Tertiary hospital retrospective observational audit of tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Tertiary hospitals see a wide array of complex paediatric patients requiring the procedure of tonsillectomy to alleviate airway symptoms. To investigate the implications of patient-specific factors on postoperative morbidities and hospital stay length, including the role of BMI and AH as predictors for airway complications following surgery. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients presenting at The Children's Hospital at Westmead for routine tonsillectomy between July 2010 and July 2014. RESULTS: Of 500 charts, 420 patients met inclusion criteria. 155 (37%) patients had a pre-existing comorbidity. Polysomnogram (PSG) was conducted prior to surgery (n = 129). BMI results showed a mean BMI of 20.0, n = 25 were overweight, n = 70 were obese and n = 11 underweight. 84 patients (20%) experienced a postoperative complication/unexpected morbidity. There were no returns to theatre and no mortality. 24 patients had more than one complication. Complication rate was highest in the patients <2 years of age. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of desaturation related complications between obese and non-obese groups p = 0.00480. There was statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay between the two groups. 16% of children with co-morbidities stayed for >2 nights in hospital (25/155) compared to 7.5% of children without co-morbidities p = 0.00607. 9% of children with co-morbidities stayed for 3 nights in hospital (14/155) compared to patients without co-morbidities (6/256), p = 0.00167. CONCLUSIONS: This audit confirms the impact of age, obesity and certain co-morbidities on the potential costs to the hospital in managing complications and length of stay after surgery.

International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group (IPOG) consensus recommendations: Hearing loss in the pediatric patient.

OBJECTIVE: To provide recommendations for the workup of hearing loss in the pediatric patient. METHODS: Expert opinion by the members of the International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group. RESULTS: Consensus recommendations include initial screening and diagnosis as well as the workup of sensorineural, conductive and mixed hearing loss in children. The consensus statement discusses the role of genetic testing and imaging and provides algorithms to guide the workup of children with hearing loss. CONCLUSION: The workup of children with hearing loss can be guided by the recommendations provided herein.

Image-guided surgery influences perioperative morbidity from endoscopic sinus surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Although image-guided surgery (IGS) is considered a valuable tool, its impact on perioperative morbidity for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) remains unclear. The evidence from reported literature is systematically reviewed with meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (1946 to September 14, 2012, week 2) and EMBASE (1974 to September 14, 2012, week 37). REVIEW METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched using a search strategy for publications on IGS during ESS that reported original data on perioperative morbidity. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. Both comparative cohort studies with non-IGS cases and case series were included. Primary outcome was major and total complications. Secondary outcomes were specific orbital and intracranial injury, major hemorrhage, ability to complete the operation, and revision surgery. The incidence of these events was defined as dichotomous variables and expressed as a risk ratio (RR) in a fixed-effects model. RESULTS: In total, 2586 articles fulfilled the search, producing 55 included studies. Fourteen were comparative cohorts of IGS and non-IGS sinus surgical patient populations used for meta-analysis. Among the cohorts, major complications were more common in the non-IGS group (RR = 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-0.82; P = .007). Total complications were greater in the non-IGS group (RR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47-0.94; P = .02). All other outcomes did not reach significance on meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: Contrary to current review articles on the topic of IGS use during ESS, there is evidence from published studies that the use of IGS for sinus surgery, within selected populations, is associated with a lower risk of major and total complications compared with non-IGS sinus surgery.