Adaptive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 persist in the pharyngeal lymphoid tissue of children.

Most studies of adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection focus on peripheral blood, which may not fully reflect immune responses at the site of infection. Using samples from 110 children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic, we identified 24 samples with evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, including neutralizing antibodies in serum and SARS-CoV-2-specific germinal center and memory B cells in the tonsils and adenoids. Single-cell B cell receptor (BCR) sequencing indicated virus-specific BCRs were class-switched and somatically hypermutated, with overlapping clones in the two tissues. Expanded T cell clonotypes were found in tonsils, adenoids and blood post-COVID-19, some with CDR3 sequences identical to previously reported SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cell receptors (TCRs). Pharyngeal tissues from COVID-19-convalescent children showed persistent expansion of germinal center and antiviral lymphocyte populations associated with interferon (IFN)-γ-type responses, particularly in the adenoids, and viral RNA in both tissues. Our results provide evidence for persistent tissue-specific immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract of children after infection.

Predicting failure of detection of peritonsillar abscess with ultrasound in pediatric populations.

PURPOSE: Some patients require additional imaging following ultrasound (US) to definitively diagnose a peritonsillar abscess (PTA), delaying intervention and disease resolution. We seek to evaluate patient characteristics which may predispose to a secondary imaging requirement to diagnose PTA, in order to better understand ultrasound limitations and predict who will require additional studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients with an US for suspected PTA between July 2017 and July 2020. Patient age, weight, and clinical characteristics, such as pain, trismus, and reduced neck range of motion (ROM) were collected. The need for additional imaging, subsequent surgical intervention, and hospital length of stay (LOS) were also recorded. RESULTS: Of 411 qualifying patients, 73 underwent additional imaging. Patients who required additional imaging were younger (9.8 vs 11.3 years, p = 0.026) and more likely to have decreased neck ROM (17.8 vs 5.3 %, p = 0.001). Surgical intervention was performed more commonly (27.4 vs 14.8 %, p = 0.015) and hospital LOS was longer (24.0 vs 5.0 h, p < 0.001) in those with secondary imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Specific patient characteristics, such as younger age and decreased neck range of motion, are associated with a higher need for additional imaging. Additionally, the need for additional imaging is associated with a longer hospital LOS and increased likelihood of surgical intervention. Nearly 18 % of patients who underwent US evaluation of PTA required secondary imaging. Although transcervical US remains an excellent tool for diagnosing PTA, this data supports the utility of secondary imaging in certain instances.

Phenotypical Characterization of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Premature Infants using Polysomnography.

OBJECTIVE: To use objective quantification of polysomnographic (PSG) parameters in premature infants to define the severity and nature of obstructions (partial hypopnea vs. total obstruction), along with the impact on sleep fragmentation and oxygenation patterns. METHODS: Retrospective comparison of PSG features in 207 infants (<12 months) referred for sleep disordered breathing. Our study groups included term (> = 37 weeks GA, n = 162) and premature (<37 weeks GA, n = 45) infants. Groups were compared for OSA sleep-stage-specific apnea hypopnea (AHI) indexes (REM and NREM), hypopnea indexes (HI), obstructive apnea indexes (OI) and arousal indexes. Oxygenation was assessed as % of time with SpO2 < 90%, nadir with apneic events and frequency of SpO2 desaturations (>3%) calculated as stage-specific O2 desaturation indexes. RESULTS: Overall, premature infants had greater apnea severity (AHI premature 13.9/h vs. Term 7.9/h, p = 0.018). Additional analyses showed that the primary difference between premature and term infants is seen in the group with partial obstructions (HI index) and severe OSA (OAHI> = 10/h). Premature infants also had greater arousal indexes (premature 13.8/h vs. term 10.5/h, p = 0.003). Although the percentage of time <90% at night and the median SpO2 nadir during apneic events was similar in premature vs. term, O2 desaturation indexes were greater in premature infants (10.3/h in term vs. 18.3/h in prematurity, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Children born premature have an OSA phenotype in infancy characterized by greater severity mostly due to frequent partial obstructions (hypopneas) rather than full obstructions (obstructive apnea). Prematurity is also associated with more intermittent hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:1933-1938, 2024.

