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Objective: To review cases of congenital frontonasal dermoids to gain insight into the accuracy of preoperative computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting intracranial extension., Methods: This retrospective study included all patients who underwent primary excision of frontonasal dermoids at an academic children's hospital over a 23-year period. Preoperative presentation, imaging, and operative findings were reviewed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) statistics were generated to determine CT and MRI accuracy in detecting intracranial extension., Results: Search queries yielded 129 patients who underwent surgical removal of frontonasal dermoids over the study period with an average age of presentation of 12 months. Preoperative imaging was performed on 122 patients, with 19 patients receiving both CT and MRI. CT and MRI were concordant in the prediction of intracranial extension in 18 out of 19 patients. Intraoperatively, intracranial extension requiring craniotomy was seen in 11 patients (8.5%). CT was 87.5% sensitive and 97.4% specific for predicting intracranial extension with an ROC of 0.925 (95% CI [0.801, 1]), whereas MRI was 60.0% sensitive and 97.8% specific with an ROC of 0.789 (95% CI [0.627, 0.950])., Conclusion: This is the largest case series in the literature describing a single institution's experience with frontonasal dermoids. Intracranial extension is rare and few patients required craniotomy in our series. CT and MRI have comparable accuracy at detecting intracranial extension. Single-modality imaging is recommended preoperatively in the absence of other clinical indications., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:1961-1966, 2024., (© 2023 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: To assess outcomes of transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) for congenital cholesteatoma., Study Design: Case series with chart review of children who underwent TEES for congenital cholesteatoma over a 10-year period., Setting: Three tertiary referral centers., Methods: Cholesteatoma extent was classified according to Potsic stage; cases with mastoid extension (Potsic IV) were excluded. Disease characteristics, surgical approach, and outcomes were compared among stages. Outcomes measures included residual or recurrent cholesteatoma and audiometric data., Results: Sixty-five cases of congenital cholesteatoma were included. The mean age was 6.5 years (range, 1.2-16), and the mean follow-up was 3.9 years (range, 0.75-9.1). There were 19 cases (29%) of Potsic stage I disease, 10 (15%) stage II, and 36 (55%) stage III. Overall, 24 (37%) patients underwent a second-stage procedure, including 1 with Potsic stage II disease (10%) and 21 (58%) with Potsic stage III disease. Eight cases (12%) of residual cholesteatoma occurred. One patient (2%) developed retraction-type ("recurrent") cholesteatoma. Recidivism occurred only among Potsic stage III cases. Postoperative air conduction hearing thresholds were normal (<25 dB HL) in 93% of Potsic stage I, 88% of stage II, and 36% of stage III cases., Conclusion: TEES is feasible and effective for removal of congenital cholesteatoma not extending into the mastoid. Recidivism rates were lower with the TEES approach in this large series than in previously reported studies. Advanced-stage disease was the primary risk factor for recidivism and worse hearing result. As minimally invasive TEES is possible in the youngest cases, children benefit from early identification and intervention.

Objective/hypothesis: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a common sequela of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), potentially exacerbating neurocognitive delay. The objectives of this study were to assess: (1) age at which SNHL in children with cCMV; (2) stimulability of the auditory system in children with cCMV following cochlear implantation (CI); and (3) whether features of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) potentially are predictive of hearing outcomes., Methods: In this retrospective study of a prospectively acquired cohort, 123 children with cCMV who were referred for hearing loss at a single tertiary referral hospital over 20 years were compared with an unmatched comparative group of 90 children with GJB2-related deafness. Outcome measures were results of newborn hearing screening (NHS), behavioral audiograms, and, in a subgroup of cochlear implant (CI) users, responses from the auditory nerve and brainstem evoked by CI at initial activation, as well as lesional volume of FLAIR-hyperintense signal alterations on MRI., Results: All but 3 of 123 children with cCMV had confirmed and persistent SNHL. At birth, 113 children with cCMV underwent NHS, 31 (27%) passed in both ears and 23 (20%) passed in one ear (no NHS data in 10 children). At the first audiologic assessment, 32 of 123 (26%) had normal hearing bilaterally; 35 of 123 (28%) had unilateral SNHL; and 57 of 123 (46%) had bilateral SNHL. More than half (67 of 123, 54%) experienced hearing deterioration in at least one ear. Survival analyses suggested that 60% of children who developed SNHL did so by 2.5 years and 80% by 5 years. In the children who passed NHS in one or both ears, 50% developed hearing loss by 3.5 years in the ear, which passed unilaterally (n = 23 ears), and 50% by 5 years in bilateral passes (n = 62 ears). Hearing loss was significant enough in all but one child with isolated high-frequency loss for rehabilitation to be indicated. Hearing thresholds in individual ears were in the CI range in 83% (102 of 123), although duration of deafness was sufficient to preclude implantation at our center in 13 children with unilateral SNHL. Hearing aids were indicated in 16% (20 of 123). Responses from the auditory nerve and brainstem to initial CI stimulation were similar in children with cCMV-related SNHL compared with GJB2-related SNHL. Characteristic white matter changes on MRI were seen in all children with cCMV-related SNHL (n = 91), but the lesion volume in each cortical hemisphere did not predict degree of SNHL., Conclusions: cCMV-related SNHL is often not detected by NHS but occurs with high prevalence in early childhood. Electrophysiological measures suggest equivalent stimulability of the auditory nerve and brainstem