Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

The perioperative administration of magnesium is known to reduce postoperative morbidities in adults, such as pain, agitation, and laryngospasm. The objective is to assess the effects of perioperative magnesium as the adjuvant to tonsillectomy as compared with tonsillectomy in children.

Five databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane).

Two authors independently searched databases up to January 2017. We compared perioperative magnesium administration (magnesium groups) with no administration of magnesium (control group). The following outcomes were measured: postoperative pain intensity, analgesics administration, or other morbidities (laryngospasm, agitation, postoperative bleeding) in the postoperative 24 hours. Additionally, to evaluate the discrepancy of effects according to different administration routes, subgroup analyses regarding effects according to systemic or local administration of magnesium were performed.

Nine prospective randomized controlled studies (n = 615) that evaluated the effect of magnesium in children having undergone tonsillectomy met inclusion criteria. Compared with control group, the time for first analgesic requirement was significantly delayed in magnesium groups (standardized mean difference = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.20-1.31; P = .0079). Laryngospasm (log odds ratio = −1.09; 95% CI,−2.11 to −0.07; P = .0362) and agitation score (standardized mean difference = −0.67; 95% CI, −0.97 to −0.36; P < .0001) in the recovery room also significantly decreased in magnesium groups. In subgroup analyses regarding pain and laryngospasm-related measurements, local administration of magnesium was shown to be more effective at reducing postoperative morbidities.

Perioperative magnesium regardless of route may offer pain, agitation, and laryngospasm relief without adverse effects in pediatric tonsillectomy. Based on the high heterogeneity of results within some parameters, further studies need to be performed to affirm these results.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires competency-based education for residents and recommends 5 basic features of high-quality feedback. Our aim was to examine the incorporation of feedback in articles regarding professionalism and interpersonal/communication skills for otolaryngology residency training curriculum.

PubMed, Embase, ERIC, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov.

We used studies identified during a systematic review of all indexed years through October 4, 2016.

Eighteen studies were included in this review. Professionalism was discussed in 16, of which 15 (94%) examined aspects of feedback. Interpersonal/communication skills were the focus of 16 articles, of which 14 16 (88%) discussed aspects of feedback. Our assessment demonstrated that timeliness was addressed in 8 (44%) articles, specificity in 4 (22%), learner reaction and reflection in 4 (22%), action plans in 3 (20%), and balancing reinforcing/corrective feedback in 2 (13%). Two articles did not address feedback, and 6 did not address aspects of high-quality feedback. The ACGME-recommended feedback systems of ADAPT (ask, discuss, ask, plan together) and R2C2 (relationship, reactions, content, and coach) were not reported in any of the studies.

Feedback is an essential component of graduate medical education and is required by the ACGME milestones assessment system. However, the core feedback components recommended by the ACGME are rarely included in the otolaryngology resident education literature.

Dexmedetomidine has sympatholytic, sedative, anesthetic, and analgesic effects, as well as vasoconstrictive effects, which may help prevent hypotension under general anesthesia. This meta-analysis aimed to perform a systematic review of the literature and investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine on perioperative morbidity following nasal surgery and its adverse effects.

MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane database.

Two authors independently searched the databases from their inception to March 2017. Studies were selected that compared perioperative dexmedetomidine administration (dexmedetomidine groups) with a placebo or remifentanil (control groups) with regard to intraoperative morbidity, including surgical time, bleeding amount, hypotension, and bradycardia during operation, and postoperative morbidity, such as emergence agitation, nausea and vomiting, and sedation after operation.

Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, dose of inhaled anesthetic gas, dose of fentanyl, postoperative pain, and incidence of emergence agitation were significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group versus the placebo group. In contrast, there were no significant differences in intraoperative hemodynamic stability and postoperative residual sedation and nausea and vomiting between groups. Additionally, compared with remifentanil (a currently widely used agent), dexmedetomidine was superior in view of postoperative pain and intraoperative blood pressure control.

This meta-analysis shows that the systemic administration of dexmedetomidine can decrease surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, and doses of intraoperative inhaled anesthetic gas and fentanyl as compared with placebo. It can also decrease postoperative pain and incidence of the emergence agitation. Due to the small number of studies, further clinical trials are needed to confirm these results.

