The Laryngoscope
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Comparative Study
Safety and outcomes of outpatient pediatric otolaryngology procedures at an ambulatory surgery center.
To determine the safety and outcomes of outpatient pediatric otolaryngology procedures performed at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC). ⋯ Pediatric otolaryngology procedures constitute significant volume at our ASC. Surgery at our ASC is extremely safe with a rate of unanticipated outcomes of 0.2%--a comparison not available in the literature. Pediatric otolaryngology procedures performed with a highly skilled team at an outpatient ASC result in high quality and safe surgery.
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Local treatment of the cochlea after electrode insertion trauma with dexamethasone base conserves hearing against trauma-induced loss. ⋯ The absence of significant differences in hearing thresholds between the EIT + DXMb group and control ears in response to 0.5 to 4 kHz tones demonstrates that DXMb is as effective as the aqueous form of dexamethasone in conserving hearing against EIT-induced loss.
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Case Reports Comparative Study
Cricothyroidotomy vs. sternal tracheotomy for challenging airway anatomy.
Although tracheotomies are the standard procedure for elective surgical airways, some patients present with challenging anatomy. In circumstances of abnormal skeletal deformities, such as kyphoscoliosis, the airway is also often tortuous and access to the trachea may be difficult. In the situation of severely distorted tracheal anatomy, where access to the trachea may require a mediansternotomy, a cricothyroidotomy may be the safer option. This article details the technique involved in approaching a substernal larynx and stomatizing a cricothyroidotomy for a patient who required a long-term surgical airway secondary to severe kyphoscoliosis from Proteus syndrome and failure to extubate.
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Surgical approaches to the pituitary have undergone numerous refinements over the last 100 years. The introduction of the endoscope and the advent of minimally invasive pituitary surgery (MIPS) have revolutionized pituitary surgery. This study aims to compile and evaluate outcomes of all of the MIPS performed at our institution. ⋯ MIPS is a safe and efficacious marriage of the endoscope to the transsphenoidal approach. Thus, a brightness and clarity of vision is combined with the unique ability to explore the tumor bed with angled views and hydroscopy. Outcomes and complication rates comparable to traditional transsphenoidal approaches have resulted but with less dissection and tissue manipulation, reduced need for packing, and greater patient comfort and acceptance.
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1) Assess current status of operative competency assessment and feedback among US Otolaryngology residency programs. 2) Evaluate correlations between assessment or feedback tools and remediation. ⋯ Standardized surgical curricula and assessment tools are needed. Programs with more intensive evaluation or remediation mechanisms are statistically more likely to report residents requiring remediation. This may reflect their ability to better identify the struggling resident. Alternatively, having a resident requiring remediation may be the catalyst that initiates the need for more intensive evaluation tools and remediation mechanisms. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's and society will demand that we produce competent surgeons. Therefore, all Otolaryngology training programs should be developing and implementing formal surgical assessment tools, methods to identify residents requiring remediation, and remediation mechanisms.