with CI in children with cCMV and GJB2-related SNHL. Hyperintense white matter lesions on FLAIR MRI are consistently present in children with cCMV-related SNHL but cannot be used to predict its time course or degree. Combined, the data show early and rapid deterioration of hearing in children with cCMV-related SNHL with potential for good CI outcomes if SNHL is identified and managed without delay. Findings support universal newborn screening for cCMV followed by careful audiological monitoring., Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 132:S1-S24, 2022., (© 2022 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: This study compares post-operative hearing outcomes and morbidity after pediatric total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) ossiculoplasty with transcanal totally endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) versus a post-auricular microscope-guided (PAM) approach., Patients: Forty-four children who underwent ossiculoplasty with titanium TORP after previous cholesteatoma surgery., Intervention: Ossiculoplasty using TEES or PAM approach., Main Outcome Measures: Hearing outcome after ossiculoplasty was determined by post-operative air-bone gap (ABG) on audiogram nearest to 1 year after surgery. Post-operative morbidity was measured by total number of opiate doses the child received during hospital stay, along with the highest documented post-operative pain score. Comparisons were made with Mann-Whitney U test., Results: Hearing data were available for 41 patients: 21 had undergone TEES (median preoperative ABG 39 dB) and 20 had PAM surgery (median preoperative ABG 39 dB). Post-operatively at 1 year, ABG closed significantly in each group (TEES 21 dB, p = 0.003; PAM 23 dB, p = 0.01), and there was no difference between groups (p = 0.6). 57% who underwent TEES and 50% who underwent PAM surgery experienced serviceable hearing post-operatively, defined as air conduction pure-tone average (PTA) ≤ 30 dB HL. Visual analogue pain scores from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable) were available for 13 who underwent TEES and 18 who underwent PAM surgery. In children undergoing TEES, only two reported pain above 0, with the highest pain score being 4. Children undergoing PAM surgery had a median pain score of 3 (median difference = 3, p < 0.001). Children undergoing TEES required fewer weight appropriate doses of opiate analgesic (median = 0) than children who underwent PAM surgery (median = 1) (median difference = 1, p = 0.003). Children undergoing TEES had a significantly shorter surgical time (median 135 min) than those who underwent PAM surgery (median 168 min) (median difference = 33 min, p = <0.006)., Conclusion: Hearing outcomes in TORP ossiculoplasty are similar in TEES and PAM surgery, and TEES may decrease post-operative pain., Competing Interests: The authors disclose no funding and conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021, Otology & Neurotology, Inc.)

Objectives: Manuka honey attacks biofilms, which contribute to bacterial persistence in cystic fibrosis sinusitis. The primary objective was to determine feasibility of investigating manuka honey as an irrigation treatment for cystic fibrosis sinusitis and secondarily to assess the treatment's preliminary effectiveness., Design: Prospective, single-blinded (clinician only), randomised, parallel two-arm pilot trial., Setting: Tertiary rhinology clinic., Participants: Subjects had recalcitrant cystic fibrosis sinusitis and previous sinus surgery. They received manuka honey or saline sinus irrigations twice daily for 30 days., Main Outcome Measures: Main outcomes were recruitment/retention rates and tolerability. Preliminary effectiveness was assessed based on quality-of-life Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic change scores and post-treatment culture negativity., Results: Over 10 months, 13 subjects were enrolled, and 77% (10/13) were included in the analysis. Manuka honey irrigations were well-tolerated. The quality-of-life change score was clinically significant for manuka honey (-9 [-14,-6]) but not saline (-5 [-9,-1]), although the difference was not statistically significant (P = .29). Lund-Kennedy endoscopic change score was significantly better for manuka honey (-3 [-5,-3]) versus saline (0 [0,0]) (P = .006). There was no difference in post-treatment culture negativity between manuka honey (1/5, 20%) and saline (0/5, 0%) (P = 1.00)., Conclusions: Manuka honey irrigations were well tolerated, and retention rates were high. Preliminary data showed that manuka honey achieved a clinically important difference in quality-of-life score and a significantly better endoscopic outcome. Microbiological control was difficult to achieve. A future definitive trial would require multi-institutional recruitment., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The aim of this study was to investigate surgical, anesthetic, and device-related complications associated with cochlear implantation (CI) in children younger than 1 year of age. This was a multicenter, retrospective chart review of all children with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss who underwent cochlear implantation with a Cochlear Nucleus Implant System before 1 year of age. Endpoints included perioperative course, major and minor surgical, anesthetic and device-related complications, and 30-day readmission rates. One hundred thirty-six infants (242 ears) met criteria. The mean age at implantation was 9.4 months (standard deviation 1.8). Six-month follow-up was reported in all patients. There were no major anesthetic or device-related complications. Adverse events were reported in 34 of implanted ears (14%; 7 major, 27 minor). Sixteen adverse events occurred ≤30 days of surgery, and 18 occurred >30 days of surgery. The 30-day readmission rate was 1.5%. The rate of adverse events did not correlate with preexisting medical comorbidities or duration under anesthesia. There was no significant difference detected in complication rate for patients younger than 9 months of age versus those 9 to 11 months of age. This study demonstrates the safety of CI surgery in infants and supports reducing the indication for cochlear implantation to younger than 1 year of age for children with bilateral, profound sensorineural hearing loss obtaining a Cochlear Nucleus Implant System.