The primary goal is the indexation of validated methods used to assess surgical competency in otorhinolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) residents. Secondary goals include assessment of the reliability and validity of these tools, as well as the documentation of specific procedures in ORL-HNS involved.

MEDBASE, OVID, Medline, CINAHL, and EBM, as well as the printed references, available through the Université de Montréal library.

The PRISMA method was used to review digital and printed databases. Publications were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers, and selected articles were fully analyzed to classify evaluation methods and categorize them by procedure and subspecialty of ORL-HNS involved. Reliability and validity were assessed and scored for each assessment tool.

Through the review of 30 studies, 5 evaluation methods were described and validated to assess the surgical competency of ORL-HNS residents. The evaluation method most often described was the combined Global Rating Scale and Task-Specific Checklist tool. Reliability and validity for this tool were overall high; however, considerable data were unavailable. Eleven distinctive surgical procedures were studied, encompassing many subspecialties of ORL-HNS: facial plastics, general ear-nose-throat, laryngology, otology, pediatrics, and rhinology.

Although assessment tools have been developed for an array of surgical procedures, involving most ORL-HNS subspecialties, the use of combined checklists has been repeatedly validated in the literature and shown to be easily applicable in practice. It has been applied to many ORL-HNS procedures but not in oncologic surgery to date.

(1) Determine the prevalence of hearing loss following microvascular decompression (MVD) for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and hemifacial spasm (HFS). (2) Demonstrate factors that affect postoperative hearing outcomes after MVD.

PubMed-NCBI, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases from 1981 to 2016.

Systematic review of prospective cohort studies and retrospective reviews in which any type of hearing loss was recorded after MVD for TN or HFS. Three researchers extracted data regarding operative indications, procedures performed, and diagnostic tests employed. Discrepancies were resolved by mutual consensus.

Sixty-nine references with 18,233 operations met inclusion criteria. There were 7093 patients treated for TN and 11,140 for HFS. The overall reported prevalence of hearing loss after MVD for TN and HFS was 5.58% and 8.25%, respectively. However, many of these studies relied on subjective measures of reporting hearing loss. In 23 studies with consistent perioperative audiograms, prevalence of hearing loss was 13.47% for TN and 13.39% for HFS, with no significant difference between indications (P = .95). Studies using intraoperative brainstem auditory evoked potential monitoring were more likely to report hearing loss for TN (relative risk [RR], 2.28; P < .001) but not with HFS (RR, 0.88; P = .056).

Conductive and sensorineural hearing loss are important complications following posterior fossa MVD. Many studies have reported on hearing loss using either subjective measures and/or inconsistent audiometric testing. Routine perioperative audiogram protocols improve the detection of hearing loss and may more accurately represent the true risk of hearing loss after MVD for TN and HFS.

To identify the risk of clinical hypocalcemia in the first hours after thyroidectomy.

Prospective observational study.

Single-institution tertiary hospital in Madrid, Spain.

A total of 123 patients who underwent total or completion thyroidectomy between June 2010 and March 2012 were included. Pre- and postoperative intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels were obtained. Patients remain hospitalized a minimum of 48 hours until blood calcium stabilized. Calcium and/or vitamin D supplements were prescribed only when signs or symptoms of hypocalcemia developed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was employed to evaluate the postoperative iPTH level and the pre- to postoperative decrease in iPTH levels. Two cutoff values were determined to stratify the risk of developing clinical hypocalcemia into 3 groups.

The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.991 for the postoperative iPTH and 0.998 for the decrease in iPTH. An iPTH decrease of 80% had 100% sensitivity to detect patients who developed clinical hypocalcemia, while a postoperative iPTH <3 pg/mL had 100% specificity. Thus, patients with an iPTH decrease ≤80% are at a very low risk of clinical hypocalcemia, and patients with a postoperative iPTH <3 pg/mL are at a very high risk. Patients with an iPTH decrease >80% and a postoperative iPTH ≥3 pg/mL are at intermediate risk. No significant correlation was found between the time when the sample was obtained and iPTH values.

