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This study aims to provide a national benchmark rate of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage (PTH) in Australia. Using data from Australia's National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD) from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2020, we have conducted a nation-wide population-based study to estimate a reference rate of PTH. Outcomes of interest included the overall rate and time-trend of PTH, the relationship between PTH rates with age and gender as well as the epidemiology of tonsillectomy procedures. A total of 941,557 tonsillectomy procedures and 15,391 PTH episodes were recorded for the study period. Whilst the incidence of tonsillectomy procedures and the number of day-stay tonsillectomy procedures have increased substantially over time, the overall rate of PTH for all ages has remained relatively constant (1.6% [95% CI: 1.61 to 1.66]) with no significant association observed between the annual rates of PTH and time (year) (Spearman correlation coefficient, Rs = 0.24 (95% CI: -0.22 to 0.61), P = 0.3). However, the rate of PTH in adults (aged 15 years and over) experienced a statistically significant mild to moderate upward association with time (year) Rs = 0.64 (95% CI: 0.28 to 0.84), P = 0.003. Analysis of the odds of PTH using the risk factors of increasing age and male gender showed a unique age and gender risk pattern for PTH where males aged 20 to 24 years had the highest risk of PTH odds ratio 7.3 (95% CI: 6.7 to 7.8) compared to patients aged 1 to 4 years. Clinicians should be mindful of the greater risk of PTH in male adolescents and young adults. The NHMD datasets can be continually used to evaluate the benchmark PTH rate in Australia and to facilitate tonsillectomy surgical audit activities and quality improvement programs on a national basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the incidence of middle ear cholesteatoma surgery and assess trends in mastoidectomy procedures in Australia. Study design: Cross‐sectional population‐based study using data from the National Hospital Morbidity Database. Methods: Admitted care episodes containing the principal diagnosis of middle ear cholesteatoma were analyzed for two 12‐month periods of 2007–2008 and 2017–2018. Surgical admissions involving mastoidectomy were identified by procedure codes. Incidence rate per 100,000 person‐years were compared between study periods. Results: Of the 3855 middle ear cholesteatoma admissions, 3558 (92.3%) involved surgery, with the incidence rate for cholesteatoma surgical admissions estimated at 8.6 per 100,000 (95% CI: 8.2–9.0) and 8.1 per 100,000 (95% CI: 7.7–8.5) for 2017–2018 and 2007–2008, respectively. Population aged 10–19 years had the highest age‐specific incidence rate at 12.5 per 100,000 (95% CI: 11.3–13.9) for 2017–2018. The 60 years and over age groups had the highest decennial percentage increase. Mastoidectomy procedures were consistently used in over half of all surgical admissions. An increase in the rate of canal wall up (CWU) mastoidectomy procedure related admissions was observed (rate ratio of 1.62 [95%CI: 1.41–1.86], P <.001) and was offset by a decreased rate of canal wall down (CWD) procedure associated admissions (0.69 [95% CI: 0.61–0.78], P <.001]). Conclusions: The incidence rate of cholesteatoma surgery in Australia is estimated at 8.6 per 100,000. Mastoidectomy continues to play an essential role in cholesteatoma surgery with a trend favoring CWU over CWD mastoidectomy. Level of evidence: 4 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common and potentially debilitating disease characterized by inflammation of the sinus mucosa for longer than 12 weeks. Bacterial colonization of the sinuses and its role in the pathogenesis of this disease is an ongoing area of research. Recent advances in culture-independent molecular techniques for bacterial identification have the potential to provide a more accurate and complete assessment of the sinus microbiome, however there is little concordance in results between studies, possibly due to differences in the sampling location and techniques. This study aimed to determine whether the microbial communities from one sinus could be considered representative of all sinuses, and examine differences between two commonly used methods for sample collection, swabs, and tissue biopsies. High-throughput DNA sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was applied to both swab and tissue samples from multiple sinuses of 19 patients undergoing surgery for treatment of CRS. Results from swabs and tissue biopsies showed a high degree of similarity, indicating that swabbing is sufficient to recover the microbial community from the sinuses. Microbial communities from different sinuses within individual patients differed to varying degrees, demonstrating that it is possible for distinct microbiomes to exist simultaneously in different sinuses of the same patient. The sequencing results correlated well with culture-based pathogen identification conducted in parallel, although the culturing missed many species detected by sequencing. This finding has implications for future research into the sinus microbiome, which should take this heterogeneity into account by sampling patients from more than one sinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report 3 cases of rare, life-threatening intracranial and internal jugular vein (IJV) thrombosis that were caused by common ENT infections. These infections included otitis media in a 6-year-old girl, tonsillitis in a 21-year-old woman, and odontogenic sepsis in a 56-year-old woman. All 3 patients were treated with culture-directed systemic antibiotics; 2 of them also required surgical drainage (the child and the older adult). The 2 adults also received therapeutic anticoagulation, which was continued until venous recanalization was documented; the duration of combined antibiotic and anticoagulation treatment was 6 weeks. All 3 patients made uneventful recoveries. Significant morbidities associated with intracranial and IJV thrombosis were avoided as a result of prompt diagnosis and judicious treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unilateral tumour in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses is commonly caused by polyps, cysts, and mucoceles, as well as invasive tumours such as papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Schwannomas, in contrast, are rare lesions in this area (Minhas et al., 2013). We present a case of a 52-year-old female who presented with a 4-year progressive history of mucous hypersecretion, nasal obstruction, pain, and fullness. Imaging of the paranasal sinuses showed complete opacification of the entire left nasal cavity and sinuses by a tumour causing subsequent obstruction of the frontal and maxillary sinuses. The tumour was completely excised endoscopically. Histopathology was consistent with that of a schwannoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: A 2-surgeon technique has been proposed that allows resection of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) with extension into the infratemporal fossa by utilizing a septal incision for passage of a retracting instrument from the opposite nostril. This technique, however, does not overcome the problem of limited space within the nasal cavity for the tumor to be retracted. Therefore, the tumor has to be divided lo allow for its removal. We are proposing a different 2-surgeon technique as an alternative operative technique for the resection of JNA. Methods: A new technique of endoscopic resection of JNA involves a transseptal posterior perforation. This perforation allows retraction of the tumor into the opposite nasal cavity by the second surgeon. The retraction of the tumor creates space for its resection. Results: Nineteen patients (all male) underwent this 2-surgeon technique for resection of JNA. The follow-up period ranged up to 9 years, and no recurrence was recorded. Conclusions: Longer-term follow-up is needed to assess recurrence rate and morbidity with this technique. However, in our small series, the 2-surgeon technique via posterior septal perforation was associated with low morbidity and recurrence rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For tonsillectomy, the ultrasonic harmonic scalpel has been purported to cause less tissue injury and postoperative morbidity while providing adequate levels of hemostasis. We undertook a prospective study to compare outcomes in 162 patients who had undergone harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy and 40 patients who had undergone monopolar diathermy tonsillectomy over a 33-month period. We found that patients in the harmonic scalpel group experienced significantly less intraoperative bleeding (5.0 vs. 16.5 ml; p < 0.0001). There was no clinically significant difference between the groups with respect to (1) the amount of operating time, (2) the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, dysphonia, and primary or secondary bleeding, and (3) the amount of time patients needed to resume normal diet and activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]