Discrepancies of SARS-CoV-2 testing results among patients with total laryngectomy.

PURPOSE: Prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is obtained with nasopharyngeal swabs. By the way, there is no consensus regarding sampling in totally laryngectomized subjects (who thus breathe directly by the tracheostomy and, theoretically, may be infected in the trachea). The aim of this study is to evaluate possible differences between swab results in the trachea and in the nasopharynx of this category of patients. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed in April 2021 among patients who previously had been operated on for total laryngectomy and who underwent swabs for SARS-CoV-2 research in 3 health-care centers in Northern-Eastern Italy. Data regarding the site of swabbing (trachea or nasopharynx) were analyzed. A comprehensive review of the literature regarding the same topic was then performed. RESULTS: A total of 25 totally laryngectomized subjects underwent swabs. Among them, 5 tested positive in the trachea (1) and in the nasopharynx (4). According to the literature review, 4 more subjects tested positive in the trachea (1) and in the nasopharynx (3). Data were overall divergent and no statistically significant correlations emerged between results of the tests performed in the two sites. CONCLUSION: Due to these discrepancies, both tracheal and nasopharyngeal swabs are recommended in these kinds of patients, to obtain a reliable test and to avoid false negatives.

High prevalence of long-term olfactory, gustatory, and chemesthesis dysfunction in post-COVID-19 patients: a matched case-control study with one-year follow-up using a comprehensive psychophysical evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Using an age and gender matched-pair case-control study, we aimed to estimate the long-term prevalence of psychophysical olfactory, gustatory , and chemesthesis impairment at least one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection considering the background of chemosensory dysfunction in non-COVID-19 population. METHODOLOGY: This case-controlled study included 100 patients who were home-isolated for mildly symptomatic COVID-19 between March and April 2020. One control regularly tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection and always tested negative was matched to each case according to gender and age. Chemosensory function was investigated by a comprehensive psychophysical evaluation including ortho- and retronasal olfaction and an extensive assessment of gustatory function. Differences in chemosensory parameters were evaluated through either Fisher’s exact test or Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: The psychophysical assessment of chemosensory function took place after a median of 401 days from the first SARS-CoV-2 positive swab. The evaluation of orthonasal smell identified 46% and 10% of cases and controls, respectively, having olfactory dysfunction, with 7% of COVID-19 cases being functionally anosmic. Testing of gustatory function revealed a 27% of cases versus 10% of controls showing a gustatory impairment. Nasal trigeminal sensitivity was significantly lower in cases compared to controls. Persistent chemosensory impairment was associated with emotional distress and depression. CONCLUSION: More than one year after the onset of COVID-19, cases exhibited an excess of olfactory, gustatory , and chemesthesis disturbances compared to matched-pair controls with these symptoms being associated to emotional distress and depression.

Elective tracheostomy during COVID-19 outbreak: to whom, when, how? Early experience from Venice, Italy.

PURPOSE: The need for prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients is placing the otorhinolaryngologist in front of an increasing request for tracheostomy. Nowadays, there is uncertainty regarding the timing of tracheostomy, the prognosis of these patients and the safety of healthcare workers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tracheostomy placement in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study on 23 COVID 19 patients, to analyse the timing of tracheostomy, the risk factors associated with in-hospital death and the infection of the involved health care workers. Early tracheostomy was defined as ≤ 10 days and late ones > 10 days. RESULTS: The mortality rate of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU that underwent tracheostomy was 18%. The overall mortality of patients admitted to ICU was 53%. The univariate analysis revealed that early tracheostomy, SOFA score > 6, and D-dimer level > 4 were significantly associated with a greater risk of death. At the multivariate analysis SOFA score > 6 and D-dimer level > 4 resulted as significant factors for a higher risk of death. No health care workers associated with tracheostomy are confirmed to be infected by SARS-CoV2. CONCLUSION: We suggest to wait at least 14 days to perform tracheostomy. In patients with SOFA score > 6 and D dimer > 4, tracheostomy should not be performed or should be postponed. Optimized procedures and enhanced personal protective equipment can make the tracheostomy safe and beneficial in COVID-19 patients.

Predominance of an altered sense of smell or taste among long-lasting symptoms in patients with mildly symptomatic COVID-19.

