Foreign Bodies in Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology: A Review.

Foreign bodies (FBs) in pediatric otorhinolaryngology represent up to 10% of cases in emergency departments (ED) and are primarily present in children under five years old. They are probably the result of children's curiosity and tendency to explore the environment. Aural and nasal FBs are the most common and accessible, and the removal methods differ depending on the exact location and type of FB, which can be organic or inorganic. A fish bone stuck in one of the palatine tonsils is the most common pharyngeal FB. Laryngopharyngeal FBs can obstruct the upper respiratory tract and thus become acutely life-threatening, requiring an urgent response. Aspiration of FBs is common in children between 1 and 4 years old. A history of coughing and choking is an indication of diagnostic and therapeutic methods to rule out or confirm a tracheobronchial FB. Regardless of the availability of radiological diagnostics, rigid bronchoscopy is the diagnostic and therapeutic method of choice in symptomatic cases. Radiological diagnostics are more significant in treating esophageal FBs since most are radiopaque. Flexible or rigid esophagoscopy is a successful method of removal. A delayed diagnosis, as with tracheobronchial FBs, can lead to fatal consequences.

Many researchers were not compliant with their published data sharing statement: a mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to analyze researchers' compliance with their data availability statement (DAS) from manuscripts published in open-access journals with the mandatory DAS. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We analyzed all articles from 333 open-access journals published during January 2019 by BioMed Central. We categorized types of the DAS. We surveyed corresponding authors who wrote in the DAS that they would share the data. Consent to participate in the study was sought for all included manuscripts. After accessing raw data sets, we checked whether data were available in a way that enabled reanalysis. RESULTS: Of 3556 analyzed articles, 3416 contained the DAS. The most frequent DAS category (42%) indicated that the data sets are available on reasonable request. Among 1792 manuscripts in which the DAS indicated that authors are willing to share their data, 1669 (93%) authors either did not respond or declined to share their data with us. Among 254 (14%) of 1792 authors who responded to our query for data sharing, only 123 (6.8%) provided the requested data. CONCLUSION: Even when authors indicate in their manuscript that they will share data upon request, the compliance rate is the same as for authors who do not provide the DAS, suggesting that the DAS may not be sufficient to ensure data sharing.

Feather foreign body caused periparotid and peritonsillar abscess in a 9-month-old girl.

Migratory foreign body appeared to be bird feather, caused peritonsillar and periparotid abscess in a nine-month-old infant. Patient presented painful, tender and fluctuating red neck mass on the left neck region II, and refusal of oral intake, with no fever. Azithromycin was introduced four days before presentation for suspected urinary tract infection. ENT examination revealed left peritonsillar abscess; ultrasound confirmed periparotid abscess, MSCT verified both diagnoses. Under general anaesthesia, we performed abscess incision, after pus drainage, small foreign body spontaneously came through the wound. After washing it with saline, it appeared like a bird feather. Subsequently, peritonsillar abscess was incised and drained. After 24-hour postoperative care on pediatric intensive care unit, the patient continued three-day parenteral antibiotic treatment on the otolaryngology department; it was discharged with a recommendation to continue seven days of oral antibiotic therapy. Suggested mechanism was ingestion of bird feather from stuffed bedding, that got trapped in the tonsillar crypt. Afterwards, it started to migrate through the neck tissue. Households with children younger than three years should not have feather stuffed clothes or beddings.

Nasopharyngeal Perforation After Blunt Neck Trauma During Epileptic Seizure.

Pharyngeal perforation after blunt neck trauma is a rarity. We present a case of nasopharyngeal perforation after blunt neck trauma in a 29-year-old female patient. She presented with anterior neck tenderness and dysphagia after falling during an epileptic seizure. The head and neck assessment and fiberoptic pharyngolaryngeal examination did not show any injury. A computed tomography scan showed a parapharyngeal emphysema due to a nasopharyngeal perforation. The patient was successfully treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic, analgesic, and 1 day of fasting. Adequate imaging (radiographs or computed tomography scans) should be conducted in patients with blunt neck trauma. The treatment modality depends on the location and size of the pharyngeal perforation.

Association between EGFR expression and clinical outcome of laryngeal HPV squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA can serve as independent prognostic factors in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx. EGFR correlation with the course of disease and its effect on survival makes EGFR expression a negative prognostic factor, whereas HPV DNA is a positive prognostic factor. Aim: To assess the association of EGFR expression with clinical outcome of laryngeal HPV SCC. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 196 SCC patients operated on at the Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Split University Hospital Center in Split, Croatia, between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2009. Results: The association of HPV infection and EGFR expression was found to be statistically significant, and so was the difference in survival between patient groups with different HPV to EGFR expression ratio. Conclusions: The group of laryngeal HPV SCC patients with increased EGFR expression had shorter survival, confirming EGFR as a major component in predicting patient prognosis and survival. Significance: This article confirms the importance of EGFR expression as a biomarker in laryngeal SCC.

Authors of trials from high-ranking anesthesiology journals were not willing to share raw data.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze data sharing practices among authors of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in seven high-ranking anesthesiology journals from 2014 to 2016. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We analyzed data sharing statements in 619 included RCTs and contacted their corresponding authors, asking them to share de-identified raw data from trial. RESULTS: Of the 86 (14%) authors who responded to our query for data sharing, only 24 (4%) provided the requested data. Only one of those 24 had a data sharing statement in the published manuscript. Only 24 (4%) of manuscripts contained statements suggesting a willingness to share trial data; only one of those authors actually shared data. There was no difference in proportion of data sharing between studies with commercial and nonprofit funding. Among the 62 authors who refused to provide data, reasons were seldom provided. When reasons were provided, common themes included issues regarding data ownership and participant privacy. Only one of the seven analyzed journals encouraged authors toward data sharing. CONCLUSION: Willingness to share data among anesthesiology RCTs is very low. To achieve widespread availability of de-identified trial data, journals should request their publication, as opposed to only encouraging authors to do so.

IMPACT Observatory: tracking the evolution of clinical trial data sharing and research integrity.

INTRODUCTION: The opening of research data is emerging thanks to the increasing possibilities of digital technology. The opening of clinical trial (CT) data is a part of this process, expected to have positive scientific, ethical, health, and economic impacts thus contributing to research integrity. The January 2016 proposal by the International Council of Medical Journal Editors triggered ample discussion about CT data sharing and reconfirmed the need for an ongoing assessment of its dynamics. The IMProving Access to Clinical Trials data (IMPACT) Observatory aims to play such a role, and assess the data sharing culture, policies, and practices of key players, the impact of their interventions on CTs, and contribute to a transformation of research. The objective of this paper is to present the IMPACT Observatory as well as share some of its preliminary findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Methods include a scoping study of research, surveys, interviews, and an environmental scan of research data repositories. RESULTS: Our preliminary findings indicate that although opening of CT data has not yet been achieved, its evolution is encouraging. Initiatives by key players contribute to increasing of CT data sharing, and many barriers are shrinking or disappearing. CONCLUSIONS: The major barrier is the lack of data sharing standards, from preparing data for public sharing to its curatorship, findability and access. However, experiences accumulated by sharing CT data according to "upon request" or "open" mechanisms could inform the development of such standards. The Vivli, CORBEL-ECRIN and Open Trials projects are currently working in this direction.