Assessing the Diagnostic Performance and Clinical Utility of Nasal Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus PCR Testing in Pediatric Orbital Cellulitis.

Data are limited on the clinical impact of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing (nMRSA-PCR) for orbital cellulitis. This two-center, retrospective study demonstrated a negative predictive value of 98.0% and an overall lower use of anti-MRSA antibiotics, without a concomitant increase in hospital readmission.

Time considerations and outcomes in pediatric tracheostomy decannulation.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective is to identify factors that impact the time to decannulation in pediatric patients ages 0 through 18 years who are tracheostomy-dependent. METHODS: This retrospective chart review from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2020 identified pediatric tracheostomy patients at a single pediatric institution. Data extracted included demographic, socioeconomic factors, and clinical characteristics. Multivariate regression and survival analysis were used to identify factors associated with successful decannulation and decreased time with tracheostomy. RESULTS: Of the 479 tracheostomy-dependent patients identified, 162 (33.8%) were decannulated. Time to decannulation ranged from 0.5 months to 189.2 months with median of 24 months (IQR 12.91-45.71). In the multivariate analysis, patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p = 0.021) and those with Passy-Muir® Valve at discharge (p = 0.015) were significantly associated with decannulation. In contrast, neurologic comorbidities (p = 0.06), presence of gastrostomy tube (p < 0.001), or discharged on a home ventilator (p < 0.001) were associated with indefinite tracheostomy. When adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, and insurance status, for every one month delay in establishment of outpatient otolaryngology care, time to decannulation was delayed by 0.5 months (p = 0.010). For each additional outpatient otolaryngology follow-up visit, time to decannulation increased by 3.36 months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Decannulation in pediatric tracheostomy patients is multifactorial. While timely establishment of outpatient care did correlate with quicker decannulation, factors related to medical complexity may have a greater impact on time to decannulation. Our results can help guide institutional decannulation protocols, as well as provide guidance when counseling families regarding tracheostomy expectations.

Factors associated with tracheostomy decannulation in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Premature infants represent a unique subset of patients who may require tracheostomy. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is among one of the most common sequelae of prematurity contributing to the need for prolonged ventilation requiring tracheostomy after other airway options have been exhausted. Our objective is to understand socioeconomic barriers to decannulation and identify factors that accelerate safe decannulation, focusing on patients with BPD. METHODS: An existing internal database from a tertiary pediatric hospital of patients undergoing tracheostomy prior to one year old was reviewed. Data from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2020 was used to compare patients who were successfully decannulated to those who were not. A further subset of infants with BPD were identified and analyzed. Of those decannulated, survival analysis was used to identify factors associated with decreased time to decannulation. RESULTS: We identified 303 infants who underwent tracheostomy at less than one year old with 125 of those infants having a diagnosis of BPD. Of the 125 infants with BPD, 44 (35.2 %) were decannulated and 81 (64.8 %) were not. There was no significant difference in sex, race, ethnicity, insurance status, comorbidities, or presence of syndromes between those patients with BPD who were decannulated and those who were not. Those who were not decannulated had a significantly longer length of hospital stay, prolonged ventilator requirements after tracheostomy, and were more likely to be discharged home on the ventilator (p = 0.030; 0.020; 0.002, respectively). Of the 44 decannulated patients, mean and median time to decannulation were 37.9 and 27.8 months respectively (range 10.8-160.6 months). There was an inverse association with decannulation and both Black race (HR: 0.30) and neurological comorbidity (HR: 0.37) on multivariate analysis. Black race, presence of syndrome, and length of ventilator dependence were significantly associated with increased time to decannulation. Time to decannulation from time off the ventilator was not significantly influenced by sex, race, ethnicity, state of residence, or insurance status, but was significantly influenced by age (95 % CI: -6.9, -0.1; P = 0.044). While time from discharge to first follow up visit did not significantly impact time to decannulation, every additional follow up visit increased time to decannulation by 3.78 months when adjusting for confounding variables. CONCLUSION: In infants with BPD under one year requiring tracheostomy, socioeconomic factors were not found to influence likelihood of decannulation, however Black race, presence of underlying syndrome, and increased length of ventilator dependence were associated with prolonged timing. Children with more frequent follow up visits similarly had an increased time to decannulation, illustrating a vital point in the process. Ventilator weaning protocols and standardized decannulation protocols in patients with BPD, along with caregiver education, can safely expedite and facilitate decannulation.