This study stablishes a very accurate test to stratify the risk of clinical postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia based on pre- and postoperative iPTH levels.

To compare the accuracy of the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) in identifying people with eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction based on symptoms and an objective ET function test.

Cross-sectional study.

Tertiary referral center.

Fifty-five subjects with and without symptoms suggestive of ET dysfunction completed the ETDQ-7 and had their ET function evaluated by the percentage of middle ear pressure equilibrated after 5 swallows (PEq₅) either during a pressure chamber test (intact tympanic membranes) or by the inflation-deflation test (nonintact tympanic membranes). ETDQ-7 score ≥14.5 and PEq₅ <60% were used to define ET dysfunction, and sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess the level of association between ETDQ-7 scores and PEq₅.

Twenty-five asymptomatic subjects (group 1 = 15 females, 15 white; mean ± SD age, 32 ± 12.8 years) and 30 subjects with ET dysfunction symptoms (group 2 = 17 females, 25 white; age, 27 ± 16.3 years) were included in the analysis. ETDQ-7 sensitivity and specificity regarding correct group assignment were 70% and 100%, respectively, and with respect to predicting PEq₅<60%, 54% and 78%. An area under the curve (AUC) of 0.68 (95% CI, 0.53-0.83) at the participant level and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.50-0.77) at the ear level indicated a moderate level of association that was lower, though not statistically significant, for nonintact tympanic membranes (AUC = 0.63 at the participant level and AUC = 0.49 at the ear level).

The ETDQ-7 score had a higher correlation with the ET dysfunction symptoms than with an objective measure of ET function.

To investigate the olfactory and gustatory functions of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected adults in Ibadan, Nigeria.

A cross-sectional study of olfactory and gustatory functions of HIV-infected adults between March 2015 and December 2015.

Tertiary health institution.

A structured questionnaire was administered to participants to obtain relevant sociodemographic and clinical information. Participants’ nadir and most recent CD4 cell count and viral loads were obtained from their medical records. Participants’ body mass indices were determined, and each subjectively rated their olfactory and gustatory performances. Objective olfactory and gustatory functions were determined using validated “Sniffin’ Sticks” and “Taste Strips” impregnated with 4 different concentrations of sucrose, quinine hydrochloride, sodium chloride, and citric acid.

In total, 135 HIV-infected adults, comprising 41 (30.4%) men and 94 (69.6%) women, were evaluated. Their ages ranged from 20 to 70 years, mean 43.4 ± 10.4 years. Participants were on highly active antiretroviral therapy for a mean duration of 75.8 ± 36.9 months. The proportions of male participants in HIV stages 1, 2, and 3 were 18 (43.9%), 19 (46.3%), and 4 (9.8%), respectively, while female participants were 46 (48.9%), 41 (43.6%), and 7 (7.4%), respectively. Participants’ mean olfactory threshold, discrimination, identification, and TDI scores were 8.0 ± 4.9, 9.9 ± 4.7, 8.8 ± 4.5, and 26.7 ± 11.1, respectively, while total taste score was 25.1 ± 5.7.

HIV-infected adults have tendency to develop hyposmia and hypogeusia. These are worse with advanced stage of HIV infection.

To identify differences in postoperative wound complications associated with a primary tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) at the time of laryngectomy versus no TEP.

Retrospective review of large national data set.

Academic and nonacademic health care facilities in United States, contributing de-identified, risk-adjusted clinical data to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data set for years 2006 to 2012 identified 430 patients who underwent total laryngectomy with or without a primary TEP. Patients who underwent a TEP at the time of laryngectomy (n = 68) were compared with patients who underwent laryngectomy without a TEP (n = 362). Postoperative wound complications and secondary outcomes, including medical complications and length of hospitalization, were compared between the groups.

The incidence of “superficial” and “deep or organ space” surgical site infection, medical complications, return to the operating room, and length of hospitalization were similar between the groups. Patients in the TEP group had a higher overall wound complication rate (relative risk, 2.02; 95% CI = 1.06-3.84; attributable risk, 8.17%; number needed to harm, 12).

