Blue laser for the exclusive endoscopic transcanal approach to middle ear paraganglioma.

BACKGROUND: The management of glomus tympanicum tumours can be challenging. Blue laser coagulation may improve bleeding control thus facilitating an endoscopic transcanal excision. The objective of this presentation is to illustrate the authors' experience using this novel tool. METHODS: Case report of a patient that underwent exclusive endoscopic transcanal blue laser surgery of a class A2 glomus tympanicum tumour in a tertiary referral center. CONCLUSION: The present study provides evidence of the safety and efficacy of endoscopic blue laser surgery, for the minimally invasive treatment of early-stage glomus tympanicum tumours.

Transcanal endoscopic carbon dioxide laser resection of early-stage (A1-B1) glomus tympanicum tumours: single-centre case series.

OBJECTIVE: To report a single-centre experience in the endoscopic carbon dioxide laser-assisted approach to glomus tympanicum tumours. METHODS: A retrospective case review was conducted of patients diagnosed with class A1 to B1 glomus tympanicum tumours who underwent exclusive transcanal endoscopic carbon dioxide laser surgery. RESULTS: Seven patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All patients (100 per cent) were women, with a mean age of 65.4 years (standard deviation, 13.6). There were five A2 tumours, one A1 tumour and one B1 tumour. One patient presented with a delayed tympanic membrane perforation needing myringoplasty on follow up. There were no substantial post-operative complications. The mean hospitalisation time was 9.5 hours (standard deviation, 9.8). The mean follow-up period was 32.7 months (standard deviation, 13.1), with all cases having resolution of pulsatile tinnitus and no tumour recurrence. CONCLUSION: The study provides further evidence on the safety and efficacy of endoscopic carbon dioxide laser surgery as a minimally invasive technique for treating early-stage glomus tympanicum tumours.

Nuances in transcanal endoscopic approach to benign middle ear tumours in adult patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive surgery of benign middle ear tumours is possible by using the endoscope. The optimal lighting and the broadest vision it offers, allow a transcanal approach to these rare tumours. The objective of this work is to summarise its key points through a case series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of benign middle ear tumours that underwent exclusive endoscopic surgery in a third-level adult university hospital between June 2018 and June 2020. Postoperative follow-up was performed by otoendoscopy and audiometry. RESULTS: Six patients underwent surgery during the study period. Five patients were female and one male, with an average age of 57.8 years (±21.9). Four tumours were in the left ear and 2 in the right ear. These included four tympanic paragangliomas (three type I and one type II), a chorda tympani neuroma, and a congenital cholesteatoma. There were no serious postoperative complications. At present, no tumour recurrence has been found in either case, with a minimum follow-up of 7 months. CONCLUSIONS: The present study adds evidence on the safety and efficacy of endoscopic transcanal ear surgery, as a minimally invasive technique, for the treatment of benign middle ear tumours confined to the tympanic cavity.

Nuances in transcanal endoscopic approach to benign middle ear tumours in adult patients. / Particularidades del abordaje transcanal endoscópico de los tumores benignos de oído medio en adultos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive surgery of benign middle ear tumours is possible by using the endoscope. The optimal lighting and the broadest vision it offers, allow a transcanal approach to these rare tumours. The objective of this work is to summarize its key points through a case series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of benign middle ear tumours that underwent exclusive endoscopic surgery in a third-level adult university hospital between June 2018 and June 2020. Postoperative follow-up was performed by otoendoscopy and audiometry. RESULTS: Six patients underwent surgery during the study period. Five patients were female and one male, with an average age of 57.8 years (± 21.9). Four tumours were in the left ear and 2 in the right ear. These included 4tympanic paragangliomas (3 type I and one type II), a chorda tympani neuroma, and a congenital cholesteatoma. There were no serious postoperative complications. At present, no tumour recurrence has been found in either case, with a minimum follow-up of 7 months. CONCLUSIONS: The present study adds evidence on the safety and efficacy of endoscopic transcanal ear surgery, as a minimally invasive technique, for the treatment of benign middle ear tumours confined to the tympanic cavity.

