Correlating muscle resection with functional swallow outcomes: An anatomic framework informed systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review of studies reporting swallow-associated outcomes in patients who received surgery for head and neck cancer (HNC), informed by an anatomic and physiologic framework of pharyngeal phase of swallowing (Pearson's dual-sling model). METHODS: PUBMED and Google Scholar databases were searched for peer-reviewed papers published between 1990 and 2019 using relevant MeSH terms. Exclusion criteria were 1) discussions comparing reconstruction techniques, 2) case-report/series (n < 10), 3) perspective articles, 4) papers comparing objective instrumental methods of swallowing evaluation, 5) animal/cadaver studies, 6) no instrumental or validated swallow assessment tools used, 7) papers that discuss/include radiotherapy treatment, 8) systematic reviews, 9) papers that discuss swallow training or rehabilitation methods. Two investigators reviewed papers meeting inclusion/exclusions criteria. Muscles resected, anatomic resection site, swallow outcomes, and patient treatment variables were collected. RESULTS: A total of 115,020 peer-reviewed papers were identified. 74 papers were relevant to this review, 18 met inclusion and exclusion criteria, and none discussed surgical impact on the pharyngeal phase of swallowing using Pearson's dual-sling model. Most papers discussed the effect of tongue-base, supraglottic, or regional anatomic resection. Post-surgical resection Follow-up times ranged from 1 to 13 months. 67% of studies used objective instrumental swallow studies; 22% used patient reported outcome measures. Follow up time since surgical resection, time to feeding tube removal, feeding tube present/absent, aspiration severity were used to define dysphagia endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: To date, no surgical HNC studies have used the dual-sling mechanism to guide study design, and dysphagia assessment has been inconsistent. To counsel patients on the effects of surgery on pharyngeal phase of swallow function, specialists need physiologically grounded research that correlates muscles resected with consistent measures of swallow function.

Quality improvement in tracheostomy care: A multidisciplinary approach to standardizing tracheostomy care to reduce complications.

PURPOSE: Develop a model for quality improvement in tracheostomy care and decrease tracheostomy-related complications. METHODS: This study was a prospective quality improvement project at an academic tertiary care hospital. A multidisciplinary team was assembled to create institutional guidelines for clinical care during the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative periods. Baseline data was compiled by retrospective chart review of 160 patients, and prospective tracking of select points over 8 months in 73 patients allowed for analysis of complications and clinical parameters. RESULTS: Implementation of a quality improvement team was successful in creating guidelines, setting baseline parameters, and tracking data with run charts. Comparison of pre- and post-guideline data showed a trend toward decreased rate of major complications from 4.38% to 2.74% (p = 0.096). Variables including time to tracheotomy for prolonged intubation, surgical technique, day of first tracheostomy tube change, and specialty performing surgery did not show increased risk of complications. There were increased tracheostomy-related complications in cold months (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: An interdisciplinary quality improvement team can improve tracheostomy care by identifying system factors, standardizing care among specialties, and providing continuous monitoring of select data points.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy and surgery compared to standard radiotherapy in early glottic cancer.

PURPOSE: Early-stage glottic laryngeal cancer is treated with surgery or radiotherapy (RT), but limited randomized data exists to support one modality over the other. This study evaluates survival differences in early glottic cancer patients treated with either surgery or RT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 14,498 patients with early glottic cancer diagnosed from 2004 to 2015 and treated with surgery or RT were identified in the National Cancer Database. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze differences in overall survival (OS) by treatment (surgery vs. RT) and radiation dose fractionation. Cox regression modeling and propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis were performed. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were computed. RESULTS: Median follow-up and median OS for all patients were 49.5 and 118 months, respectively. The estimated 5-year OS for surgery and RT was 77.5% and 72.6%, respectively (P < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, aHR (95% CI) for surgery compared to RT was 0.87 (0.81-0.94, P = 0.0004). Compared to RT regimen 63-67.5 Gray (Gy) in 28-30 fractions, worse survival was noted for RT regimen 66-70 Gy in 33-35 fractions (aHR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07-1.23, P = 0.0003). When compared with hypofractionated RT (63-67.5 Gy in 28-30 fractions), patients undergoing surgery no longer showed improved OS (aHR 0.94, 95% CI 0.86-1.02, P = 0.154). The finding was confirmed on PSM analysis (surgery aHR 0.95, 95% CI 0.87-1.05, P = 0.322). CONCLUSION: In early glottic tumors, patients treated with surgery demonstrated improved survival compared to RT, but when hypofractionation was considered, there were no significant differences in OS between patients undergoing surgery or RT.