Performance of a primary TEP concurrent to total laryngectomy contributed to a small increase in attributable risk for overall wound complications but did not add substantial risk for “superficial” or “deep or organ space” surgical site infection, medical complications, or increased burden for resource utilization. These data may help inform patient choice and physician recommendations for primary alaryngeal speech rehabilitation.

To evaluate the adverse effects and therapeutic efficacy of our biocompatible polymer platform delivering targeted local therapy of cytokine CCL21 and cisplatin in a partially resected xenograft animal model of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, to evaluate the efficacy of cotreatment with radiotherapy and assess the biocompatibility of the cisplatin-eluting polymer in the murine neck.

Experimental animal study.

Academic research laboratory.

SCCVII/SF cell injection established head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tumors in C3H/HeJ mice. Subjects underwent surgery, and a chemokine-eluting polymer was implanted into the resected site. Subjects treated with cisplatin received radiation or no radiation, and tissue was harvested after 8 weeks to assess polymer biocompatibility.

Our results with the polymer platform significantly (P < .05) reduced SCCVII/SF tumor size in C3H/HeJ mice with cisplatin (49% ± 8.7%, Δ3.4 ± 0.6 cm³ [95% CI]), CCL21 (42% ± 4.8%, Δ3.5 ± 0.4 cm³), and cisplatin/CCL21 dual-agent polymer (82% ± 4.4%, Δ8.0 ± 0.4 cm³) as compared with controls. Cisplatin polymer with high-dose (16 Gy) and low-dose (4 Gy) radiation reduced tumor mass (respectively, 92% ± 7.2%, Δ6.1 ± 0.5 cm³; 85% ± 7.4%, Δ5.7 ± 0.5 cm³) as compared with the reduction from high-dose radiotherapy alone (70% ± 7.9%, Δ4.7 ± 0.5 cm³). No significant toxicity or inflammation was noted on histopathology after radiotherapy and cisplatin-eluting polymer treatment.

Cisplatin, CCL21, and cisplatin/CCL21 dual-agent polymer all exhibit significant antitumor effects and decrease tumor burden. Moreover, combination cisplatin polymer with radiotherapy may permit a decrease in intensity of radiation therapy in patients having received the cisplatin polymer. Histopathologic analysis suggests that the polymer is free from significant adverse effects in this model and warrants clinical trial.

Surgery is the primary treatment modality for node-positive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with no distant disease (HNcSCC-M0). The role of preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan for these patients is unclear. We compared preoperative PET/CT with final histopathology among patients undergoing lymphadenectomy and/or parotidectomy for HNcSCC-M0.

Case series with chart review.

Single Australian center.

Investigation included disease parameters and preoperative CT and PET/CT findings of 64 patients with node-positive HNcSCC without distant metastatic disease. Fisher’s exact test was used to test for a difference in the proportion of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia between the false- and true-negative PET/CT subgroups.

Of 64 patients who underwent PET/CT prior to surgery for node-positive HNcSCC-M0, 56 underwent a neck dissection and 30, a parotidectomy. Of these, 13 neck dissections and 2 parotidectomies were performed in the absence of FDG-avid (18F-fludeoxyglucose) nodes in these nodal fields. The PET/CT positive predictive value of the neck was 91.1%. The negative predictive values in the neck and parotid regions were 60%. Of the false-negative subgroup, 66.7% had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, compared with 11.1% of the true-negative subgroup (P = .09). Based on PET/CT findings, surgical plans according to preoperative CT were changed for 6.25% of patients.

Use of PET/CT for surgical candidates with node-positive HNcSCC-M0 has high specificity and positive predictive value with relatively low sensitivity and negative predictive value. A statistical trend toward a higher rate of chronic lymphocytic leukemia among patients with false-negative results is suggested.

To evaluate the proportion of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (OHNS) providers who are rural versus urban based from 2002 to 2013. Secondary objective was to present perspectives of rural primary care providers on unmet needs for OHNS services.

Mixed methods database analysis and prospective survey.

National administrative database.

The Canadian Medical Association OHNS provider Masterfile and the Statistics Canada postal code file were used to determine provincial, urban, rural, and Aboriginal group care coverage. The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada was surveyed to explore care delivery and unmet needs for OHNS and audiology. Descriptive statistics and linear regression were used to describe results.