Pediatric cochlear implantation: Early surgical intervention and parental quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric cochlear implantation (CI) provides sound perception to children with significant sensorineural hearing loss and, despite its challenging process, early implantation can enhance children's speech/language outcomes and potentially improve parental quality of life (PQoL). This study aims to examine parental perspectives on quality of life and parenting children with CI. METHODS: This study combined retrospective chart review and parent reported outcomes. Data were abstracted from medical charts of 85 children who underwent CI between 2016 and 2022 at a tertiary pediatric hospital. Parents were administered the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-MCHL), an 8-item self-report assessment of quality of life for parents of children with CI. Multivariate linear regression analyses examined clinical factors associated with PQoL scores. RESULTS: Parents whose children were implanted at less than two years of age reported significantly higher PQoL, indicated by lower AAQ scores, with a mean AAQ-MCHL of 7.6 + 5.7. In contrast, implantation at age >2 years yielded a mean AAQ-MCHL of 16.2 + 9.6. Parents interviewed within one year post-surgery reported lower PQoL, with a mean AAQ-MCHL of 12.3 + 8.8 compared to those interviewed after one year, with 20.5 + 10.4. CONCLUSION: Early identification of profound hearing loss in children, coupled with early surgical CI, may be associated with higher parental quality of life. The beneficial outcomes appear to be potentiated over time. Further research is essential to fully comprehend the impact of CI on the quality of life of children and their parents.

Recalcitrant Stenosis Following Pediatric LTR: Contributing Factors and Clinical Impact.

OBJECTIVES: Laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) has revolutionized the management of pediatric subglottic stenosis (SGS). However, postoperative stenosis remains a difficult hurdle to overcome. Our goal is to determine the clinical impact of recalcitrant stenosis after LTR and the factors contributing to postoperative stenosis. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of 181 open LTR patients between 2008 and 2021. SETTING: Stand-alone tertiary children's hospital. METHODS: Recalcitrant stenosis was defined as new or worsening stenosis despite open LTR. Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney tests were used to detect differences in categorical and continuous clinical data between patients with and without treatment-resistant stenosis. Time-to-decannulation analysis of both groups was performed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and evaluated with log-rank and Cox proportional hazards regression. Multivariate logistical regression was used to assess the validity of associations found in univariate analysis. RESULTS: As expected, the 27 patients with postoperative stenosis were less likely to be decannulated (P < .001, Fisher's Exact), more likely to require a postoperative tracheostomy (P < .001, Fisher's Exact) or revision LTR (P < .001, Fisher's Exact) and had prolonged time to decannulation (P < .001, Log-rank). Children with Grade IV SGS (P = .004, Fisher's Exact), and those with longer suprastomal stent duration (P = .03, Fisher's Exact) were more likely to suffer from recalcitrant stenosis. Stent duration longer than 4 weeks (P = .01) contributed to refractory stenosis when controlling for all aforementioned variables using multivariable logistic regression. Interposition grafts had a protective effect (P = .005). CONCLUSION: Maintaining suprastomal stents over 4 weeks after LTR increases the risk for postoperative stenosis and its sequelae.

