Traumatic penetrating head injury by crossbow projectiles: A case report and literature review.

Background: Low-energy penetrating head injuries caused by arrows are relatively uncommon. The objective of this report is to describe a case presentation and management of self-inflicted intracranial injury using a crossbow and to provide a relevant literature review. Case Report: A 31-year-old man with a previous psychiatric history sustained a self-inflicted injury using a crossbow that he bought from a department store. The patient arrived neurologically intact at the hospital, fully awake and oriented. He was not able to verbalize due to immobilization of the jaw as well as fixation of his tongue to his hard palate secondary to the position of the arrow. The trajectory of the object showed an entry point at the floor of the oral cavity and an exit through the calvarium just off the midline. The oral and nasal cavity, along with the palate and, the skull base of the anterior cranial fossa, and the left frontal lobe, were all breached. No vascular injury was identified clinically or in imaging. The arrow was surgically removed in the operating room after establishing an elective surgical airway. The floor of the mouth, tongue, and palate was repaired next. A planned delayed cerebrospinal fluid leak repair was performed. The patient made a substantial recovery and was discharged home in good functional status. A systematic literature search was done using Medline for cases with intracranial injuries related to crossbows to review and appraise the available literature. Conclusion: A thorough assessment in a multidisciplinary trauma center and the availability of a subspecialty care team, including neurosurgery and otolaryngology, are paramount in such cases. The vascular imaging should be done before and after any planned surgical intervention. Emergent and elective surgical airway management should be considered and made available throughout the stabilization and care of the acute injury. Surgical management should be planned to remove the object with adequate exposure to facilitate visualization, removal, and the possible need for further intervention, including anticipating aerodigestive and vascular injuries on removal. Finally, access to weapons and the relation to psychiatric illness should not be overlooked, as many reported cases are self-harming in nature.

Quantifying surgical completeness in patients with aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease.

BACKGROUND: Aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) in patients who have had sinus surgery remains a management challenge. Aspirin desensitization and biologics are additional treatment options. It remains unclear if patients require a more comprehensive surgery prior to implementing such additional therapies. The purpose of this study was to quantify prior surgery completeness in AERD patients at a tertiary rhinology practice. METHODS: Paranasal sinus CT scans were reviewed by four academic rhinologists to assess surgery completeness. Using a published CT grading system, each sinus was graded on the completeness of surgery and middle turbinate reduction. A score out of 14 was calculated for each patient (7 per side). RESULTS: Sixty-one patients with AERD out of 141 available were included. Mean inter-rater agreement across all sinuses was moderate (k = 0.42). The mean completeness score was 6.7/14. The following procedures were rated as complete (means): uncinectomy (L: 84%, R: 82%, k = 0.44), maxillary (L: 83%, R: 77%, k = 0.32), middle turbinate reduction (L: 45%, R: 46%, k = 0.31), anterior ethmoid (L: 35%, R: 39%, k = 0.51), sphenoid (L: 36%, R: 35%, k = 0.4), posterior ethmoid (L: 30%, R: 30%, k = 0.48), frontal (L: 22%, R: 21%, k = 0.46). CONCLUSION: Prior surgery in AERD patients were mostly deemed incomplete. Uncinectomy and maxillary antrostomy are the most common procedures previously performed. It remains toe seen whether this would be considered 'adequate' surgery or more 'complete' surgery is required to achieve greater disease control.

