Impact of Facility Volume on Patient Safety Indicator Events After Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of facility volume on Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) events following transsphenoidal pituitary surgery (TSPS). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective database review. SETTING: National Inpatient Sample database (2003-2011). METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample was queried for TSPS cases from 2003 to 2011. Facility volume was defined by tertile of average annual number of TSPS procedures performed. PSIs, based on in-hospital complications identified by the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality, and poor outcomes, such as mortality and tracheostomy, were analyzed. RESULTS: An overall 16,039 cases were included: 804 had ≥1 PSI and 15,235 had none. A greater proportion of male to female (5.8% vs 4.3%) and Black to White (7.0% vs 4.5%) patients experienced PSIs. There was an increased likelihood of poor outcome (odds ratio [OR], 3.1 [95% CI, 2.5-3.7]; P < .001) and mortality (OR, 30.1 [95% CI, 18.5-48.8]; P < .001) with a PSI. The incidence rates of PSIs at low-, intermediate-, and high-volume facilities were 5.7%, 5.1%, and 4.2%, respectively. Odds of poor outcome with PSIs were greater at low-volume facilities (OR, 3.3 [95% CI, 2.4-4.4]; P < .001) vs intermediate (OR, 3.1 [95% CI, 2.1-4.2]; P < .001) and high (OR, 2.5 [95% CI, 1.7-3.8]; P < .001). Odds of mortality with PSIs were greater at high-volume facilities (OR, 43.0 [95% CI, 14.3-129.4]; P < .001) vs intermediate (OR, 40.0 [95% CI, 18.5-86.4]; P < .001) and low (OR, 17.3 [95% CI, 8.0-37.7]; P < .001). CONCLUSION: PSIs were associated with a higher likelihood of poor outcome and mortality following TSPS. Patients who experienced PSIs had a lower risk of poor outcome but increased mortality at higher-volume facilities.

An Intranasal Ectopic Tooth in an Adult.

Ectopic teeth can be supernumerary, deciduous or permanent, and can occur in a wide variety of locations outside of the cavity of the mouth. While supernumerary teeth are rare, supernumerary intranasal teeth are rarer. It is not clear what causes the eruption of teeth intranasally; however, trauma, infection, radiation, and developmental defects may be significant factors in their etiology. We report the case of a 33-year-old woman who presented in the otorhinolaryngology department with complaints of rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, snoring, pain in the forehead, and bad odor that did not improve with conservative treatment. She had a history of extraction of a supernumerary tooth located in the hard palate. During the endoscopic examination, a second tooth-like body was found in the right nasal cavity, which was later surgically removed with endoscopic guidance. During the follow-up visits at three, six, and 12 months, the patient showed a significant reduction of symptoms with remaining rare reoccurrence of mild sinusitis more prominent on the left side as seen in CT scan, thus presumably unrelated to the ectopic intranasal tooth. Although an intranasal ectopic tooth is a very rare finding, it may cause significant morbidity and its removal improves the quality of life of the patient. The benefits of endoscopic removal are greater visibility, better illumination, and precision in surgical removal.

Complication Risk in Ventral Skull Base Surgery Based on Preoperative Hematocrit.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Preoperative anemia has been shown to be a predictor of complications in different surgeries. This has not been exclusively studied in skull base surgery. This study investigates the impact of preoperative hematocrit on complications following ventral skull base (VSB) surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective database review. METHODS: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was queried for all cases of VSB surgery from 2005 to 2015. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the impact of preoperative anemia on complications following VSB procedures. RESULTS: 3,053 patients meeting inclusion criteria were identified. On univariate analysis, low hematocrit was found in 39.7% of patients and was associated with increased mean age (55.71 vs. 53.25 years), male gender (63.6% vs. 36.4%), and Black race (18.5% vs. 10.9%). Preoperative anemia was also associated with increased incidences of postoperative pneumonia, blood transfusions, sepsis, medical complications, surgical complications, extended length of hospital stay (LOS), and mortality. On multivariate analysis, associations between low preoperative hematocrit and perioperative transfusions (odds ratio [OR] 2.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.88-3.50, P < .001), total surgical complications (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.60-2.80, P < .001), and extended LOS (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.57, P = .013) remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: Low preoperative hematocrit is associated with increased risk of postoperative complications and extended LOS in patients undergoing VSB surgery. This study highlights the importance of careful preoperative assessment and management of anemia in these patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 132:1707-1713, 2022.

Surgical Margin Status and Survival Following Resection of Sinonasal Mucosal Melanoma.

OBJECTIVES: Sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) is an aggressive cancer usually managed with surgical resection. This study evaluates the impact of treatment modality and positive surgical margin (PSM) on survival following resection of SNMM. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of a national cancer registry. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was queried for cases of SNMM from 2010 to 2015. Data regarding patient demographics, tumor staging, and treatment modality were obtained. Survival rates were compared by margin status: PSM, negative (NSM), and no operation (0SM) using Kaplan-Meier analysis and log rank test. RESULTS: A total of 446 patients met inclusion criteria. Most cases were elderly (>66 years-old) (67.3%), female (54.3%), and white (89.5%). Cases of SNMM most commonly involved the nasal cavity (81.6%), were Stage 3 (60.0%), and underwent surgical resection at an academic center (65.0%). NSM and PSM were present in 59.0% and 26.9% of cases, respectively, while 14.1% of cases did not undergo surgical resection (0SM). Factors predictive of PSM included resection at a community hospital (OR 2.47) and Stage 4 disease (OR 2.07). The 2-year survival rates were 72.1% (95% CI 69.4-75.4%), 36.3% (95% CI 22.0-48.9), and 16.0% (95% CI 8.2-25.4%) for NSM, PSM and 0SM, respectively. Survival was statistically significant between NSM and PSM (Log rank <0.001) but not between 0SM and PSM (Log rank = 0.062). CONCLUSION: Our study emphasizes the need for NSM for SNMM as PSM did not demonstrate any significant improvement in survival when compared to 0SM. Our findings suggest that cases of SNMM are best managed at academic centers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:2429-2435, 2021.

Location of the Sphenoid Sinus Ostium in Relation to Adjacent Anatomical Landmarks.

PURPOSE: The variability of sphenoid pneumatization and its relationship with the surrounding structures has been suggested. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the surrounding bony structures on the position of the sphenoid ostium (SO). METHODS: A prospective radiological review of computed tomography images of paranasal sinuses of 150 patients (300 sides) was conducted. Parameters investigated included the presence of Onodi cells, sphenoid rostrum pneumatization, and the type of sphenoid pneumatization on the coronal and sagittal planes. Their effect was studied on the vertical and horizontal plane using lines of measurement 1 through 5. RESULTS: The most common location of the SO on the horizontal plane was found to be in the middle third and was significantly affected by the rostrum pneumatization (P value <.001) and sphenoid pneumatization on the coronal plane (P value = .018). The location of the SO on the vertical plane was most commonly in the middle third. It was significantly affected by Onodi cell pneumatization (P value = .021) as well as the sphenoid height (P value <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus and adjacent bony structures can affect the location of the SO. Presence of rostrum pneumatization and lateral sphenoid pneumatization shift the SO laterally. Presence of Onodi cell and low sphenoid roof shift the SO inferiorly. These variations need to be studied carefully before surgery in order to avoid operative complications.