Time considerations and outcomes in pediatric tracheostomy decannulation.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective is to identify factors that impact the time to decannulation in pediatric patients ages 0 through 18 years who are tracheostomy-dependent. METHODS: This retrospective chart review from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2020 identified pediatric tracheostomy patients at a single pediatric institution. Data extracted included demographic, socioeconomic factors, and clinical characteristics. Multivariate regression and survival analysis were used to identify factors associated with successful decannulation and decreased time with tracheostomy. RESULTS: Of the 479 tracheostomy-dependent patients identified, 162 (33.8%) were decannulated. Time to decannulation ranged from 0.5 months to 189.2 months with median of 24 months (IQR 12.91-45.71). In the multivariate analysis, patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p = 0.021) and those with Passy-Muir® Valve at discharge (p = 0.015) were significantly associated with decannulation. In contrast, neurologic comorbidities (p = 0.06), presence of gastrostomy tube (p < 0.001), or discharged on a home ventilator (p < 0.001) were associated with indefinite tracheostomy. When adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, and insurance status, for every one month delay in establishment of outpatient otolaryngology care, time to decannulation was delayed by 0.5 months (p = 0.010). For each additional outpatient otolaryngology follow-up visit, time to decannulation increased by 3.36 months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Decannulation in pediatric tracheostomy patients is multifactorial. While timely establishment of outpatient care did correlate with quicker decannulation, factors related to medical complexity may have a greater impact on time to decannulation. Our results can help guide institutional decannulation protocols, as well as provide guidance when counseling families regarding tracheostomy expectations.

Decannulation in Revision Pediatric Laryngotracheal Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how patient characteristics and surgical techniques influence the rate of and time to decannulation after pediatric revision laryngotracheal reconstruction. METHODS: The study was a retrospective cohort investigation of children with a history of laryngotracheal stenosis treated between 2008 and 2021 with revision open airway surgery. The primary outcome evaluated was decannulation. The secondary outcome analyzed was time to decannulation. RESULTS: Thirty-nine children were included in the study with median age 49 months; 61.5% were male. Children undergoing single stage revision surgery were far more likely to be decannulated (OR 6.25, 95% CI 1.33-45.97, p = 0.0343). Rolling logistic regression of the probability of decannulation stratified by time between open surgeries demonstrated significantly decreased chance of decannulation with reoperation within 6 months. Children managed with anterior/posterior grafting compared with a single graft were observed to have an increased time to decannulation, (HR 0.365, 95% CI 0.148-0.899, p = 0.005, Log-Rank). CONCLUSION: We observe that in the case of revision pediatric open airway surgery, chance of decannulation is improved when surgery is performed in a single stage as well as 6 months after the most recent procedure. Patients and families should be counseled that complex stenosis requiring double stage procedures or anterior/posterior grafting is associated with a decreased probability of decannulation and increased postoperative time with a tracheostomy, respectively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:1926-1932, 2024.

Validation of a PHIS Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal Fistula Cohort in ICD-10.

OBJECTIVE: Validation of a contemporary International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) congenital esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal atresia (EA/TEF) cohort in the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database. STUDY DESIGN: Database study, validation. SETTING: Tertiary care center. METHODS: Search methods used to validate an ICD-9-CM EA/TEF cohort in PHIS were modified for ICD-10-CM. A retrospectively and prospectively maintained clinical database at a single high-volume EA/TEF center was used for comparison. Patients treated between October 1, 2015 and July 31, 2022 were included. Searches progressively narrowed the cohort by ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, expansion to include incorrectly coded as 'iatrogenic, age less than 30 days, and use of at least 1 ICD-10-CM procedure code. Results of PHIS data and institution data were compared for accuracy. RESULTS: The most refined search of PHIS and the EA/TEF clinical database yielded 93 and 84 patients, respectively. The sensitivity was 99% and positive predictive value was 94%. A PHIS search using these methods and encompassing 49 children's hospitals yielded an EA/TEF cohort of 2479 patients. CONCLUSION: We present a validated search method in the PHIS database to identify a high-fidelity cohort of EA/TEF patients for multi-institutional study. We have demonstrated that a carefully maintained clinical database may be used to validate cohorts in PHIS. This cohort allows for improved practice variability and outcomes study of EA/TEF patients. Similar methods may be employed to generate other rare disease cohorts in PHIS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4.