Early-onset juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA): a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA) is a fibrovascular tumor of the nasopharynx that classically presents in adolescent males. The reported mean age of onset is between 13 and 22 years old [1-6]. Significant androgen stimulation is hypothesized to explain the strong predisposition for JNA to present in young adolescent males. However, considerable variability in age at diagnosis exists with rare involvement of very young patients incongruent with typical male pubertal growth patterns. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review is to identify cases of early-onset JNA (EOJNA), (defined as age < 10 years) in the literature and to examine the disease characteristics and treatments used in this patient group. A case of a 7 year old boy with EOJNA at our institution is also described and presented. METHODS: We searched Embase, Cochrane database and MEDLINE from 1996 to February 2021 for studies that reported cases of EOJNA. Relevant clinico-demographic data, disease severity and treatment outcomes were recorded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. We compared our findings with reported means for JNA in all ages. RESULTS: We identified 29 studies containing a total of 34 cases of EOJNA. The vast majority (31/34) of patients were males and the mean age of diagnosis was 8.15 years old. The most common presenting symptoms were nasal obstruction (65.2%) and epistaxis (60.9%). Patients were most commonly Radkowski stage II (39.4%) and III (39.4%). Primary treatment modalities included open surgery (66.7%), endoscopic surgery (24.2%), and radiotherapy (9.1%). Recurrence was evident in 30%. Radkowski stage and type of treatment did not differ significantly within the EOJNA group (p = 0.440 and p = 0.659, respectively). CONCLUSION: This systematic review suggests that rare cases of EOJNA have distinct disease characteristics. Patients in this cohort appeared to have more advanced disease and higher recurrence rates when compared with reported averages. We hope that this review prompts increased clinical awareness of this potentially more aggressive subtype of JNA. As more cases of EOJNA are reported, a more powered statistical analysis of this cohort would be feasible.

Evaluation of the reproducibility of responses to nasal allergen challenge and effects of inhaled nasal corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND: Similar immune responses in the nasal and bronchial mucosa implies that nasal allergen challenge (NAC) is a suitable early phase experimental model for drug development targeting allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. We assessed NAC reproducibility and the effects of intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) on symptoms, physiology, and inflammatory mediators. METHODS: 20 participants with mild atopic asthma and AR underwent three single blinded nasal challenges each separated by three weeks (NCT03431961). Cohort A (n = 10) underwent a control saline challenge, followed by two allergen challenges. Cohort B (n = 10) underwent a NAC with no treatment intervention, followed by NAC with 14 days pre-treatment with saline nasal spray (placebo), then NAC with 14 days pre-treatment with INCS (220 µg triamcinolone acetonide twice daily). Nasosorption, nasal lavage, blood samples, forced expiratory volume 1 (FEV1), total nasal symptom score (TNSS), peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) were collected up to 24 h after NAC. Total and active tryptase were measured as early-phase allergy biomarkers (≤30 min) and IL-13 and eosinophil cell counts as late-phase allergy biomarkers (3-7 h) in serum and nasal samples. Period-period reproducibility was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and sample size estimates were performed using effect sizes measured after INCS. RESULTS: NAC significantly induced acute increases in nasosorption tryptase and TNSS and reduced PNIF, and induced late increases in nasosorption IL-13 with sustained reductions in PNIF. Reproducibility across NACs varied for symptoms and biomarkers, with total tryptase 5 min post NAC having the highest reproducibility (ICC = 0.91). Treatment with INCS inhibited NAC-induced IL-13 while blunting changes in TNSS and PNIF. For a similar crossover study, 7 participants per treatment arm are needed to detect treatment effects comparable to INCS for TNSS. CONCLUSION: NAC-induced biomarkers and symptoms are reproducible and responsive to INCS. NAC is suitable for assessing pharmacodynamic activity and proof of mechanism for drugs targeting allergic inflammation.

