ChatGPT's adherence to otolaryngology clinical practice guidelines.

OBJECTIVES: Large language models, including ChatGPT, has the potential to transform the way we approach medical knowledge, yet accuracy in clinical topics is critical. Here we assessed ChatGPT's performance in adhering to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery guidelines. METHODS: We presented ChatGPT with 24 clinical otolaryngology questions based on the guidelines of the American Academy of Otolaryngology. This was done three times (N = 72) to test the model's consistency. Two otolaryngologists evaluated the responses for accuracy and relevance to the guidelines. Cohen's Kappa was used to measure evaluator agreement, and Cronbach's alpha assessed the consistency of ChatGPT's responses. RESULTS: The study revealed mixed results; 59.7% (43/72) of ChatGPT's responses were highly accurate, while only 2.8% (2/72) directly contradicted the guidelines. The model showed 100% accuracy in Head and Neck, but lower accuracy in Rhinology and Otology/Neurotology (66%), Laryngology (50%), and Pediatrics (8%). The model's responses were consistent in 17/24 (70.8%), with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.87, indicating a reasonable consistency across tests. CONCLUSIONS: Using a guideline-based set of structured questions, ChatGPT demonstrates consistency but variable accuracy in otolaryngology. Its lower performance in some areas, especially Pediatrics, suggests that further rigorous evaluation is needed before considering real-world clinical use.

Fellow selection protocols in sleep surgery: a national survey of sleep surgery program directors.

PURPOSE: To determine the factors that sleep medicine/surgery fellowship program directors look for in applicants. METHODS: Program directors from 9 sleep medicine/surgery fellowship programs in the USA were sent an anonymous online survey. They were asked to select the five most important academic factors (of a list of 17) when evaluating potential fellowship candidates, then rank those five in order of importance. They were then asked to do the same for the most important subjective criteria (of a list of 12). RESULTS: Eight of 10 survey responses met inclusion criteria. Of the academic factors, strength of letters of recommendation, reputation of letter writer, and letters from sleep surgeons ranked highest. As for the subjective criteria, faculty assessment of the applicant on interview was ranked highest, followed by initiative and personality "fit" with the program. The reputation of an applicant's residency was ranked as more important than the reputation of their medical school. An applicant's performance in residency was assessed as more predictive of their performance in fellowship than performance during the interview process or position on the rank order list for the match. Only one program has a United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step, and a different program has an Otolaryngology Training Examination (OTE) score cutoff. CONCLUSION: Letters of recommendation and interview are the most important factors in the selection process for hybrid sleep medicine and surgery fellowship programs, followed by research and residency program reputation. Sleep surgery-specific experience is helpful.

Citation bias in otolaryngology systematic reviews.

OBJECTIVE: Reproducibility of systemic reviews (SRs) can be hindered by the presence of citation bias. Citation bias may occur when authors of SRs conduct hand-searches of included study reference lists to identify additional studies. Such a practice may lead to exaggerated SR summary effects. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of hand-searching reference lists in otolaryngology SRs. METHODS: The authors searched for systematic reviews published in eight clinical otolaryngology journals using the Cochrane Library and PubMed, with the date parameter of January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2017. Two independent authors worked separately to extract data from each SR for the following elements: whether reference lists were hand-searched, other kinds of supplemental searching, PRISMA adherence, and funding source. Following extraction, the investigators met to review discrepancies and achieve consensus. RESULTS: A total of 539 systemic reviews, 502 from clinical journals and 37 from the Cochrane library, were identified. Of those SRs, 72.4% (390/539) hand-searched reference lists, including 97.3% (36/37) of Cochrane reviews. For 228 (58.5%) of the SRs that hand-searched reference lists, no other supplemental search (e.g., search of trial registries) was conducted. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that hand-searching reference lists is a common practice in otolaryngology SRs. Moreover, a majority of studies at risk of citation bias did not attempt to mitigate the bias by conducting additional supplemental searches. The implication is that summary effects in otolaryngology systematic reviews may be biased toward statistically significant findings.