Timing, Complications, and Safety of Tracheotomy in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19.

IMPORTANCE: The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unprecedented needs for invasive ventilation, with 10% to 15% of intubated patients subsequently requiring tracheotomy. OBJECTIVE: To assess the complications, safety, and timing of tracheotomy performed for critically ill patients with COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective cohort study assessed consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) who had COVID-19 that required tracheotomy. Patients were recruited from March 16 to April 10, 2020, at a tertiary referral center. EXPOSURES: A surgical tracheotomy was performed for all patients following recommended criteria for use of personal protective equipment (PPE). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The number of subthyroid operations, the tracheal entrance protocol, and use of PPE. Infections among the surgeons were monitored weekly by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of nasopharyngeal swab samples. Short-term complications, weaning, and the association of timing of tracheotomy (early [≤10 days] vs late [>10 days]) with total required days of invasive ventilation were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients (mean [SD] age, 63.8 [9.2] years; 33 [66%] male) participated in the study. All tracheotomies were performed at the bedside. The median time from intubation to tracheotomy was 9 days (interquartile range, 2-24 days). A subthyroid approach was completed for 46 patients (92%), and the tracheal protocol was adequately achieved for 40 patients (80%). Adequate PPE was used, with no infection among surgeons identified 4 weeks after the last tracheotomy. Postoperative complications were rare, with minor bleeding (in 6 patients [12%]) being the most common complication. The successful weaning rate was higher in the early tracheotomy group than in the late tracheotomy group (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.55; 95% CI, 0.96-6.75), but the difference was not statistically significant. There was less time of invasive mechanical ventilatory support with early tracheotomy compared with late tracheotomy (mean [SD], 18 [5.4] vs 22.3 [5.7] days). The reduction of invasive ventilatory support was achieved at the expense of the pretracheotomy period. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study, with the use of a standardized protocol aimed at minimizing COVID-19 risks, bedside open tracheotomy was a safe procedure for patients and surgeons, with minimal complications. Timing of tracheotomy may be important in reducing time of invasive mechanical ventilation, with potential implications to intensive care unit availability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Palisade cartilage tympanoplasty compared to one-piece composite cartilage-perichondrium grafts for transcanal endoscopic treatment of subtotal tympanic membrane perforations: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The endoscopic approach to tympanoplasty is gaining popularity, but its adoption for the palisade tympanoplasty technique is unstudied. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic cartilage palisade tympanoplasty compared to one-piece composite cartilage-perichondrium grafts for tympanic membrane closure in adult patients with subtotal perforations. METHODS: Retrospective study of 42 adult patients who underwent endoscopic tympanoplasty for a subtotal perforation in a university tertiary referral center from January 2018 to June 2019. Patients underwent transcanal tympanoplasty either with cartilage palisade grafts or with one-piece composite cartilage-perichondrium grafts. Both techniques were compared for graft take rate and audiometric results. RESULTS: Twenty palisade and 22 single-piece tympanoplasties were analyzed. No statistically significant differences between groups were found in terms of tympanic membrane closure (85% vs. 86.3%, p = 0.5) or hearing improvement. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that similar results can be obtained with palisade cartilage grafts compared to the one-piece composite cartilage-perichondrium technique for endoscopic tympanic membrane closure. Further studies with long-term results will be needed to confirm these findings.

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status Instrument.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status Instrument (TAHSI) is a disease-specific questionnaire, intended for completion by parents, for assessing quality of life related to tonsil and adenoid disease or its treatment in children with throat disorders. The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish adaptation of the TAHSI, thus allowing comparison across studies and international multicenter projects. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter prospective instrument validation study. METHODS: Guidelines for the cross-cultural adaptation process from the original English-language scale into a Spanish-language version were followed. The psychometric properties (reproducibility, reliability, validity, responsiveness) of the Spanish version of the TAHSI (s-TAHSI) were assessed in 51 consecutive children undergoing adeno/tonsillectomy (both before and 6 months after surgery) and a separate cohort of 50 unaffected children of comparable age range. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability (γ = 0.8) and internal consistency reliability (α = 0.95) were adequate. The s-TAHSI demonstrated satisfactory content validity (r > 0.40). The instrument showed excellent between-groups discrimination (P < .0001) and high responsiveness to change (effect size = 2.09). CONCLUSIONS: Psychometric testing of the s-TAHSI yielded satisfactory results, thus allowing assessment of the subjective severity of throat disorders in children. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2c. Laryngoscope, 128:1469-1475, 2018.