In children with congenital deafness, cochlear implantation (CI) prior to 12 months of age offers the opportunity to foster more typical auditory development during late infancy and early childhood. Recent studies have found a positive association between early implantation and expressive and receptive language outcomes, with some children able to achieve normal language skills by the time of school entry. Universal newborn hearing screening improved early detection and diagnosis of congenital hearing loss, allowing for earlier intervention, including decision-making regarding cochlear implant (CI) candidacy. It can be more challenging to confirm CI candidacy in infants; therefore, a multidisciplinary approach, including objective audiometric testing, is recommended to not only confirm the diagnosis but also to counsel families regarding expectations and long-term management. Surgeons performing CI surgery in young children should consider both the anesthetic risks of surgery in infancy and the ways in which mastoid anatomy may differ between infants and older children or adults. Multiple studies have found CI surgery in infants can be performed safely and effectively. This article reviews current evidence regarding indications for implantation in children younger than 12 months of age and discusses perioperative considerations and surgical technique.

Objectives: Ectopic thymus is rare and can be a diagnostic challenge. This study evaluated the management of children radiographically diagnosed with ectopic cervical thymus., Methods: A retrospective review of 100 patients was performed. Data related to clinical presentation, radiological imaging, pathology, and management were collected. Changes in lesion volume were tracked over time. Clinical characteristics were compared based on lesion location in the neck using analysis of variance modelling., Results: There were 115 lesions with radiographic features of ectopic cervical thymus (15 children had bilateral lesions). Diagnosis was based on ultrasound in 98% of patients, magnetic resonance imaging in 18%, and computed tomography in 11%. Mean (SD) follow-up duration was 2 (2.2) years. Forty-four percent (51/115) of lesions involved the thyroid gland, 29% (33/115) were in the central neck but separate from the thyroid, 18% (21/115) had mediastinal extension, and 8% (9/115) involved the submandibular region. Location was unclear for two patients. Submandibular lesions were on average 12.4 cm 3 larger (95% CI, 8.2, 16.6) than mediastinal lesions at diagnosis, P ≤ .001. Volume of thymic tissue decreased over time, from a mean (standard deviation [SD]) volume of 4.3 cm 3 (9.2) at initial ultrasound to 2.7 cm 3 (6.1) at final ultrasound (paired t-test, P = .008). Only two patients required surgery: one for compressive symptoms, and the other to rule out malignancy., Conclusion: Ninety-eight percent of children with ectopic cervical thymus were managed conservatively without issues. We propose a classification system based on location to ease communication among clinicians and to help follow these lesions over time., Level of Evidence: 4, case series Laryngoscope, 130:1577-1582, 2020., (© 2019 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objectives: Minimizing soft tissue reduction during the placement of percutaneous implants has been encouraged to improve cosmesis and perhaps decrease soft tissue complications. However, the fidelity of sound transmission and retention of transcutaneous magnet devices relates to the intervening soft tissue thickness. The objective of this study was to examine age-related variability in scalp thickness in patients receiving either percutaneously implanted or transcutaneous magnet-retained auditory prostheses., Methods: Children undergoing percutaneous implant retained prostheses or cochlear implantation underwent two scalp thickness measurements: 1) a superior measurement at the conventional marked site for cochlear implant receiver stimulator and 2) an inferior measurement 1.5 cm below the superior measurement representing the conventional marked site for cochlear implant fantail. Linear regression was used for statistical analysis., Results: Eighty-five children (median age 6 years; range 9 months-17 years) were examined. Scalp thickness at the two sites ranged from 1 to 10 mm (superior mean = 4.1 mm; inferior mean = 4.3 mm). A strong correlation was observed between age and scalp thickness at the superior (R = 0.62, p < 0.01) measurement, while a moderate correlation was observed at the inferior (R = 0.45, p < 0.01) sites. Children younger than 7 years displayed little variability in scalp thickness, and no correlation