Laryngotracheal Reconstruction Outcomes in Children Born Extremely Premature.

INTRODUCTION: There has been a notable increase in the number of neonates born 28 weeks gestational age or younger in the United States. Many of these patients require tracheostomy early in life and subsequent laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR). Although extremely premature infants often undergo LTR, there is no known study to date examining their post-surgical outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To compare decannulation rates, time to decannulation and complication rates between LTR patients born extremely premature to those born preterm and term. METHODS: We identified 179 patients treated at a stand-alone tertiary children's hospital who underwent open airway reconstruction from 2008 to 2021. A Chi Squared test was used to detect differences in categorical clinical data between the groups of patients. A Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze continuous data within these same groups. Time to decannulation analysis was performed using Kaplan Meier analysis and evaluated with log-rank and Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Children born extremely premature were more likely to incur complications following LTR (OR = 2.363, p = 0.005, CI 1.295-4.247). There was no difference in time to decannulation (p = 0.0543, Log-rank) or rate of decannulation (OR = 0.4985, p = 0.05, CI 0.2511-1.008). Extremely premature infants were more likely to be treated with an anterior and posterior grafts (OR = 2.471, p = 0.004, CI 1.297-4.535) and/or an airway stent (OR = 3.112, p < 0.001, CI 1.539-5.987). CONCLUSION: Compared with all other patients, extremely premature infants have equivalent decannulation success, but are at an increased risk for complications following LTR. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:3608-3614, 2023.

Surgically treated pediatric tongue masses: A 20 Year review.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric tongue lesions represent a rare, diverse group of pathologies related to congenital malformations, inflammatory changes, and neoplastic masses. We present the largest-to-date series of pediatric tongue lesions managed surgically. SETTING: Charts of all pediatric patients with a tongue lesion surgically treated at a regional children's hospital from February 1st, 1997 to August 30th, 2019 were reviewed. METHODS: After obtaining institutional review board approval, a retrospective review was completed of all pediatric patients with a tongue lesion surgically treated at a regional children's hospital from February 1st, 1997 through August 30th, 2019. Charts were evaluated for patient demographics as well as symptoms at presentation, surgical details, pathologic evaluation of the lesion, and rates of recurrence. Categorical variables were compared between various groups using Chi-square and/or Fisher's exact tests. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed unadjusted and adjusted to further explore these relationships. RESULTS: 159 patients were included in the study with ages distributed relatively even across infants (27.7%), children 1-5 years (27.7%), 6-10 years (23.3%), and greater than 10 years of age (21.4%). Patient/family reported race/ethnic background was most commonly Caucasian (34.8%) or Hispanic/Latino/Spanish Origin (34.0%) followed by Black or African American (21.3%). The most commonly reported symptoms were pain (23.3%), difficulty with oral intake (12.6%), bleeding (11.3%), and respiratory distress (11%). Patients with lesions of the base of tongue were significantly more likely to present with respiratory distress or difficulty with oral intake (p < 0.001). The likelihood of recurrence was observed to be higher with lesions managed in infancy (OR 3.85, CI 1.47-10.0, p = 0.005), those greater than 2 cm (OR 3.45, CI 1.34-8.71, p = 0.009), or with laser (OR 4.52, CI 1.25-15.00), p = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Pediatric patients with tongue lesions may present with a wide array of symptoms. Base of tongue lesions should be managed carefully as they are most likely to create barriers to the airway and oral intake. Larger lesions and those managed in infancy are at increased risk for recurrence.

Predictors of future academic productivity in pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applicants.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate which components of pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications are more closely predictive of future academic productivity in applicants who go on to complete their fellowship training. METHODS: Applications to our institution's ACGME accredited pediatric otolaryngology fellowship program through the SF Match program for the years 2011-2016 were reviewed. Applicant files on record were utilized to extract independent variables including sex, mean USMLE score, residency program Doximity ranking, military experience, number of national honors/awards, AOA status, total number of publications listed on application, number of first author publications listed on application, and AAOHNS Committee involvement. Academic productivity was determined by number of PubMed indexed publications per year, practice setting, and H-index (Scopus). Statistical analysis consisted of multivariate and univariate regression models, with p < 0.05 being considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Multivariate regression showed that USMLE Step 1 and 2 mean score and number of publications listed on application exhibited statistically significant correlations with a higher number of future post fellowship publications per year. Residency program Doximity rank, applicant number of awards and honors, AOA status, and number of first author publications were not predictive of future academic productivity. No statistically significant associations were found between any variables and the faculty position outcome variable. CONCLUSIONS: Quantifiable criteria in pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications, such as number of listed publications and mean USMLE scores are strongly correlated with future academic productivity metrics.

