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Background: Blood-based immunoglobulins (IgGs) may mark the presence of amyloid plaques characterizing the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies suggest that anti-RAGE and anti-Abeta IgGs increase proportionately with accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides at receptor sites for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), within cortical areas of brain tissue. We assessed the relationship between these potential markers and an AD-type cognitive profile. We hypothesized that these specific IgG levels would be positively correlated with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores as well as index scores on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) in domains associated with cortical function.Methods: Participants were 118 older adults (mean age = 74, standard deviation = 10.5) drawn from the community and local physician referrals. Participants were reassigned into five groups based on CDR. Blood IgG levels were determined through an affinity purification process.Results: Analysis of covariance analyses revealed that CDR scores were significantly related to anti-RAGE, F(4,106) = 12.93, p < .001, and anti-Abeta, F(4,106) = 17.08, p < .001, after controlling for age and total IgG levels. Regression analyses indicated significant variance accounted for by anti-RAGE and anti-Abeta above and beyond total IgG effects. Additional regression identified specific RBANS domains accounting for significant variance in anti-RAGE levels including language (t = -3.74, p < .001) and delayed memory (t = -2.31, p < .05), whereas language accounted for a significant amount of variance in anti-Abeta levels (t = -3.96, p < .001).Conclusions: Anti-RAGE and anti-Abeta IgGs correlate strongly with global scores of dementia. Furthermore, they are associated with a profile of deficiency in domains associated with specific cortical function. Results suggest potential for anti-Abeta and anti-RAGE IgGs as blood biomarkers for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between work roles, work role values and job satisfaction for registered nurses employed in the hospital setting in the USA. A total of 201 nurses responded (33% response rate) to a survey instrument consisting of questions regarding work roles, work role values and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. Spearman's rank order and Pearson's product moment tests were carried out to determine the correlation between the three factors. Although the resulting information was not statistically significant (r= 0-12), the strength of this study lies in its conceptual and theoretical bases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Points: Decreased overall dietary consumption of micronutrients may be linked to an increased risk of olfactory dysfunction (OD) including subjective report of OD, subjective report of phantosmia, and objective OD. Interactions were identified between these micronutrients, suggesting that outcomes may vary depending on the mixture of micronutrients taken., (© 2024 ARS‐AAOA, LLC.)

Background: High-risk neonates continuing to need enteral nutrition, but otherwise medically ready for discharge home from the NICU, are often offered ongoing hospitalization for nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding, versus discharge after placement of gastrostomy tube. Our group developed an interdisciplinary algorithm to support a third option-discharge home with enteral nutrition via NGT. Our objective was to develop a cross-institutional and interdisciplinary pathway to optimize outcomes for neonates discharged with NGTs., Methods: A program to support home NGT feeding use was created, "Passport Home Program," based upon feedback from parents, nurses, speech-language pathologists, otolaryngologists, and neonatal intensivists, amongst others, spanning four hospitals across our health system., Results: Standardized educational materials for caregivers of neonates requiring ongoing NGT feeding on discharge were created and consist of an in-hospital curriculum with specific competency thresholds, including demonstrating NGT replacement and confirmation with pH test strips. A discharge kit, including a QR code for a video reviewing safe techniques for home NGT placement, is distributed, along with support staff contact information. Members of an emergency department were trained in neonatal NGT replacement in case of issues after business hours. Each patient is followed in a dedicated outpatient multi-disciplinary clinic., Discussion: This is an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional effort to standardize a pathway for neonates discharged home from the NICU with NGTs. This has the potential to lead to earlier discharge, better outcomes for patients and families, as well as lower costs. This best practice algorithm serves as an example pathway applicable across fields of medicine., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are frequently prescribed by otolaryngologists. However, there are limited quantitative data on OCS-related adverse events (AEs) in otolaryngology. We sought to quantify OCS-related AEs in otolaryngology., Methods: All outpatient otolaryngology encounters in our healthcare system (2018-2023) at which an OCS was prescribed were identified via the electronic medical record. The diagnoses indicating OCS were categorized as sinonasal, otologic, pharyngo-laryngeal, and other. The medical record was subsequently examined to assess for OCS AEs during the 21-day period following the prescription. OCS AEs were grouped into (1) gastrointestinal, (2) metabolic, (3) bone/muscle, (4) ophthalmologic, and/or (5) psychiatric complications. The frequency and types of OCS related AEs were determined., Results: A total of 20 746 otolaryngology encounters with OCS prescribed were examined. Seventy OCS courses had 1 or more AEs, implying a number needed to harm of 296.4 (240.2-386.8). There were 83 total OCS-related AEs, yielding an AE incidence rate of 4.0:1000 (95% CI, 3.0-5.0:1000) OCS prescriptions. The mean age of subjects with AEs (61.5 years) was significantly higher than those without (50.3 years; P  < .001). Forty-seven (56.6%) of the complications were metabolic, with hyperglycemia and hypokalemia the most common, followed by gastrointestinal (26.5%), ophthalmologic (3.6%), psychiatric (2.4%), and musculoskeletal (2.4%)., Conclusion: AEs related to OCS prescribed by otolaryngologists occur at a rate of once per 296 courses of treatment and older populations may be at increased risk for AEs. Otolaryngologists should balance AE rates against anticipated benefits of steroid therapy., Level of Evidence: 3., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Evaluate the use of coronary CTA as an initial assessment for determining Right Ventricle Dependent Coronary Circulation (RVDCC) in neonates with Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum (PA IVS). Retrospective review of cases with coronary CTA and compare with available catheter angiography, pathology, surgical reports, and outcomes from Mar 2015 to May 2022. In our cohort of 16 patients, 3 were positive for RVDCC, confirmed by pathologic evaluation, and there was concordance for presence or absence of RVDCC with catheter angiography in 5 patients (4 negatives for RVDCC, 1 positive). Clinical follow up for the 8 patients that underwent RV decompression had no clinical evidence of myocardial ischemia. Our findings suggest that coronary CTA is reliable as first-line imaging for determination of RVDCC in neonates with PA IVS. These findings, if supported by further prospective study, may reserve invasive coronary angiography for cases with diagnostic uncertainty or at the time of necessary transcatheter interventions., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Topical budesonide irrigations are frequently prescribed after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) to manage mucosal inflammation. However, this off-label indication may conflict with health insurance formularies. We sought to quantify the relative frequency of postoperative budesonide prescriptions to determine if this could be considered common practice after ESS. We extracted and analyzed postoperative prescription data for patients undergoing ESS from 2016 to 2022 within our health care system. Overall, among 8157 ESS patients, 15.9% and 22.1% received topical budesonide prescriptions within 30 or 180 days postoperatively, respectively. On a year-over-year basis, budesonide prescription frequency increased significantly over time, culminating at 20.3% and 24.9% in 2022. Conversely, postoperative oral corticosteroid (OCS) prescriptions showed a decreasing frequency over the same time period (P < .001). Our results show topical budesonide irrigations are increasingly frequently prescribed after ESS and may offset postoperative OCS requirements. This argues for coverage of topical budesonide as a formulary medication after ESS., (© 2024 American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.)