Comparing surgical and nonsurgical larynx-preserving treatments with total laryngectomy for locally advanced laryngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The declining 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with laryngeal cancer has been associated with increased nonsurgical management of stage III/IV disease. To further assess this hypothesis, the authors evaluated recent OS trends and patterns of use between larynx-preserving approaches with chemoradiation (CRT) or partial laryngectomy (PL) and total laryngectomy (TL) stratified by tumor and nodal burden. METHODS: The National Cancer Data Base was used to identify 8703 patients with stage III/IV (excluding T1 tumors) laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated between 2003 and 2011 with CRT or upfront PL or TL with or without adjuvant therapy. OS was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Among patients with non-T4, low nodal burden (T2N1 or T3N0-N1) disease, no survival differences were observed between CRT, PL, and TL. Patients who had non-T4, high nodal burden (T2-T3N2-N3) disease who underwent TL with or without adjuvant treatment had a higher risk of death compared with those who received CRT (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04-1.51; P = .016). For T4N0-N3 tumors, TL compared with CRT was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.62-0.92; P = .002). No statistically significant difference in outcome was noted between CRT and PL for all stage groups. The use of CRT has declined and receipt of TL has increased since 2006 for T4 disease, whereas PL rates have remained stably low. CONCLUSIONS: No survival differences were noted between surgical and nonsurgical approaches for patients with non-T4, low nodal burden laryngeal cancer. Patients with non-T4, high nodal burden disease may benefit from definitive CRT. Total laryngectomy remains advantageous in patients with T4 disease.

Novel treatment for mild and moderate velopharyngeal insufficiency using implantable AlloDerm for posterior pharyngeal wall augmentation and review of surgical repair techniques.

PURPOSE: Mild and moderate velopharyngeal insufficiency is a relatively common structural defect of the velopharyngeal sphincter that occurs congenitally or secondarily to various medical conditions resulting in speech inadequacy. Currently, multiple surgical methods exist to treat mild and moderate velopharyngeal insufficiency; however, the revision rates are high and the outcomes are variable. This case series describes a novel technique using implantable AlloDerm to repair the posterior pharyngeal wall to treat mild and moderate velopharyngeal insufficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This paper presents four patients with mild or moderate velopharyngeal insufficiency who were treated with implantable AlloDerm in the posterior pharyngeal wall at a large, safety-net hospital in New England from 2000 to 2019. Additionally, a review of surgical repair techniques for velopharyngeal insufficiency was conducted with synthesis of a qualitative overview. RESULTS: There were sufficient follow-up data in three of these patients. All three reported subjective improvements in symptoms after the procedure. One patient had implant extrusion one month following the procedure with subsequent removal. CONCLUSION: Ultimately, implantable AlloDerm for posterior pharyngeal wall augmentation is a useful, low risk method for treating mild to moderate velopharyngeal insufficiency.

Emergency Airway Response Team (EART) Documentation: Criteria, Feasibility, and Usability.

Patients in an acute care hospital who experience a difficult airway event outside the operating room need a specialized emergency airway response team (EART) immediately. This designated team manages catastrophic airway events using advanced airway techniques as well as surgical intervention. Nurses respond as part of this team. There are no identified difficult airway team documentation instruments in the literature, and the lack of metrics limits the quality review of the team response. This study identified EART documentation criteria and incorporated them into a nursing documentation instrument to be completed by a nurse scribe during the event. The EART instrument was tested by nurses for usability, feasibility, and completeness. Twenty-one critical care nurses participated in this study. The results confirmed good usability, positive feasibility, and 79% documentation completeness using this tool. These criteria and this instrument can be important in documenting the EART and in evaluating the quality of the team performance.

Management of Wire Brush Bristle Ingestion: Review of Literature and Presentation of an Algorithm.