Ontario and Quebec had the largest annual OHNS physician growth (6.38 providers/year; r² = 0.94) versus stagnant growth in the territories. The clear majority of OHNS providers are in urban centers, and rural OHNS coverage is decreasing annually (–0.33 providers/year, r² = 0.28). There are no OHNS providers in 485 population centers where Aboriginal groups are located. A survey of 40 rural primary care providers reported that OHNS care is most commonly delivered through seasonal visits to a local facility, with otology (hearing loss, chronic ear disease) and rhinology (nonmalignant nasal or sinus conditions) as the most frequently reported unmet needs.

From 2002 to 2013, OHNS coverage showed a trend for urban consolidation. Most Aboriginal groups may have decreased access to care, as there are no OHNS providers in 485 population centers where reserves are located. There is an unmet need for specialized OHNS services reported by rural primary care physicians, especially otology and rhinology.

Evaluating the long-term outcomes of vocal fold structural fat grafting.

Case series with chart review.

University hospital.

Seventy-nine dysphonic patients (16-82 years; 55 with unilateral laryngeal paralysis and 24 with vocal fold scarring) underwent vocal fold fat injection. Fat was harvested by low-pressure liposuction and then processed by centrifugation. Refined fat aliquots were placed in the vocal fold and paraglottic space in multiple tunnels to enhance graft neovascularization. All patients were followed for 12 months, 15 for 3 years, and 5 for 10 years with videolaryngostroboscopy, maximal phonation time (MPT) measurement, Voice Handicap Index (VHI) questionnaire, and GRBAS (grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain) perceptual evaluation. Laryngeal computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were performed in 16 patients 3 to 28 months postoperatively; MRI was repeated in 5 cases 12 to 18 months after the first radiological study.

The voice quality of all patients improved after surgery, and long-term stability was confirmed by MPT, GRBAS, and VHI (P ranging between .004 and <.001). The results achieved 1 year postoperatively remained stable at 3 and 10 years. Videolaryn-gostroboscopy showed improved glottic closure in all patients despite a limited amount of fat resorption. CT and MRI demonstrated survival of the fat grafts in all of the 16 examined cases. Serial MRI scans showed no change in graft size over time.

The reported clinical and radiological data demonstrate that fat is an effective filler for permanent vocal fold augmentation if the refined micro-aliquots are placed in multiple tunnels.

(1) Evaluate hearing outcomes of patients after planned malleus removal during ossicular chain reconstruction. (2) Analyze hearing results for titanium (Ti) and hydroxyapatite (HA) total ossicular prostheses (TOPs) and partial ossicular prostheses (POPs). (3) Compare Ti and HA partial prostheses.

Retrospective case series with chart review.

Tertiary health care organization.

A chart review was conducted of 139 consecutive patients who presented with chronic otitis media with perforation (with or without cholesteatoma) and were treated with initial-stage tympanoplasty (with or without mastoidectomy) and managed with TOP (n = 22) or POP (n = 117) between July 2010 and July 2015. The malleus was completely removed in all cases. Hearing was assessed via bone and air conduction pretone averages (0.5, 1, 2 kHz) pre- and postoperatively. Air-bone gap (ABG) and change in ABG (ΔABG) were analyzed. Pre- and postoperative values were compared.

The overall mean ABG decreased from 29.4 ± 12.3 dB to 18.2 ± 11.4 dB postoperatively (P < .001) with a mean ΔABG of 14.5 dB (95% CI, 12.793-16.203). Overall success was achieved by 69.1%. The POP group achieved higher success (70.9%) than the TOP group (59.1%; P = .0001). Mean ABG decreased significantly within surgical groups (TOP and POP) and prosthesis material groups (Ti and HA; all P < .001). Ti had statistically higher success than HA in both techniques: POP (P = .0478) and TOP (P = .0251). There was a 98% graft take rate.

Planned malleus removal during ossicular chain reconstruction, regardless of disease extent, allows for simpler reconstruction and comparable favorable results to preservation of the malleus and should be considered during surgical planning.

To describe the impact of resident involvement in tympanoplasty on operative time and surgical complication rates.

