Pharyngeal stenosis (PS) is an unwanted consequence of chemo-radiation treatment of pharyngeal carcinomas, or a rare complication of rheumatic diseases. We present two cases of PS treated with the novel use of transoral videolaryngoscopic surgery (TOVS). In the first case, a 63-year-old male presented with dysphagia due to PS after adjuvant chemo-radiation therapy. Laryngoscopy revealed fibrotic bands obstructing both pyriform sinuses. Impaired swallowing reflex and weak pharyngeal muscle during the pharyngeal phase were identified in VFSS. To secure the oropharyngeal space, the fibrotic band was removed using a monopolar cautery with TOVS. The second case involved a 49-year-old female afflicted with IgG4-related rheumatic disease who presented with dysphagia. A pharyngeal stricture between the epiglottis and adjacent lateral pharyngeal wall was accountable for stenosis of the oropharynx. Adhesiolysis around the pharyngeal aperture was performed during TOVS. In both cases, steroid was injected into the resection site to prevent subsequent adhesions. Both patients resumed oral intake of a soft meal the day after surgery, and eventually progressed to regular meals. Stable pharyngeal function was demonstrated after 2 months. No major complications from the surgery were observed in both cases. We propose that TOVS is a feasible surgical option to resolve and prevent PS, and the application of TOVS can potentially be expanded for oropharyngeal lesions.

Pharyngeal stenosis (PS) is an unwanted consequence of chemo-radiation treatment of pharyngeal carcinomas, or a rare complication of rheumatic diseases. We present two cases of PS treated with the novel use of transoral videolaryngoscopic surgery (TOVS). In the first case, a 63-year-old male presented with dysphagia due to PS after adjuvant chemo-radiation therapy. Laryngoscopy revealed fibrotic bands obstructing both pyriform sinuses. Impaired swallowing reflex and weak pharyngeal muscle during the pharyngeal phase were identified in VFSS. To secure the oropharyngeal space, the fibrotic band was removed using a monopolar cautery with TOVS. The second case involved a 49-year-old female afflicted with IgG4-related rheumatic disease who presented with dysphagia. A pharyngeal stricture between the epiglottis and adjacent lateral pharyngeal wall was accountable for stenosis of the oropharynx. Adhesiolysis around the pharyngeal aperture was performed during TOVS. In both cases, steroid was injected into the resection site to prevent subsequent adhesions. Both patients resumed oral intake of a soft meal the day after surgery, and eventually progressed to regular meals. Stable pharyngeal function was demonstrated after 2 months. No major complications from the surgery were observed in both cases. We propose that TOVS is a feasible surgical option to resolve and prevent PS, and the application of TOVS can potentially be expanded for oropharyngeal lesions.

Comorbid conditions impact the survival of patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI) who require continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). The weights assigned to comorbidities in predicting survival vary based on type of index, disease, and advances in management of comorbidities. We developed a modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) for use in patients with AKI requiring CRRT (mCCI-CRRT) and improved the accuracy of risk stratification for mortality. Methods: A total of 828 patients who received CRRT between 2008 and 2013, from three university hospital cohorts was included to develop the comorbidity score. The weights of the comorbidities were recalibrated using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for demographic and clinical information. The modified index was validated in a university hospital cohort (n = 919) using the data of patients treated from 2009 to 2015. Results: Weights for dementia, peptic ulcer disease, any tumor, and metastatic solid tumor were used to recalibrate the mCCI-CRRT. Use of these calibrated weights achieved a 35.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.1%–48.1%) higher performance than unadjusted CCI in reclassification based on continuous net reclassification improvement in logistic regression adjusted for age and sex. After additionally adjusting for hemoglobin and albumin, consistent results were found in risk reclassification, which improved by 35.9% (95% CI, 23.3%–48.5%). Conclusion: The mCCI-CRRT stratifies risk of mortality in AKI patients who require CRRT more accurately than does the original CCI, suggesting that it could serve as a preferred index for use in clinical practice.

This study investigated the association between serum phosphate level and mortality in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients undergoing continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) and evaluated whether this association differed according to disease severity. Methods: Data from eight tertiary hospitals in Korea were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were classified into four groups (low, normal, high, and very high) based on their serum phosphate level at baseline. The association between serum phosphate level and mortality was then analyzed, with further subgroup analysis being conducted according to disease severity. Results: Among the 3,290 patients identified, 166, 955, 1,307, and 862 were in the low, normal, high, and very high phosphate groups, respectively. The 90-day mortality rate was 63.9% and was highest in the very high group (76.3%). Both the high and very high groups showed a significantly higher 90-day mortality rate than did the normal phosphate group (high: hazard ratio [HR], 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.51, p < 0.001; very high: HR, 2.01, 95% CI, 1.78–2.27, p < 0.001). The low group also exhibited a higher 90-day mortality rate than did the normal group among those with high disease severity (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.09–1.99; p = 0.01) but not among those with low disease severity. Conclusion: High serum phosphate level predicted increased mortality in AKI patients undergoing CKRT, and low phosphate level was associated with increased mortality in patients with high disease severity. Therefore, serum phosphate levels should be carefully considered in critically ill patients with AKI.