Tranexamic acid in endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and endoscopic skull base surgery (ESBS) approaches have revolutionized the management of sinonasal and intracranial pathology. Maintaining surgical hemostasis is essential as bleeding can obscure the visibility of the surgical field, thus increasing surgical duration, risk of complications, and procedural failure. Tranexamic acid (TXA) acts to reduce bleeding by inhibiting fibrin degradation. This review aims to assess whether TXA improves surgical field quality and reduces intraoperative blood loss compared with control. METHODS: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from inception until September 1, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened citations, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. Data were pooled using a random-effect model, with continuous data presented as mean differences and dichotomous data presented as odds ratios. RESULTS: Seventeen ESS randomized controlled trials (n = 1377) and one ESBS randomized controlled trial (n = 50) were reviewed. Significant improvement in surgical field quality was achieved with both systemic TXA (six studies, p < 0.00001) and topical TXA (six studies, p = 0.01) compared with the control. Systemic TXA (eight studies) and topical TXA (three studies) both achieved a significant reduction in intraoperative blood loss compared with the control (p < 0.00001). There were significant differences in operative times (p < 0.001) but no significant difference in perioperative outcomes (p = 0.30). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrated that the administration of TXA in ESS can improve surgical field quality and reduce intraoperative blood loss. TXA use did not result in increased perioperative complications including thrombotic events.

Canadian multidisciplinary expert consensus on the use of biologics in upper airways: a Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) often coexists with lower airway disease. With the overlap between upper and lower airway disease, optimal management of the upper airways is undertaken in conjunction with that of the lower airways. Biologic therapy with targeted activity within the Type 2 inflammatory pathway can improve the clinical signs and symptoms of both upper and lower airway diseases. Knowledge gaps nevertheless exist in how best to approach patient care as a whole. There have been sixteen randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trails performed for CRSwNP targeted components of the Type 2 inflammatory pathway, notably interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13, IL- 5R, IL-33, and immunoglobulin (Ig)E. This white paper considers the perspectives of experts in various disciplines such as rhinology, allergy, and respirology across Canada, all of whom have unique and valuable insights to contribute on how to best approach patients with upper airway disease from a multidisciplinary perspective. METHODS: A Delphi Method process was utilized involving three rounds of questionnaires in which the first two were completed individually online and the third was discussed on a virtual platform with all the panelists. A national multidisciplinary expert panel of 34 certified specialists was created, composed of 16 rhinologists, 7 allergists, and 11 respirologists who evaluated the 20 original statements on a scale of 1-9 and provided comments. All ratings were quantitively reviewed by mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation and inter-rater reliability. Consensus was defined by relative interrater reliability measures-kappa coefficient ([Formula: see text]) value > 0.61. RESULTS: After three rounds, a total of 22 statements achieved consensus. This white paper only contains the final agreed upon statements and clear rationale and support for the statements regarding the use of biologics in patients with upper airway disease. CONCLUSION: This white paper provides guidance to Canadian physicians on the use of biologic therapy for the management of upper airway disease from a multidisciplinary perspective, but the medical and surgical regimen should ultimately be individualized to the patient. As more biologics become available and additional trials are published we will provide updated versions of this white paper every few years.

Tracheostomy in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Novel coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) has led to over 6 million fatalities globally. An estimated 75% of COVID-19 patients who require critical care admission develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) needing invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Due to prolonged ventilation requirements, these patients often also require tracheostomy. We performed a review of clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients on ECMO at a high-volume tertiary care center in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. METHODOLOGY: We performed a retrospective case series, including 24 adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who required IMV, veno-venous (ECMO), and tracheostomy. All patients were included from April to December 2021. We extracted demographic and clinical variables pertaining to the tracheostomy procedure and ECMO therapy. We performed descriptive statistical analyses. This study was approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (14217-C). RESULTS: We included 24 consecutive patients with COVID-19 who required tracheostomy while undergoing ECMO therapy. The mean age was 49.4 years [standard deviation (SD): 7.33], the majority of patients were male (75%), with mean body mass index of 32 (SD: 8.81). Overall mortality rate was 33.3%. Percutaneous tracheostomy was performed most frequently (83.3%) and, similar to open tracheostomy, was associated with a low rate of perioperative bleeding complications. Within surviving patients, the mean time to IMV weaning and decannulation was 60.2 (SD: 24.6) and 49.4 days (SD: 21.8), respectively. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous tracheostomy appears to be safe in COVID-19 patients on ECMO and holding anticoagulation 24 hours prior to and after tracheostomy may limit bleeding events in these patients.

