Effectiveness of Changing Drug Classes in Patients With Refractory Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of drug class changes in patients with refractory laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series with prospective data. SETTING: Multicenter study. METHODS: The data of patients treated for a refractory LPRD from September 2017 to December 2023 were collected. The effectiveness of drug class changes was assessed through the reflux symptom score (RSS) change. Signs were evaluated with the Reflux Sign Assessment. The RSS reduction was used to categorize the therapeutic responses as mild (20%-40% RSS reduction), moderate (40.1%-60% RSS reduction), high (60.1%-80%), and complete (>80%). RESULTS: Among the 334 medical records, 74 (22.2%) patients had refractory LPRD defined as no RSS change in the pre- to 3-month posttreatment. The mean age was 52.6 ± 15.5 years. Changing drug class was associated with significant 3- to 6-month posttreatment reductions of RSS and RSA. Thirty patients (39%) did not experience symptom reduction after changing drugs. Changing alginate to magaldrate and magaldrate to alginate was associated with the highest responder rate (76.9%). Changing PPI and alginate/magaldrate molecules led to a response rate of 62.5%. In patients initially treated with a combination of PPI and alginate or magaldrate, changing PPI without changing alginate/magaldrate led to a 37.5% response rate. The baseline RSS was predictive of the 3- and 6-month RSS (therapeutic response). CONCLUSION: Changing drug class, especially alginate-to-magaldrate, may be an effective therapeutic approach for patients with a refractory LPRD.

Retrograde Lidocaine Spray for Awake Extubation in Pediatric ENT Surgery: Optimizing Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Outcomes.

Laryngeal edema, a frequent manifestation of acute inflammation, is particularly significant due to the potential obstruction of the laryngeal orifice caused by swelling of the epiglottis and vocal cords. This presents as a risk factor that can lead to severe airway obstruction. Traditionally, deep extubation is the preferred form of extubation because it is more comfortable for the patient, eliminates the airway reflexes, and minimizes the risk of laryngeal edema. Difficult mask ventilation (DMV), characterized by an unassisted anesthesiologist's inability to maintain oxygen saturation levels above 92% or to prevent or correct signs of inadequate ventilation during positive-pressure mask ventilation under general anesthesia, necessitates an awake extubation approach. In the following case, combining the need to minimize airway reflexes through a deep extubation with the need for an awake intubation required an alternative method. Our patient is a 10-year-old male who presented with obstructive sleep apnea and tonsillar hypertrophy. The patient had a history of snoring and difficult intubation (three attempts), classifying him as a DMV risk. However, due to the difficult intubation, there was concern for laryngeal edema following the procedure that would necessitate a deep extubation. To effectively combine the two procedures, a retrograde lidocaine spray was used to numb the airway, which would allow for awake extubation without the associated coughing and bucking. Deep extubation is a common anesthetic technique used in laryngeal surgeries, but it is often not an option for high-risk patients. For such patients, awake extubation is an alternative. In our case, our patient was at high risk for laryngeal edema. In awake extubation, lidocaine spray is used for minimal coughing and bucking because it numbs the upper airway and allows the patient to tolerate the breathing tube without stimulating the gag reflex. The use of retrograde lidocaine spray for awake extubation in patients at high risk for laryngeal edema presents a promising alternative to traditional methods. This case demonstrates the effectiveness of retrograde lidocaine spray in awake extubation to reduce coughing and bucking by numbing the upper airway in a DMV situation while also avoiding complications in a high-risk patient.

Integration of AI-Generated Images in Clinical Otolaryngology.

Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled remarkable capabilities in generating images, audio, and videos from textual descriptions. Tools like Midjourney and DALL-E 3 can produce striking visualizations from simple prompts, while services like Kaiber.ai and RunwayML Gen-2 can generate short video clips. These technologies offer intriguing possibilities for clinical and educational applications in otolaryngology. Visualizing symptoms like vertigo or tinnitus could bolster patient-provider understanding, especially for those with communication challenges. One can envision patients selecting images to complement chief complaints, with AI-generated differential diagnoses. However, inaccuracies and biases necessitate caution. Images must serve to enrich, not replace, clinical judgment. While not a substitute for healthcare professionals, text-to-image and text-to-video generation could become valuable complementary diagnostic tools. Harnessed judiciously, generative AI offers new ways to enhance clinical dialogues. However, education on proper, equitable usage is paramount as these rapidly evolving technologies make their way into medicine.