Evaluation of Noise Exposure Levels in Pediatric ENT Operating Rooms.

OBJECTIVE: Operating room (OR) sounds may surpass noise exposure thresholds and induce hearing loss. Noise intensity emitted by various surgical instruments during common pediatric otolaryngologic procedures were compared at the ear-level of the surgeon and patient to evaluate the need for quality improvement measures. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Single tertiary care center. METHODS: Noise levels were measured using the RISEPRO Sound Level Meter and SoundMeter X 10.0.4 at the ear level of surgeon and patient every 5 minutes. Operative procedure and instrument type were recorded. Measured noise levels were compared against ambient noise levels and the Apple Watch Noise application. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-two total occasions of noise were recorded across 62 surgical cases. Cochlear implantation surgery produces the loudest case at the ear-level of the patient (91.8 Lq Peak dB; P < .001). The otologic drill was the loudest instrument for the patient (92.1 Lq Peak dB; P < .001), while the powered microdebrider was the loudest instrument for the surgeon (90.7 Lq Peak dB; P = .036). Noise measurements between surgeon and patient were similar (P < .05). Overall agreement between the Noise application and Sound Level Meter was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.8, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.32 to 0.92). CONCLUSION: Otolaryngology OR noises can surpass normal safe thresholds. Failure to be aware of this may unwittingly expose providers to noise-related hearing loss. Mitigation strategies should be employed. Quality improvement measures, including attention to surgical instrument volume settings and periodic decibel measurements with sound applications, can promote long-term hearing conservation. DISCUSSION: Otolaryngology OR noises can surpass normal safe thresholds. Failure to be aware of this may unwittingly expose providers to noise-related hearing loss. The duration, frequency of exposure, and volume levels of noise should be studied further. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Mitigation strategies should be employed. Quality improvement measures, including attention to surgical instrument volume settings and periodic decibel measurements with sound applications, can promote long-term hearing conservation.

Evaluation of Cochlear Implantation in Children With Cochlear Nerve Absence or Deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To identify associations between cochleovestibular anatomy findings and hearing outcomes found in children with imaging evidence of an absent or hypoplastic cochlear nerve treated with cochlear implantation (CI). STUDY DESIGN: retrospective review. SETTING: Cochlear implant program at tertiary care center. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed to identify children with imaging evidence of cochlear nerve absence or deficiency who underwent CI evaluation. High-resolution 3-dimensional T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the oblique sagittal and axial planes were reviewed by a neuroradiologist to identify cochleovestibular anatomy. Hearing was assessed pre and postoperatively with Speech Perception Category scores. RESULTS: Seven CI recipients were identified (n = 10 ears) who had bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss with lack of auditory development with binaural hearing aid trial and imaging evidence of cochlear nerve aplasia/hypoplasia. All ears had 2 nerves in the cerebellopontine angle (100%, n = 10), half of the ears had evidence of 2 or less nerves in the internal auditory canal (IAC). All children showed large improvement in speech perception after CI. CONCLUSION: Our experience with CIs for children with absent or hypoplastic cochlear nerves demonstrates that CI can be a viable option in select patients who satisfy preoperative audiological criteria. Radiological identification of a hypoplastic or aplastic cochlear nerve does not preclude auditory innervation of the cochlea. CI recipients in this subgroup must be counseled on difficulty in predicting postimplantation language and speech outcomes, and cautioned about facial nerve stimulation.

Trends in Natural Decannulation in Patients with Robin Sequence: A Twenty-five Year Retrospective Review.