Operating Room Noise and Team Communication during Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Multicenter Study.

Operating room (OR) noise contributes to team miscommunication. In facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (FPRS), many cases are completed under sedation. This creates a unique environment wherein patients are aware of OR noise. The objectives of this study were to quantify noise and evaluate team members' perspectives on communication inside of FPRS ORs. This study was completed across three surgical institutions. Objective noise measurements were recorded with SoundMeter X. A communication questionnaire was delivered to OR team members following each case. Four hundred and twenty-three noise measurements were recorded during facelift/neck, eye/brow, rhinoplasty, and fat transfer/lip surgeries. The mean and maximum noise levels were 66.1 dB (dB) and 87.6 dB, respectively. Measurements during cases with general anesthetic (221/423, 52.2%) had higher noise measurements (70.3 dB) compared with those with sedation (202/423, 47.8%) (69.7 dB) (p = 0.04). The OR was louder with suction on (72.3 dB) versus off (69.3 dB) (p <0.00). Suction (34.5%) and music (22.4%) were the largest noise contributors according to questionnaire replies. Intraoperative noise, awake patients, and suctions/music may negatively impact FPRS OR communication. Innovation to improve FPRS intraoperative communication should be considered for effective patient care.

Self-reported olfactory and gustatory dysfunction and psychophysical testing in screening for COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A substantial proportion of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients demonstrate olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (OGD). Self-reporting for OGD is widely used as a predictor of COVID-19. Although psychophysical assessment is currently under investigation in this role, the sensitivity of these screening tests for COVID-19 remains unclear. In this systematic review we assess the sensitivity of self-reporting and psychophysical tests for OGD. METHODS: A systematic search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception until February 16, 2021. Studies of suspected COVID-19 patients with reported smell or taste alterations were included. Data were pooled for meta-analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were reported in the outcomes. RESULTS: In the 50 included studies (42,902 patients), self-reported olfactory dysfunction showed a sensitivity of 43.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37.8%-50.2%), a specificity of 91.8% (95% CI, 89.0%-93.9%), and a DOR of 8.74 (95% CI, 6.67-11.46) for predicting COVID-19 infection. Self-reported gustatory dysfunction yielded a sensitivity of 44.9% (95% CI, 36.4%-53.8%), a specificity of 91.5% (95% CI, 87.7%-94.3%), and a DOR of 8.83 (95% CI, 6.48-12.01). Olfactory psychophysical tests analysis revealed a sensitivity of 52.8% (95% CI, 25.5%-78.6%), a specificity of 88.0% (95% CI, 53.7%-97.9%), and a DOR of 8.18 (95% CI, 3.65-18.36). One study used an identification test for gustatory sensations assessment. CONCLUSION: Although demonstrating high specificity and DOR values, neither self-reported OGD nor unvalidated and limited psychophysical tests were sufficiently sensitive in screening for COVID-19. They were not suitable adjuncts in ruling out the disease.