Key Points: Using 3D modeling, we studied the influence of orbital tumor morphology on post-operative outcomes. Orbital tumor volume did not influence postoperative complication rates. Less spherical tumors may be correlated with a more extensive surgical approach., (© 2024 ARS‐AAOA, LLC.)

Background: Repair is preferable for children with mitral valve disease, but mitral valve replacement (MVR) is occasionally necessary. This report presents the results of a multiinstitutional Investigational Device Exemption trial of the 15-mm St Jude (SJM) mechanical mitral valve (Abbott Structural Heart)., Methods: From May 2015 to March 2017, 23 children aged 0.4 to 27.4 months (mean, 7.8 months; 85% <1 year) weighing 2.9 to 10.9 kg (mean, 5.5 kg) at 15 centers underwent MVR with a 15-mm SJM mechanical mitral valve (intraannular, 45%; supraannular, 55%). A total of 21 (91%) of the children had undergone previous cardiac operations. Follow-up until death, valve explantation, or 5 years postoperatively was 100% complete., Results: There were 6 deaths, all in the first 12 months; no death was valve related. Four patients required a pacemaker (2 supraannular, 2 intraannular). Three patients had thrombosis requiring valve explantation at 13, 21, and 35 days postoperatively. Two of these 3 patients were receiving low-molecular-weight heparin for anticoagulation, and the third had factor V Leiden deficiency. There were 5 nonfatal bleeding complications within 4 months of MVR (1-year freedom from bleeding, 71.0%). The 1- and 5-year freedom from death or valve explantation was 71.0%., Conclusions: In small children with severe mitral valve disease requiring MVR, the 15-mm SJM mechanical mitral valve provides satisfactory hemodynamics. Mortality and complications in these patients are not trivial. Low-molecular-weight heparin likely should be avoided as primary anticoagulation. Eventual valve replacement is inevitable., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose and have no relationship with Abbott, including any financial, professional, or personal relationship that could be perceived to bias their work consistent with International Committee of Medical Journal Editors standards, as applicable., (Copyright © 2024 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Surgical site infections (SSI) following congenital heart surgery (CHS) remain a significant source of morbidity. Delayed sternal closure (DSC) is often required to minimize the potential for hemodynamic instability. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of SSI among patients undergoing DSC versus primary chest closure (PCC) and to define a potential inflection point for increased risk of SSI as a function of open chest duration (OCD).A retrospective review of our institutional Society of Thoracic Surgeons dataset is to identify patients undergoing CHS at our institution between 2015 and 2020. Incidences of SSI were compared between DSC and PCC patients. DSC patients were evaluated to determine the association of OCD and the incidence of SSI.2582 operations were performed at our institution between 2015 and 2020, including 195 DSC and 2387 PCC cases. The incidence of SSI within the cohort was 1.8% (47/2,582). DSC patients had significantly higher incidences of SSI (17/195, 8.7%) than PCC patients (30/2387, 1.3%, p < 0.001). Further, patients with an OCD of four or more days had a significantly higher incidence of SSI (11/62, 17.7%, p = 0.006) than patients with an OCD less than 4 days (6/115, 5.3%).The incidence of SSI following CHS is higher in DSC patients compared to PCC patients. Prolonged OCD of 4 days or more significantly increases the risk of SSI and represents a potentially modifiable risk factor for SSI predisposition. These data support dedicated, daily post-operative assessment of candidacy for chest closure to minimize the risk of SSI., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