Improving clinical practice in ENT: Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ENT community has demonstrated strong clinical leadership, adaptability to rapid change, enhanced clinical pathways and local networks, widespread use of digital technology for consultation and teaching and redirection of research programmes. These have permanently changed the way we work and, when the current global pandemic improves as COVID-19 infections drop and vaccination programmes are rolled out, we should ensure that the positive changes that have been made are embedded in clinical practice to improve patient care.

High-Resolution Pharyngeal Manometry and Impedance: Protocols and Metrics-Recommendations of a High-Resolution Pharyngeal Manometry International Working Group.

High-resolution manometry has traditionally been utilized in gastroenterology diagnostic clinical and research applications. Recently, it is also finding new and important applications in speech pathology and laryngology practices. A High-Resolution Pharyngeal Manometry International Working Group was formed as a grass roots effort to establish a consensus on methodology, protocol, and outcome metrics for high-resolution pharyngeal manometry (HRPM) with consideration of impedance as an adjunct modality. The Working Group undertook three tasks (1) survey what experts were currently doing in their clinical and/or research practice; (2) perform a review of the literature underpinning the value of particular HRPM metrics for understanding swallowing physiology and pathophysiology; and (3) establish a core outcomes set of HRPM metrics via a Delphi consensus process. Expert survey results were used to create a recommended HRPM protocol addressing system configuration, catheter insertion, and bolus administration. Ninety two articles were included in the final literature review resulting in categorization of 22 HRPM-impedance metrics into three classes: pharyngeal lumen occlusive pressures, hypopharyngeal intrabolus pressures, and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) function. A stable Delphi consensus was achieved for 8 HRPM-Impedance metrics: pharyngeal contractile integral (CI), velopharyngeal CI, hypopharyngeal CI, hypopharyngeal pressure at nadir impedance, UES integrated relaxation pressure, relaxation time, and maximum admittance. While some important unanswered questions remain, our work represents the first step in standardization of high-resolution pharyngeal manometry acquisition, measurement, and reporting. This could potentially inform future proposals for an HRPM-based classification system specifically for pharyngeal swallowing disorders.

Two-drape closed pocket technique: minimizing aerosolization in mastoid exploration during COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Mastoidectomy is associated with extensive bone-drilling which makes it a major aerosol generating procedure. Considering the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, it is essential to devise methods to minimize aerosolization and hence ensure safety of the healthcare workers during the operative procedure. METHODS: Two disposable surgical drapes are used to create a closed pocket prior to commencement of mastoid bone-drilling. This limits aerosolization of bone-dust in the external operating theatre environment. CONCLUSION: Two-drape closed pocket technique is an easy, cost-effective and safe method to limit aerosolization of tissue particles during mastoidectomy.

Expertise in Head and Neck Cutaneous Reconstructive Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The management of skin cancers has evolved with the development of Mohs micrographic surgery and a greater emphasis on surgical training within dermatology. It is unclear whether these changes have translated into innovations and contributions to the reconstructive literature. OBJECTIVE: To assess contributions from each medical specialty to the cutaneous head and neck oncologic reconstructive literature. METHODS: The authors conducted a systematic review of the head and neck reconstructive literature from 2000 through 2015 based on a priori search terms relating to suture technique, linear closure, advancement, rotation, transposition and interpolation flaps, and identified the specialty of the senior authors. RESULTS: The authors identified 74,871 articles, of which 1,319 were relevant. Under suture technique articles, the senior authors were primarily dermatologists (58.2%) and plastic surgeons (20.3%). Under linear closure, the authors were dermatologists (48.1%), plastic surgeons (22.2%), and otolaryngologists (20.4%). Under advancement and rotation flaps, the senior authors were plastic surgeons (40.5%, 38.9%), dermatologists (38.1%, 34.2%), and otolaryngologists (14.4%, 21.6%). Under transposition and interpolation flaps, the senior authors were plastic surgeons (47.3%, 39.4%), dermatologists (32.3%, 27.0%), and otolaryngologists (15.3%, 23.4%). CONCLUSION: The primary specialties contributing to the cutaneous head and neck reconstructive literature are plastic surgery, dermatology, and otolaryngology.

