Annals of Otology Rhinology and Laryngology最新文献

Background: Despite growing concern regarding over-prescription of narcotic pain medication following ambulatory surgery, little is known about the analgesic prescribing practices following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in obese patients in comparison to non-obese patients.

Objective: To compare the rates of opioid versus non-opioid prescriptions, the need for steroids, and post-operative adverse events between obese and non-obese adult patients undergoing ESS.

Methods: Using TriNetX Live database, we identified all patients aged ≥18 years who underwent ESS (n = 1303) between 2014 and 2022 across several healthcare institutions across the state of Tennessee. We 1:1 propensity score-matched obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) and non-obese (18.5 kg/m² ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²) cohorts for age, gender, race, and comorbidities including asthma, nicotine dependence, and sleep apnea. Rates of prescriptions and post-operative adverse events between cohorts were analyzed using risk ratios (RR) and confidence intervals (CI).

Results: A toal of 532 obese patients were compared to 532 propensity score-matched non-obese patients in the first 14 post-operative days following ESS. The obese cohort was significantly more likely to be prescribed analgesics generally (RR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.20-2.47), non-opioid analgesics (RR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.19-2.50), and opioid analgesics (RR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.14-2.36) than non-obese patients. There was no difference in rates of antibiotic or antiemetic prescription, prednisone/methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, ED visits, critical care service, epistaxis, transfusion, anemia, revision sinus surgery, mechanical ventilation, CPAP, or inhalation airway treatments.

Conclusion: Obese patients undergoing ESS were significantly more likely to be prescribed non-opioid and opioid analgesia in the first 14 days post-operatively compared to non-obese patients. There were no differences in post-operative adverse events or other prescriptions. Otolaryngologists should be aware that obese patients are at increased risk of opioid induced airway obstruction and steroid induced hyperglycemia, especially in patients with comorbid sleep apnea or diabetes. Emphasis on non-opioid analgesics and multimodal pain management should be advocated for this population.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate various demographic, socioeconomic, COVID-related, and clinical factors associated with missed otolaryngology appointments in the outpatient setting at Boston Medical Center (BMC), an urban safety net hospital.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on adults (≥18 years old) with scheduled appointments in the otolaryngology department at BMC from May 1, 2015, to May 1, 2022. Data were extracted from the electronic medical record and included appointment-related factors (eg, status and type), demographic variables (eg, age, sex, race, and ethnicity), and socioeconomic factors (eg, employment and insurance). Statistical analyses utilized a binary mixed-effects model to identify predictors of appointment non-attendance, with pre-COVID, during COVID, and post-COVID periods defined for comparative analysis.

Results: Out of 14 050 patients, 5725 (40.8%) were classified as no-show. Older age decreased the likelihood of missing appointments (OR = 0.989, 95% CI = [0.986, 0.992]). Males (OR = 1.090, 95% CI = [1.022, 1.161]), Black/African American (OR = 2.047, 95% CI = [1.878, 2.231]), and Hispanic or Latino individuals (OR = 1.369, 95% CI = [1.232, 1.521]) were more likely to not show up. Retired participants (OR = 0.859, 95% CI = [0.753, 0.981]) and those with private insurance (OR = 0.698, 95% CI = [0.643, 0.758]) were less likely to miss appointments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, appointment attendance improved (OR = 0.865, 95% CI = [0.767, 0.976]). In-person appointments had a significantly higher non-attendance rate compared to telemedicine appointments (OR = 6.133, 95% CI = [5.248, 7.167]).

Conclusions: Appointment non-attendance in otolaryngology is influenced by various demographic and socioeconomic factors, with significant disparities observed among racial and ethnic groups. The COVID-19 pandemic altered attendance patterns, highlighting the potential benefits of telemedicine. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address healthcare disparities and improve appointment adherence, particularly among minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Future research should incorporate patient perspectives to better understand barriers to appointment attendance.

Objective: Nasal airway surgery is often applied when treatment fails to relieve nasal obstruction. However, surgery that improves airflow does not always alleviate the symptoms of nasal obstruction. The perception of nasal breathing is likely more related to changes in mucosal temperature than the mechanical sensation of flow or pressure. This study aims to measure intranasal mucosal temperature pre-and post-surgery using endonasal thermal imaging, exploring its correlation with subjective nasal breathing and objective airflow measurements.

Methods: A prospective study of adult patients with nasal obstruction managed with nasal airway surgery was performed. Intranasal mucosal temperatures were determined using the thermal endonasal image of the nasal passage produced by the infrared radiometric thermal camera (FILR VS290). A comparison was made between the mean values of mid-expiration (ExT) and mid-inspiration (InT) temperature data (internal nasal valve, nasal cavity, inferior turbinate, and overall airway [mean value]) and visual analog scale (VAS), Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale and nasal airway resistance (NAR) before and after surgery.

