Impact of Treatment Modalities upon Survival Outcomes in Skull Base and Clival Chordoma: An NCDB Analysis.

Objectives Skull base chordomas are locally aggressive malignant tumors derived from the notochord remnant. There are limited large-scale studies examining the role and extent of surgery and radiation therapy. Design Analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) was performed to evaluate the survival outcomes of various treatments, and to assess for predictors of overall survival (OS). Participants This is a retrospective, population-based cohort study of patients diagnosed with a clival/skull base chordoma between 2004 and 2015 in the NCDB. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Results In all, 468 cases were identified. Forty-nine percent of patients received surgery and 20.7% had positive margins. Mean age at diagnosis was 48.4 years in the surgical cohort, and 55% were males. Of the surgical cohort, 33.8% had negative margins, 20.7% had positive margins, and 45.5% had unknown margin status. Age ≥ 65 (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.63-5.76; p < 0.001), diagnosis between 2010 and 2015 (HR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.26-0.90; p = 0.022), tumor size >5 cm (HR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.26-4.15; p = 0.007), and government insurance (HR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.24-4.2; p = 0.008) were independent predictors of OS. When comparing surgery with or without adjuvant radiation, no survival differences were found, regardless of margin status ( p = 0.66). Conclusion Surgery remains the mainstay of therapy. Advanced age (>65 years), large tumor size, and government insurance were predictors of worse OS. Whereas negative margins and the use of adjuvant radiation did not appear to impact OS, these may very well reduce local recurrences. A multidisciplinary approach is critical in achieving optimal outcomes in this challenging disease.

Surfing-Related Craniofacial Injuries: A NEISS Database Study.

INTRODUCTION: Surfing is a popular pastime in coastal areas around the world with increasing numbers of participants. There is a lack of detailed data in the literature regarding surfing-related head and neck (HN) injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database to characterize patient demographics, injury types, injury subsite, and emergency department (ED) disposition status associated with surfing-related HN injuries between 2009 and 2020 in the United States. RESULTS: A total of 54,978 estimated national cases were reported from 2009 to 2020. Injuries to the head (36.0%) and neck (35.8%) were most common. Young adults (ages 18-35) made up most ED visits, whereas older adults (>35) made up most (63.5%) admissions. Laceration (46.1%) was the most common injury among ED visits, whereas fracture (30.5%) and internal injury (29.2%) were most common in admitted patients. Concussions represented 7.5% of injuries overall, 9.1% of pediatric injuries, and 9.9% of young adult injuries. CONCLUSIONS: When treating a patient who presents with injury suffered during surfing, a thorough examination of the HN should be performed. Specific attention should be given to evaluation of lacerations, fractures, internal ear injuries, and concussions. Pediatric and young adult patients are at increased risk of concussion. The majority of surfing injuries can be treated in an outpatient context.

Migraine Features in Patients With Isolated Aural Fullness and Proposal for a New Diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the presence of migraine features between patients with isolated aural fullness (AF) who meet the diagnostic criteria for migraine headache and those who do not, and to propose diagnostic criteria for migraine-related AF based on our results. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients presenting to a tertiary-care neurotology clinic between 2014 and 2020 with migraine-related AF. This was defined as isolated, prolonged aural fullness concurrent with migraine features once other etiologies were ruled out via examination, audiometry, and imaging. Migraine features were compared between patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for migraine headache and those not meeting the criteria. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients with migraine-related AF were included. The mean age was 56 ±â€Š15 years and 55 (71%) patients were female. Eleven (14%) patients fulfilled the criteria for migraine headache (migraine group). Of the 66 patients who did not meet the criteria (nonmigraine group), 17 (26%) met 4/5 criteria, and 32 (48%) met 3/5 criteria, for a total of 49 (74%) patients. The migraine and nonmigraine groups were only different in 5 of 20 features, including family history of migraine (p = 0.007), sound sensitivity (p < 0.001), mental fogginess (p = 0.008), visual motion sensitivity (p = 0.008), and light sensitivity (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There are minimal differences in the overall prevalence of migraine features between patients with migraine-related AF who meet and do not meet the diagnostic criteria for migraine. Our findings suggest that the criteria may be too stringent and exclude many patients from potentially benefitting from treatment with migraine prophylaxis.