There is an urgent need for non-invasive imaging-based biomarkers suitable for diagnostic surveillance of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) in pediatric heart transplant (PHT) patients. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively investigate left ventricular (LV) myocardial deformation in conjunction with electromechanical discoordination in PHT. PHT patients with and without CAV were evaluated for echocardiography derived global longitudinal strain (GLS) and electromechanical discoordination indices including systolic stretch fraction (SSF) and diastolic relaxation fraction (DRF). SSF was increased in CAV(+) patients at the time of CAV diagnosis (median CAV(+) 5.0 vs. median CAV(-) 0.0, P = 0.008) and in the echocardiogram preceding the CAV diagnosis (median CAV(+) 29.0 vs. median CAV(-) 0.0, P < 0.001). DRF was also increased in the echocardiogram that preceded CAV diagnosis in CAV(+) patients (0.31 ± 0.08 vs. 0.25 ± 0.05, P = 0.008). The final model using indices 6-12 months prior to CAV diagnosis included GLS, SSF, and DRF providing AUC of 0.94 with sensitivity 98.5%, specificity 80.0%, positive predictive value 85.0%, and negative predictive value 94.1%. Systolic and diastolic electro-mechanical discoordination indices are significantly worse in PHT patients experiencing CAV. Non-invasive imaging guided surveillance using echocardiographic myocardial deformation indices can be improved by adding SSF and DRF to standard GLS measurements., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Infants with single ventricle heart disease (SVHD) suffer morbidity from insufficient pulmonary blood flow, which may be related to impaired arginine metabolism. No prior study has reported quantitative mapping of arginine metabolites to evaluate the relationship between circulating metabolite levels and outcomes., Methods: Prospective cohort study of 75 SVHD cases peri-Stage 2 and 50 healthy controls. We targeted pre- and post-op absolute serum quantification of 9 key members of the arginine metabolism pathway by tandem mass spectrometry. Primary outcomes were length of stay (LOS) and post-Stage 2 hypoxemia., Results: Pre-op cases showed alteration in 6 metabolites including decreased arginine and increased asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) levels compared to controls. Post-op cases demonstrated decreased arginine and citrulline levels persisting through 48 h. Adjusting for clinical variables, lower pre-op and 2 h post-op concentrations of multiple metabolites, including arginine and citrulline, were associated with longer post-op LOS (p < 0.01). Increased ADMA at 24 h was associated with greater post-op hypoxemia burden (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Arginine metabolism is impaired in interstage SVHD infants and is further deranged following Stage 2 palliation. Patients with greater metabolite alterations experience greater post-op morbidity. Decreased arginine metabolism may be an important driver of pathology in SVHD., Impact: Interstage infants with SVHD have significantly altered arginine-nitric oxide metabolism compared to healthy children with deficiency of multiple pathway intermediates persisting through 48 h post-Stage 2 palliation. After controlling for clinical covariates and classic catheterization-derived predictors of Stage 2 readiness, both lower pre-operation and lower post-operation circulating metabolite levels were associated with longer post-Stage 2 LOS while increased post-Stage 2 ADMA concentration was associated with greater post-op hypoxemia. Arginine metabolism mapping offers potential for development using personalized medicine strategies as a biomarker of Stage 2 readiness and therapeutic target to improve pulmonary vascular health in infants with SVHD., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.)

Background: No widely accepted, validated instrument currently exists to measure clinical outcomes in patients who undergo dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) for treatment of epiphora., Objective: To develop a patient-reported outcome measure applicable to this population., Methods: Psychometric evaluations, consultation with experts, and review of the literature informed item generation of a 12-question questionnaire to incorporate the most relevant symptoms experienced by patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction. This questionnaire, known as the Tearing Assessment and Rating Scale-12 (TEARS-12), was administered to 32 patients before and after intervention, in the form of endoscopic DCR. Statistical analysis was performed to measure internal consistency, responsiveness, and test-retest reliability., Results: Pre-operative and post-operative TEARS-12 scores (28.2 [standard error (SE) 3.19] vs 11.8 [SE 3.25], respectively, P  = 0.001) demonstrated improved patient outcome within 6 weeks following endoscopic DCR. Cronbach's alpha for the questionnaire was 0.90, indicating high overall reliability. Additionally, each question demonstrated internal reliability, with a corrected item-total correlation greater than 0.30. The intraclass correlation between the two pre-operative scores was 0.858 ( P  < 0.001), indicating high test-retest reliability., Conclusion: TEARS-12 is a statistically valid, easy-to-administer instrument to measure clinical outcomes in patients who undergo endoscopic DCR., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Aortic arch measurements provide a framework for surgical decision-making in neonatal aortic coarctation, specifically in the determination of approach for arch repair by lateral thoracotomy vs median sternotomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our experience with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the preoperative evaluation of infants with aortic coarctation, specifically comparing arch dimensions as a function of imaging modality., Methods: Imaging data were reviewed for all infants undergoing surgical repair of aortic coarctation at our institution from 2012 to 2022. Infants with both TTE and CTA evaluations were included. Aortic measurements were compared at predefined anatomic regions including ascending aorta, proximal arch, distal arch, and isthmus., Results: During the study period, 372 infants underwent surgical coarctation repair; 72 (19.4%) infants had TTE and CTA arch evaluations preoperatively. Significant discrepancies between imaging modalities were defined by poor correlation coefficients and absolute measurement differences and were most prominent in the proximal aortic arch (R 2  = 0.23 [-4.4 to 3.2 mm]) and isthmus regions (R 2  = 0.11 [-4.2 to 1.7 mm]). Improved correlation was demonstrated in the ascending aorta (R 2  = 0.63) and distal aortic arch (R 2  = 0.54)., Conclusions: Significant variability exists between TTE- and CTA-derived aortic measurements in infants with coarctation, with proximal arch measurements demonstrating the poorest correlation. This anatomic location represents a commonly used arch region for the determination of approach for repair of neonatal aortic coarctation. Thus, these findings have important implications for current preoperative surgical decision-making paradigms and future prospective study to minimize the risk of residual or recurrent arch obstruction., (Copyright © 2024 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess informed consent documents from United States (US) institutions for verbiage regarding overlapping surgery., Summary Background Data: Overlapping surgery remains a controversial practice. Recent guidance from the Senate Finance Committee and American College of Surgeons emphasizes transparency with patients regarding this practice through the informed consent process, but it remains unclear how many institutions adopted their recommendations., Methods: Informed consent documents were collected from a national sample of 104 institutions and assessed for verbiage regarding overlapping surgery and/or attending absence during a surgical case. The verbiage of these forms was further analyzed for inclusion of key terms (e.g., "overlapping surgery," "critical portions") as well as transparency regarding surgeon absence., Results: Thirty (29%) forms included verbiage regarding overlapping surgery and/or surgeon absence during a case. Most of these 30 utilized the terms "overlapping surgery" or "critical portions" (18 [60%] and 25 [83%], respectively), although only 3 (10%) explicitly stated that portions of the procedure that may be performed in the absence of the attending surgeon. Six forms (20%) specifically stated who may perform the procedure without the attending present, and 3 forms (10%) had patients acknowledge this section of the consent form with an additional signature or initial. Only 2 of the forms (7%) fulfilled all of the criteria set forth by the SFC., Conclusion: Detailed information regarding overlapping surgery is infrequently included in hospitals' procedure informed consent documents. Forms that include this information rarely provide explicit statements of attending presence and trainee participation, raising concerns regarding surgeon-patient transparency., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None, (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Image guidance is an important adjunct for endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. However, current systems require bulky external tracking equipment, and their use can interrupt efficient surgical workflow., Objective: To evaluate a trackerless surgical navigation system using 3-dimensional (3D) endoscopy and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms in the anterior skull base., Design, Setting, and Participants: This interventional deceased donor cohort study and retrospective clinical case study was conducted at a tertiary academic medical center with human deceased donor specimens and a patient with anterior skull base pathology., Exposures: Participants underwent endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal dissection and surface model reconstruction from stereoscopic video with registration to volumetric models segmented from computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging., Main Outcomes and Measures: To assess the fidelity of surface model reconstruction and accuracy of surgical navigation and surface-CT model coregistration, 3 metrics were calculated: reconstruction error, registration error, and localization error., Results: In deceased donor models (n = 9), high-fidelity surface models of the posterior wall of the sphenoid sinus were reconstructed from stereoscopic video and coregistered to corresponding volumetric CT models. The mean (SD; range) reconstruction, registration, and localization errors were 0.60 (0.24; 0.36-0.93), 1.11 (0.49; 0.71-1.56) and 1.01 (0.17; 0.78-1.25) mm, respectively. In a clinical case study of a patient who underwent a 3D endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection of a tubercular meningioma, a high-fidelity surface model of the posterior wall of the sphenoid was reconstructed from intraoperative stereoscopic video and coregistered to a volumetric preoperative fused CT magnetic resonance imaging model with a root-mean-square error of 1.38 mm., Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this study suggest that SLAM algorithm-based endoscopic endonasal surgery navigation is a novel, accurate, and trackerless approach to surgical navigation that uses 3D endoscopy and SLAM-based algorithms in lieu of conventional optical or electromagnetic tracking. While multiple challenges remain before clinical readiness, a SLAM algorithm-based endoscopic endonasal surgery navigation system has the potential to improve surgical efficiency, economy of motion, and safety.

