The utility and accuracy of ChatGPT in providing post-operative instructions following tonsillectomy: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of answers generated by ChatGPT, a large language model, to common questions parents have for their children following tonsillectomy. METHODS: Twenty Otolaryngology residents anonymously submitted common questions asked by parents of pediatric patients following tonsillectomy. After identifying the 16 most common questions via consensus-based approach, we asked ChatGPT to generate responses to these queries. Satisfaction with the AI-generated answers was rated from 1 (Worst) to 5 (Best) by an expert panel of 3 pediatric Otolaryngologists. RESULTS: The distribution of questions across the five most common domains, their mean satisfaction scores, and their Krippendorf's interrater reliability coefficient were: Pain management [6, (3.67), (0.434)], Complications [4, (3.58), (-0.267)], Diet [3, (4.33), (-0.357)], Physical Activity [2, (4.33), (-0.318)], and Follow-up [1, (2.67), (-0.250)]. The panel noted that answers for diet, bleeding complications, and return to school were thorough. Pain management and follow-up recommendations were inaccurate, including a recommendation to prescribe codeine to children despite a black-box warning, and a suggested post-operative follow-up at 1 week, rather than the customary 2-4 weeks for our panel. CONCLUSION: Although ChatGPT can provide accurate answers for common patient questions following tonsillectomy, it sometimes provides eloquently written inaccurate information. This may lead to patients using AI-generated medical advice contrary to physician advice. The inaccuracy in pain management answers likely reflects regional practice variability. If trained appropriately, ChatGPT could be an excellent resource for Otolaryngologists and patients to answer questions in the postoperative period. Future research should investigate if Otolaryngologist-trained models can increase the accuracy of responses.

Surgical management of complex neonatal airway abnormalities.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The neonatal airway is subject to a variety of developmental abnormalities with a wide range of complexity. Symptomatic pathologies present in a spectrum ranging from simple noisy breathing or poor feeding to frank respiratory distress. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, characterization of noisy breathing, and identification of obstructive symptoms such as increased work of breathing, retractions, and difficulty feeding. Surgical management is directed by the pathology. RECENT FINDINGS: The past several years have seen an expansion of surgical innovation as endoscopic and open techniques have evolved. We reviewed articles related to neonatal and infant airway diagnoses since 2020 with the goal of providing a current review and update of developing techniques. Specifically, we discuss some of the exciting trends in surgical management of vocal fold paralysis, laryngeal clefts, subglottic stenosis, tracheobronchomalacia as well as the role of ex utero intrapartum therapy (EXIT procedures). SUMMARY: An underlying theme in evolving surgical management is the exciting advancements in technology, including 3-D printing, and expansion of minimally invasive endoscopic techniques. Though some of these developments are in the initial stages of utilization, they may be potential sources to transform surgical management in the future.