Mucosal-Type Chronic Otitis Media: Clinical Predictors of Postoperative Success.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic otitis media (COM) remains a global disease, a burden, and a challenge. Predicting its treatment's postoperative success based on clinical presentation has not been reported, particularly for the mucosal (tubotympanic/safe) type. METHODS:  A prospective descriptive study of patients with mucosal-type COM was done to identify clinical predictors of improved postoperative hearing outcomes and successful graft uptakes. RESULTS: Among the 110 ears studied, tympanoplasty was performed in 76 and cortical mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty in 34, based on six weeks of discharge-free or persistent discharge, respectively; all were treated with postoperative intranasal steroid spray. Eustachian tube dysfunction was noted in 96.4%. All patients with a history of ear discharge over five years had ossicular discontinuity, and those with persistent discharge had nonpatent aditus. Normal postoperative hearing was attained in most patients with less than one year of ear discharge. Surgical intervention within a year achieved normal hearing and graft success of 100% with type I tympanoplasty using the fascia alone in discharge-free ears and cortical mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty using cartilage-fascia graft in discharging ears, despite Eustachian tube dysfunction. In the latter group, graft success in type II tympanoplasty was 76.9%. CONCLUSION:  Ear discharge is the prime predictor of postoperative success in mucosal-type COM, as its duration and persistence dictate the time and type of surgical intervention. Duration of more than five years is directly proportional to pre-operative hearing loss with ossicular involvement and inversely proportional to postoperative hearing improvement, necessitating early surgical intervention, despite it being the mucosal or "safe type." Ear discharge-free for six weeks is an indicator of tympanoplasty. Persistent ear discharge, despite nonotogenic confounders, suggests aditus nonpatency, indicates the need for cortical mastoidectomy, and necessitates achieving its patency along with tympanoplasty. A surgical decision-making algorithm for the best possible surgical outcome in the chronic mucosal type of OM is also suggested.

Adenoidectomy: Anatomical Versus Clinical Success.

Endoscopic adenoidectomy with powered instruments,a challenge in resource-constraint developing countries, has been on the rise. To evaluate conventional curettage as compared to endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy in the successful management of adenoid enlargement. A randomized controlled double-blinded study among children undergoing adenoidectomywas done. Primary outcomes were assessed by pre- and postoperative evaluation with a symptoms questionnaire and fiberoptic nasal endoscopy. There were 71 children aged 3-15 years, majority having grade III adenoids. Conventional adenoidectomy was done by the surgeon who was blinded to preoperative adenoid status. Patients were randomized to two groups, 35in conventional curettage where no further on-table intervention was done. Check endoscopyof the remaining 36 patients, formingthe second group, revealed residual grade III adenoidsin 5.6%. They underwentcompletion adenoidectomyendoscopically. By the 12th postoperative week, nasal endoscopy noted that 39.3% had grade I/II and 8.8% had grade I in the conventional and endoscopic groups respectively. Thoughstatistically significant, all pre-op symptoms settled except sleep-related ones which persisted in both groups (25% versus 14.7) with no complications in either group. Relief of all symptoms other than sleep-related ones, was achieved despite residual adenoids being up to grade II in both conventional and endoscopic group. This suggests non-obstructive causes in a subset of these patients. Conventional adenoid curettage is comparable to endoscopic adenoidectomy by cold method among children aged three and above. Complete adenoidclearance for achieving 'anatomical success' appears not to be necessary for 'clinical success'.

Otolaryngologists' Initiative for Collaborative Tracheostomy Care: Knowledge, Attitude and Skill in Tracheostomy Care Among Nurses - An Interventional Study from India.

Introduction: Tracheostomy-related adverse events are a global problem, requiring coordinated approach for care of tracheostomised patients. The concept of 'collaborative tracheostomy care' was introduced by Global Tracheostomy Collaborative in 2012. For successful post tracheostomy outcome, nursing care is vital. Data on their knowledge, attitude and skills regarding tracheostomy care including outcome of a structured interventional workshop is not available from India. Methods: A validated questionnaire with items pertaining to knowledge, attitude and skills regarding tracheostomy care was administered to nurses working in intensive care units and wards. Following this, a workshop was conducted for hands-on training in tracheostomy care using didactic lectures, videos and simulation-based training. The participants took a post-test immediately and after three months. Skills were assessed before and three months after the workshop using a checklist. Results: Among 386 participants who attended the pre-test and workshop, 285 (74.2%) underwent post-test immediately and three months later. Overall mean knowledge score (± SD) of the participants in pre-workshop was 6.8 ± 3.5, immediate post-test score was 15.9 ± 2.7 and three months later was 11.6 ± 3.5 (p < 0.001) out of total score 20. The baseline score was significantly higher among ICU nurses. Three months post workshop skill assessment revealed no statistically significant increase in the proportion of participants who performed skills related to suctioning procedure. Conclusion: Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding tracheostomy care is inadequate among nurses. Otolaryngologists-driven structured intervention with didactic lectures, videos and hands-on training can improve all three domains to positively impact outcomes in post tracheostomy patient care. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-023-03682-9.