Results: Seven patients (35.14 ± 16.45 years, 57.14% female) were included. All NOSE, VAS, and NAR improved after surgery (59.29 ± 10.89 vs 17.14 ± 14.64; P < .001, 64.50 ± 26.79 vs 18.57 ± 19.99; P < .001, 0.82 ± 0.48 vs 0.34 ± 0.11 Pa/cm³/s; P = .002, respectively). ExT, InT, and the difference between ExT and InT of three areas and overall airway were similar between pre-and post-surgery. No statistically significant correlations were found between intranasal mucosal temperature, VAS, NOSE, and NAR at pre-and post-surgery except for the difference between ExT and InT of overall airway and NOSE pre-operative (Pearson r = 0.57; 95% CI 0.06-1.09; P = .03).

Conclusion: Endonasal thermal imaging can assess the intranasal mucosal temperature of a patient. However, more precise imaging of the nasal passages and data acquisition are required to establish mucosal temperature as an objective measure of nasal obstruction before and after nasal airway surgery in a clinical setting.

Introduction: Virtual endoscopy (VE) is the computer-based reprocessing of diagnostic imaging to simulate endoscopy of an anatomic region of interest. VE of the Frontal Sinus Outflow Tract (FSOT) may assist surgical planning and education.

Method: VE was performed on 16 normal sinus computed tomography (CT) scans for a total of 32 sides using the "path-to-target" tool on the TruDi surgical navigation system (ver. 2.3; Acclarent, Irving, CA, USA). To aid orientation during VE, planning points were placed on the middle turbinate, ethmoidal bulla, and skull base. The VE representation of anatomy and FSOT accuracy was manually confirmed by reviewing the corresponding orthogonal CT images and comparing them to the computed pathway.

Results: Of the 32 sides, the software successfully calculated the FSOT in 22 sides (69%). Of those 22 sides, the calculated FSOT, depicted in the VE sequences accurately represented the FSOT. Among sides with an accurately calculated FSOT, the VE sequences depicted a "fly-through" from a starting point in the middle meatus around various frontal recess cells to the end point in the frontal sinus.

Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrates that software-generated VE of the FSOT is indeed feasible but requires confirmation by the surgeon for accuracy. Instances in which the software did not achieve its objective may drive further refinements of the protocol. VE of the FSOT should be explored as a tool for preoperative planning and surgical education.

Objective: Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are frequently prescribed by otolaryngologists. However, there are limited quantitative data on OCS-related adverse events (AEs) in otolaryngology. We sought to quantify OCS-related AEs in otolaryngology.

Methods: All outpatient otolaryngology encounters in our healthcare system (2018-2023) at which an OCS was prescribed were identified via the electronic medical record. The diagnoses indicating OCS were categorized as sinonasal, otologic, pharyngo-laryngeal, and other. The medical record was subsequently examined to assess for OCS AEs during the 21-day period following the prescription. OCS AEs were grouped into (1) gastrointestinal, (2) metabolic, (3) bone/muscle, (4) ophthalmologic, and/or (5) psychiatric complications. The frequency and types of OCS related AEs were determined.

Results: A total of 20 746 otolaryngology encounters with OCS prescribed were examined. Seventy OCS courses had 1 or more AEs, implying a number needed to harm of 296.4 (240.2-386.8). There were 83 total OCS-related AEs, yielding an AE incidence rate of 4.0:1000 (95% CI, 3.0-5.0:1000) OCS prescriptions. The mean age of subjects with AEs (61.5 years) was significantly higher than those without (50.3 years; P < .001). Forty-seven (56.6%) of the complications were metabolic, with hyperglycemia and hypokalemia the most common, followed by gastrointestinal (26.5%), ophthalmologic (3.6%), psychiatric (2.4%), and musculoskeletal (2.4%).

Conclusion: AEs related to OCS prescribed by otolaryngologists occur at a rate of once per 296 courses of treatment and older populations may be at increased risk for AEs. Otolaryngologists should balance AE rates against anticipated benefits of steroid therapy.

Level of evidence: 3.

Introduction: Perforations of the tympanic membrane result mainly from otitis media or trauma, and we need grafting when a perforation is chronically persistent to prevent recurring infections and to enhance hearing. In the present study, we assessed the success rate, feasibility, and efficacy of endoscopic transcanal tympanoplasty using tragal cartilage grafts via the clip technique.

Methods: This prospective study was performed between September 2017 and December 2021 and was conducted in ENT departments in tertiary hospitals. Forty patients underwent endoscopic clip technique tragal cartilage type 1 tympanoplasty. Patients with dry (for 3 months at least) small (less than 3 mm), medium (3-5 mm), or large (more than 5 mm) central perforations but not marginal perforations.