Purpose: Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved outcomes in certain patients with cancer, they can also cause life-threatening immunotoxicities. Predicting immunotoxicity risks alongside response could provide a personalized risk-benefit profile, inform therapeutic decision making, and improve clinical trial cohort selection. We aimed to build a machine learning (ML) framework using routine electronic health record (EHR) data to predict hepatitis, colitis, pneumonitis, and 1-year overall survival., Methods: Real-world EHR data of more than 2,200 patients treated with ICI through December 31, 2018, were used to develop predictive models. Using a prediction time point of ICI initiation, a 1-year prediction time window was applied to create binary labels for the four outcomes for each patient. Feature engineering involved aggregating laboratory measurements over appropriate time windows (60-365 days). Patients were randomly partitioned into training (80%) and test (20%) sets. Random forest classifiers were developed using a rigorous model development framework., Results: The patient cohort had a median age of 63 years and was 61.8% male. Patients predominantly had melanoma (37.8%), lung cancer (27.3%), or genitourinary cancer (16.4%). They were treated with PD-1 (60.4%), PD-L1 (9.0%), and CTLA-4 (19.7%) ICIs. Our models demonstrate reasonably strong performance, with AUCs of 0.739, 0.729, 0.755, and 0.752 for the pneumonitis, hepatitis, colitis, and 1-year overall survival models, respectively. Each model relies on an outcome-specific feature set, though some features are shared among models., Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first ML solution that assesses individual ICI risk-benefit profiles based predominantly on routine structured EHR data. As such, use of our ML solution will not require additional data collection or documentation in the clinic.

Objective: To review new drugs and devices relevant to otolaryngology approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022., Data Sources: Publicly available FDA data on drugs and devices approved in 2022., Review Methods: A preliminary screen was conducted to identify drugs and devices relevant to otolaryngology. A secondary screen by members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery's (AAO-HNS) Medical Devices and Drugs Committee differentiated between minor updates and new approvals. The final list of drugs and devices was sent to members of each subspecialty for review and analysis., Conclusion: A total of 1251 devices and 37 drugs were identified on preliminary screening. Of these, 329 devices and 5 drugs were sent to subspecialists for further review, from which 37 devices and 2 novel drugs were selected for further analysis. The newly approved devices spanned all subspecialties within otolaryngology. Many of the newly approved devices aimed to enhance patient experience, including over-the-counter hearing aids, sleep monitoring devices, and refined CPAP devices. Other advances aimed to improve surgical access, convenience, or comfort in the operating room and clinic., Implications for Practice: Many new devices and drugs are approved each year to improve patient care and care delivery. By staying up to date with these advances, otolaryngologists can leverage new innovations to improve the safety and quality of care. Given the recent approval of these devices, further studies are needed to assess long-term impact within the field of otolaryngology., Competing Interests: Waleed M. Abuzeid, MD, Consultant for Medtronic and Acclarent (Johnson & Johnson). Michael E. Dunham, MD, MS, Partner at Soteria Medical Solutions. Alan W. Johnson, MD, MS, Consultant for Invisian Medical, LLC and receives patent royalties from the University of Minnesota for dental occlusion ties/Minne Ties. Neil Futran, MD, DMD, Educational consultant for Stryker Corporation. Adrien A. Eshraghi, MD, MSc, Research grant from MEDEL GmBH and SoundPharma through the University of Miami., (© 2024 The Authors. OTO Open published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.)