OBJECTIVE: Robin sequence (RS) consists of micrognathia and glossoptosis that result in upper airway obstruction (UAO). In RS patients who undergo tracheostomy, long-term goals include natural decannulation (ND) without further surgical airway intervention. The objective of this study was to identify long-term trends in the rate and length of time to ND. METHODS: Retrospective chart review on 144 patients with RS treated from 1995 to 2020 at a pediatric tertiary care center. Patients were grouped by year of tracheostomy. Demographic data, UAO management, postoperative care, complications, and time to decannulation were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients met the inclusion criteria. Tracheostomy was performed at a median age of 45.5 days. 19 (53%) patients experienced ND at a median time of 66.1 months. ND rate was higher in non-syndromic patients (93% non-syndromic vs 27% syndromic; P < .0001) and during the first study period (1995-2006: 78%, 2007-2020: 28%; P = .003). Cox proportional-hazard regression demonstrated that white race [aHR 0.15 (0.03-0.8); P = .023] and higher birthweight [aHR 0.9 (0.8-0.98); P = .018] were associated with a higher likelihood of ND while a syndromic diagnosis had a negative association with ND [aHR 12.5 (3.3-50.0); P < .001]. CONCLUSIONS: Our study documented that ND in patients with RS who underwent tracheostomy was significantly associated with ethnicity, birthweight, and syndromic status. The negative impact on successful ND was most observed in patients with syndromic associations. Additionally, ND rates are lower in the 2007 to 2020 subgroup. We suspect this is because alternative management techniques such as tongue lip adhesion and mandibular distraction osteogenesis became primary surgical treatment in severe RS upper airway obstruction at our institution starting in 2007.

Impact of upper airway obstruction management in Robin Sequence on need for myringotomy tubes.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate an association between upper airway obstruction (UAO) management in Robin Sequence (RS) and need for bilateral myringotomy and tubes (BMT). METHODS: Retrospective chart review of RS patients treated at a tertiary free-standing pediatric hospital from 1995 to 2020 was performed. Patients were grouped based on airway management: conservative, tracheostomy, tongue-lip adhesion (TLA), and mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO). Demographic data, cleft palate (CP) association, numbers of BMT and ear infections, and audiogram data including tympanograms were collected. One-way ANOVA and Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests were used to compare continuous and categorical data, respectively. Multivariable regression analysis was used to compare BMT rates between treatment groups. RESULTS: One hundred forty-eight patients were included, 70.3 % of which had CP. Most patients (67.6 %) had at least one BMT; 29.1 % required two or more BMT. The rate of BMT was higher in patients with CP compared to those with intact palates (p = 0.003; 95 % CI 1.30-3.57) and those treated with tracheostomy (p = 0.043; 95 % CI 1.01, 2.27). Surgically managed patients were more likely to have hearing loss (67.5 % vs. 35.3 %, p = 0.017) and ear infections (42.1 % vs. 20.0 %, p = 0.014) pre-compared to post-procedure for airway management. CONCLUSION: Most RS patients require at least 1 set of BMT. Those with CP and/or treated with tracheostomy had a higher likelihood of needing BMT. Rate of hearing loss and ear infection was higher in surgically managed RS patients. Patients with RS and overt CP require a statistically higher number of BMTs compared to those with either submucous cleft palate or intact palate.