Results: TM perforation healing following the procedure for 6 months was achieved in 100% of the patients with small perforations, 18 of 19 (94.73%) with medium perforations and 11 of 12 (91.6%) with large perforations. At 6 months post-surgery, hearing improvement, as confirmed by audiometric results, was approximately 12.41 ± 1.01 dB. There was a highly significant improvement in the A-B gap (air-bone gap).

Conclusion: Endoscopic chondro-perichondrial tragal graft with the clip technique for the repair of small-, medium-, and large-sized nonmarginal TM perforations is a minimally invasive, safe and effective technique compared with the conventional myringoplasty technique. It provided good results (closure of both the perforation and the air-bone gap), minimized morbidity, reduced the operative time, increased patient compliance, and reduced the duration of hospital admission.

Purpose: The endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has become the preferred treatment for pituitary tumors, with minimal sinonasal morbidity. However, patients with Cushing's disease (CD) may represent a subgroup with prolonged impairment of sinonasal quality of life (QOL).

Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with CD who underwent EEA at our institution. Control patients with non-functional tumors were matched by age, gender, and extent of EEA. The primary outcome was post-operative 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores.

Results: Ten patients with CD met the selection criteria and 20 controls were selected for comparison. Nine of the CD patients achieved persistent endocrinologic remission post-operatively. Comparing the CD and control groups, there was no difference in post-operative SNOT-22 score at 1 or 3 months. At 6 months, SNOT-22 scores were significantly worse in the CD group (27.4 ± 21.6 vs. 2.8 ± 2.3, P = .039). SNOT-22 scores improved to normal from 1 to 6 months in the control cohort (P = .007), but not in the Cushing's group (P = .726). Morbidity was present across all SNOT-22 domains, but was highest in the sleep domain (P = .023). Only morbidity in the facial domain improved over time (P = .032).

Conclusions: Patients with CD have significantly prolonged postoperative sinonasal QOL impairment following EEA compared to patients with non-functioning tumors, who normalize within 6 months. In CD patients, only morbidity in the facial domain, likely related to post-operative pain and nasal packing, improved over time, while the sleep domain was the most affected.

Objective: We present a case of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) in the left ethmoid without any nasal symptoms in a 63-year-old woman. Initially diagnosed with postmenopausal osteoporosis, 2-year history of hypophosphatemia and a significantly higher uptake of Fluorine-18 (¹⁸F)-AlF-NOTA-octreotide (¹⁸F-OC) in the left ethmoid sinus, provided crucial information for accurate diagnosis.

Methods: We presented a case with chart review and conducted review of the literature.

Results: The patient endured 1-year history of weakness and bone pain but without any nasal symptoms before a tissue diagnosis was eventually reached. It is a challenging diagnosis to make-patients present with non-specific clinical symptoms and the culprit neoplasm is often tiny in size and difficult to detect. It emphasizes the importance of thorough patient history-taking and the whole-body functional imaging.

Conclusions: Sinonasal PMTs are rare, and because of this most otolaryngologists are unfamiliar with its clinical presentation. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis to enable prompt intervention and reduce the burden of associated symptoms.

Introduction: Although surgical navigation is commonly used in rhinologic surgery, data on real world performance are sparse because of difficulties in collecting measurements for target registration error (TRE). Despite publications showing submillimeter TRE, surgeons do report TRE of >3 mm. We describe a novel method for assessing TRE during surgery and report findings with this technique.

Methods: The TruDi navigation system (Acclarent, Irving, CA) was registered using a contour-based protocol. The surgeon estimated target registration error (e-TRE) at up to 8 points (anatomic regions of interest [ROI]) during endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). System logs were used to simulate the localization for quantitative assessment of TRE (q-TRE).

Results: We performed 98 localizations in 20 patients. The ROI in the sinuses were ethmoid (33 sites), maxillary (28 sites), frontal (17 sites), and sphenoid (22 sites). For localizations, mean qTRE and eTRE were 0.93 and 0.84 mm (P = .56). Notably, 80% of qTRE and 81% of eTRE were 1 mm or less. Mean qTRE and eTRE were less for attending-performed registrations at the maxillary, frontal and sphenoid.

Conclusion: Surgical navigation accuracy, as measured by qTRE and eTRE, approaches 1 mm or better at all sinus sites in a real-world setting for 80% of localizations. The qTRE method provides a unique approach for assessing TRE. Surgeons underestimate TRE (overstate navigation accuracy), but this difference does not seem to be statistically significant. Registration performed by trainees yields higher TRE than registration performed by attendings. These data may be used to guide navigation optimization.