between age and scalp thickness (R = 0.002, p = 0.74)., Conclusion: In older children, scalp thickness varies significantly with age. However, children younger than 7 years consistently have scalp thicknesses of 3-4 mm. Lack of variability in scalp thickness in children younger than 7 years argues against the use of an age-adjusted approach to soft tissue management in this age group., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Drs. Cushing, Papsin and Gordon hold sponsored research agreements with Cochlear Americas. Drs. Papsin and Gordon receive speaking fees from Cochlear Americas. Dr. Cushing receives speaking fees for Interacoustics and earns royalties from Plural Publishing as an editor of the book, Manual of Pediatric Balance Disorders. Drs. Cushing and Papsin are Patent Holders for Patents #: 7041–0: Systems and Methods for Balance Stabilization., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: This study examines the incidence and management of traumatic loss or osseointegration failure of percutaneous bone conduction implants in children., Study Design: Case series., Setting: Pediatric tertiary care institution., Patients: Children who underwent percutaneous osseointegrated implant placement from 1996 to 2016., Interventions: Clinical evaluation and revision surgery after implant loss., Main Outcome Measures: This study compares the characteristics of children who experienced traumatic loss of implant to those who did not to calculate odds ratios (ORs) describing the risk of injury and investigate device utilization after implant failure., Results: One hundred forty-seven children received percutaneous bone conduction devices; 129 were followed for at least 1 year. Trauma occurred in 19 of 129 cases (15%). Among children with traumatic injury, mean age at initial surgery was 5 years (SD = ±3.3), and 42% had a developmental delay. Among children without traumatic injury, mean age at initial surgery was 6.5 years (SD = ±4.4), and 28% had a developmental delay. Multivariate logistic regression found no significant differences in age, sex, or developmental delay associated with implant loss. In five of 19 traumatic cases (26%), the implant remained in situ due to either skull fracture or abutment loss. In the remaining 14 of 19 cases (74%), there was osseointegration failure with extrusion of the implant. Seventeen children underwent revision surgery utilizing previously placed "sleeper," or backup, osseointegrated implant, and 14 (82%) of these continued to use their device. Two patients with extruded implants did not undergo revision surgery., Conclusion: Traumatic injury or osseointegration failure leads to loss of percutaneous bone conduction implants in approximately 15% of children. Revision surgery is often successful.

Objective: This study interviewed youth with unilateral hearing, utilizing their responses to generate candidate items for a condition-specific patient-reported instrument., Study Design: Mixed methods, cross-sectional., Setting: Tertiary care children's hospital., Participants and Methods: Youth with unilateral hearing loss and normal hearing in the contralateral ear were identified and recruited for participation through query of an audiometric database and through hearing loss clinics. Interviews with the youth were qualitatively analyzed to identify common themes and generate items related to functional impact. A multi-institutional expert panel reviewed items with prespecified item selection criteria. Participants rated items for impact on daily life. For preliminary criterion validity assessment, statistical analyses explored correlations between functional scores and type and severity of hearing loss., Results: Thirty-nine youth aged 9 to 18 years with unilateral hearing loss participated; 31% used a hearing device. Fifteen youth participated in interviews; thematic analysis, item crafting, and expert panel item review resulted in 41 items. Twenty-six youth responded to the items, reporting low functional scores in the domains of sound localization, ear positioning, and noise environment. They reported better levels of function in carrying out group conversations, focusing on schoolwork, and feeling safe during activities. Multivariate linear regression found that youth scored 0.4 points (or approximately 8%) lower on the functional impact scale with every 20-dB HL increase in pure tone average in the abnormal ear., Conclusion: Youth with unilateral hearing loss report functional impact, particularly related to sound localization, ear positioning, and noise environment; therefore, they may benefit from a condition-specific functional assessment instrument.