Factors associated with tracheostomy decannulation in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Premature infants represent a unique subset of patients who may require tracheostomy. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is among one of the most common sequelae of prematurity contributing to the need for prolonged ventilation requiring tracheostomy after other airway options have been exhausted. Our objective is to understand socioeconomic barriers to decannulation and identify factors that accelerate safe decannulation, focusing on patients with BPD. METHODS: An existing internal database from a tertiary pediatric hospital of patients undergoing tracheostomy prior to one year old was reviewed. Data from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2020 was used to compare patients who were successfully decannulated to those who were not. A further subset of infants with BPD were identified and analyzed. Of those decannulated, survival analysis was used to identify factors associated with decreased time to decannulation. RESULTS: We identified 303 infants who underwent tracheostomy at less than one year old with 125 of those infants having a diagnosis of BPD. Of the 125 infants with BPD, 44 (35.2 %) were decannulated and 81 (64.8 %) were not. There was no significant difference in sex, race, ethnicity, insurance status, comorbidities, or presence of syndromes between those patients with BPD who were decannulated and those who were not. Those who were not decannulated had a significantly longer length of hospital stay, prolonged ventilator requirements after tracheostomy, and were more likely to be discharged home on the ventilator (p = 0.030; 0.020; 0.002, respectively). Of the 44 decannulated patients, mean and median time to decannulation were 37.9 and 27.8 months respectively (range 10.8-160.6 months). There was an inverse association with decannulation and both Black race (HR: 0.30) and neurological comorbidity (HR: 0.37) on multivariate analysis. Black race, presence of syndrome, and length of ventilator dependence were significantly associated with increased time to decannulation. Time to decannulation from time off the ventilator was not significantly influenced by sex, race, ethnicity, state of residence, or insurance status, but was significantly influenced by age (95 % CI: -6.9, -0.1; P = 0.044). While time from discharge to first follow up visit did not significantly impact time to decannulation, every additional follow up visit increased time to decannulation by 3.78 months when adjusting for confounding variables. CONCLUSION: In infants with BPD under one year requiring tracheostomy, socioeconomic factors were not found to influence likelihood of decannulation, however Black race, presence of underlying syndrome, and increased length of ventilator dependence were associated with prolonged timing. Children with more frequent follow up visits similarly had an increased time to decannulation, illustrating a vital point in the process. Ventilator weaning protocols and standardized decannulation protocols in patients with BPD, along with caregiver education, can safely expedite and facilitate decannulation.

Systematic Review of Slide Tracheoplasty Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors predicting success in slide tracheoplasty surgery at a regional children's hospital and compare with available published literature. MEASURES: Retrospective chart review comparing demographics (age, weight) and clinical (operative and hospital course, need for additional airway intervention) factors experienced with slide tracheoplasty. Findings were compared with a systematic review of published literature. RESULTS: Of the 16 tracheal stenosis patients in our cohort, 13 (81.3%) presented with an additional congenital or cardiovascular anomaly. When adjusted for cardiovascular anomalies, congenital tracheal stenosis patients had a mean age of 5.2 months (range 6 days-17 months), mean weight of 5.04 kg, and average ICU and hospital length of stay of 31.5 and 36.0 days, respectively. Tracheostomy was required for 4 patients and no early deaths were recorded. Of the 391 children in the grouped cohort, mean age and weight was older at 7.67 months and larger at 5.70 kg. Length of stay in both ICU and overall hospital course was 31.6 and 43.5 days, respectively. Mortality etiology for 44 patients was reported: 17 (38.6%) cardiac-related and 28 (63.6%) late mortalities. Our overall calculated mortality risk of 1.26 (P < .05) was lower than reported ratios of 2.0+. CONCLUSION: Despite the numerous institutional studies involving tracheal stenosis, mortality and surgical challenges remain high. Future studies with the inclusion of specific perioperative data can prove to further evaluate correlations between presentation characteristics and mortality.

Decannulation in Trisomy 21 patients undergoing laryngotracheal reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Down Syndrome (DS) patients are more susceptible to either congenital or acquired subglottic stenosis (SGS). This often creates a multilevel airway obstruction and can lead to tracheostomy dependence early in life. As a result, they may require Laryngotracheal Reconstruction (LTR) to achieve decannulation. The primary objective of this study was to assess decannulation rates, time to decannulation and potential barriers to decannulation in DS patients undergoing LTR. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review from 2008 to 2021 of 193 children who underwent LTR for treatment for laryngotracheal stenosis at a stand-alone tertiary children's hospital. The relationship between clinical data and decannulation status was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression and Fisher exact tests. Time to decannulation analysis was performed using Kaplan Meier analysis and evaluated with log-rank and Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: We determined that DS patients carry an inherit risk for decannulation failure compared to the general population (OR: 6.112, P = . 044, CI 1.046-35.730). Of the 8 patients with DS only three were decannulated. Overall, patients with Trisomy 21 had a significantly increased time to decannulation when compared to all LTR patients (P = .008, Log-rank). We found that these patients are more likely to have both suprastomal collapse (P = .0004, Fischer's Exact) and Tracheomalacia (P = .034, Fischer's Exact) compared to all other LTR patients. While post-operative tracheomalacia did not significantly affect decannulation failure (P = .056, Fischer's Exact) it did significantly prolong decannulation in all LTR patients (P = .018, Log-rank). CONCLUSION: Trisomy 21 patients are at an increased risk for decannulation failure. Our study illustrates that these poor outcomes are likely a result of conditions more commonly found in this cohort including: narrow tracheal caliber, tracheomalacia and hypotonia.