Surgical Candidacy for Management of Laryngomalacia: A Proposed Scoring System.

Introduction: Identifying surgical candidacy for the management of laryngomalacia is a challenge. Objective: To develop a simple scoring system for surgical candidacy in laryngomalacia. Methods: Eighteen years retrospective observational study of children with laryngomalacia (LM) clinically categorized into mild, moderate and severe LM and were analyzed for surgical candidacy. Results: There were 113 children (age ranging from 5 days to 14 months), 44% being mild, 30% moderate and 26% severe LM. None in mild, 32% in moderate, and all in severe LM had surgical intervention. Presence of stridor on feeding or crying and isolated type 1 or type 2 LM on laryngoscopy were significant indicators for conservative treatment (p-< 0.0001). Moderate failure to thrive, retraction at rest/sleep, with low oxygen saturation while feeding/at rest were significantly higher in both moderate and severe groups with laryngoscopic evidence of combined type 1 and 2 in moderate LM (p < 00,001). Aspiration pneumonia, hospitalization, pectus and mean pulmonary arterial pressure of more than 25 mmHg with laryngoscopic findings of all three combined types were significantly higher in severe LM (p < 0.0001).A simple scoring system was then developed and it revealed that a score of 10 or more required surgical intervention. Conclusion and clinical significance: A clinical scoring system is being reported for the first time in medical literature to identify 'the difficult to treat' subset within moderate laryngomalacia category simplifying decision making in its management for otolaryngologists and pediatricians as well as a referral criterion for pediatric otolaryngologists' services.

Challenges of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening in a Developing Country-a Double-Edged Sword.

Objective to implement Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) in a tertiary academic hospital and identify associated risk factors. Prospective study. Screening tests with Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) were done among newborns, prior to hospital discharge. In babies who fail OAE twice, Brain Response Audiometry (BERA) was done, failing which they were referred to higher ENT center for repeat testing and hearing rehabilitation. A total 2323 babies were admitted in the neonatal unit during the study period. Only 773 babies (a third) could be screened for the first OAE, two thirds being lost to study right at inception!! Among the 773 neonates, in the "at risk" group of 301 neonates, 31(10%) and in the "not at risk" group of 472 neonates, 30 (6%) were lost to follow up respectively. The occurrence of hearing loss in this study population was 1.3 per 1000. Risk factors were noted in 38.9% of this subgroup with occurrence of hearing loss in "at risk" group being 3.32 per 1000. The implementation of UNHS in a developing country like India, has multiple challenges including infrastructural and non-compliance to follow up. In the meantime, the possibility of compromising 'at-risk" neonates, who are significantly more prone to hearing loss, both neonatal and delayed onset, is an additional grave reality which needs deep considerationin this Herculean task of attaining "universality".

Otological Manifestations in Head Injury: Experience from a Tertiary Academic Centre.

Head injuries are most commonly associated with serious otolaryngological involvement. This study was done to identify the otological manifestations and its sequelae among patients with head injury. A prospective study conducted in a tertiary care centre, among patients attending the Emergency medicine, Otorhinolaryngology and Neurosurgery departments from August 2017-July 2018 with head injury and associated otological manifestations. They were examined within 48 hours of admission and followed up for two months. There were 243 patients with head injury, among which 201 were male and 42 were female patients. Majority of them (44.8%) were between 21 and 40 years of age. Road traffic accidents (RTA) was the commonest cause of head injury occurring in 91.8% patients. Among them, 58 patients (23.9%) had otological manifestations, the most common symptom and sign being ear bleed (72.4%) and temporal bone fracture (46.6%) respectively followed by facial nerve palsy (24.1%) and hearing loss (22.4%). Temporal bone fracture had statistically significant association with ear bleed, hearing loss, facial palsy and CSF otorrhoea (p = 0.0001) and tympanic perforation (p = 0.03). Otological involvement occurred in almost one fourth of the patients with head injury, the most common serious complication being temporal bone fractures which was diagnosed in almost half of this population followed by facial nerve palsy. Ear bleed, hearing loss and CSF otorrhea are significant indicators of underlying temporal bone fractures, necessitating early ENT evaluation and HRCT temporal bones for timely detection and prevention of disabling otological complications.