Objective: This study assessed whether children with oral clefts are appropriately classified as at-risk for hearing loss at the time of newborn hearing screening and describes their screening and diagnostic results., Design: Birth certificates were used to identify children with cleft lip and palate or isolated cleft palate born in Washington State from 2008-2013. These were cross-referenced with the state's Early Hearing Detection, Diagnosis and Intervention (EHDDI) database. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine associations., Results: Birth records identified 235 children with cleft lip and palate and 116 with isolated cleft palate. Six children were listed as having both diagnoses. Only 138 (39%) of these children were designated as having a craniofacial anomaly in the EHDDI database. Children who were misclassified were less likely to have referred on initial hearing screening, OR 0.3, 95% CI [0.2, 0.5]. Misclassification of risk factor status was also associated with delayed hearing screening past 30 days of age or unknown age at screening, OR 4.4, 95% CI [1.5, 13.3], p-value 0.008. Of 50 children with diagnostic results; 25 (50%) had hearing loss: 18 conductive, 2 mixed, and 5 unspecified., Conclusion: A majority of children with oral clefts were misclassified regarding risk factor for hearing loss in the EHDDI database., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Objective: To determine whether the degree of lateral pharyngeal wall (LPW) obstruction on pediatric drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) correlates with preprocedure tonsillar hypertrophy score on physical examination, and to determine if clinically small tonsils are obstructive., Methods: Retrospective review of 154 patients who underwent DISE at a single pediatric tertiary care center over a 4-year period. Inclusion criteria were documentation of Brodsky tonsil score on preoperative physical examination. Exclusion criteria were previous tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, or adenotonsillectomy. Lateral pharyngeal wall obstruction was graded for each patient from 0 (no obstruction) to 3 (severe obstruction) using a validated pediatric DISE scoring system known as the Chan-Parikh scoring system (C-P). Data were analyzed using multivariate linear regression controlling for age at time of DISE and presence of comorbid conditions., Results: One hundred fifteen patients met criteria for analysis. Median age at DISE was 5.1 years. A moderate positive correlation was calculated between Brodsky score and DISE score, Spearman correlation coefficient 0.55, P = < 0.001. Linear regression modeling determined that for every 1-point increase in tonsil score, there was a 0.7-point increase in C-P LPW score (95% confidence interval [0.45, 0.92]). Sensitivity analysis did not detect a difference in correlation between children with comorbid conditions and children who were otherwise in good health. Of the 65 children with a pre-DISE Brodsky tonsil score of 1, 39 (60%) had a LPW score of 0 (no obstruction); nine (14%) had a score of 1 (< 50% obstruction); 11 (17%) had a score of 2 (> 50% obstruction); and six (9%) had a score of 3 (100% obstruction)., Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between Brodsky Score and DISE LPW score. The majority of children with sleep-disordered breathing with a Brodsky score of 1 did not demonstrate LPW obstruction. These children may benefit from DISE for identification of alternative sites of upper airway obstruction., Level of Evidence: 4. Laryngoscope, 127:1943-1949, 2017., (© 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: To investigate the risk of hearing loss progression in each ear among children with unilateral hearing loss associated with ipsilateral bony cochlear nerve canal (BCNC) stenosis., Setting: Tertiary pediatric referral center., Patients: Children diagnosed with unilateral hearing loss who had undergone temporal bone computed tomography imaging and had at least 6 months of follow-up audiometric testing were identified from a prospective audiological database., Interventions: Two pediatric radiologists blinded to affected ear evaluated imaging for temporal bone anomalies and measured bony cochlear canal width independently. All available audiograms were reviewed, and air conduction thresholds were documented., Main Outcome Measure: Progression of hearing loss was defined by a 10 dB increase in air conduction pure-tone average., Results: One hundred twenty eight children met inclusion criteria. Of these, 54 (42%) had a temporal bone anomaly, and 22 (17%) had ipsilateral BCNC stenosis. At 12 months, rates of progression in the ipsilateral ear were as follows: 12% among those without a temporal bone anomaly, 13% among those with a temporal bone anomaly, and 17% among those with BCNC stenosis. Children with BCNC stenosis had a significantly greater risk of progression in their ipsilateral ear compared with children with no stenosis: hazard ratio (HR) 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.01, 4.66), p value 0.046. When we compared children with BCNC stenosis to those with normal temporal bone imaging, we found that the children with stenosis had nearly two times greater risk estimate for progression, but this difference did not reach significance, HR 1.9, CI (0.8, 4.3), p = 0.1. No children with BCNC stenosis developed hearing loss in their contralateral year by 12 months of follow-up., Conclusion: Children with bony cochlear nerve canal stenosis may be at increased risk for progression in their ipsilateral ear. Audiometric and medical follow-up for these children should be considered.