Africa's challenged ENT services: highlighting challenges in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Diseases of the ear, nose and throat (ENT) are common and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In many low income countries like Zambia, the high ENT disease burden has not received the required resources for treatment. We investigated ENT service provision in hospitals in Zambia by documenting the profile of hospitals offering ENT services and examining the country's ENT services with regards to human resource, infrastructure and availability of equipment based on the levels of care of various hospitals. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted using a structured and piloted questionnaire which was administered to the 109 Ministry of Health (MoH) registered hospitals across the country. Ethical clearance was granted by University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Zambia National Health Research Authority. Participation in the study was voluntary and all respondents signed informed consent. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Of the 109 hospitals approached to participate in the study, 61 (55.9%) hospitals responded. This represented 83.3% (n = 5) of Third Level Hospitals (TLH), 89.5% (n = 17) of Second Level Hospitals (SLH) and 41.7% (n = 35) of First Level Hospitals (FLH) countrywide. Of the participating hospitals, 6.6% (n = 4) were unclassified. Within this sample, 8.6% (n = 3) FLH, 11.8% (n = 2) SLH and 60.0% (n = 3) TLH had an ENT examination room. Only 2.9% (n = 4) hospitals had an audiology booth and 1.6% (n = 1) had a speech therapy room. Of the second and third level hospitals, 9.1% (n = 2) had flexible rhinolaryngoscopes, 18.2% (n = 4) had operating microscopes and 68.2% (n = 15) adenotonsillectomy sets. The data revealed that there were 4 ENT surgeons, 1 Audiologist and no Speech Therapists across the country. CONCLUSION: Zambia's ENT services were deficient at all levels of hospital care. There were deficiencies in infrastructure, human resource and equipment in hospitals. With the current burden of disease, critical intervention is required. These findings should be used to direct national policy on the improvement of ENT service provision in Zambia.

Otolaryngologists adhere to evidence-based guidelines for chronic rhinosinusitis.

PURPOSE: To assess awareness of, opinion about and adherence to evidence-based guidelines on chronic rhinosinusitis among Dutch Otolaryngologists. METHODS: We assessed implementation of two guidelines, one Dutch and one European, that are both intended for diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. We invited 485 Otolaryngologists to fill out a questionnaire and report on their opinion on and adherence to the guidelines. The adherence was further tested by 4 clinical case scenarios, derived from guideline recommendations. RESULTS: 166 (34%) completed the questionnaire. 99% of the respondents was aware of one or both guidelines. Most respondents (90%) consider the guidelines as directing or supportive for their clinical practice based on the clinical case scenarios, between 62 and 99% of the respondents act according to guidelines. Concerning diagnosis, CT-imaging is performed more and allergy testing less than recommended. Where multiple treatment options are recommended, the responses are more heterogeneous as a result of this. Nonetheless, high recommended treatment was chosen more often. Otolaryngologists were reluctant in surgical treatment as a first option, which is according to the guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, both the EPOS and CBO guideline are well known among Dutch Otolaryngologists and 90% indicates that the guideline is important in their daily practice. Adherence to the guidelines is sufficient to high. If multiple treatment or diagnostic options are recommended this leads to a more heterogeneous response pattern. Recommendations with a high grade of recommendation were followed up most often.