Importance: While there has been an increased understanding of the impact of visible neck scars in some patients with certain diseases, this has not yet been explored in the HPV+ OPSCC population., Objective: To understand patients' perception of their scar and the impact on their quality of life (QOL) at least 6 months after neck dissection (ND) for HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC)., Design, Setting, and Participants: In this retrospective case-control study, patients who underwent primary transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and ND for HPV+ OPSCC between 2016 and 2021 at a single tertiary care center were identified. Data analysis was performed in January 2022., Main Outcomes and Measures: Dermatology Life Quality Index was modified (mDLQI) to assess patients' perceptions of their scars. The primary outcome was the mean mDLQI survey score with higher scores corresponding to worse perceptions. Three questions adapted from the Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS) were also included to assess awareness of appearance. All questions were scaled on a 0-3 Likert Scale. Tweedie generalized linear model was used to understand the relationship between mDLQI score and patient- and procedure-specific factors (including the three SCS survey questions). An additional exploratory logistic regression was performed to understand the risk factors for clinically significant mDLQI score change., Results: A total of 67 patients (response rate 57 %) completed the survey with a mean mDLQI survey score of 0.84 (max 30). Although there was a statistically significant negative association between private insurance and mDLQI survey score (95 % Confidence Interval [CI]: -2.72 - -0.38), and a positive association between the SCS score and mDLQI survey score (95 % CI: 0.23-0.81) (p < 0.05), these variables were not found to be risk factors for a clinically significant difference in mDLQI on multivariable analysis., Conclusion: The majority of patients felt their neck scars did not interfere with their daily lives. Patient perceptions of neck scars were consistent despite differing patient characteristics and treatment regimens., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Key Points: IL-5, CCL2, and CXCL8 in sinus mucous are higher in patients with AERD relative to aspirin-tolerant patients with CRS These mediators are pleiotropic, leading to widescale inflammatory processes contributing to AERD AERD is not only a T2 disease but heterogeneous: this may explain the refractory nature of AERD., (© 2023 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

Key Points: Elevated IL-5, IL-13, IL-33, and CCL2 correlate with lower UPSIT scores in CRS and AERD patients. Elevated IL-5, IL-13, TNF-α, CCL2, and CXCL-8 correlate with higher SNOT-22 scores in CRS and AERD patients., (© 2023 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are estimated to have psychiatric comorbidity at a higher rate than the general population; however, self-report of depression diagnoses or symptoms often underestimates true prevalence in many populations. In the present study, a cohort of 2279 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) were matched to an equal number of non-CRS control subjects by age, sex, race and health status. Overall, the rate of antidepressant/anxiolytic utilization among ESS patients was 22.1%versus 11.3% for controls ( P  < .001, OR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.90-2.63). The rate of ADHD medication utilization among ESS patients was 3.6%versus 2.0% for controls ( P  = .001, OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.28-2.68). This study suggests that patients undergoing ESS exhibit significantly higher rates of antidepressant and ADHD medication utilization relative to a matched control population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose of Review: With increasing industrialization, exposure to ambient and wildfire air pollution is projected to increase, necessitating further research to elucidate the complex relationship between exposure and sinonasal disease. This review aims to summarize the role of ambient and wildfire air pollution in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and olfactory dysfunction and provide a perspective on gaps in the literature., Recent Findings: Based on an emerging body of evidence, exposure to ambient air pollutants is correlated with the development of chronic rhinosinusitis in healthy individuals and increased symptom severity in CRS patients. Studies have also found a robust relationship between long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and olfactory dysfunction. Ambient air pollution exposure is increasingly recognized to impact the development and sequelae of sinonasal pathophysiology. Given the rising number of wildfire events and worsening impacts of climate change, further study of the impact of wildfire-related air pollution is a crucial emerging field., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Intracardiac flow hemodynamic patterns have been considered to be an early sign of diastolic dysfunction. In this study we investigated right ventricular (RV) diastolic dysfunction between patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension with chronic lung disease (PH-CLD) via 4D-Flow cardiac MRI (CMR). Patients underwent prospective, comprehensive CMR for function and size including 4D-Flow CMR protocol for intracardiac flow visualization and analysis. RV early filling phase and peak atrial phase vorticity (E-vorticity and A-vorticity) values were calculated in all patients. Patients further underwent comprehensive Doppler and tissue Doppler evaluation for the RV diastolic dysfunction. In total 13 patients with PAH, 15 patients with PH-CLD, and 10 control subjects underwent the 4D-Flow CMR and echocardiography evaluation for RV diastolic dysfunction. Reduced E-vorticity differentiated PAH and PH-CLD from healthy controls (both p  < 0.01) despite the same Doppler E values. E-vorticity was further decreased in PAH patients when compared to PH-CLD group ( p  < 0.05) with similar Doppler and tissue Doppler markers of diastolic dysfunction. A-vorticity was decreased in both PAH and PH-CLD groups compared to controls but with no difference between the disease groups. E-vorticity correlated with ejection fraction ( R  = 0.60, p  < 0.001), end-systolic volume ( R  = 0.50, p  = 0.001), stroke volume ( R  = 0.42, p  = 0.007), and cardiac output ( R  = 0.30, p  = 0.027). Intracardiac flow analysis using 4D-Flow CMR derived vorticity is a sensitive method to differentiate diastolic dysfunction in patients with different PH etiology and similar Doppler echocardiography profile., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Pulmonary Circulation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute.)