Lipochoristoma: a rare cause of unilateral hearing loss.

We present our single-centre experience of two cases of lipochoristoma, a rare lesion causing unilateral hearing loss. Differential diagnoses include the more common vestibular schwannoma, haemangioma and meningioma. Diagnosis was confirmed with fat suppression sequences on MRI. Management of both patients was with serial imaging, under the guidance of neuro-otology multidisciplinary team, due to the slow and typically non-aggressive progression of this lesion.

The Barriers and Facilitators of Shared Decision Making in Pediatric Otolaryngology: A Qualitative Study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify barriers and facilitators to implementing shared decision making (SDM) in pediatric otolaryngology. STUDY DESIGN: A qualitative study. SETTING: Semistructured interviews of pediatric otolaryngologists. METHODS: The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was used as a guide for data collection and analysis to consider capability, opportunity, and motivation (COM-B) factors. The focal surgical procedures were tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and tympanostomy tube placement. Deductive and inductive coding of interview transcripts according to TDF/COM-B domains were performed by 2 separate reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 11 interviews were conducted to achieve data saturation. The 4 dominant themes were: (1) inconsistent inclusion of SDM elements in practice, (2) social influences from parents, (3) environmental context, and (4) applicability of SDM in otolaryngology. Theme 1 identified that surgeons perceived SDM as a feature of their practice. However, the discussion of parents' values was seen as less explicit and structured interview formats were not commonly employed. Theme 2 demonstrated that surgeons saw parents' preconsult "agenda" as influencing their openness to consider multiple treatment options. Theme 3 pointed to the barriers of short appointment times, challenges in the use of support staff and lack of decision aids. Theme 4 emphasized surgeons' belief in the value of SDM and that parents' involvement in decision making reduced likelihood of decisional regret. CONCLUSION: Pediatric otolaryngologists strongly support the value of SDM during clinical encounters, particularly to allow parent ownership of decisions regarding treatment. The major barriers were lack of clinical translation of SDM knowledge, social influences, and environmental factors.

Accuracy of ChatGPT responses on tracheotomy for patient education.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the accuracy of information provided by ChatGPT-4o to patients about tracheotomy. METHODS: Twenty common questions of patients about tracheotomy were presented to ChatGPT-4o twice (7-day intervals). The accuracy, clarity, relevance, completeness, referencing, and usefulness of responses were assessed by a board-certified otolaryngologist and a board-certified intensive care unit practitioner with the Quality Analysis of Medical Artificial Intelligence (QAMAI) tool. The interrater reliability and the stability of the ChatGPT-4o responses were evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: The total scores of QAMAI were 22.85 ± 4.75 for the intensive care practitioner and 21.45 ± 3.95 for the otolaryngologist, which consists of moderate-to-high accuracy. The otolaryngologist and the ICU practitioner reported high ICC (0.807; 95%CI: 0.655-0.911). The highest QAMAI scores have been found for clarity and completeness of explanations. The QAMAI scores for the accuracy of the information and the referencing were the lowest. The information related to the post-laryngectomy tracheostomy remains incomplete or erroneous. ChatGPT-4o did not provide references for their responses. The stability analysis reported high stability in regenerated questions. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of ChatGPT-4o is moderate-to-high in providing information related to the tracheotomy. However, patients using ChatGPT-4o need to be cautious about the information related to tracheotomy care, steps, and the differences between temporary and permanent tracheotomies.

Supporting left-handed trainees in sinus and skull base surgery: A call for inclusive ergonomics.

KEY POINTS: The surgeon's hand dominance impacts ergonomics in endoscopic endonasal surgery. Left-handed trainees experience difficulty learning certain surgical techniques. OR adjustments optimize ergonomics for left-handed trainees without compromising others.