OBJECTIVES: To increase awareness of wire brush bristle ingestion, review the literature relating to wire brush bristle ingestion, and describe an algorithm for management of wire brush bristle foreign bodies as well as a technique for bedside removal. METHODS: The authors present a case of an accidental wire bristle ingestion that was successfully treated with bedside removal and describe a successful bedside technique for removal. For the literature review, the PubMed journal database and Google Scholar were queried using the search terms wire bristle, wire brush, grill brush, and grill bristle. RESULTS: Twenty-three wire brush ingestions with upper aerodigestive presentations were identified in the medical literature. Bedside visualization was attempted in 10 patients and successful in 5. The foreign body was able to be removed at the bedside in 3 of these patients. Two patients were managed conservatively. The authors developed an algorithm for management based on these literature findings. CONCLUSION: Wire brush bristle ingestion is increasingly common in the literature, and a definitive algorithm does not exist for management. The authors present an algorithm for management and describe a technique for successful removal at the bedside.

A Novel In Vivo Protocol for Molecular Study of Radiation-Induced Fibrosis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Radiation-induced fibrosis is a common complication for patients following head and neck cancer treatment. This study presents a novel minimally invasive protocol for molecular study of fibrosis in the stromal tissues. METHODS: Subjects with radiation-induced fibrosis in the head and neck who were at least 6 months post treatment received submental core needle biopsies, followed by molecular processing and quantification of gene expression for 14 select pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic genes. Control biopsies from the upper arm were obtained from the same subjects. Patients were followed up at 1 and 2 weeks to monitor for safety and adverse outcomes. RESULTS: Six subjects were enrolled and completed the study. No subjects experienced adverse outcomes or complication. An 18 gauge core biopsy needle with a 10 mm notch inserted for up to 60 seconds was needed. Subcutaneous tissue yielded 3 ng of RNA, amplified to 6 µg of cDNA, allowing for adequately sensitive quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis of approximately 28 genes. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the safety and utility of a novel technique for the molecular study of fibrosis in head and neck cancer patients. Longitudinal studies of patients undergoing radiation therapy will allow for identification of molecular targets that contribute to the process of fibrosis in the head and neck.

Correlating pre-operative vitamin D status with post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between pre-operative vitamin D status and post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. METHODS: Retrospective study examining 264 total and completion thyroidectomies conducted between 2007 and 2011. Subjects included had a recorded 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level within 21 days prior to or 1 day following surgery, did not have a primary parathyroid gland disorder, and were not taking 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) prior to surgery. Some subjects were repleted with vitamin D pre-operatively if a low 25(OH)D level (typically below 20 ng/mL) was identified. Pre-operative 25(OH)D, concurrent neck dissection, integrity of parathyroid glands, final pathology, postoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium nadir and repletion, and length of stay were examined. RESULTS: The mean pre-operative 25(OH)D for all subjects was 25 ng/mL, and the overall rate of post-operative hypocalcemia was 37.5%. Lower pre-operative 25(OH)D did not predict postoperative hypocalcemia (P = .96); however, it did predict the need for postoperative 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 administration (P = .01). Lower postoperative PTH levels (P = .001) were associated with postoperative hypocalcemia. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative 25(OH)D did not predict a postoperative decrease in serum calcium, although it did predict the need for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 therapy in hypocalcemic subjects. We recommend that 25(OH)D be assessed and, if indicated, repleted pre-operatively in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy.

Laryngotracheal Amyloidosis: Amyloid Airway Center 23-Year Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Localized laryngotracheal amyloidosis (LA) is a rare disease that can impact phonation and respiration. Treatment options include observation, surgery, and radiation therapy (RT). Given the rare incidence of LA, evidence regarding optimal management and long-term outcomes is limited. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: All patients with LA presenting to an international amyloid center from 1999 to 2022 were analyzed. Patients were categorized by treatment modality: surgery, RT, or observation. Patient and disease factors including demographics, clinical presentation, and progression with need for additional treatment were evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients (27M:44F) with LA were treated with surgery (n = 40), RT (n = 11), and observation (n = 20). Gender distribution, age at diagnosis, and systemic workup did not differ significantly between treatment cohorts. A correlation was identified between LA location and treatment modality, with higher rate of subglottic/tracheal amyloid in RT patients vs. surgery and observation patients [(90% and 52% respectively), p < 0.005]. Surgery patients had a median of two surgeries for disease management (range: 1-32) and RT patients had median five surgeries prior to RT (range: 0-17). Six patients required tracheotomy: 3/40 surgery, 3/11 RT and 0/20 in observation cohort. Surgery and RT patients had a longer duration of follow-up (mean 6.7 and 11.7 years) compared with the observation cohort (5.7 years). CONCLUSION: Laryngotracheal amyloidosis is a rare disease with variable presentation. Selective surgery of involved subsites is the primary treatment, though multiple surgeries may be needed to optimize function. Observation is appropriate for those with minimal symptoms. For recalcitrant disease, and particularly subglottic/tracheal amyloid, radiotherapy can be beneficial. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:1606-1613, 2024.