Long-Term Hearing Outcomes following Stapedotomy in Patients with Otosclerosis and Preoperative Small Air-Bone Gap.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the long-term effectiveness of stapedotomies performed on patients with otosclerosis and preoperative small air-bone gaps (ABGs). METHODS: Retrospective study comparing the 10-year postoperative hearing outcomes after primary stapedotomies in patients with small (≤20 dB) and large ABGs (> 20 dB). Ninety out of 175 stapedotomies (22 and 68 in the small and large ABG groups, respectively) were monitored with long-term follow-ups. RESULTS: Ten years after the operation, hearing measurements were similar for both groups, although a significant decline of bone conduction thresholds was evident (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001, respectively). An improvement of ≥10 dB in the postoperative ABG (clinical improvement) was achieved only in the large ABG group. CONCLUSIONS: Even though long-term hearing levels will evolve similarly in patients with ≤20 and > 20 dB preoperative ABGs, the lack of clinical improvement found in the small ABG group is not in favor of an early surgery.

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) Scale.

BACKGROUND: The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale is a symptom-specific, self-completed questionnaire for assessing quality of life related to nasal obstruction or its treatment in patients with septal deviation. The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish adaptation of the NOSE, thus allowing comparison across studies and international multicenter projects. METHODOLOGY: Multicenter prospective instrument validation study. Guidelines for the cross-cultural adaptation process from the original English language scale into a Spanish language version were followed. The psychometric properties (reproducibility, reliability, validity, responsiveness) of the Spanish version ("NOSE-e" for "NOSE-espanol") were assessed in 58 consecutive patients undergoing septoplasty (both before and 3 months after surgery) and 58 matched asymptomatic controls. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability and internal consistency reliability were adequate. The NOSE-e demonstrated satisfactory construct validity. Positive correlations between the NOSE-e scores and the score of a visual analog scale measuring the subjective sensation of nasal obstruction were found. The instrument showed excellent between-groups discrimination and high response sensitivity to change. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish version of the NOSE (NOSE-e) is a valid tool for measuring the subjective severity of nasal obstruction, and its use is recommended.

The cost associated with interstitial thermotherapy for tonsil reduction vs. standard tonsillectomy.

Given the high demand for tonsillectomies in children, the variety of techniques available, and the increasing need to control expenditures, it is important to analyse the costs associated with surgical procedures. The aim in the present study was to compare the cost of interstitial thermotherapy for tonsil volume reduction with conventional tonsillectomy. This was a nonrandomized, retrospective analysis at a public practice regional hospital between 2010 and 2012. Paediatric patients that underwent molecular resonance (MR)-induced tonsil thermal ablation (day case admission) were matched, according to age and concurrent surgery, to patients that underwent tonsillectomy by standard bipolar dissection (ordinary admission) during the same study period. Both groups were compared in economic terms based on operating room (OR) times, salaries, materials and hospitalization cost. Sixty-two patients were included (31 in each group). The mean ages of patients in the MR and tonsillectomy groups were 5.6 (2.7 SD) and 5.1 years (2.0 SD), respectively. A significantly lower mean surgery time (28.25 vs. 36.95 min), anaesthesia time (48.79 vs. 61.73 min), OR time (64.18 vs. 76.16 min), and OR cost (€166.60 vs. €199.58) were found in the MR group (P < 0.05). The mean cost-per-patient was significantly higher in the MR technique when the expenses of the single-use probe and the overnight stay were, respectively, added (€408.60 vs. €374.58, P = 0.007). The present study confirmed increased costs for interstitial thermotherapy for tonsil reduction compared to conventional tonsillectomy. Operation time and early discharge savings were eclipsed by the cost of the disposable probes.