature of the foreign body it is very unlikely to link it to the first choking event, but retrospectively we cannot be certain. Considering this case as the only false negative, the negative predictive value (NPV) of CT was 99.2% and positive predictive value (PPV) of 83.8%. Conclusion The use of CT -scan with multiplanar reconstruction in suspected foreign body aspiration is a reliable alternative to endoscopy under general anesthesia, especially in asymptomatic patients, avoiding too many negative endoscopies.

Objective Preliminary assessment of the efficacy of propranolol on subglottic hemangioma in children on a nation-wide scale. Methods Multicentric, retrospective study of clinical files of 14 children; pre- and post-treatment endoscopies. Results Mean age at diagnosis was 2.3 (0.7–4) months. Mean percentage of airway obstruction was 68% (15–90) before propranolol introduction. Propranolol was started at 5.2 (0.7–16) months of age. This treatment was effective in all cases with a mean regression of the stenosis to 22% after 2 weeks and 12% after 4 weeks. Other medical treatments (steroids) could be stopped. In one patient, a side effect of propranolol motivated the switch to another β-blocker. In four patients, treatment was stopped after 5.2 (1–10) months with a relapse in 2 (50%) cases. One of these two patients developed a resistance to propranolol and required a surgical procedure by external approach. Conclusion This preliminary nation-wide survey confirms propranolol high effectiveness against airways’ localization of infantile hemangiomas. Propranolol also allows alleviation or cut-off of previous medical treatments. However, recurrences are possible after early treatment interruption.

To discuss management of postcricoid and upper esophageal hemangiomas in infants. Four children presenting with progressive feeding and/or respiratory disturbance underwent endoscopy including systematic esophagoscopy revealing the hemangioma of the postcricoid area and extending to the lumen of the upper esophagus. In the three children with severe disturbance, systemic steroids were insufficient and open surgical excision brought the hemangioma under control. No significant stenosis occurred despite prolonged progressive oral feeding up to 1 month after surgery. The fourth child whose disturbance was moderate, was managed by intralesional steroids. Various solutions have been proposed for the treatment, i.e. conservative approach or partial or complete destruction or excision, management of postcricoid hemangioma by intralesional steroids or by open surgical excision. Indications will require greater series.