Case series with chart review.

Tertiary medical center.

Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify patients in the 2011-2014 public use files of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program who underwent a tympanoplasty or tympanomastoidectomy. Cases were included if the database indicated whether the operating room was staffed with an attending alone or an attending with residents. Categorical and continuous variables were compared with chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Generalized linear models with a log-link and gamma distribution were used to examine the factors affecting operative time.

Overall, 1045 cases met our study criteria (tympanoplasty, n = 797; tympanomastoidectomy, n = 248). Resident involvement increased mean operative time for tympanoplasties by 46% (107 vs 73 minutes, P < .001) and tympanomastoidectomies by 49% (175 vs 117 minutes, P < .001). While controlling for confounding factors, the variable with the largest impact on operative time was resident involvement. There were no significant differences observed in the rate of surgical complications between attending-alone and attending-resident cases.

Resident involvement in tympanoplasty and tympanomastoidectomy did not affect the surgical complication rate. Resident involvement increased operative time for tympanoplasties and tympanomastoidectomies; however, the specific reasons for the increase are not explained by the available data.

To determine molecularly the presence of measles virus genetic material in the stapes of patients with otosclerosis.

A cross-sectional study.

A tertiary referral hospital.

Genetic material was extracted from the stapes of patients with otosclerosis (n = 93) during the period from March 2011 to April 2012. The presence of viral measles sequences was evaluated by the real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of the CD46 gene was determined.

Ninety-three patients were included in the study. No sample was positive for any of 3 measles virus genes (H, N, and F). Measles virus RNA was not detected in any sample by real-time RT-PCR. CD46 levels were positive in 3.3% (n = 3) and negative in 96.7% (n = 90).

This study does not support the theory of measles virus as the cause of otosclerosis. It is necessary to do more research about other causal theories to clarify its etiology and prevention.

Despite increasing interest in individual instrument storage, risk of bacterial cross-contamination of otorhinolaryngology clinic instruments has not been assessed. This study is the first to determine the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of standard high-level disinfection and clinic instrument storage.

To assess for cross-contamination, surveillance cultures of otorhinolaryngology clinic instruments subject to standard high-level disinfection and storage were obtained at the start and end of the outpatient clinical workday. Rate of microorganism recovery was compared with cultures of instruments stored in individual peel packs and control cultures of contaminated instruments. Based on historical clinic data, the direct allocation method of cost accounting was used to determine aggregate raw material cost and additional labor hours required to process and restock peel-packed instruments.

Among 150 cultures of standard high-level disinfected and co-located clinic instruments, 3 positive bacterial cultures occurred; 100% of control cultures were positive for bacterial species (P < .001). There was no statistical difference between surveillance cultures obtained before and after the clinic day. While there was also no significant difference in rate of contamination between peel-packed and co-located instruments, peel packing all instruments requires 6250 additional labor hours, and conservative analyses place the cost of individual semicritical instrument storage at $97,852.50 per year.

With in vitro inoculation of >200 otorhinolaryngology clinic instruments, this study demonstrates that standard high-level disinfection and storage are equally efficacious to more time-consuming and expensive individual instrument storage protocols, such as peel packing, with regard to bacterial contamination.

Standard high-level disinfection and storage are equally effective to labor-intensive and costly individual instrument storage protocols.

To investigate the readmission rates due to postoperative hemorrhage in relation to tonsil surgery clinical practice in a national population.

Retrospective longitudinal population-based cohort study.

Based on register data from the Swedish National Patient Register (NPR).

All benign tonsil operations (256 053) performed in Sweden from 1987 to 2013 were identified through a search in the NPR. For all identified cases, data on gender, age, date of surgery, indication, type of surgery, level of care, length of stay (LOS) for inpatient surgery, readmission and reoperation because of postoperative bleeding (within 31 days) were collected.

Overall frequency of readmission for hemorrhage was 2.61%, and the reoperation rate for hemostasis was 0.84%. The longitudinal analysis showed an increase from 1% (1987) to 5% (2013) in readmissions caused by hemorrhage. Tonsillectomies, surgery performed for infectious disease, and surgery on adult patients (age >18 years) showed readmission rates approaching 10% (2013). Male gender, increasing age, tonsillectomy, infectious indication, and recent year of surgery were identified as risk factors for readmission and reoperation due to hemorrhage. An increasing share of patients readmitted for hemorrhage underwent reoperation for hemostasis: 18% (1987) versus 43% (2013).