Diagnosis and Localization of Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea results from abnormal communications between the subarachnoid and sinonasal spaces. Accurate preoperative diagnosis and localization are vital for positive clinical outcomes. However, the diagnosis and localization of CSF rhinorrhea remain suboptimal due to a lack of accurate understanding of test characteristics. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of various tests and imaging modalities for diagnosing and localizing CSF rhinorrhea. METHODS: A systematic review of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. RESULTS: Our search identified 4039 articles-53 cohort studies and 24 case series describing 1622 patients were included. The studies were heterogeneous and had a wide range of sensitivities and specificities. Many specificities were incalculable due to a lack of true negative and false positive results, thus precluding a meta-analysis. Median sensitivities and specificities were calculated for cohort studies of the following investigations: high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) 0.93/0.50 (sensitivity/specificity), magnetic resonance cisternography (MRC) 0.94/0.77, computed tomography cisternography (CTC) 0.95/1.00, radionuclide cisternography (RNC) 0.90/0.50, and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance cisternography (CEMRC) 0.99/1.00, endoscopy 0.58/1.00, topical intranasal fluorescein (TIF) 1.00/incalculable, intrathecal fluorescein (ITF) 0.96/1.00. Case series were reviewed separately. Etiology and site-specific data were also analyzed. CONCLUSION: MR cisternography is more accurate than high-resolution CT at diagnosing and localizing CSF rhinorrhea. CT cisternography, contrast-enhanced MR cisternography, and radionuclide cisternography have good diagnostic characteristics but are invasive. Intrathecal fluorescein shows promising data but has not been widely adopted for purely diagnostic use. Office endoscopy has limited data but does not sufficiently diagnose CSF rhinorrhea independently. These findings confirm with current guidelines and evidence.

Choosing Wisely Canada - pediatric otolaryngology recommendations.

The Choosing Wisely Canada campaign raises awareness amongst physicians and patients regarding unnecessary or inappropriate tests and treatments. Using an online survey, members of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Subspecialty Group within the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery developed a list of nine evidence based recommendations to help physicians and patients make treatment decisions regarding common pediatric otolaryngology presentations: (1) Don't routinely order a plain film x-ray in the evaluation of nasal fractures; (2) Don't order imaging to distinguish acute bacterial sinusitis from an upper respiratory infection; (3) Don't place tympanostomy tubes in most children for a single episode of otitis media with effusion of less than 3 months duration; (4) Don't routinely prescribe intranasal/systemic steroids, antihistamines or decongestants for children with uncomplicated otitis media with effusion; (5) Don't prescribe oral antibiotics for children with uncomplicated tympanostomy tube otorrhea or uncomplicated acute otitis externa; (6) Don't prescribe codeine for post-tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy pain relief in children; (7) Don't administer perioperative antibiotics for elective tonsillectomy in children; (8) Don't perform tonsillectomy for children with uncomplicated recurrent throat infections if there have been fewer than 7 episodes in the past year, 5 episodes in each of the past 2 years, or 3 episodes in each of the last 3 years; and (9) Don't perform endoscopic sinus surgery for uncomplicated pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis prior to failure of maximal medical therapy and adenoidectomy.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine the association between sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the association between MetS and prognosis of SSNHL. DATABASES REVIEWED: We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register electronic databases from their dates of conception to February 4, 2020. METHODS: We included observational studies analyzing 1) the prevalence of MetS among SSNHL patients, or 2) the prognosis of SSNHL patients in MetS patients. A standardized form was completed in duplicate extracting data on study characteristics, participant demographics, and SSNHL outcome or recovery measures. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed pooling odds ratios using the generic inverse method. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: Three studies examining the prevalence of MetS among patients with SSNHL (11,890 total participants; 3,034 SSNHL participants) yielded a significantly increased risk of MetS among SSNHL, with a pooled odds ratio of 1.88 (95% CI, 1.01-3.50). Three studies examining the association of SSNHL prognosis in patients with MetS (608 SSNHL participants, 234 concomitant SSNHL, and MetS participants) demonstrated that SSNHL patients with MetS were significantly more likely to have poorer recovery compared to SSNHL patients without MetS (pooled odds ratio 2.77; 95% CI, 2.33-3.28). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest an association between prevalence of MetS and SSNHL, as well as poorer prognosis of SSNHL in patients with concomitant MetS.

What is the optimal outcome after endoscopic sinus surgery in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis? A consultation of Canadian experts.