Background: Manuka honey (MH) has been shown in vitro to be effective against biofilm-producing bacteria. This study assessed the effectiveness of MH for patients with active chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and prior sinus surgery., Methods: This prospective single-blinded (clinician only) randomized controlled trial recruited patients with active CRS and prior sinus surgery. Patients received either MH or saline (SAL) sinus irrigations twice daily for 30 days and were offered oral antibiotics and/or oral/topical steroids as indicated. Outcomes were 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) change score (primary), culture negativity, and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic change score., Results: Forty-two patients were analyzed (MH, n = 20; SAL, n = 22). The SNOT-22 change score achieved a clinically significant improvement in both groups but was similar between MH (median [interquartile range]: -12 [-20, -1]) and SAL (-12.5 [-22, -6]) (p = 0.57). Culture negativity was better on MH (8/19, 42%) compared to SAL (4/21, 19%), nearing statistical significance (p = 0.11). Lund-Kennedy endoscopic change score improved in both groups but was not statistically better on MH (-3 [-5, 0]) compared to SAL (-1 [-2, 0]) (p = 0.20). For patients not receiving oral antibiotics/steroids, culture negativity was statistically better on MH (5/10, 50%) compared to SAL (0/6, 0%) (p = 0.04). MH was well-tolerated. No adverse events were reported., Conclusion: In patients with active CRS and prior sinus surgery, both MH and SAL improved outcomes, but there was no statistically significant difference between these groups. However, in the subset that did not receive oral antibiotics/steroids, culture negativity was statistically better on MH, suggesting that MH alone may be effective for acute exacerbations of CRS., (© 2016 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

Objective: To evaluate outcomes of the endoscopic posterior cricoid split with rib graft (EPCS/RG) procedure in the treatment of subglottic stenosis (SGS), posterior glottic stenosis (PGS), and bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI)., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Methods: Chart review of all patients who underwent EPCS/RG at a single tertiary-care facility between 1999 and 2014. Patients were grouped based on the primary indication for the procedure. Decannulation was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were the number of subsequent airway procedures and length of hospitalization., Results: Thirty-three patients were identified; 32 had tracheotomy. Overall decannulation rate was 65.6%. Subgroup analysis demonstrated the following decannulation rates: 53.8% for SGS, 100% for PGS, and 28.6% for BVFI. Fisher exact test found a significant difference in overall decannulation rates between groups (P = 0.002). Operation-specific decannulation rates for patients who never required an open procedure were 23% for SGS, 91.6% for PGS, and 28.6% for BVFI. This difference was also statistically significant (P = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found prematurity had a positive correlation with decannulation that approached statistical significance (P < 0.051; odds ratio 6.1; 95% confidence interval 0.99, 37.6). The percentage of patients who underwent repeat airway procedures for the groups was 61.5% for SGS, 16.6 % for PGS, and 14.3% for BVFI. The median length of hospitalization after EPCS/RG was 3 days., Conclusion: This represents the largest series of patients who have undergone EPCS/RG and demonstrates that the majority of patients can be decannulated after this procedure. Patients with PGS had the highest operation-specific decannulation rates., Level of Evidence: 4. Laryngoscope, 127:252-257, 2017., (© 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: Management of children with unilateral hearing loss is not standardized. The primary goal of this study was to elicit patient- and parent-reported perspectives regarding usage of hearing devices in pediatric UHL and to suggest a basic algorithmic approach to management., Methods: Our tertiary care center recruited families of youth ages 5-19 years with unilateral hearing loss from January 2014 through October 2015. Parents of all youths completed a 36-item survey, and some youth ages 11-19 years participated in hour-long interviews. We assessed patterns of hearing device usage among participants, and performed qualitative data analysis to understand factors considered by youths when deciding whether or not to use a hearing device., Results: Survey information was collected for 50 patients. Distribution of hearing loss severity in affected ear was mild 14%, moderate 26%, severe 22%, and profound 38%. The majority of children had sensorineural hearing loss (57%), followed by mixed (32%), and then conductive (11%). 34 children (68%) had tried a hearing device; 20 continued to use the device. Retention rates were similar among children with different degrees of hearing loss: mild 66%, moderate 50%, severe 60%, profound 64%. Sixteen children tried a wireless contralateral routing of signal (CROS) device, and 15 tried a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid. Retention rates for CROS and BTE devices were 69% and 47%, respectively. The most common reason for cessation of use was discomfort, followed by lack of benefit., Conclusion: A majority of children with unilateral hearing loss who tried a hearing device continued to use it, and retention rates were similar across all degrees of hearing loss. These findings suggest that personal hearing devices should be included in management protocols., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine if standardized intraoperative scoring of anatomic obstruction in children with obstructive sleep apnea correlates with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest oxygen saturation on preprocedural polysomnogram (PSG). A secondary objective was to determine if age, presence of a syndrome, or previous adenotonsillectomy affect this correlation., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Two tertiary care children's hospitals., Subjects: Patients with a preprocedural PSG who underwent drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) over a 4-year period., Methods: All DISEs were graded in a systematic manner with the Chan-Parikh (C-P) scoring system. AHI and nadir oxygen saturations were extracted from preprocedural PSG. Data were analyzed with a multivariate linear regression model that controlled for age at time of sleep endoscopy, syndrome diagnosis, and previous adenotonsillectomy., Results: A total of 127 children underwent PSG prior to DISE: 56 were syndromic, and 21 had a previous adenotonsillectomy. Mean AHI was 13.6 ± 19.6 (± SD), and mean oxygen nadir was 85.4% ± 9.4%. Mean C-P score was 5.9 ± 2.7. DISE score positively correlated with preoperative AHI (r = 0.36, P < .0001) and negatively correlated with oxygen nadir (r = -0.26, P = .004). The multivariate linear regression models estimated that for every 1-point increase in C-P score, there is a 2.6-point increase in AHI (95% confidence interval: 1.4-3.8, P < .001) and a 1.1% decrease in the lowest oxygen saturation (95% confidence interval: -1.7 to -0.6, P < .001)., Conclusion: The C-P scoring system for pediatric DISE correlates with both AHI and lowest oxygen saturation on preprocedural PSG., (© American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.)

