Objectives: To evaluate the effect of a self-controlled vocal exercise in elderly people with glottal closure insufficiency. Design: Parallel-arm, individual randomized controlled trial. Methods: Patients who visited one of 10 medical centers under the National Hospital Organization group in Japan for the first time, aged 60 years or older, complaining of aspiration or hoarseness, and endoscopically confirmed to have glottal closure insufficiency owing to vocal cord atrophy, were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group. The patients of the intervention group were given guidance and a DVD about a self-controlled vocal exercise. The maximum phonation time which is a measure of glottal closure was evaluated, and the number of patients who developed pneumonia during the six months was compared between the two groups. Results: Of the 543 patients enrolled in this trial, 259 were allocated into the intervention group and 284 into the control; 60 of the intervention group and 75 of the control were not able to continue the trial. A total of 199 patients (age 73.9 ±7.25 years) in the intervention group and 209 (73.3 ±6.68 years) in the control completed the six-month trial. Intervention of the self-controlled vocal exercise extended the maximum phonation time significantly ( p < 0.001). There were two hospitalizations for pneumonia in the intervention group and 18 in the control group, representing a significant difference ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: The self-controlled vocal exercise allowed patients to achieve vocal cord adduction and improve glottal closure insufficiency, which reduced the rate of hospitalization for pneumonia significantly. Clinical Trial.gov Identifier-UMIN000015567

Objectives/Hypothesis: Vocal fold polyps and nodules are common benign laryngeal lesions. Currently, the Japanese health insurance system covers surgical interventions. However, the establishment of more cost‐effective conservative methods is required, because healthcare costs are viewed as a major concern, and the government and taxpayers are demanding more economical, effective treatments. In this situation, more suitable vocal hygiene education may be important for the success of cost‐effective conservative treatment. In this study, we developed a novel reinforced vocal hygiene education program and compared the results of this program with those of previous methods of teaching vocal hygiene.Study Design: Multicenter randomized controlled trial.Methods: Patients who visited a National Hospital Organization (NHO) hospital for the surgical indication of hoarseness were included in the study. Before undergoing surgery, 200 patients with benign vocal fold lesions (vocal fold polyps/nodules) were enrolled and randomly allocated to the NHO‐style vocal hygiene educational program (intervention group) or control education program (control group). Two months after enrollment, the patients in both groups underwent laryngeal fiberscopic examinations to determine whether the benign lesions had resolved or whether surgery was indicated for the vocal fold polyps/nodules.Results: After 2 months, in the intervention group, the proportion of lesion resolution (61.3%) was significantly greater than that in the control group (26.3%) (P < .001, Fisher exact test).Conclusions: Our results clearly indicate that the quality and features of the education program could affect the outcome of the intervention. We found that a reinforced vocal hygiene education program increased the rate of the resolution of benign vocal fold polyps and nodules in a multicenter randomized clinical trial.Level of Evidence: 1b Laryngoscope, 2593–2599, 2018

A 51-year-old woman complained of hoarseness of two years duration. The patient's past medical history was significant for autoimmunological hepatitis and arthritis for which she had not received treatment. Laryngoscopy and laryngeal stroboscopy revealed ‘bamboo joint-like nodules’ on both true vocal folds. These nodules resembled rheumatoid nodules and were suggestive of a collagen disease. Previous reports have documented that the treatment for such conditions related to collagen diseases is surgical resection. However, we initially attempted to treat the laryngeal lesions systemically with prednisolone. The hoarseness and the bamboo-like nodules disappeared six months after the treatment. Furthermore, the liver function test returned to normal and arthritis completely resolved. Based on our patient's response to this treatment, we diagnosed atypical-SLE and a lupus laryngitis. This case suggests that studies of the larynx may be helpful in the early diagnosis of collagan diseases and that such conditions may respond to systemic treatment.

Various methods are used to treat ingrown or pincer-like toenails. We developed a novel taping method to prevent topical interruption of the circulation and resulting skin conditions and evaluated it over 14.5 years. We instructed 541 patients or their guardians in the use of the technique. Ingrown toenail symptoms and abnormal nail growth were resolved and no additional therapy was required in 276 patients. The novel taping method was significantly more effective than treatments our patients had received previously. Patient-controlled taping is the first-line treatment for every ingrown or curved toenail seen in our clinic.

According to our previous study, lifestyle modification in combination with drug therapy is much more effective than drug therapy alone in cases of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Most patients with LPR will have chronic gastro-esophageal reflux diseases (GERD) and require long-term medical therapy for control, resulting in high total expenditure on pharmacologic agents. We combined pharmacologic management with lifestyle modifications for the management of GERD with successful outcomes in patients with GERD-related laryngeal granulomas. Although further studies are needed, guidance concerning lifestyle modifications in combination with PPI therapy may be not only a clinically effective but also a cost-effective method for the management of laryngeal granulomas caused by gastro-esophageal reflux.