Analysis of evidence within the AUA's clinical practice guidelines.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical subspecialty societies release clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to provide topic-specific recommendations to healthcare providers. We hypothesize that there may be significant differences in statement strength and evidence quality both within the American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines and compared to those published by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CPGs issued through 2017 were extracted from the AUAnet.org. Statements were characterized by evidence basis, strength, and evidence quality. CPGs were compared among urologic subspecialties and to those from the AAOS and AAO-HNS. Analysis used Fisher's exact tests and Student's t-tests with significance p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 25 AUA CPGs (672 statements) were reviewed and 34.6% were non-evidence based with the highest proportions in pediatrics (47.5%) and sexual medicine (46.5%). The AUA has published over twice as many statements as the AAOS and quadruple that of the AAO-HNS. A smaller proportion of the AUA statements were evidence-based (65.4%) compared to the AAOS (80.5%, p < 0.001) and AAO-HNS (99.8%, p < 0.001), and fewer used "high" quality evidence (AUA 7.2% versus AAOS 21.2%, p < 0.001; versus AAO-HNS 16.1%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The AUA has published broad CPGs that far exceed those from the AAOS and AAO-HNS. The AUA has utilized extensive resources to provide guidance to help standardize care among urologists. The AAOS and AAO-HNS may not provide guidelines when evidence is limited. With the continued increase of high quality clinical trials, the AUA will be able to continue improving its robust set of evidence-based CPGs.

Payer database and geospatial analysis to evaluate practice patterns in treating allergy in North Carolina.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to characterize the delivery of allergy care in North Carolina using a large payer charge database and visualization techniques. STUDY DESIGN: Geospatial database analysis. SETTING: North Carolina State claims database. SUBJECTS & METHODS: Medical data from the 2013 FAIR Health National Private Insurance Claims (FH NPIC) database for North Carolina was mined for CPT codes and charges for allergy testing, and for the preparation and provision of allergen immunotherapy. Provider and patient variables were analyzed. Analyses were performed to compare differences in allergy care delivery. A visualization strategy complemented the analytic approach. RESULTS: 162,037 CPT charge entries were analyzed. Allergy-immunology specialists were the most common provider specialty to perform allergy immunotherapy treatments (68.9%, p<0.05). Among other specialties, there were no significant differences between specialists performing immunotherapy when comparing otolaryngology, family practice, and internal medicine (16.3%; 4.6%; 2.6%; p>0.05). Providers with an M.D. degree were the most common provider type. The three most commonly treated diagnoses were allergic rhinitis variants. Females were more likely to receive allergy treatments versus males (55.9% vs. 51.5%; p<0.001), and were more likely to receive allergy testing (65.3% vs. 34.7%: p<0.005). Internal medicine providers charged higher than any other specialist type (p<0.05) for allergy immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Using a large payer database coupled with visualization techniques was an efficient approach to characterizing the state-wide provision patterns of allergy diagnostic and therapy services in North Carolina. This first tier approach to efficiently exploring questions and describing populations is valuable.

Entering a new era of Predictive Medicine in Rhinology.

The June 2018 issue of Rhinology paves the way for real-life implementation of Precision Medicine in Rhinology, with Predictive Medicine in the center of attention. Physicians treating patients with rhinologic disorders might find it extremely interesting to find reports on predictors of success of medical or surgical interventions. Prediction of success of treatment is crucial to allow the patient become an active partner in the decision-making process of medical or surgical treatment. Defining the clinical phenotype of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis responding well to either revision surgery or long-term oral macrolide treatment represents a true challenge.

Odontogenic sinusitis: a comprehensive review.

Odontogenic sinusitis (OS) is a highly prevalent, underappreciated and underdiagnosed disease that has been known for over 100 years. Apical periodontitis, periodontal disease and iatrogenic extrusion of foreign bodies into the sinus are the main causes of OS. Although the prevalence of sinus pathosis of dental origin is still controversial, otolaryngologists recognize that in the presence of recalcitrant sinusitis, a dental origin should be considered and properly treated. Currently, cone-beam computed tomography is the gold-standard imaging technique to assess the relationship between dental conditions, especially apical periodontitis and sinus diseases, and whenever this association is detected, patients should be seen by both a dentist and an otolaryngologist in order to achieve complete recovery. This article reviews the current concepts regarding the definitions, diagnosis and management of OS from a clinical point of view.