Deep Learning for Predictive Analysis of Pediatric Otolaryngology Personal Statements: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: The personal statement is often an underutilized aspect of pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications. In this pilot study, we use deep learning language models to cluster personal statements and elucidate their relationship to applicant rank position and postfellowship research output. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Single pediatric tertiary care center. METHODS: Data and personal statements from 115 applicants to our fellowship program were retrieved from San Francisco Match. BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations From Transformers) was used to generate document embeddings for clustering. Regression and machine learning models were used to assess the relationship of personal statements to number of postfellowship publications per year when controlling for publications, board scores, Alpha Omega Alpha status, gender, and residency. RESULTS: Document embeddings of personal statements were found to cluster into 4 distinct groups by K-means clustering: 2 focused on "training/research" and 2 on "personal/patient anecdotes." Training clusters 1 and 2 were associated with an applicant-organization fit by a single pediatric otolaryngology fellowship program on univariate but not multivariate analysis. Models utilizing document embeddings alone were able to equally predict applicant-organization fit (receiver operating characteristic areas under the curve, 0.763 and 0.750 vs 0.419; P values >.05) as compared with models utilizing applicant characteristics and personal statement clusters alone. All predictive models were poor predictors of postfellowship publications per year. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate ability for document embeddings to capture meaningful information in personal statements from pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applicants. A larger study can further differentiate personal statement clusters and assess the predictive potential of document embeddings.

Socioeconomic factors associated with readmission following pediatric tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to analyze factors associated with readmission after tonsillectomy to understand socioeconomic factors associated with readmission. METHODS: Single institution retrospective study of pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy over an 8 year study period, comparing patients who required readmission for bleeding concerns or pain/dehydration to those who did not require readmission. RESULTS: Of the 14,152 tonsillectomy patients, 508 (3.6%) were readmitted with 423 (83.3%) for bleeding concerns and 85 (16.7%) for pain or dehydration. Overall readmission was more likely in age >6 years (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.34-1.92, P < 0.001), while poverty level below 10% (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66-0.94, P = 0.008) and parental college education above 25% (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.65-0.96, P = 0.016) were associated with lower incidence of overall readmission. For patients readmitted for bleeding concerns, age >6 years (OR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.37-2.02, P < 0.001) was associated with readmission on multivariate analysis. Within the pain/dehydration group, African American race was associated with increased readmission rates, while poverty level below 10% and parental college education above 25% were associated with decreased readmission rates. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic factors and age play a role in readmission rates following pediatric tonsillectomy.

Pediatric tracheostomy surveillance.

We report an unusual case of a 14-month-old ex-28 week, ventilator-dependent male with a history of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and tracheostomy at 2 months of age. Lost to follow-up, at age 9 months, he presented to the emergency department with worsening respiratory distress. The patient was taken to the operating room at which time direct visualization of the airway demonstrated a mass filling the entire glottic inlet without supraglottic or pharyngeal mucosal attachments. The solid, nonvascular, mass appeared to be emanating from a suprastomal site. Excision proved to relieve the airway obstruction and postoperatively the patient has thrived.

