Canadian French Translation and Validation of the Neck Dissection Impairment Index: A Quality of Life Measure for the Surgical Oncology Population.

BACKGROUND: Neck dissections (ND) are a routine procedure in head and neck oncology. Given the postoperative functional impact that some patients experience, it is imperative to identify and track quality of life (QoL) symptomatology to tailor each patient's therapeutic needs. To date, there is no validated French-Canadian questionnaire for this patient-population. We therefore sought to translate and validate the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) in Canadian French. METHODS: A 3-phased approach was used. Phase 1: The NDII was translated from English to Canadian French using a "forward and backward" translational technique following international guidelines. Phase 2: A cognitive debriefing session was held with 10 Canadian French-speaking otolaryngology patients to evaluate understandability and acceptability. Phase 3: The final version was administered prospectively to 30 patients with prior history of ND and 30 control patients. These patients were asked to complete the questionnaire 2 weeks after their first response. Test-retest reliability was calculated with Spearman's correlation. Internal consistency was elicited using Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: NDII was successfully translated and validated to Canadian French. Cronbach's alpha revealed high internal consistency (0.92, lower 95% confidence limit 0.89). The correlation for test-retest validity were strong or very strong (0.61-0.91). CONCLUSION: NDII is an internationally recognized QoL tool for the identification of ND-related impairments. This validated Canadian French version will allow clinicians to adequately assess the surgery-related QoL effect of neck surgery in the French-speaking population, while allowing French institutions to conduct and/or participate in multisite clinical trials requiring the NDII as an outcome measure.

Outpatient management of pediatric acute mastoiditis.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the Montreal Children's Hospital experience with outpatient management of uncomplicated acute mastoiditis with parenteral antibiotic therapy alone and determine if it is a safe alternative to inpatient management. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective review of pediatric patients diagnosed with acute mastoiditis at a tertiary care pediatric hospital between 2013 and 2015 was performed. Patients with syndromes, immunodeficiency, cholesteatoma, chronic otitis media, cochlear implant in the affected ear, or incidental mastoid opacity were excluded. RESULTS: 56 children age 6 months to 15 years old were treated for acute mastoiditis, including 29 hospitalizations and 27 outpatients. Patients managed as outpatient with daily intravenous ceftriaxone had a 93% cure rate. Eighteen hospitalized and one outpatient had complications of acute mastoiditis. Children with complications were more likely to be febrile (p = 0.045). Two patients failed outpatient therapy and were admitted; one for myringotomy and piperacillin-tazobactam treatment and one required a mastoidectomy. 4/27 children treated as outpatient underwent myringotomy and tube insertion, 2 underwent myringotomy and tube along with admission and 21 did not require tube insertion. The average total duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy was respectively 4.9 and 18.9 days in the outpatient and hospitalized group. The average duration of admission was 5.9 days. CONCLUSION: Outpatient medical therapy of uncomplicated pediatric mastoiditis is safe, successful, and efficient. Benefits include efficient use of surgical beds, cost savings and patient and family convenience. Careful patient selection and close monitoring are keys for successful outcome.