Bilateral Puffy Orbits in a toddler: Therapeutic Challenges.

We report a rare case of bilateral paediatric sinus related orbital infection (SROI) in a toddler who initially presented with unilateral lid oedema, worsening bilaterally in spite of parenteral antibiotics requiring multiple surgical interventions. Challenges in management of life threatening intracranial sequelae of SROIs including visual loss are discussed.

Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Symptoms, Signs, and Presence of Pepsin in Saliva - A Reliable Diagnostic Triad.

Introduction Twenty-four-hour multichannel intraluminal impedance with double probe pH monitoring (MII-pH), though considered the most sensitive tool for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is invasive, time consuming, not widely available, and unable to detect non-acid reflux. In contrast, the presence of pepsin in the saliva would act as a marker for reflux, considering that pepsin is only produced in the stomach. Objective To evaluate the predictive value of salivary pepsin in diagnosing laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) as suggested by the results of reflux symptom index (RSI > 13), reflux finding score (RFS > 7), and positive response to treatment with a 4-week course of proton-pump inhibitors. Methods This prospective study was done at a tertiary care hospital on 120 adult patients attending ENT OPD with clinical diagnosis of LPR. The presence of pepsin in their pharyngeal secretions and saliva using a lateral flow device, the Peptest, was compared with RSI, RFS, and with the response to medical treatment using the Chi-squared test. Results Salivary pepsin was found to be positive in 68% of the patients, with 87.5% of them showing positive response to treatment. Chi-squared analysis showed a significant association between positive salivary pepsin and RFS > 7, RSI >13, a combination of RFS > 7 and RSI > 13 as well as with response to treatment ( p < 0.0001). Conclusion When considered along with the clinical indicators of RFS and RSI of more than 7 and 13, respectively, and/or with a response to treatment, a positive salivary pepsin test indicates statistically significant chance of presence of LPR.

Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Symptoms, Signs, and Presence of Pepsin in Saliva - A Reliable Diagnostic Triad

Abstract Introduction Twenty-four-hour multichannel intraluminal impedance with double probe pH monitoring (MII-pH), though considered the most sensitive tool for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is invasive, time consuming, not widely available, and unable to detect non-acid reflux. In contrast, the presence of pepsin in the saliva would act as a marker for reflux, considering that pepsin is only produced in the stomach. Objective To evaluate the predictive value of salivary pepsin in diagnosing laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) as suggested by the results of reflux symptom index (RSI > 13), reflux finding score (RFS > 7), and positive response to treatment with a 4-week course of proton-pump inhibitors. Methods This prospective study was done at a tertiary care hospital on 120 adult patients attending ENT OPD with clinical diagnosis of LPR. The presence of pepsin in their pharyngeal secretions and saliva using a lateral flow device, the Peptest, was compared with RSI, RFS, and with the response to medical treatment using the Chi-squared test. Results Salivary pepsin was found to be positive in 68% of the patients, with 87.5% of them showing positive response to treatment. Chi-squared analysis showed a significant association between positive salivary pepsin and RFS > 7, RSI >13, a combination of RFS > 7 and RSI > 13 as well as with response to treatment (p < 0.0001). Conclusion When considered along with the clinical indicators of RFS and RSI of more than 7 and 13, respectively, and/or with a response to treatment, a positive salivary pepsin test indicates statistically significant chance of presence of LPR.

Meet the Lacrimal Sac: Endoscopic Surgeons' Road Map.

Knowledge of lateral nasal wall landmarks in relation to lacrimal apparatus is essential for successful endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy. This descriptive study of right and left sagittally sectioned ten adult cadaver head specimens was done measuring various lateral nasal wall anatomical landmarks including lacrimal apparatus with digital calipers. Maxillary line was identified in 75%, majority overlapping lacrimal sac. Genu of middle turbinate was at or posterior to nasolacrimal duct. Mean distance of superior end of sac was 8.88 mm above axilla, between its anterior edge and axilla was 10.58 mm and its length was 11.72 mm. Considering above measurements, 'Rule of 10' can be applied for nasal mucosal incision. A "Three Tier Approach" to overcome mucosal (nasal), bony (lacrimal and frontal process of maxilla) and mucosal (sac) boundaries exposes lacrimal sac up to its inferior limit ensuring successful endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