Motivated by the need to develop more informative and data-rich patient-specific presurgical planning models, we present a high-resolution method that enables the tangible replication of multimodal medical data. By leveraging voxel-level control of multimaterial three-dimensional (3D) printing, our method allows for the digital integration of disparate medical data types, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, tractography, and four-dimensional flow, overlaid upon traditional magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography data. While permitting the explicit translation of multimodal medical data into physical objects, this approach also bypasses the need to process data into mesh-based boundary representations, alleviating the potential loss and remodeling of information. After evaluating the optical characteristics of test specimens generated with our correlative data-driven method, we culminate with multimodal real-world 3D-printed examples, thus highlighting current and potential applications for improved surgical planning, communication, and clinical decision-making through this approach., Competing Interests: N.M.J. is an author of a patent application filed by the University of Colorado Regents that describes methods similar to those described in this article (No. 20783116.5; Filed: April 3, 2020)., (© Nicholas M. Jacobson et al. 2023; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

Introduction: T-wave analysis from standard electrocardiogram (ECG) remains one of the most available clinical and research methods for evaluating myocardial repolarization. T-wave morphology was recently evaluated to aid with diagnosis and characterization of diastolic dysfunction. Unfortunately, PDF stored ECG datasets limit additional numerical post-processing of ECG waveforms. In this study, we apply a simple custom process pipeline to extract and re-digitize T-wave signals and subject them to principal component analysis (PCA) to define primary T-wave shape variations., Methods: We propose simple pre-processing and digitization algorithms programmable as a MATLAB tool using standard thresholding functions without the need for advanced signal analysis. To validate digitized datasets, we compared clinically standard measurements in 20 different ECGs with the original ECG machine interpreted values as a gold standard. Afterwards, we analyzed 212 individual ECGs for T-wave shape analysis using PCA., Results: The re-digitized signal was shown to preserve the original information as evidenced by excellent agreement between original - machine interpreted and re-digitized clinical variables including heart rate: bias ~ 1 bpm (95% CI: -1.0 to 3.5), QT interval: bias ~ 0.000 ms (95% CI: -0.012 to 0.012), PR interval: bias = -0.015 ms (95% CI: -0.015 to 0.003), and QRS duration: bias = -0.001 ms (95% CI: -0.007 to 0.006). PCA revealed that the first principal component universally modulates the T-wave height or amount of repolarization voltage regardless of the investigated ECG lead. The second and third principal components described variation in the T-wave peak onset and the T-wave peak morphology, respectively., Conclusion: This study presents a straightforward method for re-digitizing ECGs stored in the PDF format utilized in many academic electronic medical record systems. This process can yield re-digitized lead specific signals which can be retrospectively analyzed using advanced custom post-processing numerical analysis independent of commercially available platforms., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Biomedical Engineering Society.)

Background: Superior cavopulmonary connection (SCPC) for stage II palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is achieved most frequently by either a bidirectional Glenn (BDG) or hemi-Fontan (HF) operation. The comparison of flow hemodynamic efficiency at the region of surgical reconstruction and in proximal pulmonary arteries has been evaluated primarily using computational modeling techniques with conflicting reports. The purpose of this descriptive study was to compare flow hemodynamics following stage II (BDG vs HF) using 4-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging (4D-Flow MRI) with particular focus on flow-mediated viscous energy loss ( E L ' ) under matched hemodynamic conditions., Methods: Patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) who underwent either HF or BDG as part of stage II palliation underwent pre-Fontan 4D-Flow MRI. Patients were matched by the pulmonary vascular resistance index, net superior vena cava (SVC) flow, right pulmonary artery (RPA) and left pulmonary artery (LPA) size, and age. Maximum E L ' throughout the cardiac cycle was calculated along the SVC-RPA and SVC-LPA tracts., Results: Eight patients who underwent HF as part of their stage II single ventricle palliation were matched with 8 patients who underwent BDG. There were no differences between the 2 groups in median volumetric indices, including end-diastolic volume ( P  = .278) and end-systolic volume ( P  = .213). Moreover, no differences were observed in ejection fraction ( P  = .091) and cardiac index ( P  = .324). There also were no differences in peak E L ' measured along the SVC-RPA tract (median, 0.05 mW for HF vs 0.04 mW for BDG; P  = .365) or along the SVC-LPA tract (median, 0.05 mW vs 0.04 mW; P  = .741)., Conclusions: The second stage of surgical palliation of HLHS using either HF or BDG results in similar flow-mediated viscous energy loss throughout the SCPC junction. 4D-Flow MRI and computational methods should be applied together to investigate flow hemodynamic patterns throughout the Fontan palliation and overall efficiency of the Fontan circuit., Competing Interests: The authors reported no conflicts of interest. The Journal policy requires editors and reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest and to decline handling or reviewing manuscripts for which they may have a conflict of interest. The editors and reviewers of this article have no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Children with single ventricle heart disease (SVHD) experience morbidity due to inadequate pulmonary blood flow. Using proteomic screening, our group previously identified members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) families as potentially dysregulated in SVHD. No prior study has taken a targeted approach to mapping circulating levels of these protein families or their relationship to pulmonary vascular outcomes in SVHD. We performed a prospective cohort study of 70 SVHD infants pre-Stage 2 palliation and 24 healthy controls. We report targeted serum quantification of 39 proteins in the MMP, TIMP, and FGF families using the SomaScan platform. Clinical variables were extracted from the medical record. Twenty of 39 tested proteins (7/14 MMPs, 2/4 TIMPs, and 11/21 FGFs) differed between cases and controls. On single variable testing, 6 proteins and no clinical covariates were associated with both post-Stage 2 hypoxemia and length of stay. Multiple-protein modeling identified increased circulating MMP 7 and MMP 17, and decreased circulating MMP 8 and FGFR2 as most associated with post-Stage 2 hypoxemia; increased MMP 7 and TIMP 4 and decreased circulating MMP 1 and MMP 8 were most associated with post-operation length of stay. The MMP, TIMP, and FGF families are altered in SVHD. Pre-Stage 2 imbalance of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins-increased MMP 7 and decreased MMP 8-was associated with multiple adverse post-operation outcomes. Maintenance of the ECM may be an important pathophysiologic driver of Stage 2 readiness in SVHD., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on olfactory and gustatory function in US adults., Methods: From the 2021 Adult National Health Interview Survey, demographic and survey-specific module data concerning COVID-19 diagnoses, testing and disease severity, and data quantifying disturbances and eventual recovery of smell and taste were extracted. Sample weights were applied to obtain nationally representative statistics. The overall rate of COVID-19 infection was determined, and those diagnosed with COVID-19 were analyzed with respect to disease severity, smell and taste disturbance, and respective recoveries., Results: In 2021, 35.8 million or 14% of the adult population (95% CI 13.5-14.7%; mean age, 43.9 years; 53.8% female) had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Among those, 60.5% (58.6-62.5%) and 58.2% (56.2-60.1%) reported accompanying losses  in smell or taste, respectively; there was a significant association between overall COVID-19 symptom severity and smell (p < 0.001) and taste disturbance (p < 0.001). Following infection, 72.2% (69.9-74.3%), 24.1% (22.2-26.2%), and 3.7% (3.0-4.6%) of the patients experienced complete, partial, and no smell recovery, respectively. Recovery rates for gustatory function paralleled olfaction, with 76.8% (74.6-78.9%), 20.6% (18.7-22.7%), and 2.6 (1.9-3.4%) reporting complete, partial, and no recovery of taste, respectively. When sensory disturbance was present, severity of overall symptomatology was negatively associated with smell and taste recovery (p < 0.001 for each)., Conclusion: The majority of adults infected with COVID-19 in 2021 experienced olfactory or gustatory dysfunction with a non-negligible population reporting incomplete or no near-term sensory recovery. Our results are useful for providers counseling patients and suggest that interventions lessening overall COVID-19 symptom burden may prevent prolonged sensory dysfunction., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:2357-2361, 2023., (© 2023 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Myocardial deformation analysis by cardiac MRI (CMR) yielding global circumferential and longitudinal strain (GCS and GLS) is an increasingly utilized method to accurately quantify systolic function and predict clinical events in patients with Fontan circulation. The purpose of this study was to use principal component analysis (PCA) to investigate myocardial temporal deformation patterns derived from strain-time curves to learn about latent strain features beyond peak values. We conducted the study with specific attention to dominant single left or right ventricle (SLV and SRV) morphologies. Methods and Results: Patients remote from Fontan operation who underwent follow-up CMR were analyzed for standard volumetric and function hemodynamics including myocardial deformation parameters including GCS and GLS. We applied PCA to investigate in an unbiased fashion the strain-time curve morphology and to calculate patient specific shape scores. All variables were subjected to single variable Cox regression analysis to detect composite clinical outcome including death, heart transplant, protein losing enteropathy and plastic bronchitis. A total of 122 patients, (SLV = 67, SRV = 55) with a mean age of 12.7 years underwent comprehensive CMR analysis. The PCA revealed 3 primary modes of strain-curve variation regardless of single ventricle morphology and type of strain investigated. Principle components (PCs) described changes in (1) strain-time curve amplitude, (2) time-to-peak strain, and (3) post-systolic slope of the strain-time curve. Considering only SLV patients, GCS was only CMR variable predictive of clinical events (HR 1.46, p = 0.020). In the SRV group, significant CMR predictors of clinical events were derived indexed end-diastolic (HR 1.02, p = 0.023) and end-systolic (HR 1.03, p = 0.022) volumes, GCS (HR 1.91, p = 0.003) and its related first component score (HR 1.20, p = 0.005), GLS (HR 1.32, p = 0.029) and its third component score (HR 1.58, p = 0.017). CMR derived global strain measures are sensitive markers of clinical outcomes in patients with Fontan circulation, particularly in patients with the SRV morphology. Myocardial strain-time curve morphology specific to SLV and SRV patients inspired by unbiased PCA technique can further aid with predicting clinical outcomes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