Linguistic analysis of letters of recommendation for pediatric otolaryngology: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the language of letters of recommendation for pediatric otolaryngology fellowship for possible gender and/or racial bias. To refine methodology for future investigation of gender and language within letters of recommendation for pediatric otolaryngology fellowship. METHODS: Practicing pediatric otolaryngologists were recruited as survey participants. A total of 10 letters of recommendation were screened to represent an equal number of applicants who identify as male and female and an equal number of applicants who identify as White and applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color. Names, pronouns, location, and other identifying information were removed from the letters. Survey participants were asked to read each letter and categorize the applicant's gender and race as well as that of the letter writer. The letters were also subject to analysis by WordStat linguistic software. RESULTS: A total of 35 pediatric otolaryngologists participated in the survey. Participants assigned gender of the applicant correctly in 43 % of letters and gender of the letter writer correctly in 53 % of letters. Race of the applicant was judged correctly in 65 % of letters. Participants indicated words such as caring, hard-working, and prepared led them to assume the applicant was female, which was corroborated by linguistic analysis. No such words were identified as predictive of race. CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests that while there are certain linguistic associations with gender among applications to pediatric otolaryngology fellowship, they may not impact biases held by the reader. This is relevant given a recent rise in the number of female applicants to this subspecialty and ongoing unfilled fellowship positions. Future studies are needed to determine if such associations exist and ultimately affect match potential and success within the field. These studies will require analysis of more letters and with more survey respondents, along with a higher in-depth linguistic analysis. LAY SUMMARY: This pilot study aims to evaluate letters of recommendation for pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications for gender bias with the goal of outlining future studies. There were certain words associated with a given gender, which could impact applicants' potential to match. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA.

A Hemangiopericytoma in the External Auditory Canal: A Rare Clinical Presentation and Management.

Hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) are rare vascular tumors originating from pericytes, with a predilection for the musculoskeletal system and occasional occurrence in the head and neck region. HPCs arising in the external auditory canal (EAC) are exceptionally rare, making their diagnosis and management a clinical challenge. A 71-year-old male presented with a six-month history of a painless, progressively enlarging mass in his right EAC, accompanied by tinnitus and hearing loss. Physical examination revealed a mobile, reddish mass in the concha of the left auricle, nearly occluding the EAC. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the temporal bone demonstrated a heterogeneously enhancing mass with erosion of adjacent structures. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of an HPC. The tumor was surgically excised, and the patient underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. Over a two-year follow-up period, no recurrence was observed. This case highlights the rarity of HPCs in the EAC and underscores the importance of considering this diagnosis in patients presenting with atypical EAC masses. A multidisciplinary approach, including surgical excision and radiotherapy, is crucial for achieving favorable outcomes and reducing the risk of recurrence. Long-term follow-up is essential due to the potential for late recurrence.

Analyzing Factors and Reasons Behind NonAttendance of ENT Patients: Clinical Audit.

Objective: This study analyzed the frequency of follow-up patients at the ENT clinic and identified different factors that are associated with nonattendance at follow-up appointments since nonattendance imposes significant stress on the system of healthcare. Methods: This study was an ambidirectional cohort study and conducted a telephonic survey with 104 ENT patients who missed their appointments. Results: The findings of the study revealed that patients missed their scheduled appointments because of transportation problems (46%), professional engagement (46%), family problems (44%), and financial problems (32.7%). However, patients didn't identify forgetfulness about the appointment, complete recovery, and health-related issues on the day of the appointment as the barrier to missing their scheduled appointment. The study assessed the relationship between socioeconomic status and the frequency of follow-up patients in an ENT clinic where transportation factor (P < .000), working commitments (P < .004) affecting the "Lower Middle and Middle Class" individuals, and financial problems (P < .005), family problems (P < .028), feeling sick (P < .037) were significantly affecting the "Middle-Upper Class" and "Middle Class." Meanwhile, forgetfulness was not associated with the socio-economic status of the ENT patients (P = .237). Conclusion: This study found transportation, family, financial issues, and professional commitments to be the key barriers to ENT appointment attendance, with Lower-Middle-Class patients particularly affected by forgetfulness. These missed appointments negatively impact patient health and strain the healthcare system.

Factors and Reasons ENT Patients Do Not Follow-upThis study attempted to investigate why ENT patients do not attend their follow-up appointments and the frequency of patients who do follow-up visits. The researcher identified transportation problems, professional engagement, family issues, and financial constraints as major barriers leading to non-attendance at follow-up appointments in ENT clinics. Lower-middle-class and middle-class individuals are particularly affected, with transportation and financial problems significantly hindering their ability to attend follow-up appointments. Based on the findings of the study, practical solutions are needed to reduce missed appointments such as concession on second follow-up fees, telephonic consultations (excluding severe cases), and the implementation of an automated reminder system to enhance patient adherence in otolaryngology clinics.