Fifteen-minute consultation: investigation and management of an infant with stridor.

Stridor is an abnormal sound caused by turbulent airflow through the airway. In an infant under 3 months of age presenting with stridor, there are many different underlying aetiologies. Some key assessment points help to differentiate those patients who can be reassured and monitored versus those requiring referral to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon for further assessment or management. We present a structured approach to guide the clinician through initial assessment, examination and management, including referral to ENT surgery.

[Certification of a University Department of Otolaryngology according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2008]. / Zertifizierung einer Universitäts-Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Klinik nach DIN EN ISO 9001:2008.

INTRODUCTION: Quality management (QM) is a control tool for the implementation of a wide range of organizational measures aimed at achieving process orientation and process optimization. The organizational framework for these measures can be structured to fulfill the requirements of certification to the DIN EN ISO 9001 standard. The objective was to implement this tool within a university otorhinolaryngology department. MATERIAL AND METHOD: After drawing up a project plan, the measures required to fulfill the audit requirements were put into practice by a QM core team, which included employees from four areas: healthcare, research, nursing and teaching. RESULTS: The measures carried out resulted in the achievement of certification, provided that annual surveillance audits are performed. DISCUSSION: The attainment of the certificate requires continuous fulfillment of the required standards. Future requirements, such as the demands placed on knowledge management, necessitate further appropriate measures.

[Prospective Evaluation of the Quality of the Results of Thyroid Surgery in an ENT-Department]. / Prospektive Untersuchung zur Ergebnisqualität von Schilddrüsenoperationen in einer HNO-Klinik.

Although the thyroid gland is located in the neck it is not a matter of fact that it is a clinical issue for the otorhinolaryngologist in Germany. Probably due to historic reasons general surgeons usually perform operations on the thyroid. As at our department this kind of treatment is an established procedure we prospectively evaluated our thyroid cases in order to present our results.The prospective study started in the year of 2014. So far 231 patients were enrolled with an average age of 53,5 years (16-89). The sex ratio showed a preponderance of the female patients with 187 and 64 males. In 155 cases we didn't insert a Redon-drainage. The mean operation time was 133 min. The preoperative concentration of calcium was 2.44 mg/ml with a postoperative decrease to 2.21 mg/ml. In cases of malignancies revealed in histology a second procedure with complete thyroidectomy and neck dissection took place immediately afterwards.Many symptoms of disorders of the thyroid become manifest in a genuine region of our speciality. Therefore we cannot detect any convincing reason why head and neck surgeons should not perform thyroidectomies. Skills like the specific clinical examination, the preoperative diagnostic work flow including sonography, the precise surgical management of soft tissue and neural structures and the postoperative care are typical features of our discipline. However, besides the surgeon's expertise a close collaboration with the colleagues of nuclear medicine and the general practitioner respectively the endocrinologist is mandatory in order to achieve a high quality of treatment.

Otolaryngology Nurses' Awareness of Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) are developed to inform clinical decision-making and standardize care based on scientific evidence, benefits and harms of treatment, and patient preferences to achieve optimal health outcomes. This survey study explored the level of awareness of otorhinolaryngology (ORL) nurses in using CPGs in clinical practice. The study sought to answer the following: (1) How aware are ORL nurses of CPGs developed by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF)? (2) Which CPGs are most widely identified by ORL nurses? and (3) Do ORL nurses perceive that AAO-HNSF guidelines can benefit their practice? An online survey was developed, piloted, and launched to all eligible registered nurse SOHN members in October 2015. A total of 146 nurses (29%) completed the survey. Over 60% of respondents were in nursing for more than 20 years, 20% were in ORL for 5 years or less, and 40% worked in the hospital, 25% were aware of one or less of the guidelines, with 75% aware of 2 or more specialty guidelines. Nurses were most aware of the tracheostomy care (64%), tonsillectomy in children (47%), and tympanostomy tubes in children (46%) guidelines. The majority of ORL nurses was aware of specialty CPGs and used them to help guide their clinical practice on a regular basis. They also perceived support by their organizations to engage in evidence-based practice. Increasing nurses' awareness and knowledge of CPGs will likely increase guideline use and advance clinical practices based on these recommendations. Strategies to enhance evidence-based guideline recommendations into practice will also be discussed.