We utilized a case control study to determine if novel oral anticoagulants were associated with a higher risk of inpatient epistaxis admission. Adult patients admitted with a principal diagnosis of epistaxis in 2019-2021 were identified as well as a control group of patients matched 1:1 for age, sex, race, and medical comorbidities. For both cohorts, the presence or absence of an oral anticoagulant, classified as vitamin K inhibitors, direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) or platelet inhibitors, was identified. 158 adult unique inpatient admissions with a principal diagnosis of epistaxis were identified. Vitamin K inhibition was present in 5.7% of cases versus 0.6% of controls ( p  = 0.02; OR 9.48, range 1.19-75.77), DOACs in 4.4% of cases versus 5.1% of controls ( p  = 1.0) and platelet inhibitors in 2.5% of cases versus 3.8% of controls ( p  = 0.75). We concluded vitamin K inhibitors, compared to DOACs and platelet inhibitors, may be associated with higher likelihood of epistaxis admission., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Triological Society.)

Objective: To quantify the changes in prevalence and impact of dizziness and balance disorders in adults from 2008 to 2016., Study Design: Epidemiological survey analysis., Setting: United States., Methods: The balance modules of the adult 2008 and 2016 National Health Interview Surveys were examined, and persons reporting dizziness or balance problems identified. The prevalence of balance problems was determined and compared over time, adjusting for age and sex. Among those with balance problems, associated symptoms and self-reported functional limitations were quantified and compared over time., Results: In 2016, 36.8 ± 1.0 million (15.5% ± 0.3%) adults reported a balance problem in the past year, versus 24.2 ± 0.7 million (11.% ± 0.3%) in 2008 ( p  < .001). After adjustment for age and sex, this percentage increase remained significant (odds ratio 1.435 [1.332-1.546], p  < .001). Among those with balance problems, significantly more patients reported specific issues with feeling: off-balance (69.4% vs. 65.4%; p  = .005), faint (48.5% vs. 40.3%; p  < .001), or vertiginous (45.9% vs. 39.3%; p  < .001) in 2016 than 2008. More adults experienced anxiety (29.4% vs. 19.4%; p  < .001) and depression (16.3% vs. 12.9%; p  = .002) with their balance problems in 2016 than in 2008. In 2016, adults with balance problems were limited in ability to drive motor vehicles (13.0%), exercise (14.4%), or walk downstairs (12.8%). These rates were not significantly different from 2008 (all p  > .05)., Conclusion: In this nationally representative analysis, we found a significantly increasing prevalence of balance problems and associated psychiatric symptom burden. This merits attention with respect to present and future health care resource allocation., Competing Interests: None., (© 2023 The Authors. OTO Open published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.)