Tinnitus and Subjective Hearing Loss are More Common in Migraine: A Cross-Sectional NHANES Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether migraine is independently associated with tinnitus and subjective hearing loss (HL) in a large national database. METHODS: The de-identified 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database was retrospectively queried for subjects aged 18 to 65. HL and tinnitus were subjectively reported by subjects. RESULTS: A total of 12,962 subjects (52.9% female) with a mean age of 38.1 ±â€Š14.6 years were included. This consisted of 2,657 (20.5%), 2,344 (18.1%), and 2,582 (19.9%) subjects who had migraine, subjective-HL, and tinnitus, respectively. In patients with tinnitus or subjective-HL, migraine was reported in 35.6% and 24.5%, respectively. Migraineurs were more likely to have subjective-HL (25.0% vs. 16.6%, p < 0.001) and tinnitus (34.6% vs. 16.9%, p < 0.001) compared to the nonmigraineurs. This corresponded to migraine having an odds ratio of 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-1.7, p < 0.001) and 2.2 (95% CI 2.0-2.4, p < 0.001) for subjective-HL and tinnitus, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, subjective-HL (odds ratio [OR] = 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.4, p = 0.003), tinnitus (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.9-2.3, p < 0.001), and neck pain (OR = 4.0, 95% CI 3.6-4.5, p < 0.001) were more common in migraineurs. Among migraineurs, a higher proportion of those with tinnitus also had subjective-HL compared to those without tinnitus (40.0% vs. 15.3%, p < 0.001), and a higher proportion of those with subjective-HL also had tinnitus compared to those without HL (58.1% vs. 27.3%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests an independent association between migraine with subjective-HL and tinnitus. Otologic migraine, which is the effects of migraine on the ear, may be partly responsible for the link between HL, tinnitus, neck pain, and migraine.

Short-Term Morbidity and Predictors of Adverse Events Following Esthesioneuroblastoma Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: The short-term adverse events and predictors of morbidity in surgical resection of esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) are largely unknown, and investigating these variables can help direct planning for at-risk patients. METHODS: The 2005-2017 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify patients with a diagnosis of ENB undergoing skull base surgery for tumor resection. Information regarding demographics, patient morbidity score, pre-operative and intra-operative data, and post-operative outcomes were extracted. Cox proportional hazard analysis was utilized to assess complication and readmission/reoperation rates. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients undergoing skull base surgery for resection of ENB were included. Mean age, BMI, operation time, and post-operative length of stay (LOS) of the cohort were 53.6 ± 16.2 years, 29.1 ± 6.5, 392.0 ± 204.6 minutes, and 5.8 ± 4.6 days, respectively. In total, 31 patients (32.6%) experienced at least one 30-day adverse event, which included blood transfusion intra-operatively or within 72 hours from the operation (22.1%), readmission (10.7%), intubation >48 hours (7.4%), reintubation (4.2%), organ or space infection (4.2%), reoperation (4.0%), superficial or deep surgical site infection (2.1%), sepsis (2.1%), pulmonary embolism (1.1%), and myocardial infarction (1.1%). Patients who experienced at least one adverse event had significantly higher operation time (486.8 ± 230.4 vs. 347.5 ± 176.2 minutes, p = 0.002), LOS (9.2 ± 5.6 days vs. 4.2 ± 3.0, p < 0.001), and lower hematocrit (37.3 ± 5.9 vs. 41.2 ± 3.8, p < 0.001) and albumin levels (3.8 ± 0.6 vs. 4.2 ± 0.3, p = 0.009). Patients with a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (HR = 2.39; p = 0.047) or longer operation time (HR = 1.004; p = 0.001) had a significantly higher risk for experiencing adverse events. Obesity was not associated with different intra- or post-operative outcomes, but older patients had shorter operations (p = 0.002) and LOS (p = 0.0014). CONCLUSION: Longer operation time and lower pre-operative hematocrit and albumin levels may all increase complication rates in ENB resection. Patients with high ASA score or more advanced age may have different short-term outcomes.