OBJECTIVES: Many experts feel that in the absence of well-defined goals for success, they have an easier time identifying failure. As success ought to not be defined only by absence of failure, we aimed to define optimal outcomes for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by obtaining expert surgeon perspectives. METHODS: A total of 12 surgeons participated in this targeted consultation. Face to face semi-structured interviews were performed with expert surgeons in the field of CRS and ESS. General impressions and personal definitions of acceptable operative success and optimal operative outcomes were compiled and summarized. RESULTS: According to an expert survey, patients' main objectives are an improvement in their chief complain, a general improvement in quality of life (QoL), and a better overall symptomatic control. The most important aspects of endoscopy for defining a successful intervention were an adequate mucus circulation, a healthy mucosa, minimal edema, and patency of all explored cavities or ostia. In the assessment of surgical outcomes, it was determined that both objective and patient reported data must be carefully examined, with more attention given to subjective outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: According to data gathered from a Canadian expert consultation, a definition of success must be based on both subjective data and nasal endoscopy. We propose to define an acceptable outcome as either a subjective improvement of at least the minimal clinically improvement difference of a validated patient reported outcome questionnaire, along with a satisfactory endoscopic result (1) or a complete subjective resolution with a sub-optimal endoscopy (2).

Association of Tracheostomy With Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Among Health Care Professionals: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Approximately 5% to 15% of patients with COVID-19 require invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and, at times, tracheostomy. Details regarding the safety and use of tracheostomy in treating COVID-19 continue to evolve. Objective: To evaluate the association of tracheostomy with COVID-19 patient outcomes and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission among health care professionals (HCPs). Data Sources: EMBASE (Ovid), Medline (Ovid), and Web of Science from January 1, 2020, to March 4, 2021. Study Selection: English-language studies investigating patients with COVID-19 who were receiving IMV and undergoing tracheostomy. Observational and randomized clinical trials were eligible (no randomized clinical trials were found in the search). All screening was performed by 2 reviewers (P.S. and M.L.). Overall, 156 studies underwent full-text review. Data Extraction and Synthesis: We performed data extraction in accordance with Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. We used a random-effects model, and ROBINS-I was used for the risk-of-bias analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures: SARS-CoV-2 transmission between HCPs and levels of personal protective equipment, in addition to complications, time to decannulation, ventilation weaning, and intensive care unit (ICU) discharge in patients with COVID-19 who underwent tracheostomy. Results: Of the 156 studies that underwent full-text review, only 69 were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 14 of these 69 studies (20.3%) were included in the meta-analysis. A total of 4669 patients were included in the 69 studies, and the mean (range) patient age across studies was 60.7 (49.1-68.8) years (43 studies [62.3%] with 1856 patients). We found that in all studies, 1854 patients (73.8%) were men and 658 (26.2%) were women. We found that 28 studies (40.6%) investigated either surgical tracheostomy or percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy. Overall, 3 of 58 studies (5.17%) identified a small subset of HCPs who developed COVID-19 that was associated with tracheostomy. Studies did not consistently report the number of HCPs involved in tracheostomy. Among the patients, early tracheostomy was associated with faster ICU discharge (mean difference, 6.17 days; 95% CI, -11.30 to -1.30), but no change in IMV weaning (mean difference, -2.99 days; 95% CI, -8.32 to 2.33) or decannulation (mean difference, -3.12 days; 95% CI, -7.35 to 1.12). There was no association between mortality or perioperative complications and type of tracheostomy. A risk-of-bias evaluation that used ROBINS-I demonstrated notable bias in the confounder and patient selection domains because of a lack of randomization and cohort matching. There was notable heterogeneity in study reporting. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that enhanced personal protective equipment is associated with low rates of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during tracheostomy. Early tracheostomy in patients with COVID-19 may reduce ICU stay, but this finding is limited by the observational nature of the included studies.

