Risk of Acquiring Perioperative COVID-19 During the Initial Pandemic Peak: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of acquiring perioperative COVID-19 infection in previously COVID-19 negative patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: During the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was significant concern of hospital acquired COVID-19 infections. Medical centers rapidly implemented systems to minimize perioperative transmission, including routine preoperative testing, patient isolation, and enhanced cleaning. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, medical records of all adult patients who underwent surgery at our quaternary, acute care hospital between March 15 and May 15, 2020 were reviewed. The risk of preoperatively negative patients developing symptomatic COVID-19 within 2-14 days postoperatively was determined. Surgical characteristics, outcomes, and complications were compared between those with and without acquired perioperative COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: Among 501 negative patients undergoing index surgeries, 9 (1.8%) developed symptomatic COVID-19 in the postoperative period; all occurred before implementation of routine preoperative testing [9/243, 3.7% vs 0/258, 0%, odds ratio (OR): 0.048, P = 0.036]. No patient who was polymerase-chain-reaction negative on the day of surgery (n = 170) developed postoperative infection. Perioperative infection was associated with preoperative diabetes (OR: 3.70, P = 0.042), cardiovascular disease (OR: 3.69, P = 0.043), angiotensin receptor blocker use (OR: 6.58, P = 0.004), and transplant surgery (OR: 11.00, P = 0.002), and multiple complications, readmission (OR: 5.50, P = 0.029) and death (OR: 12.81, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: During the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was minimal risk of acquiring symptomatic perioperative COVID-19 infection, especially after the implementation of routine preoperative testing. However, perioperative COVID-19 infection was associated with poor postoperative outcome.

SARS-COV-2 transmission rate is low when following a COVID+ patient in the operating room.

PURPOSE: Acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection for uninfected patients undergoing surgical procedures following a COVID positive (COVID+) patient is of significant concern, both for patients seeking medical care in hospital settings and for management of surgical services during pandemic times. METHODS: Using data identifying all COVID+ surgical patients during the initial pandemic peak in New York City (March 15 to May 15, 2020), we analyzed the rate of postoperative symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in COVID negative (COVID-) patients undergoing surgery in the same operating room within 48 h, thus determining nosocomial symptomatic infection rate attributable to COVID operating room exposure. RESULTS: Five COVID- patients directly followed a COVID+ patient, while 19 patients were exposed to COVID+ operating rooms within 24 h. By 48 h, 21 additional patients were exposed. No exposed patients acquired symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection postoperatively. CONCLUSION: With implementation of infection prevention and control procedures in the operating room under local pandemic conditions, our findings suggest that the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection, when following a COVID+ patient in the same operating room, is very low.

Chemical and mechanical stimuli act on common signal transduction and cytoskeletal networks.

Signal transduction pathways activated by chemoattractants have been extensively studied, but little is known about the events mediating responses to mechanical stimuli. We discovered that acute mechanical perturbation of cells triggered transient activation of all tested components of the chemotactic signal transduction network, as well as actin polymerization. Similarly to chemoattractants, the shear flow-induced signal transduction events displayed features of excitability, including the ability to mount a full response irrespective of the length of the stimulation and a refractory period that is shared with that generated by chemoattractants. Loss of G protein subunits, inhibition of multiple signal transduction events, or disruption of calcium signaling attenuated the response to acute mechanical stimulation. Unlike the response to chemoattractants, an intact actin cytoskeleton was essential for reacting to mechanical perturbation. These results taken together suggest that chemotactic and mechanical stimuli trigger activation of a common signal transduction network that integrates external cues to regulate cytoskeletal activity and drive cell migration.