Appropriate extent of surgery for aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

The current literature lacks strong guidelines regarding surgical management of patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), who present with the clinical triad of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), bronchial asthma, and aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug intolerance. To further define the effectiveness of sinus surgery in treating AERD patients, this review article discusses current evidence regarding outcomes associated with more extensive surgery, the benefits of frontal sinus surgery on polyposis, and the role of Draf III intervention. Numerous studies suggest that Draf III frontal sinusotomy may be an efficacious early intervention due to increased neo-ostial patency and subsequent distribution of topical therapies. Future studies that further investigate the efficacy and safety of extensive surgery in AERD patients are warranted.

False-Positive Cholesteatomas on Non-Echoplanar Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate false-positive findings on non-echoplanar (non-EPI) diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in patients under surveillance post-cholesteatoma surgery. STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SUBJECTS, AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on patients diagnosed with cholesteatoma who underwent surgical resection and were then followed by serial non-EPI DWI using half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) sequence. All patients had at least two annual follow-up imaging studies. RESULTS: False-positive findings were identified in four patients. The size of the suspected lesions was 4 to 12 mm. Otoendoscopy was used during all primary cases and Argon laser was used in one case. In all cases, the entire cholesteatoma was removed, and no residual disease was detected at the end of the procedures. One patient underwent revision surgery but only cartilage graft was found in the area of concern. All patients had stable or resolved hyperintense areas in the subsequent HASTE sequences. CONCLUSION: False positive findings can occur with non-EPI DWI MRI and patients need to be counseled accordingly before revision surgery. Decreasing intensity and dimension of a suspected lesion and a positive finding in an area other than the location of the initial cholesteatoma may favor a false positive. If a false positive finding is suspected when the surgeon is confident of complete resection of the cholesteatoma, an MRI can be repeated in 6 to 12 months to assess changes in the dimension and intensity of the area of concern. Cartilage grafts may cause restricted diffusion on DWI sequences.

Rhinosinusitis in Pediatric Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia: Impact of Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetic disorder characterized by abnormal respiratory cilia ultrastructure and/or function causing defective mucociliary clearance. We investigated the extent and severity of rhinosinusitis in a large cohort of children with PCD and explored associations among risk factors, including genotype and sinus disease. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary academic children's hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A review was conducted with a patient registry at the PCD Foundation Center at our institution. Demographic, imaging, clinical, and operative data were reviewed through the institutional electronic health record system. RESULTS: Fifty-four subjects were identified with mean and median age at diagnosis of 5.2 and 4.0 years. The male:female ratio was 35%:65%. Sinus symptoms were present in 46 (85%) subjects, 22 of whom had chronic rhinosinusitis. Nineteen (35%) subjects underwent operative intervention, consisting of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS; 16 patients) and maxillary lavage (3 patients). Nineteen subjects underwent adenoidectomy for PCD-related indications. Five sinus-related admissions in 3 subjects were noted during the study period, and no complication of rhinosinusitis occurred in the cohort. Genetic test results were available in 27 subjects, in whom 23 (85%) had biallelic mutations in a PCD gene. Demographic factors, Lund-Mackay score, and PCD genotype were not found to be predictors for ESS or hospitalization in our cohort. CONCLUSION: While rhinosinusitis was common in our PCD cohort, most patients did not require ESS. Since complications of rhinosinusitis were uncommon, we recommend judicious surgical management tailored to the patient's symptoms.

Self-assembling peptides for stem cell and tissue engineering.

Regenerative medicine holds great potential to address many shortcomings in current medical therapies. An emerging avenue of regenerative medicine is the use of self-assembling peptides (SAP) in conjunction with stem cells to improve the repair of damaged tissues. The specific peptide sequence, mechanical properties, and nanotopographical cues vary widely between different SAPs, many of which have been used for the regeneration of similar tissues. To evaluate the potential of SAPs to guide stem cell fate, we extensively reviewed the literature for reports of SAPs and stem cell differentiation. To portray the most accurate summary of these studies, we deliberately discuss both the successes and pitfalls, allowing us to make conclusions that span the breadth of this exciting field. We also expand on these conclusions by relating these findings to the fields of nanotopography, mechanotransduction, and the native composition of the extracellular matrix in specific tissues to identify potential directions for future research.