Effect of low salicylate diet on clinical and inflammatory markers in patients with aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease - a randomized crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is characterized by eosinophilic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and bronchial asthma, along with the onset of respiratory reactions after the ingestion of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). In addition to the therapeutic routines and surgical options available, a low dietary intake of food salicylate has been suggested as adjunctive therapy for this condition. This study aimed to assess the influence of a short-term low salicylate diet on inflammatory markers in patients with AERD and whether that would result in symptomatic improvement. METHODS: Prospective study with randomization to either a high or low salicylate diet for 1 week, followed by cross-over to the other study arm. Participants were asked to record their dietary salicylate for each week of the study. Urinary creatinine, salicylate and leukotriene levels were measured at the time of recruitment, end of week one and end of week two and the SNOT-22 questionnaire was filled out at the same time points. RESULTS: A total of seven participants completed the study. There was no statistical difference in the urinary salicylate and leukotriene levels between the two diets; nevertheless, participants on low salicylate diet reported improved SNOT-22 symptoms scores (p = 0.04), mainly in the rhinologic, ear/facial, and sleep dysfunction symptom domains. In addition, these last two domains outcomes were more significant than the minimal clinically important difference. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term low salicylate diet may not result in biochemical outcomes changes but seems to provide significant symptomatic relief for patients with AERD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01778465 ( www.clinicaltrials.gov ).

Effect of intranasal corticosteroid treatment on allergen-induced changes in group 2 innate lymphoid cells in allergic rhinitis with mild asthma.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis is characterized by rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sneezing and nasal pruritus. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), CD4+ T cells and eosinophils in nasal mucosa are increased significantly after nasal allergen challenge (NAC). Effects of intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) on ILC2s remain to be investigated. METHODS: Subjects (n = 10) with allergic rhinitis and mild asthma were enrolled in a single-blind, placebo-controlled, sequential treatment study and treated twice daily with intranasal triamcinolone acetonide (220 µg) or placebo for 14 days, separated by a 7-day washout period. Following treatment, subjects underwent NAC and upper airway function was assessed. Cells from the nasal mucosa and blood, sampled 24 h post-NAC, underwent flow cytometric enumeration for ILC2s, CD4+ T and eosinophil progenitor (EoPs) levels. Cell differentials and cytokine levels were assessed in nasal lavage. RESULTS: Treatment with INCS significantly attenuated ILC2s, IL-5+ /IL-13+ ILC2s, HLA-DR+ ILC2s and CD4+ T cells in the nasal mucosa, 24 h post-NAC. EoP in nasal mucosa was significantly increased, while mature eosinophils were significantly decreased, 24 h post-NAC in INCS versus placebo treatment arm. Following INCS treatment, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 were significantly attenuated 24 h post-NAC accompanied by significant improvement in upper airway function. CONCLUSION: Pre-treatment with INCS attenuates allergen-induced increases in ILC2s, CD4+ T cells and terminal differentiation of EoPs in the nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis patients with mild asthma, with little systemic effect. Attenuation of HLA-DR expression by ILC2s may be an additional mechanism by which steroids modulate adaptive immune responses in the upper airways.

Ambient Noise Levels and Wireless Headsets for Communication in Aerosolizing Otolaryngology Surgery During COVID-19.

The objective of this short scientific communication is to describe and test a strategy to overcome communication barriers in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era otolaryngology operating rooms. Thirteen endoscopic sinus surgeries, 4 skull base surgeries, and 1 tracheotomy were performed with powered air-purifying respirators. During these surgeries, surgical team members donned headsets with microphones linked via conference call. Noise measurements and survey responses were obtained and compared to pre-COVID-19 data. Noise was problematic and caused miscommunication as per 93% and 76% of respondents, respectively. Noise in COVID-19 era operating rooms was significantly higher compared to pre-COVID-19 era data (73.8 vs 70.2 decibels, P = .04). Implementation of this headset strategy significantly improved communication. Respondents with headsets were less likely to encounter communication problems (31% vs 93%, P < .001). Intraoperative measures to protect surgical team members during aerosolizing surgeries may impair communication. Linking team members via a conference call is a solution to improve communication.