There is mounting evidence that a new onset of altered sense of smell or taste is related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In order to allow patients to recognize symptoms indicative of SARS-CoV-2 infection and self-isolate at the earliest opportunity, self-reported loss of smell and taste have greater value in controlling disease transmis- sion than psychophysical testing, which is not widely available outside of highly specialized clinics.

Impact of COVID-19 on otolaryngology in Italy: a commentary from the COVID-19 task force of the Young Otolaryngologists of the Italian Society of Otolaryngology.

OBJECTIVE: The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 is having a dramatic effect on most medical disciplines. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery is one of the most engaged disciplines, and otolaryngology specialists are facing a radical change of their role and daily activities that will have severe impact on the return to the ordinary. In this paper, the COVID-19 Task Force of the Young Otolaryngologists of the Italian Society of Otolaryngology comment on the changes that occurred for otolaryngology in Italy during the pandemic. Changes include organizational rearrangement of Otolaryngology Units, with merges and closures that affected a significant portion of them; reallocation of otolaryngology personnel, mainly to COVID-19 wards; reduction of elective clinical and surgical activity, that was mainly limited to oncology and emergency procedures; and execution of screening procedures for SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare providers and patients in otolaryngology units in Italy.

Multicenter prospective crossover study on new prosthetic opportunities in post-laryngectomy voice rehabilitation.

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical experience of three Italian centers using the third generation Provox Vega prosthesis, in terms of device life and voice outcome, comparing the results with the second generation Provox 2 prosthesis in the same sample. A prospective multicenter crossover study was performed in three phases. In the first phase we performed a reassessment, for enrollment purposes, of patients who were categorized into four different groups [normal ­ group A; radio-treated ­ group B; gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) ­ group C; and elderly subjects ­ group D]. In the second and third phases, all patients were monitored for prosthetic device life and assessed for objective and subjective voice characteristics after introducing Provox 2 and Provox Vega prostheses. In patients with Provox 2 prosthesis, the mean life was 165 days in group A, 148 days in group B, 91 days in group C and 188 days in group D. In Provox Vega patients, mean in situ prosthesis life was 213 days in group A, 182 days in group B, 118 days in group C and 227 days in group D. The perceptual voice data showed a better rating across all parameters for the Provox Vega samples compared to those of Provox 2. In this paper, we report the first multicenter crossover study comparing different prosthetic models in the same patients, categorized in relation to different typologies of tracheoesophageal rehabilitative status. Result analyses confirmed an optimal stability of the Provox Vega compared to the Provox 2, in terms of device life and perceptual voice parameters.

Adaptive psychological structure in childhood hearing impairment: audiological correlations.

The present research deals with the clinical and social problems present during linguistic and cognitive development of deaf children. Currently, the development of Theory of Mind represents an important research field in deafness studies. These international studies highlighted a significant alteration in the development of Theory of Mind in deaf children compared to normal hearing children, especially in cases of congenital or preverbal hearing loss. In particular, the research focuses on the skills of deaf children in recognising emotions and desires, through both perceptive and cognitive methods, by evaluation of psycho-cognitive skills of children with severe hearing loss using a set of questions to be administered to hearing loss patients. The experiment was performed on a group composed of 10 children (5 males and 5 females) aged 4 to 9 years and 54 to 108 months, affected by bilateral congenital hearing loss (severe to total), or hearing loss that developed in preverbal children the year before entering elementary school, or during the fourth year of elementary school. The selection criteria were based on: audiologic evaluation, neuro-psychological tests administered to assess general, cognitive as well as praxis and perceptive abilities, and clinical observations performed to assess psychopathology using tests that assess development of both visual perceptive (Coloured Progressive Matrices) and graphic representational abilities (Test of Human Figure Drawings and the Family Drawing Test). The instrument "cognitive" was the "Deaf Children Series", arranged by us, that consists of a mental status examination (MSE) that evaluates: level of cognitive (knowledge-related) ability, emotional mood, and speech and thought patterns at the time of evaluation. Deaf children show a reduced responsiveness to the expressions of sadness on the perceptive side. Through the test, we observed a psychodynamic defense mechanism considering perceptive understanding performance. On the contrary, in normal hearing children, the emotion 'fear' is the most difficult to identify. Deaf children seem to be more susceptible to recognition of visual emotions. Furthermore, deaf children present significant problem-solving skills and emotional recognition skills, possibly as a result of their hearing impairment.