Accuracy of clinician-clinical coder information handover following acute medical admissions: implication for using administrative datasets in clinical outcomes management.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the accuracy, limitations and potential sources of improvement in the clinical utility of the administrative dataset for acute medicine admissions. METHODS: Accuracy of clinical coding in 8888 patient discharges following an emergency medical hospital admission to a teaching hospital and a district hospital over 3 years was ascertained by a coding accuracy audit team in respect of the primary and secondary diagnoses, morbidities and financial variance. RESULTS: There was at least one change to the original coding in 4889 admissions (55%) and to the primary diagnosis of at least one finished consultant episodes of 1496 spells (16.8%). There were significant changes in the number of secondary diagnoses and the Charlson morbidity index following the audit. Charlson score increased in 8.2% and decreased in 2.3% of patients. An income variance of £816 977 (+5.0%) or £91.92 per patient was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The importance and applications of coded healthcare big data within the NHS is increasing. The accuracy of coding is dependent on high-fidelity information transfer between clinicians and coders, which is prone to subjectivity, variability and error. We recommend greater involvement of clinicians as part of multidisciplinary teams to improve data accuracy, and urgent action to improve abstraction and clarity of assignment of strategic diagnoses like pneumonia and renal failure.

Multilevel radiofrequency ablation to the soft palate and tongue base: tips and pitfalls.

The objective of the study is to increase awareness and understanding of the techniques and safety measures to minimise complications and improve patient outcomes. Literature review using MedLine and keywords snoring; obstructive sleep apnoea; radiofrequency ablation; electrosurgery; palate; tongue base was conducted. There is no accepted gold standard technique for radiofrequency ablation; to date, there is no published literature regarding common tips and pitfalls in radiofrequency application specifically for superficial applications and second-stage surgery. Surgery for snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea is typically multilevel. Pre-operative patient assessment and selection are critical to ensure good outcomes. Radiofrequency is generally safe and efficacious in this subset of patients. However, as with all surgery, it is operator-dependent. In particular, we emphasise the methodology for second-stage surgery, optimising visualisation and avoiding ulceration/fistulation of the soft palate, which are previously undescribed in the literature.

Radiofrequency ablation in snoring surgery: local tissue effects and safety measures.

Radiofrequency ablation is now widely used in the treatment of patients with snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea. It is well suited to the multilevel approach typically required in snoring surgery and can be used interstitially or in cutting mode. However, no research has been performed to analyse the collateral local tissue damage or size of lesions induced by radiofrequency application. This is the first study of the histological effects of interstitial radiofrequency. We studied the size of tissue lesions generated at differing power settings with and without local anaesthetic application in human tonsils and chicken breast tissue. The size of the lesion was independent of power setting and local anaesthetic infiltration. The typical effect was an oval-shaped lesion centred on the active electrode, 6-7 mm in width and 7-8 mm in length. This was confirmed histopathologically, with smaller lesions generated in the submucosa (2 × 3 mm) but with no collateral tissue damage beyond this distinct zone of injury. To avoid complications, we recommend placing contiguous radiofrequency applications at least 8 mm apart. Post-nasal space packing raises and tautens the soft palate. The use of local anaesthetic increases interstitial volume, thereby reducing the risk of incorrect probe placement and resultant ulceration or fistulation.

Analysing lateral soft tissue neck radiographs.

A lateral soft tissue neck radiograph is a useful adjunct in diagnosing and managing the patient presenting with upper airway symptoms but is often inadequately reviewed. We present some common findings and robust systems to improve analysis of these radiographs.

Diagnostic performance of high resolution computed tomography in otosclerosis.

