• Li-Jen Liao, Ming-Hsun Wen, and Tsung-Lin Yang.
• Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Electrical Engineering, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Biomedical Engineering Office, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan.
• J Formos Med Assoc. 2021 Aug 1; 120 (8): 1547-1553.

PurposeThe ultrasound applications, examination facilities and methods used by otolaryngology and head and neck surgeons may vary and be different. This study was conducted to assess the methods used for head-and-neck point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS).MethodsThis prospective survey study was conducted from 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2019. The surgeons of otolaryngology and head neck surgery who used POCUS in their daily practice were recruited for analyses.ResultsIn total, 30 male and 14 female surgeons who used neck POCUS were recruited. Thirty-nine (89%) surgeons placed patients in a supine position with the head toward the operator. Forty (91%) surgeons performed US-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA), and 35 (80%) surgeons did not use local anesthesia during US-FNA. Thirty-nine (88%) surgeons used the long-axis method to harvest the specimen, and forty-one (93%) used a free-hand method. Most surgeons (25, 57%) used 22G needles for US-FNA, and 29 (66%) used 18G for US-guided core-needle biopsy (CNB). For the cost analysis, reimbursements for US-related procedures were relatively cheaper than those for computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).ConclusionPOCUS can be performed by otolaryngology and head and neck specialists with a wide scope of applications and in a cost-effective manner.Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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