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Objective: Patients undergoing endoscopic transsphenoidal adenomectomy (eTSA) for pituitary tumors are at risk for postoperative complications, including rhinosinusitis. We aimed to determine if preoperative sinonasal disease is a risk factor for postoperative rhinosinusitis (PRS). Study Design: Retrospective review. Setting: Tertiary academic center in U.S. Subjects and Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of pituitary adenoma who underwent eTSA between 2007-2016. PRS patients were matched to non-PRS patients or sex, age, tumor size, skull base reconstruction with intranasal tissue grafting, and concurrent septoplasty. Groups were statistically analyzed for potential preoperative risk factors of sinonasal disease (patient-reported, radiographic, endoscopic). Results: 49 of 987 patients who underwent eTSA developed PRS (44.9% male, 71.4% Caucasian, mean age 49.3y). On analysis of individual risk factors, there was a significantly higher proportion of patients with a history of prior sinonasal surgery in the PRS group than the non-PRS group (25.5% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.01); however, this group difference became insignificant on multivariate analysis. There were no significant group differences with regard to history of sinus infections, nasal symptoms, seasonal allergies, radiographic abnormalities, or sinonasal disease on endoscopy. Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate preoperative sinonasal disease as a risk factor for PRS after eTSA. The risk factors considered did not demonstrate definitive risk for PRS, although a history of prior sinonasal surgery should be investigated further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine if clinically acquired cephalometric measurements, specifically soft palate size, can predict hypoglossal nerve stimulation outcomes.Study Design: Combined prospective cohort study and retrospective review.Setting: US sleep otolaryngology training program.Methods: Adults with obstructive sleep apnea and apneahypopnea index greater than 15 events/h who underwent hypoglossal nerve stimulation. Eligible subjects had diagnostic preoperative sleep studies and full-night efficacy postoperative studies for analysis. Lateral neck x-rays were obtained as part of routine clinical care and measured for key cephalometric variables by trained head and neck radiologists. Continuous variables were compared using the Student t test, while χ2 testing was used for categorical variables.Results: Fifty-one patients met all study criteria. On average, patients were white, middle aged, and overweight. Following hypoglossal nerve stimulation, the overall cohort achieved a significant apnea-hypopnea index reduction from 36.7 events/h to 20.6 events/h (P < .01) and a response rate of 47% (defined as apnea-hypopnea index reduction >50% and apnea-hypopnea index <20 events/h). On average, therapy responders had significantly thinner soft palates than nonresponders (13.4 ± 3.8 mm vs 16.0 ± 3.4 mm, P = .045).Conclusions: Patient-specific anatomic factors, specifically soft palate thickness, may help identify optimal candidates for hypoglossal nerve stimulation. A larger, prospective study including both anatomic and physiologic variables is required to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/hypothesis: To examine the correlation between transoral and awake endoscopic examination and investigate their respective ability to predict outcomes of hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS).Study Design: Retrospective cohort study at a US medical center.Methods: Subjects were adults with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >15 events/hr who underwent HGNS according to standard indications. Eligible subjects had diagnostic preoperative sleep studies, full-night efficacy postoperative studies, as well as postoperative video recordings of transoral examination and awake endoscopy. Recordings were independently scored by two blinded reviewers. Cohen's κ coefficient, Student t test, and χ2 analyses were performed.Results: Fifty-seven patients met all inclusion criteria. On average, patients were Caucasian, middle aged, and overweight. The mean preoperative AHI was 36.7 events/hr, which improved significantly to 18.3 events/hr following HGNS (P < .01). Overall, the response rate (defined as AHI reduction >50% and AHI < 20 events/hr) was 49%. There was slight correlation between transoral tongue protrusion and endoscopic tongue base movement (κ = 0.10). On transoral examination, patients with minimal/moderate tongue motion achieved a greater mean AHI reduction than patients with full motion (26.0 ± 18.0 vs. 12.8 ± 24.1, P = .02). In contrast, on awake endoscopy, patients with minimal/moderate tongue motion achieved a lesser mean AHI reduction than patients with full motion (8.7 ± 19.9 vs. 22.1 ± 22.7, P = .04).Conclusions: Transoral tongue protrusion bears an inverse relationship to HGNS success and correlates poorly with endoscopic tongue base movement. Endoscopic tongue base motion appears reflective of response to HGNS, with greater motion corresponding to greater AHI reduction.Level Of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:675-679, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacillus that can cause serious infections but has limited treatment options. This study aims to establish trends in the treatment of S. maltophilia bloodstream infections (BSI) across the United States in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities., Methods: Data was evaluated over a 10-year timeframe (2012 to 2021) in this retrospective cohort study. Veterans with ≥ 1 blood culture with S. maltophilia within a VA medical encounter were included. Microbiology, pharmacy, and patient information were collected through national VA data sources and chart review. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression were used to summarize patient demographics, facility characteristics, microbiologic data, and treatment trends., Results: A total of 374 blood cultures positive for S. maltophilia were identified across 75 VA facilities. Of 282 unique patients with BSI, the majority were male (93.6%), white (67.4%), with a mean age of 64 ± 13.1 years. Of those patients, 78% received treatment, 12.8% had a polymicrobial blood culture, and 5.3% had a documented sulfa allergy. Susceptibility results were most reported for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), levofloxacin, and ceftazidime, with 4.5%, 4.3%, and 44.4% resistant isolates, respectively. Antibiotics most prescribed included TMP-SMX (41.5%) and levofloxacin (39.4%), followed by ciprofloxacin (13.8%) and ceftazidime (12.4%). Combination therapy was prescribed in 33% of patients. No significant trends were found with antibiotic utilization over time., Conclusions: TMP-SMX and levofloxacin were the most prescribed antibiotics for S. maltophilia BSI treatment. No significant changes were seen with antibiotic prescribing trends in Veterans from 2012 to 2021., Competing Interests: All authors report no conflicts of interest or financial disclosures relevant to this article. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government., (© The Author(s) 2024.)