Quality of Office-based Procedure Training During Laryngology Fellowship.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to assess the perspectives of recent laryngology fellowship graduates on office-based procedure training, with a secondary objective to compare this with previous research on perspectives of fellowship directors. METHODS: Recent laryngology fellowship graduates were surveyed via an online survey platform regarding post-fellowship practice and various aspects of office-based procedure training, including perceived competence, mentorship, and barriers. RESULTS: There were 51 respondents. Seventy-six percent of respondents felt they "definitely" received adequate office procedure training. Number of procedures as primary surgeon was significantly associated with perception of adequate training (OR 1.54, 95% CI: 1.08-2.19, p = 0.018) and high post-fellowship office procedure volume (OR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.02-2.39, p = 0.040). Fellows reported a lower percentage of procedures as primary surgeons compared with program directors (46.8% vs. 61.9%, p = 0.028). Fellows and directors agreed that informal debriefs were more commonly employed than more structured training elements such as checklists and simulators. Of nine office procedures, laryngeal electromyography, KTP laser, and transnasal esophagoscopy had the greatest decreases in practice after training. CONCLUSION: Although most recent laryngology fellowship graduates endorse adequate office-based procedure training, a range of individual experiences exists, and office procedure volume, both overall and across individual procedures, may decrease after fellowship. Fellows performing office procedures as primary surgeons may be linked to perceived quality of training and post-fellowship volume. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 134:1802-1806, 2024.

Accessing the Eustachian tube: Conventional nasal spray vs. exhalation delivery system and the impact of targeted endoscopic sinus surgery on topical distribution patterns.

BACKGROUND: Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) may occur distinct from, or in conjunction with, chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS+ETD). Intranasal corticosteroid sprays are often prescribed for ETD, although ET distribution may be limited. To date, no anatomic studies compare nasopharynx (NP) distribution between conventional nasal sprays (NS) and exhalation delivery systems (EDS) after surgery. This study utilizes a cadaver model to examine topical NP delivery using EDS vs. NS before and after targeted endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). METHODS: Sixteen sinonasal cavities were administered fluorescein solution via NS and EDS before and after maxillary antrostomy and anterior ethmoidectomy, followed by nasal endoscopy of the NP and ET orifice. Seven blinded experts submitted staining ratings of endoscopy images on a 0- to 3-point scale, with ratings averaged for analysis. RESULTS: Interrater reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation, 0.956). EDS was associated with significantly greater NP staining vs. NS in a pooled cohort of nonsurgical and ESS specimens (1.19 ± 0.81 vs. 0.78 ± 1.06; p = 0.043). Using a logistic regression model, EDS significantly outperformed NS in nonsurgical (odds ratio [OR], 3.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-10.09; p = 0.021) and post-ESS (OR, 9.00; 95% CI, 1.95-41.5; p = 0.005) specimens, with the greatest relative staining observed for EDS after targeted ESS (OR, 18.99; 95% CI, 3.44-104.85; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: EDS is more effective than NS in topical delivery to the NP and ET orifices in cadavers. Targeted ESS may facilitate greater NP penetration by EDS compared with NS, with possible synergism after ESS for augmented delivery. These findings suggest a role for EDS delivery methods for ETD management and in CRS+ETD patients undergoing sinus surgery.

Delivering Therapy to the Olfactory Cleft: A Comparison of the Various Methods of Administering Topical Nasal Medications.

Background and objective Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory condition affecting the nasal mucosa, and it causes olfactory dysfunction (OD) in up to 78.2% of patients. Corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment to shrink nasal polyposis, reduce inflammation, and improve olfactory function. While many delivery methods for topical nasal corticosteroids exist, there is scarce data on the efficacy of the various medication delivery methods to the olfactory cleft (OC). In light of this, this study aimed to compare the following delivery methods to the OC: conventional nasal spray (NS), nasal drops in the Kaiteki position (KP), and exhalation delivery system (EDS). Methods We evaluated 16 sinonasal cavities from eight cadaver specimens in this study. Each sinonasal cavity was administered fluorescein dye solution via NS, KP, and EDS. Following administration, nasal endoscopy was employed to capture staining patterns in the OC. OC staining was rated with scores ranging from 0 (no staining) to 3 (heavy staining) after each administration of dye solution. Mean OC staining ratings were calculated and compared using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results The mean OC staining score for the different delivery methods was as follows - NS: 1.095 ± 1.008, EDS: 0.670 ± 0.674, and KP: 2.038 ± 1.097. Nasal drops in the KP had a significantly higher staining score compared to NS (p=0.041) and EDS (p=0.003). However, there was no significant difference in staining scores between NS and EDS. Conclusions Nasal drops in the KP are more effective at reaching the OC than NS or EDS and should be considered as a first-line modality for administering topical medications when treating OD.