Survey of otorhinolaryngologists on their clinical examinations performed in patients with suspected sleep-disordered breathing.

There is currently no standardized ear, nose, and throat (ENT) clinical examination for patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). As a result, there are large inter-individual differences in the examinations due to an inadequate estimation of the relevance of certain anatomic sites. We aimed to identify which examinations/dynamic tests are considered most relevant by German ENT physicians. A questionnaire was designed, evaluating 23 anatomic sites/dynamic tests of the upper aero-digestive tract. The questionnaire was sent to all German ENT departments (n = 153), including universities and other tertiary or secondary referral centers, by postal mail. In addition, almost all private ENT specialists registered with the German professional association (n = 2496) were contacted via e-mail. Participants assessed how often they examined the sites/dynamic tests, subjective importance, and the impact on the therapeutic procedure. A mean score of relevance (mSOR) was generated (minimum score 1; maximum score 75) from these three items. The response rate for hospitals was 58.8 %; while, it was 4.1 % for ENT specialists in private practice. Therefore, the total response rate was 7.3 %. Of the 23 assessed items, some showed a high overall relevance, such as the tonsils (mSOR 64.75), webbing (mSOR 58.14), uvula (mSOR 55.12), or tongue base (mSOR 53.99). Other examinations, such as simulated snoring (mSOR 19.34) or the Mueller maneuver (mSOR 18.98), were estimated as less relevant. Our data reflect the assessment of German otorhinolaryngologists on the clinical examination of SDB patients. The results should be considered as a basis for compiling a standardized procedure.

[S2e-guideline: "ENT-specific therapy of obstructive sleep apnea in adults" short version : Sleep Medicine Task Force of the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery]. / Leitlinie: "HNO-spezifische Therapie der obstruktiven Schlafapnoe bei Erwachsenen" Kurzfassung : ArGe Schlafmedizin der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie.

The present S2e-guideline is an update of the former S2e-guideline "treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in adults". The update was performed on behalf of the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery by its Sleep Medicine Task Force. The long version of the guideline is valid from 5.9.2015 to 5.9.2020 and has been available (guideline No. 017-069) since November 2015 on the official AWMF website.The subsequently presented short version of the guideline summarizes the essentials in a legible way. For further information, please refer to the long version.

[Is (chemo)radiotherapy really the future standard in the treatment of oropharyngeal carcinoma?]. / Ist Radio(chemo)therapie wirklich der zukünftige Standard für die Behandlung von Oropharynxkarzinomen?

Treatment of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) requires interdisciplinary collaboration. Besides oncologic control, organ and function preservation are important priorities. One treatment option is primary concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), particularly for locally advanced head and neck cancer. Another option is sequential CRT, where induction chemotherapy may be followed either by radiation alone or by CRT. An important aspect of these modalities is the development of functional sequelae with regards to swallowing as a direct consequence of radiogenic fibrosis, as well as tissue ctoxicity associated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Conventional open surgical approaches are being increasingly replaced by transoral surgical modalities with less treatment-related morbidity. As a further, equally important goal of appropriately indicated surgery, adjuvant (C)RT may be omitted or the dose significantly reduced. The advantages of primary surgery over primary CRT may be less obvious in cases still requiring adjuvant treatment, although not necessarily completely eliminated. For patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven OPSCC, it is important to note that primary surgery may provide comparable or even increased survival benefit. To date, there is no evidence for a clear advantage of primary CRT over primary surgery in this group. In these cases, a de-escalated treatment package may be the preferred option. Here, the application of radioimmunotherapy as well as a reduced radiation dose may minimize long-term treatment-related morbidities.