The effect of antireflux therapy on phonomicrosurgical outcomes: A preliminary retrospective study

Objective/Hypothesis Currently, no clinical standards exist with regard to antireflux medications in the perioperative period for patients undergoing surgery for benign vocal fold lesions. The present study sought to determine the clinical yield of these medications on operative outcomes in patients who underwent surgical treatment for benign vocal fold lesions. Study Design Retrospective, outcomes study. Methods Medical records were reviewed from a single surgeon database between January 2011 and June 2012 to quantify outcomes in patients taking antireflux medications compared with subjects not taking medications at the time of surgery. Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-10 and Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) scores were the primary dependent variables. The t test analyses were conducted to compare VHI-10 and RSI scores. Additional multivariate regression analyses were conducted to evaluate medication effects on VHI and RSI, adjusting for potential confounds. Results A total of 51 patients met inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 12 (23.5%) were using antireflux medication(s) at the time of surgery and 39 (76.5%) were not. The mean shifts in VHI-10 and RSI after surgery for the antireflux therapy (ART) group were -14.75 and -7.5, respectively. For the non-antireflux therapy (non-ART) group, mean ΔVHI-10 and ΔRSI values were -9.87 and -5.05, respectively. Both t test and regression analyses confirmed no statistical difference between the ART and non-ART groups for both ΔVHI-10 and ΔRSI. Additional regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between preoperative RSI score and ΔRSI score. Conclusion Antireflux medications did not significantly alter postoperative outcomes in this preliminary cohort of patients.