Duration of Clinical Response After In-Office Steroid Injection for Vocal Fold Scar.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the duration of clinical response after in-office vocal fold steroid injection (VFSI) for vocal fold (VF) scar. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data for in-office VFSI occurring from 2017 to 2020 were collected. Two Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) used perceptual evaluation of voice and functional scales to evaluate blinded voice and laryngovideostroboscopy (LVS) samples collected pre- and post-injection across multiple timepoints. RESULTS: Blinded SLP ratings were used for 30 individual VFs undergoing initial injection in 18 patients. Persistent improvement in voice past 6 months was seen in 57% of patients after VFSI. Multiple measures of voice and amplitude, percent vibrating tissue, and closed phase predominance significantly improved at various follow-up timepoints on average. CONCLUSION: Accounting for patient heterogeneity and disease progression, in-office VFSI for VF scar is associated with sustained improvement in a subset of patients. Approximately half of patients can expect to experience a lasting improvement in voice. Future studies of larger scale are required to identify patient factors associated with long-term benefit. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:2333-2339, 2023.

Practice of Telehealth in Otolaryngology: A Scoping Review in the Era of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred widespread adoption and advancement in telehealth activities, representing a marked change in otolaryngology practice patterns. The present study undertakes a scoping review of research focused on telehealth in otolaryngology (teleotolaryngology) to identify key themes and commonly utilized outcome measures that will assist future development in this growing field. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases and reference review. REVIEW METHODS: Per guidelines of the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, we performed database queries using a comprehensive search strategy developed in collaboration with research librarians at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. We identified 596 unique references to undergo title and abstract review by 2 independent reviewers, leaving 439 studies for full-text review. RESULTS: We included 285 studies for extraction of notable findings, leaving 262 unique studies after accounting for content overlap. We identified core outcome measures, including patient and provider satisfaction, costs and benefits, quality of care, feasibility, and access to care. Publication volume increased markedly over time, though only 4% of studies incorporated randomized study group assignment. Using an iterative approach to thematic development, we organized article content across 5 main themes: (1) exploration of teleotolaryngology evolution, (2) role in virtual clinical encounters, (3) applications in interdisciplinary care and educational initiatives, (4) emerging and innovative technologies, and (5) barriers to implementation. CONCLUSION: This scoping review of teleotolaryngology documents its evolution and identifies current use cases, limitations, and emerging applications, providing a foundation from which to build future studies, inform policy decision making, and facilitate implementation where appropriate.

Antibiotic adverse effects in pediatric acute rhinosinusitis: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) is often treated with oral antibiotics, with limited insight into adverse effects (AEs) across drug classes. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we characterize AE incidence associated with oral antibiotics in these patients. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL: We searched PubMed and Embase for English-language articles published from 1985 to September 2020 reporting AEs of oral antibiotic therapy for ABRS patients aged 0-18 years. Six-hundred and sixty-six articles underwent title and abstract screening, identifying 154 articles for full-length review. RESULTS: Eleven articles were included, most of which reported individual and aggregate AE incidences. Amoxicillin/clavulanate, amoxicillin, cephalosporin/carbacephem, and placebo groups were identified. Random-effects meta-analysis of prospective groups identified appreciable incidences of diarrhea and abdominal pain, and low incidence of rash, for amoxicillin-clavulanate and amoxicillin. All antibiotics as well as placebo were associated with non-zero overall AE incidence. Children receiving antibiotics were about twice as likely to incur any AE during treatment in placebo-controlled studies, though this association was not significant. High heterogeneity limited most point estimates, with risk of bias, typically in outcomes measurement, detected in most studies. CONCLUSIONS: Reporting of AEs associated with oral antibiotic use in pediatric ABRS is limited in current literature. Adverse effects are non-negligible, but may not significantly exceed placebo.