Assessing ChatGPT's Responses to Otolaryngology Patient Questions.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate ChatGPT's performance in addressing real-world otolaryngology patient questions, focusing on accuracy, comprehensiveness, and patient safety, to assess its suitability for integration into healthcare. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using patient questions from the public online forum Reddit's r/AskDocs, where medical advice is sought from healthcare professionals. Patient questions were input into ChatGPT (GPT-3.5), and responses were reviewed by 5 board-certified otolaryngologists. The evaluation criteria included difficulty, accuracy, comprehensiveness, and bedside manner/empathy. Statistical analysis explored the relationship between patient question characteristics and ChatGPT response scores. Potentially dangerous responses were also identified. RESULTS: Patient questions averaged 224.93 words, while ChatGPT responses were longer at 414.93 words. The accuracy scores for ChatGPT responses were 3.76/5, comprehensiveness scores were 3.59/5, and bedside manner/empathy scores were 4.28/5. Longer patient questions did not correlate with higher response ratings. However, longer ChatGPT responses scored higher in bedside manner/empathy. Higher question difficulty correlated with lower comprehensiveness. Five responses were flagged as potentially dangerous. CONCLUSION: While ChatGPT exhibits promise in addressing otolaryngology patient questions, this study demonstrates its limitations, particularly in accuracy and comprehensiveness. The identification of potentially dangerous responses underscores the need for a cautious approach to AI in medical advice. Responsible integration of AI into healthcare necessitates thorough assessments of model performance and ethical considerations for patient safety.

Automated Creak Differentiates Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia and Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether automated estimates of vocal creak would differentiate speakers with adductor laryngeal dystonia (AdLD) from speakers with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) and speakers without voice disorders. METHODS: Sixteen speakers with AdLD, sixteen speakers with MTD, and sixteen speakers without voice disorders were recorded in a quiet environment reading aloud a standard paragraph. An open-source creak detector was used to calculate the percentage of creak (% creak) in each of the speaker's six recorded sentences. RESULTS: A Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant effect of group on the % creak with a large effect size. Pairwise Wilcoxon tests revealed a statistically significant difference in % creak between speakers with AdLD and controls as well as between speakers with AdLD and MTD. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated that % creak differentiated AdLD from both controls and speakers with MTD with high sensitivity and specificity (area under the curve statistics of 0.94 and 0.86, respectively). CONCLUSION: Percentage of creak as calculated by an automated creak detector may be useful as a quantitative indicator of AdLD, demonstrating the potential for use as a screening tool or to aid in a differential diagnosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:2687-2694, 2023.

Social determinants of health and treatment decisions in head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study compares select social determinants of health (SDOH) with treatment modality selection and treatment completion in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, to better understand disparities in health outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of HNC (n = 1428) patients was conducted. Demographic and disease-specific variables were recorded, including treatment modality selection and completion. Data were analyzed using two-sample t tests, chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Primary language was significantly associated with treatment choice, where non-English speakers were less likely to choose treatment as recommended by the Tumor Board. Lower mean distance from the hospital (37.38 [48.31] vs. 16.92 [19.10], p < 0.0001) and a county-based higher mean percentage of bachelor degree or higher education (42.16 [8.82] vs. 44.95 [6.19], p < 0.0003) were associated with treatment selection. CONCLUSION: Language, distance from the hospital, and education affected treatment selection in this study and may be useful in understanding how to counsel patients on treatment selection for HNC.

