Utility and value of pre-operative CT and MRI for cochlear implantation in the elderly.

PURPOSE: To determine the utility and value of pre-operative imaging among the elderly population ≥70 y.o. with bilateral progressive sensorineural hearing loss undergoing cochlear implantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional review was performed at a tertiary referral center between 2010 and 2018 including patients ≥70 y.o. with bilateral presbycusis who underwent preoperative imaging and cochlear implantation. Primary outcome was whether pre-operative imaging changed the surgeon's surgical plan such as side of implant or abort procedure entirely. Patient characteristics including age, sex, side of implant, imaging modality, whether imaging changed surgical plan, and surgical complications were reviewed. One-way analysis of variance with post-hoc tests using the Bonferroni and Fisher's exact test were used to examine differences between groups. Secondary outcome was cost of preoperative imaging. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-three patients (mean age 79.38 [5.51 SD]) who underwent a total of 142 surgical cases and 147 total scans. There were 92, 27, and 14 patients who underwent CT, MRI, or both, respectfully (n=133). Of the 142 implants that were placed, preoperative imaging did not reveal a contraindication to placing implant on one side over another. Total cost of imaging was $29,694. Estimated cost if 20% of cochlear implant eligible patients ≥70 y.o. underwent imaging is $7,763,490. CONCLUSION: Decreasing unnecessary preoperative imaging can potentially decrease cost in cochlear implantation. In this sample, preoperative imaging did not affect the surgeon's choice of which side to operate on. However, imaging may provide an anatomic roadmap and contribute to either surgical confidence or caution. With the increasing amount of cochlear implant eligible elderly adults, preoperative imaging needs to be more clearly defined in this unique population.

Use of the 445-nm Blue Laser for Management of Early Glottic Carcinoma: Preliminary 1-Year Results.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze oncological efficacy and voice outcomes of the 445-nm blue laser (BL) in the treatment of early glottic carcinoma and compare results with the 532-nm potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser. STUDY DESIGN: Single institution, retrospective chart review. METHODS: All patients who underwent microlaryngoscopic KTP or BL laser excision of early glottic carcinoma from 2018 to the present day with at least 1-year follow-up were included. Primary and recurrent disease, including radiation and surgical failures, were included. Demographic data, voice outcomes and oncologic outcomes were compared between the two laser groups. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients met the inclusion criteria for the BL group and 88 for the KTP group, with average follow-up of 635 and 1236 days, respectively. Oncologic outcomes were not significantly different, with disease-specific survival rates of 95.9% for BL and 100% for KTP (p = 0.13), organ preservation rates of 98.0% for BL and 95.6% for KTP (p = 0.39), and local control rates of 93.9% for BL and 92.1% for KTP (p = 0.81). Both BL and KTP groups showed significant improvement in CAPE-V (p = 0.04, 0.006 respectively) and VHI-10 scores (p = 0.003, <0.00001) following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Photoangiolytic removal of early glottic carcinoma with BL appears to be equally safe and effective as with KTP laser at minimum one-year follow-up, and with excellent voice outcomes. Additional study will be warranted over time to assess long-term outcomes in BL patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 2024.

Mastoiditis Masquerade.

We report a case of primary temporal bone diffuse B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a rare entity. A 71-year-old male with a history of dementia and hemicraniectomy presented due to 1 month of a pronounced left ulcerative mastoid lesion. Strikingly, there were no cranial nerve deficits which was unexpected due to the degree of the lesion. Initially, infectious mastoiditis was suspected based on physical examination alone. Due to the patient being a poor historian, it was difficult to determine whether this was an acute or chronic issue. Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma, infectious mastoiditis, and actinomycosis were on the differential, but biopsies revealed non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Loudness of Suctioning in the Ear Canal.

Aim To determine the loudness of suctioning in the ear canal with different-sized suctions and various mediums. Aural microsuctioning is commonly used in the otolaryngologist's office setting for cerumen removal and aural toilet. We hypothesize that the intensity of the sound would increase with increasing viscosity of the medium and increasing suction diameter. Methods The intensity of the sound generated was measured while suctioning air, water, and yogurt on cadaveric temporal bones with size 7 and 5 Frazier suctions. This was performed with one measurer and one operator. Under otomicroscopy, the operator would suction the ear canal and the measurer would record the intensity of the sound with a sound decibel meter placed at the lateral and posterior external auditory canal. Data was collected with two separate operators and measurers to aid with inter-rater reliability. Results There was a total of 240 repeated observations (10 cadavers, 3 mediums, 2 suction devices; 2 investigators). The range of the maximum peak intensity ranged from 63.0 dB to 100.0 dB. The lowest peak intensity of decibels was recorded in air with the size 5 Frazier suction; and the highest measured was with the size 5 Frazier suction in yogurt. Statistically significant differences were found only in the measurements in air. Conclusion Our investigation found that increasing peak sound intensities were generated by increasing the viscosity of the fluid medium that was being suctioned. However, the smaller sized diameter suction actually generated louder sound intensities than the larger diameter suction with higher viscosity fluid media, but this was not statistically significant.

Pediatric Parotid Chronic Sclerosing Sialadenitis in an African-American Female: A Rare Case and Review of the Literature.

Chronic sclerosing sialadenitis (CSS) or Küttner tumor is an under-recognized, benign fibroinflammatory disease most commonly seen in the submandibular gland of older adult males. Sialolithiasis or bacterial infection was first suspected as an etiology, but CSS is now considered an immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD). IgG4-RD can affect almost every organ in the body, characterized by organ fibrosis with IgG4-positive plasmacytes. Numerous autoimmune-related diseases have been unified under IgG4-RD, including Mikulicz disease (MD), autoimmune pancreatitis, Reidel's thyroiditis, and others. In any organ, IgG4-RD can present similar to malignancy. Due to the ability to mimic malignancy, it is crucial to be aware of this under-recognized clinical entity. CSS is currently of broad and high clinical interest due to increased understanding, multiorgan involvement, and more clearly defined criteria. To increase awareness of this disease, we describe a rare presentation of CSS with a literature review.

When Snoring isn't just Snoring: Primary Nasopharyngeal Mantle Cell Lymphoma - A Rare Pathology in the Nasopharynx.

Snoring is a common complaint in the primary care and otolaryngology clinic with a wide differential diagnosis. Primary nasopharyngeal mantle cell lymphoma is a rare cause of a nasopharyngeal mass, which can commonly manifest as snoring. The patient in this case presented with extensive history of recent worsening snoring as well as nasal congestion over the past several months. Additionally, the patient had previously undergone endoscopic sinus surgery several years prior but was lost to follow up. During nasal endoscopy, a nasopharyngeal mass was visualized with near-complete obstruction of the nasal airway. Intraoperative biopsies indicated MCL which is an uncommon pathology presenting in a rare location. Flow cytometry of the biopsy specimen was CD19+, CD20+, CD5+, and positive for lambda light chains with immunohistochemistry showed strong diffuse cyclin D1 nuclear staining on lymphoid cells. PET/CT and bone marrow biopsy were essential in staging disease, predicting success of treatment, and determining optimal treatment planning. Once the diagnosis was established, R-CHOP therapy alternating with R-DHAP for a total of six cycles. This case report highlights the importance of recognizing new or changing symptoms, appropriate diagnostic workup for lymphoma, as well as one of few case reports describing primary nasopharyngeal mantle cell lymphoma.