Gender, Racial, and Academic Authorship Diversity in the Otolaryngology Clinical Trial Literature.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the state and trajectory of gender, racial, and academic authorship diversity in the otolaryngology clinical trial literature over the past 2 decades. STUDY DESIGN: Bibliometric analysis. SETTING: Otolaryngology clinical trial literature. METHODS: Clinical trials published in the 9 major otolaryngology journals between 2000 and 2020 were included. The gender, race, and academic seniority of the first, senior, and corresponding authors were recorded for each trial. Multivariable regression models assessed the temporal trajectory of authorship diversity over time and the disparity in citations across author characteristics. Models adjusted for relevant confounders pertaining to publication environment and study design. RESULTS: Among 2117 trials, first, senior, and corresponding authors have been predominantly White (60%-64%), male (76%-80%), and attending physicians (63%-69%). Trials led by Black (<1%) and Hispanic (<5%) authors were severely underrepresented. Over time, the representation of female (adj. ß 0.8%, 95% CI [0.5%, 1.1%] per year), Asian (1.0% [0.7%, 1.3%] per year), and MD resident (0.4% [0.1%, 0.7%] per year) first authorship increased, but representation of female (0.2% [-0.1%, 0.5%] per year), Black (0% [-0.03%, 0.02%] per year), Hispanic (-0.2% [-0.33%, -0.02%] per year) senior authorship remained persistently low. Asian-led trials were cited significantly less compared to White-led trials even after adjusting for study design and publication year (aIRR 0.82 [0.73, 0.92]). CONCLUSIONS: Despite promising signs of improving authorship diversity over time, persistent underrepresentation of female, Black, Hispanic senior authorship underscore the need for additional efforts to diversify the otolaryngology clinical science workforce.

An Analysis of the Otolaryngology Workforce in Pennsylvania.

Objective: This study aims to analyze the distribution of otolaryngologists between urban and rural counties in Pennsylvania. Study Design: Retrospective database. Setting: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) database and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Database. Methods: The AAO-HNS database (Entnet.org) and the CMS Database were used to identify otolaryngologists, their primary location, and their state of training. The 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes were used to classify metropolitan (codes 1-3) and nonmetropolitan counties (codes 4-9) and determine county populations. Results: A total of 388 otolaryngologists were identified across 67 Pennsylvania counties (33 metropolitan, 34 nonmetropolitan), 80% of which were male. There were 354 otolaryngologists in metropolitan counties serving 11.2 million people, with an average of 2.4 otolaryngologists per 100,000 people (/100 k). The majority of otolaryngologists (n = 235, 60.6%) are located in counties designated by code 1. There were 34 otolaryngologists in nonmetropolitan counties serving 1.8 million people, with an average of 2.4 otolaryngologists/100 k. Montour County (code 6) is home to a large academic center and accounts for 14/34 otolaryngologists in the nonmetropolitan counties. With the exception of Montour County, the remaining nonmetropolitan counties averaged 1.0 otolaryngologist/100 k. Only 3 metropolitan counties did not have otolaryngologists compared to 19 nonmetropolitan counties without otolaryngologists. Most otolaryngologists received their residency training in Pennsylvania (n = 177). New York (n = 35) and Maryland (n = 24) were the second most common states for training. Conclusion: There is a lack of otolaryngologists in rural counties of Pennsylvania, except in counties home to large academic centers.

A Comparative Analysis of Otolaryngology Journal Characteristics and Metrics Across World Bank Income Groups.