AIM: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the diagnosis of otosclerosis. METHODS: A systematic literature review was undertaken to include Level I-III studies (Oxford Centre for Evidenced based Medicine) that utilised HRCT to detect histology confirmed otosclerosis. Quantitative synthesis was then performed. RESULTS: Based on available level III literature, HRCT has a relatively low sensitivity of 58% (95%CI: 49.4-66.9), a high specificity, 95% (95%CI: 89.9-98.0) and a positive predictive value of 92% (95%CI: 84.1-95.8). HRCT is better at diagnosing the more prevalent fenestral form of otosclerosis but remains vulnerable to inframillimetre, retrofenestral and dense sclerotic lesions, despite the advent of more advanced CT scanners with improved collimation. CONCLUSION: Whilst the diagnosis of otosclerosis remains largely clinical, HRCT remains the gold standard imaging of choice for the middle ear and serves as a useful adjunct to the clinician, helping to delineate extent of disease and exclude other causes.

Massive lipoma of the posterior neck.

Giant lipomas are a rare, benign cause of painless neck mass. We describe the case of a 63-year-old man with a giant lipoma of the left posterior neck, which presented with intermittent upper limb paraesthesia. Surgical excision confirmed the diagnosis of spindle-cell lipoma and resulted in complete resolution of neurological symptoms.

Paediatric subglottic stenosis - Have things changed? Our experience from a developing tertiary referral centre.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric airway disorders are common, particularly in the context of improved ventilation methods for neonates in intensive care units. Management is not standardised. OBJECTIVES: To assess the number, severity, management and outcomes of all patients diagnosed with subglottic stenosis at a developing tertiary referral centre. STUDY DESIGN: 19 month prospective longitudinal study. STUDY POPULATION: All patients who underwent microlaryngobronchoscopy (MLB) were included. Subglottic stenosis (SGS) was graded intraoperatively using the Myer-Cotton classification. RESULTS: 102 patients underwent MLB during this period. 33 of 102 patients (32.4%) were diagnosed with SGS+/-other co-pathologies. Mean and median age at diagnostic procedure were 24.7 months (SD 23.5) and 18 months, respectively. At their first MLB, 22 of 33 patients (66.7%) were found to have a Grade 1 SGS, 7 of 33 (21.2%) were Grade 2 and the remaining 4 of 33 (12.1%) were Grade 3. We had no patients with Grade 4 SGS. During this period, these patients with SGS underwent 73 MLBs+/-interventions (2.21 per patient) such as incision and balloon dilatation, tracheostomy (2 of 33) or ultimately, laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) (2 of 33). A further 3 patients have since undergone LTR. No significant unexpected events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that subglottic stenosis may be evolving in terms of its presentation and management. Management can more often be endoscopic and perhaps avoid tracheostomy or laryngotracheal reconstruction. Further long term prospective studies are required.

Endoscopic ear surgery: A case series and first United Kingdom experience.

AIM: To present the United Kingdom's first case series of 70 otological cases of endoscopic and non-endoscopic ear surgeries. METHODS: Prospective case series incorporating a range of endoscopic procedures performed using a 4 mm, 18 cm rigid endoscope, performed by a single surgeon at a single centre. Primary outcome measures included mean average pre and post-operative air-bone gap hearing thresholds and duration of surgery. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients underwent endoscopic assisted ear surgery and 32 underwent non-endoscopic assisted ear surgery. In both surgical groups, there was a significant difference between pre and post-operative mean air-bone gaps (P = 0.02). Mean operating time was comparable between both groups. Eight patients developed post-operative complications. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic ear surgery can be performed safely in a range of otological procedures. This has the potential to become a well-established surgical option for middle ear surgery in the near future. Advantages and limitations are discussed.