Readmissions for hemorrhage have increased by a factor of 5 in Sweden from 1987 to 2013. The design of the study and the data in NPR do not allow determination of the true reasons behind the alarming results.

To determine if the introduction of a systematic preoperative sinus computed tomography (CT) checklist improves identification of critical anatomic variations in sinus anatomy among patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery.

Single-blinded prospective cohort study.

Tertiary care hospital.

Otolaryngology residents were asked to identify critical surgical sinus anatomy on preoperative CT scans before and after introduction of a systematic approach to reviewing sinus CT scans. The percentage of correctly identified structures was documented and compared with a 2-sample t test.

A total of 57 scans were reviewed: 28 preimplementation and 29 postimplementation. Implementation of the sinus CT checklist improved identification of critical sinus anatomy from 24% to 84% correct (P < .001). All residents, junior and senior, demonstrated significant improvement in identification of sinus anatomic variants, including those not directly included in the systematic review implemented.

The implementation of a preoperative endoscopic sinus surgery radiographic checklist improves identification of critical anatomic sinus variations in a training population.

Periostin is an extracellular matrix protein that is elevated in the sinonasal tissues of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The purpose of this study was to determine whether serum periostin could serve as a molecular biomarker of nasal polyp burden in sinonasal disease.

Prospective cohort study.

Academic medical center.

Serum periostin levels were measured by ELISA on blood samples collected from patients undergoing sinus surgery for CRS (n = 71), further stratified by phenotype as defined by nasal polyps and asthma. Results were compared with assays performed on control subjects (n = 62).

Mean serum periostin levels were markedly elevated in patients with CRS versus controls (66.1 ng/mL [95% CI, 51.6-80.6] vs 38.7 ng/mL [95% CI, 34.4-42.9], respectively, P = .004). In addition, mean periostin levels were significantly higher in CRS patients with nasal polyps as compared with those without polyps (94.8 ng/mL [95% CI, 67.3-122.4] vs 41.1 ng/mL [95% CI, 35.2-47.0], respectively, P < .001). Periostin levels did not correlate with sex (P = .473), smoking history (P = .748), aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease status (P = .136), oral steroid use within 1 month of surgery (P = .281), use of topical steroid nasal spray (P = .864), or number of prior sinus operations (P = .973).

Serum periostin appears to be a novel molecular biomarker for the presence of nasal polyps and may serve as an indicator of CRS endotypes.

Home oximetry is commonly used to screen for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children; however, normal oxygen desaturation levels by disease severity are not well known. It was our objective to determine if oxygen saturation levels differed by OSA severity category in children and if these differences were similar for preteen children and adolescents.

Retrospective case series of children undergoing polysomnography from September 2011 to July 2015.

Tertiary pediatric hospital.

Six- to 18-year-olds (preteen, 6-12 years old; adolescent, 13-18 years old). Chi-square, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and Kruskal-Wallis testing were used to compare variables between age groups.

The study included 342 children with a mean age of 11.3 ± 2.4 years (range, 6.5-17.5) and a mean body mass index of 25.6 ± 9.2 kg/m² (78 ± 29 percentile); 61% were white, 35% were black, and 4% were other or unknown. Of the children, 48% were female, and this was not a significant difference between age groups (P = .81). Overall, 50% of the children had no OSA, 32% mild, 10% moderate, and 8% severe. When compared with the younger children, the adolescents had a longer sleep time (P = .014) and a higher mean obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (3.53 ± 5.1 vs 3.03 ± 6.1 events per hour, P = .02). The 3% and 4% oxygen desaturation indices were not significantly different between age groups when accounting for OSA severity.

Adolescents have longer sleep times and higher obstructive apnea-hypopnea indexes than preteens, but oxygen saturations and desaturation indices were similar. This supports current triage algorithms for children with OSA, as we found no significant age-based differences.