Factors influencing time to operating room in children presenting with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate factors associated with time to return to OR in children presenting with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage to a tertiary children's hospital. METHODS: Retrospective study of pediatric patients presenting to a single institution from January 2012 to January 2020, with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH) requiring surgical intervention for control of bleeding. Correlation, univariate, and multivariate analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Of 15,984 tonsillectomies performed at our institution during the study period, 144 required return to the OR for bleeding control, in addition to 15 other children whose tonsillectomy had been performed at an outside institution. Mean time to the OR was 119.7 min (SD 101.5) in the morning, 77.4 min (SD 60.6) in the afternoon, 55.6 min (SD 34.8) in the evening, and 49.4 min (SD 26.4) overnight (ANOVA p < 0.0001). The mean hemoglobin decline from pre-to post-tonsillectomy was 1.3 g/dl (SD 1.7). Primary hemorrhages had a mean time to OR of 62.39 min (SD 63.42) while secondary hemorrhages mean time to OR was 85.54 min (SD 76.21) (p = 0.0064). There was no significant difference in time to OR among race/ethnicity (p = 0.928), insurance status (p = 0.359), weekday (p = 0.557), surgeon seniority (p = 0.8104) or by hemoglobin drop (p = 0.2773). When controlling for each of these variables, multiple linear regression showed that only time of day had significant correlation with time to OR (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: At a tertiary children's hospital, patients presenting with PTH requiring revision surgery waited the longest to get to the OR in the morning versus all other times of day. These results can aid in individualization of anticipatory guidance in order to reduce morbidity and mortality from complications requiring revision in the operating room.

Tracheostomy manipulations: Impact on tracheostomy safety.

IMPORTANCE: Tracheotomy is one of the riskiest procedures for composite morbidity within pediatric otolaryngology. During the postoperative period, each time the tracheostomy tube is manipulated, there is opportunity for morbidity (e.g. a patient is vulnerable to accidental decannulation and airway loss). OBJECTIVE: To identify areas of improvement in caring for "fresh tracheostomy" patients by determining the number of times a tracheostomy tube is manipulated from placement until discharge. The hypothesis is that the more a tracheostomy is manipulated, the higher probability of morbidity. METHODS: A quality improvement initiative was conducted to map the care of patients who underwent tracheostomy placement over 12 months. Tracheostomy care and manipulation by all providers were reviewed. Complications, wound care, and respiratory treatments were also evaluated. RESULTS: Patients were hospitalized for an average of 39 days (7-140) following tracheostomy. The first tracheostomy tube change occurred on average 6 days (5-10) following placement. Tracheostomy tubes were manipulated an average of 6 (2.5-11.9) times a day to amount to 216 (51-1091) times between placement and discharge. Bedside nurses and respiratory therapists were responsible for 95% of these actions; physicians accounted for 4%. There were 6 tracheostomy related complications. Three were accidental decannulations resulting in cardiopulmonary arrest. One of these caused long term patient morbidity. Patients with more than 4 manipulations per day during the 2 weeks following tracheostomy tube placement, were more likely to have a tracheostomy related complication than those with less than 4 (OR: 12.5; 95% CI: 1.2-130.6; P = 0.0349). INTERPRETATION: While uncommon, complications related to tracheostomy can have serious long term effects and at best prolongs length of stay for patients. Reducing the number of tracheostomy manipulations may provide safer postoperative care ultimately reducing morbidity and potentially mortality; children on average have 6 tracheotomy manipulations/day with only 2% being by the physician.

Anesthesia Safety in Otolaryngology.

This article highlights the important relationship between the otolaryngologist and anesthesiologist, focusing on intraoperative patient safety for otolaryngologic surgery. In addition, consideration of preoperative history, physical examination, and potential postoperative complications helps guide the otolaryngologist and anesthesiologist in formulating an appropriate and collaborative management strategy.

Risk Factors Associated With the Development of Acquired Airway Disease After Congenital Heart Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: In this single-center, retrospective review, we sought to determine the risk factors associated with the development of severe acquired airway disease (AAD; vocal cord paralysis [VCP] or subglottic stenosis [SGS]) in pediatric patients who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) with cardiopulmonary bypass. All patients who required surgical treatment for CHD using cardiopulmonary bypass at our institution between 2010 and 2015 were reviewed. We defined severe AAD as either clinically significant VCP, SGS, or both, requiring consultation with the otolaryngology (ENT) service for evaluation. The disease was classified as severe because it led to difficulty with intubation or failure to wean mechanical ventilation. This airway disease was not present or was clinically insignificant prior to congenital heart surgery. RESULTS: Over a 5-year period (August 2010 to December 2015), 1395 patients were evaluated. Of these, 25 (1.8%) had significant AAD. Age was the only statistically significant independent predictor of AAD ( P < .001). Those with AAD were younger-3 versus 8 months-and had longer intubation time: 5 (2-18) versus 2 days (1-5). Of those who developed AAD, most (22/25) required some form of additional surgical procedure for its evaluation or management. Only 3 of the 25 patients with severe AAD required tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS: Children who undergo congenital heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass are at risk for developing AAD, most often because of SGS or VCP. AAD can lead to failed extubation in the postoperative setting as well as difficult intubation during subsequent anesthetics. Although it often requires surgical treatment, it responds well to therapy and rarely requires tracheostomy.