Laryngotracheal Reconstruction Outcomes in Children Born Extremely Premature.

INTRODUCTION: There has been a notable increase in the number of neonates born 28 weeks gestational age or younger in the United States. Many of these patients require tracheostomy early in life and subsequent laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR). Although extremely premature infants often undergo LTR, there is no known study to date examining their post-surgical outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To compare decannulation rates, time to decannulation and complication rates between LTR patients born extremely premature to those born preterm and term. METHODS: We identified 179 patients treated at a stand-alone tertiary children's hospital who underwent open airway reconstruction from 2008 to 2021. A Chi Squared test was used to detect differences in categorical clinical data between the groups of patients. A Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze continuous data within these same groups. Time to decannulation analysis was performed using Kaplan Meier analysis and evaluated with log-rank and Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Children born extremely premature were more likely to incur complications following LTR (OR = 2.363, p = 0.005, CI 1.295-4.247). There was no difference in time to decannulation (p = 0.0543, Log-rank) or rate of decannulation (OR = 0.4985, p = 0.05, CI 0.2511-1.008). Extremely premature infants were more likely to be treated with an anterior and posterior grafts (OR = 2.471, p = 0.004, CI 1.297-4.535) and/or an airway stent (OR = 3.112, p < 0.001, CI 1.539-5.987). CONCLUSION: Compared with all other patients, extremely premature infants have equivalent decannulation success, but are at an increased risk for complications following LTR. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:3608-3614, 2023.

Confirmatory Auditory Brainstem Responses Testing Results in Discordant Outcomes: Implications for Timely Care.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate for discrepancies in diagnostic auditory brainstem responses (ABR) between Children's National Hospital (CNH), a pediatric medical center, and outside facilities (OSF) that referred patients to CNH for confirmatory evaluation. Such discrepancies impact early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) timelines. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted from an internal database of patients who underwent diagnostic ABR from 2017 to 2021. Only patients with ABR results from both CNH and OSF were analyzed. Demographic data, external and internal test results, and intervention data were obtained. Hearing loss (HL) severity was graded on a scale of 0 to 8, where 0 indicated normal hearing and 8 indicated profound. Each ear was analyzed separately. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients met the inclusion criteria, and each ear was evaluated separately. Median HL severity was 1.0 [0.0, 4.3] at CNH compared to 3.0 [1.8, 6] at OSF (p = 0.004). Forty-seven ears (48.0%) showed lower severity at CNH. Twenty-seven patients (55%) received hearing amplification devices. The median age at time of hearing intervention was 220 days. CONCLUSION: Our results showed statistical significance in the median severity of HL between CNH and OSF. A substantial proportion (70%) of children in our dataset who received amplification via cochlear implant or hearing aids were shown to have discrepancies in ABR findings from CNH and OSF. These findings have implications with regards to the appropriate usage of health care resources and maintaining EDHI timelines. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 (Retrospective Cohort Study) Laryngoscope, 133:3571-3574, 2023.