Study Background and Aims: There are marked barriers to research and publishing for low- and middle- income country (LMIC) ENT researchers. This could be reflected in LMIC journal characteristics and research, which has never been investigated. We aim to characterize differences in the number, geographic distribution, publishing costs, reach, number of articles, citations, and impact factors of high-income country (HIC) journals compared to LMIC journals. Methods: We included journals listed under the category "Otorhinolaryngology' in three major journal databases. From journal websites, we collected data related to financial model, waiver policy, access, and distribution. Additionally, from the Clarivate Journal Citation Reports 2022, we collected the following journal metrics: total articles, total citations, journal citation indicator, journal impact factor (JIF), 5-year JIF, and JIF without self cites. Results: 79.7% HIC journals offered English editing services, compared with 25.0% of LMIC journals. Additionally, 40.0% of HIC journals are solely open access compared with 92.0% in LMICs. Lower journal metrics were seen in LMIC journals, including 2022 mean total articles (107 HICs vs. 60 LMICs), total citations (4296 vs. 751), journal citation indicator (0.88 vs. 0.35), and journal impact factor (12.68 vs. 0.82). Conclusion: We have identified substantial differences in the distribution, English editing services, and journal metrics of HIC journals compared to LMIC journals. These may point to potential barriers to publishing and research access for those in LMICs. To support LMIC research, future work should evaluate opportunities to increase the number of ENT journals in LMICs, expand open access publishing, improve access to language services, and increase LMIC research impact.

ChatGPT Generated Otorhinolaryngology Multiple-Choice Questions: Quality, Psychometric Properties, and Suitability for Assessments.

Objective: To explore Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer's (ChatGPT's) capability to create multiple-choice questions about otorhinolaryngology (ORL). Study Design: Experimental question generation and exam simulation. Setting: Tertiary academic center. Methods: ChatGPT 3.5 was prompted: "Can you please create a challenging 20-question multiple-choice questionnaire about clinical cases in otolaryngology, offering five answer options?." The generated questionnaire was sent to medical students, residents, and consultants. Questions were investigated regarding quality criteria. Answers were anonymized and the resulting data was analyzed in terms of difficulty and internal consistency. Results: ChatGPT 3.5 generated 20 exam questions of which 1 question was considered off-topic, 3 questions had a false answer, and 3 questions had multiple correct answers. Subspecialty theme repartition was as follows: 5 questions were on otology, 5 about rhinology, and 10 questions addressed head and neck. The qualities of focus and relevance were good while the vignette and distractor qualities were low. The level of difficulty was suitable for undergraduate medical students (n = 24), but too easy for residents (n = 30) or consultants (n = 10) in ORL. Cronbach's α was highest (.69) with 15 selected questions using students' results. Conclusion: ChatGPT 3.5 is able to generate grammatically correct simple ORL multiple choice questions for a medical student level. However, the overall quality of the questions was average, needing thorough review and revision by a medical expert to ensure suitability in future exams.

Chronic Cough Related to Thyroid Cartilage Superior Cornu Abnormality.

Chronic cough is a common troublesome symptom in otolaryngology head and neck surgery practice. In rare cases, chronic cough may be related to anatomical abnormalities. In this article, we report the history of a 64-year-old female with a chronic course due to a curved superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage and related irritation of the laryngeal superior nerve. The cough was atypical and resolved after the surgical resection of the abnormal cornu. There was no recurrence at 9 months post-surgery. The findings of the present case report highlight the need to explore the laryngeal anatomy in patients with chronic cough to identify potential abnormalities, which may be treated surgically.

Paediatric Laryngeal Ultrasound: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Aotearoa New Zealand and an International Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Vocal fold immobility (VFI) is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in the paediatric population. Laryngoscopy is the current first-line investigation for patients with suspected VFI. Laryngeal ultrasound (LUS) has recently emerged as an alternative method of identifying VFI. Compared to laryngoscopy, LUS is less invasive, does not require anaesthesia, and can be performed by non-otolaryngologists. The objectives of this study are to evaluate LUS as a diagnostic method for the identification of VFI in a cohort of paediatric patients in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) and to estimate the frequency of use of LUS in the paediatric population by clinicians around the world. METHODS: A retrospective, single-centre cohort study was performed on all paediatric patients who had undergone laryngoscopy and LUS at Starship Children's Health in Auckland, NZ, between 2020 and 2023. An eight-question survey was also developed and distributed to better understand clinicians' use of LUS in their clinical practice to diagnose paediatric VFI globally. RESULTS: Twenty-nine paediatric patients met the inclusion criteria. LUS demonstrated good sensitivity (80.95%) for detecting VFI and increased to 93.33% for the detection of unilateral VFI. Of the 87 respondents to the survey, 41.38% utilise LUS in their clinical practice in the paediatric population. The main barriers to implementation of LUS as identified by non-users were lack of equipment, expertise, and training. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of LUS as an accurate diagnostic tool for the detection of unilateral VFI. Further studies in non-surgical populations and in patients with bilateral VFI, as well as standardised guidelines for LUS technique and reporting, are required.