A Three Point Assessment Protocol for Tympanoplasty Outcomes: A Retrospective Analysis

Abstract Introduction The surgical outcome of chronic otitis media (COM) of the mucosal type in the pediatric population with high rates of recurrent tympanic membrane perforation is indeed a concern for the attending surgeon. Objective The present study was done to evaluate the outcome of tympanoplasty in children with chronic otitis media mucosal type. Methods A retrospective analysis of the medical records of all children, aged < 16 years old, who underwent tympanoplasty for COM of the mucosal type was performed. These patients were addressed by a three-point assessment, for predicting outcome of tympanoplasty, which included the age of the patient, addressing the nasal/pharyngeal issues, and the status of the COM (discharging or dry). Surgical success was assessed in terms of graft uptake and improvement of hearing. Factors affecting the surgical outcome were also analyzed. Results A total of 90 children underwent type 1 tympanoplasty; 7 were lost to follow-up and 10 had incomplete audiometric results. In the 73 tympanoplasties analyzed, graft uptake was seen in 91.7% of the patients. Children with longer duration of ear discharge (> 8 years) had greater hearing loss. Children aged > 8 years old showed statistically significant higher chance of graft uptake (p = 0.021). Five of the six children who had graft rejection had bilateral disease. Conclusion A three-point assessment in the management of pediatric COM of the mucosal type offers good outcomes with post-tympanoplasty graft uptake rates > 90%.

A Three Point Assessment Protocol for Tympanoplasty Outcomes: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction The surgical outcome of chronic otitis media (COM) of the mucosal type in the pediatric population with high rates of recurrent tympanic membrane perforation is indeed a concern for the attending surgeon. Objective The present study was done to evaluate the outcome of tympanoplasty in children with chronic otitis media mucosal type. Methods A retrospective analysis of the medical records of all children, aged < 16 years old, who underwent tympanoplasty for COM of the mucosal type was performed. These patients were addressed by a three-point assessment, for predicting outcome of tympanoplasty, which included the age of the patient, addressing the nasal/pharyngeal issues, and the status of the COM (discharging or dry). Surgical success was assessed in terms of graft uptake and improvement of hearing. Factors affecting the surgical outcome were also analyzed. Results A total of 90 children underwent type 1 tympanoplasty; 7 were lost to follow-up and 10 had incomplete audiometric results. In the 73 tympanoplasties analyzed, graft uptake was seen in 91.7% of the patients. Children with longer duration of ear discharge (> 8 years) had greater hearing loss. Children aged > 8 years old showed statistically significant higher chance of graft uptake ( p = 0.021). Five of the six children who had graft rejection had bilateral disease. Conclusion A three-point assessment in the management of pediatric COM of the mucosal type offers good outcomes with post-tympanoplasty graft uptake rates > 90%.

Role of PH Monitoring in Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Patients with Voice Disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is considered an important cause of voice disorder. We aimed to determine the frequency of LPR in patients with voice disorder and the association between Koufman Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), Reflux Finding Score (RFS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and proximal acid reflux in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study in patients aged more than 18 years presenting at the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) clinic with a change in voice lasting more than 3 weeks. All patients underwent nasopharyngolaryngoscopy and a dual-probe esophageal pH study. LPR was diagnosed by a Koufman RSI of >13 and/or RFS of >7. GERD was diagnosed according to a DeMeester Johnson score of >14.7. Proximal acid reflux was diagnosed if acid exposure time was >0.02% in a proximal pH probe. RESULTS: The study included 30 patients with a voice disorder. The mean age of participants was 38.5 years and 40% of patients were female. Using either of the two criteria, LPR was present in 46.7% of patients, half of whom had GERD. Among the remaining 53.3% patients with a voice disorder and no evidence of LPR, GERD was present in 25%. There was no significant association between the presence of LPR based on RSI (P=1) and GERD or RFS and GERD (P=0.06). Proximal acid reflux was present in only 10% patients with a voice disorder, and there was no significant association of this test with RFS (P=1) or RSI (P=1). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of the patients with a voice disorder have LPR, and only a subset of these patients have evidence of GERD. Fiberoptic laryngoscopic findings (RFS) complementing RSI appears to be important in diagnosing possible reflux etiology in voice disorders and can be an indicator for instituting anti-reflux therapy. However, there is no significant association between RSI, RFS, and GERD suggesting that these tests evaluate different features of the disease. Proximal acid reflux is uncommon in patients with voice disorder based on current measurement criteria. Acid exposure time as measured in the proximal probe of a 24-hour dual pH probe may need to be re-evaluated as one of the diagnostic criteria for LPR.