The changing face of the paediatric microlaryngobronchoscopy (MLB): A two year prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Changes in the management and survival of paediatric patients with airway complaints combined with improving survival rates of premature babies have resulted in a different patient population for the paediatric airway surgeon than that previously described in the literature. OBJECTIVES: To examine the presentation, diagnosis, clinical course and outcomes for patients undergoing microlaryngobronchoscopy (MLB). STUDY DESIGN: 2 year prospective longitudinal study. STUDY POPULATION: 210 microlaryngobronchoscopy examinations were performed on a total of 102 patients. Mean age at initial examination was 29.4 months with a male preponderance (68%). RESULTS: 72 (71%) patients had other documented medical co-morbidities with 30 children having no previous medical history. Of the 102 patients the primary diagnoses were: Subglottic Stenosis (29.4%), Laryngomalacia (20.6%), Laryngeal Cleft (16.7%), Normal Anatomy (11.8%) and Vocal Cord pathology (5.9%). The average rate of diagnoses per patient for the whole cohort was 1.57. Of those patients with a diagnosis on examination, 40 had a solitary diagnosis whilst 50 patients (55.5%) were found to have multiple diagnoses, equating to 2.35 diagnoses per patient. Children with a history of prematurity accounted for 18.6% of our cohort with a 100% rate of laryngo-tracheal pathology on examination and an average number of diagnoses per child of 2.21. CONCLUSION: Our cohort illustrates the varied population served by today's paediatric airway surgeon alongside common diagnoses and co-pathologies affecting our patients.

A rare stapes abnormality.

The aim of this study is to increase awareness of rare presentations, diagnostic difficulties alongside management of conductive hearing loss and ossicular abnormalities. We report the case of a 13-year-old female reporting progressive left-sided hearing loss and high resolution computed tomography was initially reported as normal. Exploratory tympanotomy revealed an absent stapedius tendon and lack of connection between the stapes superstructure and footplate. The footplate was fixed. Stapedotomy and stapes prosthesis insertion resulted in closure of the air-bone gap by 50 dB. A review of world literature was performed using MedLine. Middle ear ossicular discontinuity can result in significant conductive hearing loss. This can be managed effectively with surgery to help restore hearing. However, some patients may not be suitable or decline surgical intervention and can be managed safely conservatively.

An unusual parotid mass.

A 70-year-old Caucasian man with multiple comorbidities presented with a painless lump over the right parotid gland which was gradually increasing in size over the preceding 12 months. There were no systemic symptoms or facial weakness. Imaging indicated a benign tumour of the right parotid. Superficial parotidectomy was performed and the histology revealed a sialolipoma.

Unusual presentation of glomus tympanicum tumour: New bone formation in the middle ear.

The objective of this study is to increase awareness of the rare presentation, diagnostic difficulties and management of glomus tympanicum of the middle ear. A 49 years old male, with a background of hypertension and epilepsy, presented with a two month history of left sided conductive hearing loss, pulsatile tinnitus and headache. Clinically and radiologically a diagnosis of glomus tympanicum was made. Intraoperatively, extensive osteogenesis of the middle ear resulting in ossicular fixation and erosion was found. This patient required a two stage operation for full clearance of disease. A stapedectomy drill was used to drill off the bony overgrowth surrounding the ossicles resulting in improved hearing thresholds and full clearance of the disease at two year follow up. Glomus tympanicum can result in new bone formation in the middle ear with resultant ossicular fixation and conductive hearing loss. This can be effectively treated surgically with restoration of hearing.

Wholly endoscopic permeatal removal of a petrous apex cholesteatoma.

We report a case of a petrous apex cholesteatoma which was managed with a wholly endoscopic permeatal approach. A 63-year-old Caucasian male presented with a 10-year history of right-sided facial palsy and profound deafness. On examination in our clinic, the patient had a grade VI House-Brackmann paresis, otoscopic evidence of attic cholesteatoma behind an intact drum, and extensive scarring of the face from previous facial reanimation surgery. Imaging review was suggestive of petrous apex cholesteatoma. An initial decision to manage the patient conservatively was later reviewed on account of the patient suffering recurrent epileptic seizures. A wholly endoscopic permeatal approach was used with successful outcomes. In addition to the case report we also provide a brief description of the technique and a review of the relevant literature.

Tumour resection volumes and facial nerve outcomes for vestibular schwannomas.