Objectives/hypothesis: In this meta-analysis, we reviewed observational studies investigating differences in intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of children with unilateral hearing loss compared to children with normal hearing., Data Sources: PubMed Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, PsycINFO., Methods: A query identified all English-language studies related to pediatric unilateral hearing loss published between January 1980 and December 2014. Titles, abstracts, and articles were reviewed to identify observational studies reporting IQ scores., Results: There were 261 unique titles, with 29 articles undergoing full review. Four articles were identified, which included 173 children with unilateral hearing loss and 202 children with normal hearing. Ages ranged from 6 to 18 years. Three studies were conducted in the United States and one in Mexico. All were of high quality. All studies reported full-scale IQ results; three reported verbal IQ results; and two reported performance IQ results. Children with unilateral hearing loss scored 6.3 points lower on full-scale IQ, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-9.1, -3.5], P value < 0.001; and 3.8 points lower on performance IQ, 95% CI [-7.3, -0.2], P value 0.04. When investigating verbal IQ, we detected substantial heterogeneity among studies; exclusion of the outlying study resulted in significant difference in verbal IQ of 4 points, 95% CI [-7.5, -0.4], P value 0.028., Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests children with unilateral hearing loss have lower full-scale and performance IQ scores than children with normal hearing. There also may be disparity in verbal IQ scores. Laryngoscope, 126:746-754, 2016., (© 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objectives/hypothesis: To examine the relationship between bony cochlear nerve canal (BCNC) width, degree of hearing loss, and speech discrimination in children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (USNHL)., Study Design: Retrospective chart review (case-control study)., Methods: Audiometric database was cross-referenced with radiologic database at pediatric tertiary care facility to identify children with USNHL and temporal bone computed tomography. BCNC widths were measured independently by two radiologists blinded to affected ear. Regression analyses investigated associations among variables., Results: One hundred and sixty children with USNHL had temporal bone imaging. Mean BCNC width was significantly smaller in affected ears, P = 0.0001. Narrower width was associated with more severe hearing loss, P = 0.01. Among children who had narrower cochlear nerve canals in affected ears compared to unaffected ears, smaller width was associated with lower speech discrimination score, P = 0.03. Increasing asymmetry in BCNC width between affected and unaffected ears was associated with poorer discrimination scores, P = 0.02. Among ears with asymmetrically smaller cochlear nerve canals, a 1-mm reduction in cochlear canal width between the normal and affected ear was associated with 30.4% lower word recognition score percentage in the affected ear, P = < 0.001., Conclusion: There is a significant association between BCNC stenosis and impaired speech discrimination, independent of degree of hearing loss. Further investigation is needed to determine whether BCNC stenosis is a poor prognostic factor for auditory rehabilitation., (© 2014 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Background: This study investigates how endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) impacts total direct healthcare costs, medication usage, and frequency of imaging among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS)., Methods: Data were obtained from the MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters databases (Truven Health Analytics); patients who underwent ESS for CRS in 2008 were identified. Healthcare costs, days of antibiotic and oral steroid usage, and number of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were collected for 12 months prior to and 36 months after surgery and compared in 1-year intervals., Results: A total of 8963 surgical patients were included. Median total direct costs fell from $4750 at preoperative baseline (95% confidence interval [CI], $4661 to $4838) to $4212 by year 3 after surgery (95% CI, $4078 to $4346). Disease-specific costs related to conditions commonly associated with CRS-asthma, allergy, depression, and headache-all decreased in the years after surgery; the reduction was significant for all conditions but asthma. Mean days of antibiotic usage per year decreased from 28.2 days before surgery to 15.9 days by year 3 after surgery, p value <0.001. Days of oral corticosteroid usage remained stable at just over 7 days. Mean number of imaging studies fell from an average of 1.6 in the year before surgery to 0.2 by year 3 after surgery, p value <0.001., Conclusion: Among patients who underwent ESS for CRS, total direct healthcare costs, antibiotic usage, and number of imaging studies decreased after surgery, and remained below preoperative levels throughout all 3 years of follow-up. Oral corticosteroid usage remained stable., (© 2015 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