Congenital midnasal stenosis - A novel technique for management.

Neonates are obligate nasal breathers and nasal obstruction in a neonate is an emergency. Here we report two cases of congenital mid-nasal stenosis, discuss its presentation and diagnosis with description of a novel method of management.

"Post intubation Laryngeal injuries in a pediatric intensive care unit of tertiary hospital in India: A Fibreoptic endoscopic study".

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To identify acute laryngeal injuries among pediatric patients intubated for more than 48hours, and to correlate these injuries with clinical variables. SETTING: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of a tertiary level hospital in India. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective, observational study. Thirty-four children meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited into the study after obtaining informed consent from the parents. A bedside, flexible, fiberoptic laryngoscopy was done within the first 24hours of extubation. Laryngeal injuries were documented and graded. Individual types of laryngeal injuries were correlated to the duration of intubation, size of the tube, the experience of the intubator and the patient's demographics. A repeat endoscopy was done in the outpatient department, 3-4 weeks after extubation, and findings noted. RESULTS: 97% had acute laryngeal injury, of which 88% were significant. Erythema was the most common form of injury. Duration of intubation, with a mean of 4.5 days, showed a trend towards significance (p=0.06) for association with subglottic narrowing. Laryngeal injuries were similar with both cuffed and uncuffed tubes. Age of the subject, size of the tube and skill level of the intubator did not correlate with the laryngeal injuries. 18% required intervention for post-extubation laryngeal lesions. Three (10%) children had post-extubation stridor, and of these, two needed surgical intervention (6%). CONCLUSION: Post-extubation laryngeal injuries are not uncommon. Fiberoptic endoscopy is an inexpensive and cost-effective tool for bedside evaluation of post-intubation status in pediatric larynx. Early diagnosis of post-intubation laryngeal injuries in children can prevent long term sequelae. Hence, post-extubation fiberoptic laryngoscopy should be done routinely in pediatric population.

Difficult Laryngeal Exposure in Microlaryngoscopy: Can it be Predicted Preoperatively?

The aim of the present study was to identify preoperative clinical predictors for difficult laryngeal exposure (DLE) and to define a simple grading system for laryngeal exposure. This is a prospective descriptive study carried out in a tertiary teaching hospital in South India. Patients above 18 years undergoing microlaryngoscopy had presurgical evaluation of 11 physical parameters. Grading of Modified Cormack-Lehane Score (MCLS) and rigid laryngoscopy were done during procedure. On logistic regression analysis, with a 95 % confidence interval (CI) MCLS was found to be a statistically significant predictor (odds ratio 12). With 90 % CI, neck circumference, atlanto-occipital extension and MCLS were significant (odds ratio of 4, 4, 12 respectively). Neck circumference of more than 34.25 cm and limited atlanto-occipital extension of less than 19.50, predicts difficult laryngeal exposure. A simple grading system for laryngeal exposure during microlaryngoscopy is being proposed. MCLS grade more than 2a done intra operatively correlates well with difficult intubation.

ACE grading-A proposed endoscopic grading system for adenoids and its clinical correlation.

OBJECTIVES: To propose a novel endoscopic adenoid grading system using a rigid nasal endoscope and to study its correlation with the clinical diagnosis. METHODOLOGY: Prerecorded video clips of rigid nasal endoscopy taken during endoscopic adenoidectomy were retrieved. Otolaryngology consultants blinded to the clinical diagnosis of the child were presented these videos and asked to grade the adenoid hypertrophy as per the proposed endoscopic ACE (Airway/Choana/Eustachian tube) grading system. The clinical diagnosis was correlated with the different aspects of the descriptive endoscopic grading system. RESULTS: 152 video clips were presented to the otolaryngology consultants for grading. The average age was 8.6 years (SD-3.48), while the male female ratio was 3:2. The A subcomponent of the ACE grading showed significant correlation with the diagnosis of sleep disordered breathing and chronic adenotonsillitis, C subcomponent with sleep disordered breathing and the E subcomponent with the diagnosis of otitis media. CONCLUSION: The proposed endoscopic grading is easily applicable and at the same time clearly describes the relation of the adenoids to the nasopharynx, choana and Eustachian tube. Different aspects of the grading system correlated differently with the clinical diagnosis emphasizing that a descriptive scoring rather than a comprehensive scoring is a more relevant clinical tool.