Geographic Barriers Affect Follow-Up Care in Head and Neck Cancer.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Follow-up care in head and neck cancers (HNC) is critical in managing patient health. However, social determinants of health (SDOH) can create difficulties in maintaining follow-up care. The study goal is to explore how SDOH impacts maintenance of HNC follow-up care appointments. METHODS: A systematic retrospective chart review of 877 HNC patients diagnosed in the past 10 years a safety-net tertiary care hospital with systems to help reduce care disparities. Cohort groups were identified and compared against protocols for follow-up. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, two-sample t-tests, and simple linear regression. RESULTS: The average length of follow-up time in months and average total number of follow-ups over 5 years were 32.96 (34.60) and 9.24 (7.87), respectively. There was no significant difference in follow-up care between United States (US) versus non-US born and English versus non-English speaking patients. Race/ethnicity, county median household income, insurance status, and county educational attainment were not associated with differences in follow-up. However, living a greater distance from the hospital was associated with lower follow-up length and less frequency in follow-up (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: While income, primary language, country of birth, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and markers of educational attainment do not appear to impact HNC follow-up at our safety-net, tertiary care institution, and distance from hospital remains an important contributor to disparities in care. This study shows that many barriers to care can be addressed in a model that addresses SDOH, but there are barriers that still require additional systems and resources. Laryngoscope, 132:1022-1028, 2022.

Investigating Patient Preferences in Medical Student Attire in the Outpatient Otolaryngology Setting.

BACKGROUND: The authors sought to investigate patient preferences on physician and medical student attire in the outpatient otolaryngology setting. METHODS: A prospective sample of 50 (23 males, 27 females) patients presenting to an otolaryngology clinic in a North American teaching hospital, Boston, MA, were included. Patients were seen by a researcher wearing a white coat and either (1) a shirt and tie or (2) surgical scrubs, then completed a Likert-style survey evaluating feelings of trust, comfort, and professionalism. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. RESULTS: Most patients (82%, 41/50) believed that attire was important. Men and older patients were significantly more likely to believe attire was important (P = .01 and .005, respectively). Patients were significantly more comfortable when seen by a provider wearing a shirt and tie compared to scrubs (U = 109.5, P = .021); however, there was no difference in feelings of trust or professionalism (P = .5* and .6*, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Physician attire is important for patients presenting to otolaryngology clinic. Patients favored a white coat with a shirt and tie. Level of Evidence: NA.

Evaluating a Prototype Nasolaryngoscopy Hood During Aerosol-Generating Procedures in Otolaryngology.

OBJECTIVE: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been considerable interest in identifying aerosol- and droplet-generating procedures, as well as efforts to mitigate the spread of these potentially dangerous particulates. This study evaluated the efficacy of a prototype nasolaryngoscopy hood (PNLH) during various clinical scenarios that are known to generate aerosols and droplets. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective detection of airborne aerosol generation during clinical simulation while wearing an PNLH. SETTING: Clinical examination room. METHODS: A particle counter was used to calculate the average number of 0.3-µm particles/L detected during various clinical scenarios that included sneezing, nasolaryngoscopy, sneezing during nasolaryngoscopy, and topical spray administration. Experiments were repeated to compare the PNLH versus no protection. During the sneeze experiments, additional measurements with a conventional N95 were documented. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in aerosols detected during sneezing, sneezing during nasolaryngoscopy, and spray administration, as compared with baseline when no patient barrier was used. With the PNLH in place, the level of aerosols returned to comparable baseline levels in each scenario. Of note, routine nasolaryngoscopy did not lead to a statistically significant increase in aerosols. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the PNLH is a safe and effective form of protection that can be used in clinical practice to help mitigate the generation of aerosols during nasolaryngoscopy. While nasolaryngoscopy itself was not shown to produce significant aerosols, the PNLH managed to lessen the aerosol burden during sneezing episodes associated with nasolaryngoscopy.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the palatine tonsils: FDG standardized uptake value ratio as a biomarker to differentiate tonsillar carcinoma from physiologic uptake.