Comparing Current Practice Habits for Treatment of Subcondylar Fracture Among Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons.

Study Design: Survey. Objective: Subcondylar fractures stand out as a particular challenge when treating maxillofacial trauma. The fracture site is often difficult to access and adjacent to critical structures like the facial nerve. Current treatment paradigms vary widely and we endeavored to elucidate these approaches from surgeons across the full breadth of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery. Methods: A survey was designed to gather general background training and experience information, perceived indications for ORIF of subcondylar fractures, options for treating subcondylar fractures, and reasoning for choosing or not choosing a given treatment approach. The survey was sent to members of AO CMF and the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. Responses were collected for 4 weeks. Results: 514 total responses to the survey were obtained (response rate 17%). Of these, 43 (8.4%) identified as Otolaryngology trained, 417 (81.1%) as OMFS trained, and 54 (10.5%) as Plastic Surgery trained. While there was broad agreement in the indications for open repair, surgical approaches differed by specialty background as well as AO faculty member status. Those with less experience were less likely to perform open approaches due to lack of comfort with this skill set. Conclusions: There are some key differences in approaches to treatment of subcondylar fractures based upon specialty background and experience level. This provides an opportunity for further education to ensure optimal treatment for patients.

Complications of Oral Corticosteroid Use in Otolaryngology.

OBJECTIVE: Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are frequently prescribed by otolaryngologists. However, there are limited quantitative data on OCS-related adverse events (AEs) in otolaryngology. We sought to quantify OCS-related AEs in otolaryngology. METHODS: All outpatient otolaryngology encounters in our healthcare system (2018-2023) at which an OCS was prescribed were identified via the electronic medical record. The diagnoses indicating OCS were categorized as sinonasal, otologic, pharyngo-laryngeal, and other. The medical record was subsequently examined to assess for OCS AEs during the 21-day period following the prescription. OCS AEs were grouped into (1) gastrointestinal, (2) metabolic, (3) bone/muscle, (4) ophthalmologic, and/or (5) psychiatric complications. The frequency and types of OCS related AEs were determined. RESULTS: A total of 20 746 otolaryngology encounters with OCS prescribed were examined. Seventy OCS courses had 1 or more AEs, implying a number needed to harm of 296.4 (240.2-386.8). There were 83 total OCS-related AEs, yielding an AE incidence rate of 4.0:1000 (95% CI, 3.0-5.0:1000) OCS prescriptions. The mean age of subjects with AEs (61.5 years) was significantly higher than those without (50.3 years; P < .001). Forty-seven (56.6%) of the complications were metabolic, with hyperglycemia and hypokalemia the most common, followed by gastrointestinal (26.5%), ophthalmologic (3.6%), psychiatric (2.4%), and musculoskeletal (2.4%). CONCLUSION: AEs related to OCS prescribed by otolaryngologists occur at a rate of once per 296 courses of treatment and older populations may be at increased risk for AEs. Otolaryngologists should balance AE rates against anticipated benefits of steroid therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

An Unusual Presentation of a Black Discoloration on the Tympanic Membrane of a 10-Year-Old Girl: A Case Report.

This case report details an unusual presentation of unilateral tympanic membrane discoloration in a 10-year-old girl. The mysterious black discoloration was explored by various medical specialties, revealing a complex diagnostic journey due to the lack of evidence for this specific finding. Initially, the patient consulted her primary care physician after inserting a graphite pencil into her left ear canal, but without associated symptoms, she was considered to have returned to her baseline. The abnormal discoloration on the left tympanic membrane was first observed 10 months later, following diagnoses of two episodes of otitis media, otitis externa, and a middle ear effusion over three separate visits. By this time, the patient had been seen by four different medical professionals. The lesion was described as "a blackish discoloration in the posterior superior quadrant of the unperforated tympanic membrane near the umbo." This report underscores the need for thorough evaluation and consideration of atypical presentations when encountering unusual tympanic membrane discolorations.