Examining multi-level immune response to determine prevalence of COVID-19 in pediatric tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of COVID-19 in a cohort of children undergoing tonsillectomy through assessment of B cell immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in both peripheral blood and tonsil tissue. METHODS: In this cohort study at a tertiary pediatric hospital (Children's National Hospital) in Washington, DC, we recruited 100 children undergoing tonsillectomy from late September 2020 to January 2021. Serum, peripheral blood cells, and tonsil tissue were collected and examined for immune reactivity to SARS-CoV-2. Parent-reported clinical histories were compared to antibody and B-cell responses. RESULTS: Among 100 children undergoing tonsillectomy, 19% had evidence of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 (CoV2+), indicating prior COVID-19. In all seropositive participants, we detected SARS-CoV-2 specific B cells in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tonsils, providing evidence for tissue-specific immunity in these children. Of the 19, 63% reported no known history of COVID-19, and an additional 3 were asymptomatic or unaware of an acute infection when detected on pre-surgery screen. Hispanic children represented 74% of CoV2+ subjects compared to 37% of the full cohort. 100% of CoV2+ children lived in a zip code with poverty level >10%. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one-fifth of children undergoing tonsillectomy at an urban U.S. hospital had evidence of prior COVID-19 during the early pandemic, with the majority unaware of prior infection. Our results underscore the ethnic and socio-economic disparities of COVID-19. We found concordant evidence of humoral immune responses in children in both blood and tonsil tissue, providing evidence of local immune responses in the upper respiratory tract. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:1993-1999, 2023.

Predictors of future academic productivity in pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applicants.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate which components of pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications are more closely predictive of future academic productivity in applicants who go on to complete their fellowship training. METHODS: Applications to our institution's ACGME accredited pediatric otolaryngology fellowship program through the SF Match program for the years 2011-2016 were reviewed. Applicant files on record were utilized to extract independent variables including sex, mean USMLE score, residency program Doximity ranking, military experience, number of national honors/awards, AOA status, total number of publications listed on application, number of first author publications listed on application, and AAOHNS Committee involvement. Academic productivity was determined by number of PubMed indexed publications per year, practice setting, and H-index (Scopus). Statistical analysis consisted of multivariate and univariate regression models, with p < 0.05 being considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Multivariate regression showed that USMLE Step 1 and 2 mean score and number of publications listed on application exhibited statistically significant correlations with a higher number of future post fellowship publications per year. Residency program Doximity rank, applicant number of awards and honors, AOA status, and number of first author publications were not predictive of future academic productivity. No statistically significant associations were found between any variables and the faculty position outcome variable. CONCLUSIONS: Quantifiable criteria in pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications, such as number of listed publications and mean USMLE scores are strongly correlated with future academic productivity metrics.

Deep Learning for Predictive Analysis of Pediatric Otolaryngology Personal Statements: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: The personal statement is often an underutilized aspect of pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications. In this pilot study, we use deep learning language models to cluster personal statements and elucidate their relationship to applicant rank position and postfellowship research output. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Single pediatric tertiary care center. METHODS: Data and personal statements from 115 applicants to our fellowship program were retrieved from San Francisco Match. BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations From Transformers) was used to generate document embeddings for clustering. Regression and machine learning models were used to assess the relationship of personal statements to number of postfellowship publications per year when controlling for publications, board scores, Alpha Omega Alpha status, gender, and residency. RESULTS: Document embeddings of personal statements were found to cluster into 4 distinct groups by K-means clustering: 2 focused on "training/research" and 2 on "personal/patient anecdotes." Training clusters 1 and 2 were associated with an applicant-organization fit by a single pediatric otolaryngology fellowship program on univariate but not multivariate analysis. Models utilizing document embeddings alone were able to equally predict applicant-organization fit (receiver operating characteristic areas under the curve, 0.763 and 0.750 vs 0.419; P values >.05) as compared with models utilizing applicant characteristics and personal statement clusters alone. All predictive models were poor predictors of postfellowship publications per year. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate ability for document embeddings to capture meaningful information in personal statements from pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applicants. A larger study can further differentiate personal statement clusters and assess the predictive potential of document embeddings.