PURPOSE: To quantify fluorine 18 ((18)F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the palatine tonsils to identify a sensitive and specific metric for distinguishing physiologic asymmetric uptake from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This HIPAA-compliant retrospective study was approved by institutional review board. Informed consent requirements were waived. Twenty-six patients (seven female, 19 male; mean age, 53.46 years + or - 10.45 [standard deviation]) with tonsillar SCC were included. Twenty-six patients (seven female, 19 male; mean age, 61.77 years + or - 10.12) with head and neck carcinomas not involving the tonsils were included as control subjects. Tonsil standardized uptake values (SUVs) were measured bilaterally in each group. Independent-samples t test was used to compare mean SUVs, and Pearson correlation was used to evaluate association of FDG uptake between tonsils within control subjects. RESULTS: The mean maximum SUV (SUV(max)) of tonsil tumors was 9.36 + or - 4.54, which was significantly higher than that of contralateral cancer-free tonsils (2.54 + or - 0.88; P < .0001) and tonsils in control subjects (2.98 + or - 1.08; P < .0001). In patients with tonsillar cancer, the mean difference in SUV(max) between tonsils was 10.43 + or - 7.07, which was significantly greater than that in control subjects (0.62 + or - 0.54; P < .0001). The mean SUV(max) ratio between tonsils in patients with carcinoma was 3.79 + or - 1.69, which was threefold higher than in control subjects (1.18 + or - 0.13; P < .0001). For receiver operating characteristic analysis using SUV(max) ratio to differentiate benign uptake from SCC, the area under the curve was 1.00 (95% confidence interval: 1.00, 1.00). A cutoff ratio of 1.48 had 100% sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION: The SUV(max) ratio represents an accurate imaging biomarker for differentiating tonsillar SCC from physiologic (18)F-FDG uptake.

Guidelines for Resident Participation in Otolaryngology Telehealth Clinics During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The practice of otolaryngology has changed drastically since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. To limit exposure and maintain a reserve of caregivers, residency education ceased most clinical activities and shifted to remote lecture consortiums hosted online across the country in lieu of ambulatory and operative experiences. Many practicing university otolaryngologists have transitioned their clinics to telehealth medicine to maintain access to clinical care during the pandemic. The participation of residents in telemedicine visits has not been described. Here we present guidelines and experience-based suggestions for successful resident involvement in telemedicine. While it is unclear what role telehealth medicine may play within the field of otolaryngology beyond the pandemic, our experiences suggest better patient outreach and access. Expanding residents' skill set with telehealth medicine can enhance their education and better prepare them for future practice.

Emerging applications of stereotactic radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.

Advances in the management of locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) have been focused on treatment intensification, including concomitant chemoradiotherapy, biological agents, and combining surgery with chemoradiotherapy. Despite these improvements, locoregional recurrence still constitutes the main pattern of treatment failure. As improvements in radiotherapy delivery and image-guided therapy have come to fruition, the principles of stereotactic radiosurgery are now being applied to extracranial sites, leading to stereotactic body radiotherapy. This article focuses on the emerging evidence for the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy for treatment of HNC as a boost after conventional external-beam radiotherapy, and also as reirradiation in recurrent or second primary HNC.

Anatomy-based algorithms for detecting oral cancer using reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVES: We used reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy to noninvasively and quantitatively distinguish benign from dysplastic/malignant oral lesions. We designed diagnostic algorithms to account for differences in the spectral properties among anatomic sites (gingiva, buccal mucosa, etc). METHODS: In vivo reflectance and fluorescence spectra were collected from 71 patients with oral lesions. The tissue was then biopsied and the specimen evaluated by histopathology. Quantitative parameters related to tissue morphology and biochemistry were extracted from the spectra. Diagnostic algorithms specific for combinations of sites with similar spectral properties were developed. RESULTS: Discrimination of benign from dysplastic/malignant lesions was most successful when algorithms were designed for individual sites (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve [ROC-AUC],0.75 for the lateral surface of the tongue) and was least accurate when all sites were combined (ROC-AUC, 0.60). The combination of sites with similar spectral properties (floor of mouth and lateral surface of the tongue) yielded an ROC-AUC of 0.71. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate spectroscopic detection of oral disease must account for spectral variations among anatomic sites. Anatomy-based algorithms for single sites or combinations of sites demonstrated good diagnostic performance in distinguishing benign lesions from dysplastic/malignant lesions and consistently performed better than algorithms developed for all sites combined.