The objective of this study is to correlate tumour volume relationship with surgical outcomes in subtotal resections and accepted nomenclature through a retrospective study at Charing Cross Hospital, London, a tertiary referral centre. The participants were 16 patients with vestibular schwannoma managed with subtotal resection between 2002 and 2011. The main outcome measures were surgical technique; tumour volume; recurrence and post-operative facial nerve function. Mean pre-operative and post-operative volumes for all patients were 14.7 and 3.7 cm(3) respectively. Tumour volumes do not correlate with diameter (p < 0.05). Mean reduction in volume of these subtotal resections was 75 %. Long term facial nerve outcome was good in the majority of patients: House-Brackmann Grade I/II in 12 (75 %), Grade III/IV in 2 (12.5 %) and Grade V/VI in 2 patients (12.5 %). Notably, two patients with Grade I/II House-Brackmann grading later developed Grade V/VI palsy following adjunctive radiotherapy. Seven of the 16 subtotal resections had subsequent radiotherapy or microsurgery. Mean follow up was 26.5 months. In conclusion, subtotal resections lead to good facial nerve outcomes but may require further treatments. Radiation treatment can worsen facial nerve function. There is no standardised use of tumour volumes or accepted guidelines for resection terminology. We propose the use of tumour volumes to define this further.

Endoscopic management of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea: the charing cross experience.

Objective To describe our experience of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea management. Design Retrospective. Setting Charing Cross Hospital, London, a tertiary referral center. Participants Fifty-four patients with CSF rhinorrhea managed from 2003 to 2011. Main outcome measures Surgical technique; Recurrence. Results Etiologically, 36 were spontaneous and 18 traumatic. Eight patients with spontaneous and two with traumatic leaks had previous failed repairs in other units. Success rates after first and second surgery were 93% and 100%, respectively. Mean follow-up was 21 months. Four patients, all of spontaneous etiology, had recurrences; three of these underwent successful second repair with three layered technique, and the fourth had complete cessation of the leak after gastric bypass surgery and subsequent weight reduction. Adaptation of anatomic three-layered repair since then averted any further failure in the following 7 years. Mean body mass index was 34.0 kg/m(2) in spontaneous and 27.8 kg/m(2) in traumatic cases (p < 0.05). Fifty percent of spontaneous leaks were from the cribriform plate, 22% sphenoid, 14% ethmoid, and 14% frontal sinus. In the traumatic CSF leak group: 33.3% were from the cribriform plate, 33.3% sphenoid, 22.2% ethmoid, and 11.1% frontal. Conclusion Endoscopic CSF fistula closure is a safe and effective operation. All sites of leak can be accessed endoscopically. We recommend the use of an anatomic three-layered closure in difficult cases.

The role of imaging in the diagnosis and management of otosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the evidence for the role of radiologic imaging in the diagnosis and management of otosclerosis. DATA SOURCES: A review of contemporary (1990 to present) English medical literature via MedLine using the terms imaging, otosclerosis, otospongiosis, stapes surgery, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, CT, and MRI was performed. STUDY SELECTION: Abstracts were reviewed independently by 2 authors and relevant articles were then evaluated. Exclusion criteria included editorials, non-English language, comments, and letters. DATA EXTRACTION: Level of evidence was assigned in accordance with the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine guidance (Levels I-V). RESULTS: Thirty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria, of which, 11 were of Level III, 22 of Level IV, and 4 of level V evidence. High-resolution computed tomography (CT) of the temporal bones is the imaging technique of choice in the diagnosis of otosclerosis with newer multidetector scanners demonstrating a sensitivity and specificity in excess of 90%. There is Level III evidence that CT densitometry and extent of disease on CT correlates with hearing thresholds. Extensive and multifocal disease on CT has a poorer prognosis (Level III/IV). The potential use of CT in staging classifications, surgical planning, predicting surgical outcomes and risk of complications has also been described and evaluated. CONCLUSION: This systematic review indicates that imaging has a useful role in both the diagnosis and management of otosclerosis, supported principally by Level III/IV evidence.