Objectives: In this study, we used computed tomography measurements to investigate the feasibility of nasoseptal flap reconstruction of sellar defects in children, and we reviewed our institutional experience with the procedure., Study Design: Cross-sectional and case series., Setting: Pediatric tertiary care facility., Methods: We obtained 10 normal maxillofacial scans for each year of age from birth to 18. Computer-assisted nasal and skull-base measurements were performed. Patients with incomplete pneumatization were excluded from analysis. Reconstruction was presumed feasible if the ratio of nasoseptal flap length to associated sellar defect length was greater than 1. Chart review identified surgical patients., Results: Of 190 scans, 125 had complete pneumatization. Of these, 120 (96%) displayed a ratio of nasoseptal flap length to sellar defect length greater than 1, suggesting that reconstruction would be feasible. Mean ratio of flap length to defect length for all subjects was 1.47 (SD 0.33; 95% CI, 1.41-1.53). Only 5 of 125 patients (4%) had a ratio less than 1; the median age for these patients was 15 years, which is older than the median age of 12 years for subjects with a ratio greater than 1 (P = .02). An inverse relationship was identified between age and ratio of flap length to defect length (r = -0.49, P < .001). Case series identified 6 children, ages 5 to 17; flap length was never described as a limitation., Conclusions: Nasoseptal flap length is not a limiting factor for reconstruction of pediatric sellar defects. When compared with older patients, younger patients tend to have greater nasoseptal flap length relative to sellar defect length., (© American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015.)

Objective: This study describes the presentation of first branchial cleft anomalies and compares outcomes of first branchial cleft with other branchial cleft anomalies with attention to otologic findings., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Pediatric tertiary care facility., Methods: Surgical databases were queried to identify children with branchial cleft anomalies. Descriptive analysis defined sample characteristics. Risk estimates were calculated using Fisher's exact test., Results: Queries identified 126 subjects: 27 (21.4%) had first branchial cleft anomalies, 80 (63.4%) had second, and 19 (15.1%) had third or fourth. Children with first anomalies often presented with otologic complications, including otorrhea (22.2%), otitis media (25.9%), and cholesteatoma (14.8%). Of 80 children with second branchial cleft anomalies, only 3 (3.8%) had otitis. Compared with children with second anomalies, children with first anomalies had a greater risk of requiring primary incision and drainage: 16 (59.3%) vs 2 (2.5%) (relative risk [RR], 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-5; P<.0001). They were more likely to have persistent disease after primary excision: 7 (25.9%) vs 2 (2.5%) (RR, 3; 95% CI, 1.9-5; P=.0025). They were more likely to undergo additional surgery: 8 (29.6%) vs 3 (11.1%) (RR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.8-4.7; P=.0025). Of 7 persistent first anomalies, 6 (85.7%) were medial to the facial nerve, and 4 (57.1%) required ear-specific surgery for management., Conclusions: Children with first branchial cleft anomalies often present with otologic complaints. They are at increased risk of persistent disease, particularly if anomalies lie medial to the facial nerve. They may require ear-specific surgery such as tympanoplasty., (© American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.)

Objective To determine the risk factors for and the clinical course of postoperative meningitis following lateral skull base surgery and to determine its relationship to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula. Patients Patients undergoing lateral skull base surgery between July 1999 and February 2010 at an academic tertiary referral center. All subjects had culture-proven meningitis or suspected bacterial meningitis in the postoperative period. Medical records were compared with the lateral skull base patients who did not develop meningitis. Results Of 508 procedures, 16 patients developed meningitis (3.1%). The most common diagnosis was acoustic neuroma in 81.3%; 68.8% of patients had a CSF leak prior to onset of meningitis, and 50% received a lumbar drain. The median time from surgery to the onset of meningitis was 12 days with a range of 2 to 880 days. The relative risk of developing meningitis in the setting of postoperative CSF fistula is 10.2 (p < 0.0001). No meningitis-associated mortality was observed. Conclusions Postoperative meningitis occurred in a small number of patients undergoing lateral skull base surgery. A postoperative CSF fistula leads to an increased risk of meningitis by a factor of 10.2.