Extramedullary Hematopoiesis Presenting as Bilateral Glomus Tympanicum-First Case Report in a Pediatric Patient and With Bilateral Presentation.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of middle ear extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) in a pediatric patient as well as the first bilateral presentation reported in both children and adults. We report a 13-year-old African-American female with sickle cell disease who developed bilateral hearing loss, with magnetic resonance imaging findings consistent with bilateral glomus tympanicum (GT). Upon excisional biopsy, however, EMH was diagnosed histologically. Besides its novelty, this case highlights the importance of considering EMH in the differential diagnosis of GT including cases with bilateral presentation that may be otherwise highly suggestive of the familial form of GT.

Psychosocial Impact of Vascular Anomalies on Children and Their Families.

Vascular anomalies are divided into tumors and malformations based on their clinical and cytologic attributes. Vascular malformations are further subcategorized as low-flow lymphatic, venous, capillary, or mixed lesions and as high-flow arteriovenous malformations. Treatment is reserved for vascular anomalies that are symptomatic or cosmetically disfiguring, and surgical and nonsurgical treatment options are widely varied with variable outcomes.

A Novel Patient Safety Event Reporting Tool in Otolaryngology.

Objective To report the results of a preliminary analysis of a quality improvement initiative aimed to identify potential latent systems defects. Methods A pilot study of an anonymous, voluntary, event reporting system made available to all members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery was performed. The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP) index was used to classify error types. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize submissions to the database. Results In the 53 cases reported to the database over 22 months, the majority involved errors that had resulted in harm (n = 34, 64%), followed by errors that occurred and did not result in harm (n = 7, 13%). Errors occurred predominantly in the hospital (n = 23, 44%) and operating room (n = 19, 35%). Most entries were classified as either technical (n = 21, 39%) or related to postoperative care (n = 15, 30%). Discussion This preliminary descriptive analysis of a novel otolaryngology patient safety event reporting tool shows that this platform brings unique value to the identification of errors and adverse events in our specialty. Most reported events were classified as errors resulting in harm. The most common type of reported event was a technical error, most often resulting in a nerve injury. Implications for Practice This reporting tool will likely allow for identification and prioritization of improvement opportunities. This example may serve as a guide for other societies to create similar platforms as we strive for a standardized process for event reporting.

What parents say about their child's surgeon: parent-reported experiences with pediatric surgical physicians.

IMPORTANCE: Reviews of patient and caregiver experience with health practitioners are increasingly important to consumers. Understanding physician qualities valued by patients and their families may facilitate more effective care and communication. OBJECTIVE: To identify physician qualities and care dimensions valued by parents during their child's outpatient surgical care encounter. DESIGN: Mixed-methods analysis of comments from patient-satisfaction surveys. SETTING: Outpatient pediatric otolaryngology and surgical specialty clinics in an urban tertiary care center. PARTICIPANTS: Parents of children seen in pediatric otolaryngology and surgical specialty clinics who completed the physician section of the patient satisfaction survey. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Free-text comments written in the physician section of the survey. RESULTS: A total of 195 survey comments from visits to 18 surgical specialty clinics were analyzed; 64 comments (33%) were global in nature, of which 58 (90%) were positive; 25 of 195 comments (13%) discussed recommendation of care. Of the 131 comments (67%) with specific content, 79 (60%) were positive. Major themes were physician interpersonal style (n = 78, 45%), physician technical skills/knowledge/preparation (n = 82, 47%), and systems issues (n = 14, 8%). The most commonly noted interpersonal subthemes were inclusion/interaction with the child (20%) and empathy/concern for the patient's needs (29%). The most common skills themes related to whether the physician answered questions (16%) or explained treatment (23%). The most common negative subgroup was inadequate explanation of treatment (18%). The majority of comments related to systems were negative (13 of 14, 93%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Parents highly value physician interpersonal style and visit-specific skills (involving the child in discussion; showing empathy/concern for the patient/family; answering questions; explaining treatment). While most comments about surgeons were affirmative, clinical systems were more often negatively perceived. Attention to parent-reported experiences may help physicians improve communication and overall effectiveness of care provided.