Beyond aroma: A scoping review on the impact of chronic rhinosinusitis on retronasal olfaction.

Background: Retronasal olfaction (RNO) refers to the perception of odorants inhaled through the mouth and carried through the nasopharynx to olfactory receptors within the olfactory cleft, enabling the perception of flavor. Although orthonasal olfactory dysfunction in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has been widely described, the impact of CRS on RNO is less clear. In this study, we systematically review available literature to provide an update on RNO in the setting of CRS. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Ovid Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for studies examining RNO in patients with documented CRS. The primary outcome of interest was objective psychophysical measurement of olfaction, including characterization of RNO. Results: We identified 404 unique references that underwent title and abstract review by two independent reviewers, with 52 articles undergoing full-text review, where 10 relevant studies underwent data extraction. Although outcome measures varied, all included studies demonstrated diminished RNO in patients with CRS. Of six studies evaluating the relationship between retronasal and orthonasal olfactory test scores in CRS patients two out of six (33%) demonstrated a correlation between both forms of olfaction and CRS, and two out of six studies (33%) found significantly lower orthonasal olfactory test scores compared to retronasal olfactory test scores. Two of three found significant improvement in RNO with treatment of underlying CRS. Of three studies examining patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in CRS, two found significant associations between retronasal olfactory test scores and PROMs. Conclusions: Based on the current literature, CRS patients appear to have diminished RNO, which may be associated with orthonasal olfactory dysfunction and decreased quality of life in this population. Higher level of evidence studies are required to further elucidate these relationships and the impact of medical and surgical CRS management on RNO.

Laryngeal Injury Due to Amikacin Inhalation for Refractory Mycobacterium avium Complex Infection.

Inhaled antibiotics have long been used for chronic lung infections, especially in patients with cystic fibrosis and increasingly for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (ALIS) has emerged as a promising treatment for Mycobacterium avium complex infection refractory to oral antibiotics. However, despite its efficacy, nearly one-half of patients in phase II and III trials experienced dysphonia as a treatment-associated adverse effect. Here, we describe a patient who experienced severe, acute-onset laryngitis while receiving ALIS for refractory M avium complex infection, prompting discontinuation of ALIS therapy. This is the first report directly describing vocal fold injury due to such therapy. Given the high frequency of dysphonia reported with ALIS, this case highlights the potential severity of laryngeal toxicity, the importance of coordination of care for patients receiving inhaled antibiotics for chronic pulmonary disease, and the need for better insight into mechanisms of toxicity.

Mechanosensing through Direct Binding of Tensed F-Actin by LIM Domains.

Mechanical signals transmitted through the cytoplasmic actin cytoskeleton must be relayed to the nucleus to control gene expression. LIM domains are protein-protein interaction modules found in cytoskeletal proteins and transcriptional regulators. Here, we identify three LIM protein families (zyxin, paxillin, and FHL) whose members preferentially localize to the actin cytoskeleton in mechanically stimulated cells through their tandem LIM domains. A minimal actin-myosin reconstitution system reveals that representatives of all three families directly bind F-actin only in the presence of mechanical force. Point mutations at a site conserved in each LIM domain of these proteins disrupt tensed F-actin binding in vitro and cytoskeletal localization in cells, demonstrating a common, avidity-based mechanism. Finally, we find that binding to tensed F-actin in the cytoplasm excludes the cancer-associated transcriptional co-activator FHL2 from the nucleus in stiff microenvironments. This establishes direct force-activated F-actin binding as a mechanosensing mechanism by which cytoskeletal tension can govern nuclear localization.