Endoscopic Repair of CSF Rhinorrhea: An Institutional Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic repair is considered the treatment of choice in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. The aim of our study was to analyze the etiopathogenesis of CSF rhinorrhea, the outcome of treatment and the causes of failure in a developing-country setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of patients treated with endoscopic repair for CSF rhinorrhea at a tertiary care hospital in southern India from January 2002 to December 2009 identified 36 patients, the majority of them being women. The defects were closed in three layers using fat, fascia lata and nasal mucosa along with a fibrin sealant in the majority of the patients. Per-operatively, a subarachnoid drain was placed in all patients. Patients were followed up for 1 year. RESULTS: Spontaneous onset of CSF rhinorrhea was noted in 61% of patients. The most common site of leak was found to be the left cribriform plate area. Hence the most common cause of CSF rhinorrhea in our study was spontaneous and the second most common was post-traumatic. Our success rate on the first attempt at endoscopic repair was 100%, with a recurrence rate of 6%. A large defect, failure of localization of the defect, or other co-morbid conditions such as chronic cough may be the most likely causes of recurrence of leak. CONCLUSION: Accurate localization of the site of lesion using a high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and confirmation of the site of leak by intraoperative Valsalva maneuver along with multilayered closure of the dural defect and post-operative lumbar drain appear to be essential for the successful endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Intranasal Midazolam and Chloral Hydrate for Procedural Sedation in Children.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intranasal midazolam and chloral hydrate syrup for procedural sedation in children. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial (double blind, double dummy). SETTING: Tertiary care hospital over 18 months. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty-two children, 1 to 6 years old, undergoing auditory brainstem response testing were randomized to receive either intranasal midazolam with oral placebo or chloral hydrate syrup with placebo nasal spray. Intranasal midazolam was delivered at 0.5 mg/kg (100 mcg per spray) and oral syrup at 50 mg/kg. Children not sedated at 30 minutes had a second dose at half the initial dose. The primary outcomes measured were safety and efficacy. Secondary outcomes were time to onset of sedation, parental separation, nature of parental separation, parental satisfaction, audiologist's satisfaction, time to recovery, and number of attempts. RESULTS: Forty-one children were in each group, and no major adverse events were noted. The chloral hydrate group showed earlier onset of sedation (66%) compared with the intranasal midazolam group (33%). Significant difference in time to recovery was noted in the chloral hydrate group (78 minutes) versus the intranasal midazolam group (108 minutes). The parents' and audiologist's satisfaction was higher for chloral hydrate (95% and 75%) than for intranasal midazolam (49% and 29%, respectively). Overall, sedation was 95% with chloral hydrate versus 51% with intranasal midazolam. Both drugs maintained sedation. CONCLUSIONS: Intranasal midazolam and chloral hydrate are both safe and efficacious for pediatric procedural sedation. Chloral hydrate was superior to intranasal midazolam, with an earlier time to onset of sedation, a faster recovery, better satisfaction among parents and the audiologist, and successful sedation.

Allergic rhinitis and associated comorbidities: prevalence in oman with knowledge gaps in literature.

OBJECTIVES: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem and its impact on health related quality of life for patients is substantial, and the economic impact often underestimated. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in Oman is unknown. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of AR and associated co-morbidities among adults in Oman. Its secondary objective was to identify knowledge gaps in the literature with the aim of directing future research. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study of patients who presented to the outpatient otolaryngology clinic at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital with nasal symptoms between June 2010 and June 2011 was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 887 patients were seen with nasal complaints. Among them 127 patients were diagnosed with non-infective rhinitis, the mean age of presentation was 27 years. AR was noted in 48% of patients, and non-allergic rhinitis in 52%. The prevalence of AR was 7%, with females being more affected than males, and age ranging from 18 to 51 years. Prevalence of perennial AR was 84% compared to seasonal AR which was 16%. The most common perennial antigens were house dust mites (80%) followed by cockroaches (67%). All patients diagnosed with seasonal AR were found to be sensitive to Russian thistle. The prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis in patients with AR was 34%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AR in the adult population presenting with nasal symptoms was found to be 7%, with associated chronic rhinosinusitis present in a third of these patients. However, there appears to be substantial knowledge gaps regarding the association of other comorbidities, like otitis media, bronchitis and bronchial asthma, the long-term outcomes of medical management, and indication of surgical intervention in patients with AR. Future research in AR among Omani patients should aim to address these issues.