Bilateral vocal cord palsy (BVCP) present a challenging condition which result from various etiologies including iatrogenic recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, progressive neurological disorder, intubation, trauma, tumor and idiopathic cause. Careful history taking, laryngoscopic evaluation, laryngeal EMG, and imaging studies are helpful for providing a precise diagnosis and planning appropriate treatment. BVCP causes airway restriction and not vocal dysfunction. In patients with BVFP, treatment is directed at maximizing the airway, while attempting to limit the negative effects of treatment on vocal function. A variety of surgical procedures are available for mangement of BVCP. The most conservative, limited procedure should be selected initially, and then further surgery and more extensive surgery can be tailored to the patient's airway and voice needs. This review will address the etiology, diagnosis, and managements of BVCP.

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a recurrent, long-term gastrointestinal condition characterised by the abnormal reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Heartburn is the most dominant symptom, which can be life long and can considerably reduce quality of life. The main goals of treatment are to alleviate symptoms and prevent relapses, esophageal stricture and adenocarcinoma. This paper presents a review comparing the effectiveness of omeprazole with Nissen fundoplication surgery for the treatment of GERD. Nissen fundoplication is more effective in controlling heartburn symptoms, healing esophagitis and preventing relapses than omeprazole. Quality of life, in terms of productivity and ability to work, is difficult to assess in the omeprazole group and, as a result, a comparison of this aspect is limited. Although fundoplication is expensive in the short term, it is more cost-effective than omeprazole. Nurses need to be aware of the effectiveness of omeprazole and fundoplication to provide patients with accurate information, which assists patients in decision making regarding treatment options.

Esophageal foreign body is common condition for visit emergency room, and most of them were successfully removed with endoscopy. However, in case of esophageal foreign body impaction, it can be difficult to localize the foreign body. We report a 29-year old man with esophageal foreign body impaction. We successfully localized and removed the esophageal submucosal foreign body using rigid endoscopy under C-arm guidance, avoiding more invasive procedure. The patient was followed up without any complication.

Objective The objective was to evaluate changes in swallow safety and dietary status after the transcutaneous injection of botulinum toxin into the upper esophageal sphincter in a series of outpatients with dysphagia. Methods Patients who were at risk for aspiration and who had an unsuccessful trial of swallowing therapy were admitted to the study. All patients showed significant pooling of fluids in the pyriform sinus. All patients were treated in the office; none had previous esophageal dilatation. The upper border of the cricoid cartilage was identified using standard electromyogram procedures and botulinum toxin was injected. Outcomes were assessed using the penetration-aspiration scale, NIH swallowiwng safety score, patients' short-term and long-term subjective impressions of their ability to swallow, and change in dietary status. Results Ten patients underwent an instrumental evaluation of swallowing function. Of the 10 patients, 9 showed an overall improvement in their ability to take an oral diet safely. The penetration-aspiration scale, NIH swallowiwng safety score, patients' short-term and long-term subjective impressions of their ability to swallow, and change in dietary status were significantly improved after office-based botox injection. Conclusion Office-based EMG guided botox injection to the cricopharyngeus muscle is a simple, safe, and effective tool for dysphagia patients. Injection of Botox in the office should be considered when the dysphagia pattern is aspiration after swallow.

A 47-year-old man was referred for TEF. He underwent tracheostomy three months ago to maintain prolonged ventilator care. Computed tomography (CT) scan and fiberoptic examination showed bilateral vocal cord palsy with median fixation and about 2 inch sized long segmental tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) tract along the necrotic cricoid and tracheal cartilages. Narrow field total laryngectomy was performed to remove devitalized cartilages and mucosa, and repair TEF. He discharged without complication except mild stenotic change of tracheal fenestration 19 days later.

Foreign bodies in the oral cavity and pharyngolarynx are frequently observed accidental cases in the otolaryngological fields. Most foreign bodies can be recognized and removable with the manipulation of endoscopes and various instruments. However, foreign bodies that penetrate the oral cavity and oropharynx to appear as a tongue mass are rare. Therefore, such cases easily can be misconceived as tongue tumor at first, so it must involve a more thorough search utilizing such aids as computed tomography. Depending on their location and size, their removal may involve surgical intervention. The authors experienced such a rare case of an elderly male patient, presenting as tongue mass. We hereby report this case along with the relevant literature.