Purpose of Review: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) carries a high disease burden, and many studies have been done investigating the efficacy of various medical and surgical therapies. However, outcome metrics have varied across these studies, making it difficult to compare therapeutic efficacy on a large scale. In this article, we discuss various outcome metrics used across prior studies as well as the relationship between these measures., Recent Findings: Outcome metrics in CRSwNP studies include both clinically assessed and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). The former includes olfaction testing, scoring systems based on imaging and endoscopic evaluation, and histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation of sinus tissue, and the latter includes quality-of-life instruments, symptom severity scales, and disease-control instruments. Recent studies evaluating the efficacy of new biologics have used a combination of both types of metrics., Summary: Both clinical metrics and patient-reported outcomes provide utility in evaluating disease severity and control in patients with CRSwNP, although there are nuances when comparing therapies in this population as patients with CRSwNP are heterogeneous and may have symptoms across several domains. However, PROMs in conjunction with clinical metrics provide useful information to assess patient symptoms and response to interventions., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Ross-Konno (RK) operation is a well-established surgical treatment for combined left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and aortic valve pathology in children. Prior study has demonstrated that mechanical and electrical dyssynchrony exist post-RK compared to normal controls. The purpose of this study was to evaluate myocardial function pre- and post-RK as defined by echocardiography. Patients undergoing the RK operation (n = 13; median age: 1.3 years; range: 0.5-13.3 years) were evaluated by echocardiography at defined timepoints: pre-RK, post-RK, 1-year post-RK, and 2 years post-RK. Defined parameters of left ventricular performance were analyzed: systolic mechanical dyssynchrony (M-Dys), global left ventricular circumferential strain (GCS), and diastolic relaxation fraction (DRF). Patients with post-operative atrioventricular block (n = 6) were analyzed separately. No pre- versus post-RK differences existed in M-Dys, GCS, or DRF in patients both with and without post-RK atrioventricular block. Further, 1- and 2-year follow-up post-RK demonstrated significant heterogeneity in evaluated parameters of function with no pre- and post-RK differences in M-Dys, GCS, or DRF. Mechanical dyssynchrony exists post-RK reconstruction in both short- and long-term follow-up yet these echocardiographic parameters of ventricular performance are independent of the RK operation. Further study is, therefore, warranted to define causal relationships for observed short- and long-term ventricular dysfunction post-RK as the findings of the present study suggest a deleterious mechanism apart from the technical RK reconstruction., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Infants with SVHD experience morbidity related to pulmonary vascular inadequacy. Metabolomic analysis involves a systems biology approach to identifying novel biomarkers and pathways in complex diseases. The metabolome of infants with SVHD is not well understood and no prior study has evaluated the relationship between serum metabolite patterns and pulmonary vascular readiness for staged SVHD palliation., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the circulating metabolome of interstage infants with single ventricle heart disease (SVHD) and determine whether metabolite levels were associated with pulmonary vascular inadequacy., Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 52 infants with SVHD undergoing Stage 2 palliation and 48 healthy infants. Targeted metabolomic phenotyping (175 metabolites) was performed by tandem mass spectrometry on SVHD pre-Stage 2, post-Stage 2, and control serum samples. Clinical variables were extracted from the medical record., Results: Random forest analysis readily distinguished between cases and controls and preoperative and postoperative samples. Seventy-four of 175 metabolites differed between SVHD and controls. Twenty-seven of 39 metabolic pathways were altered including pentose phosphate and arginine metabolism. Seventy-one metabolites differed in SVHD patients between timepoints. Thirty-three of 39 pathways were altered postoperatively including arginine and tryptophan metabolism. We found trends toward increased preoperative methionine metabolites in patients with higher pulmonary vascular resistance and higher postoperative tryptophan metabolites in patients with greater postoperative hypoxemia., Conclusions: The circulating metabolome of interstage SVHD infants differs significantly from controls and is further disrupted after Stage 2. Several metabolites showed trends toward association with adverse outcomes. Metabolic dysregulation may be an important factor in early SVHD pathobiology.

Objectives: Flow through the proximal pulmonary arteries (PAs) of patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is known to be highly disordered and associated with significant regurgitation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate 4D-Flow MRI-derived viscous energy loss [Formula: see text])-as a result of non-efficient flow propagation, and relate this parameter to standard right ventricular (RV) size and function markers in patients with repaired TOF., Methods: Thirty-five patients with TOF and 14 controls underwent comprehensive 4D-Flow MRI evaluation for qualitative flow analysis and to calculate [Formula: see text] in the main and right pulmonary arteries. Sampled [Formula: see text] indices were correlated with the MRI-derived RV size and functional indices., Results: All patients with TOF exhibited abnormal, supra-physiologic helical/vortical formations in the PAs. Patients with TOF had significantly increased peak systolic [Formula: see text] (8.0 vs 0.5 mW, p < 0.001), time-averaged [Formula: see text] (2.5 vs. 0.2 mW, p < 0.001), and peak systolic [Formula: see text] indexed to stroke volume (0.082 vs. 0.012 mW/mL, p < 0.001). [Formula: see text] indexed to stroke volume correlated with the RV end-diastolic volume (R = 0.68, p < 0.001), end-systolic volume (R = 0.62, p < 0.001), ejection fraction (R = -0.45, p = 0.002), and cardiac index (R = 0.45, p = 0.002). The mean estimated energy loss due to [Formula: see text] with regard to input RV mechanical power was 4.7%., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that patients with repaired TOF have highly abnormal flow conduction through the PAs which result into extensive viscous energy loss. This significant flow-mediated energy loss is associated with the RV volume and function, and might represent considerable loss of mechanical power generated by each cardiac cycle. Future studies are required to assess whether the abnormal flow conduction adds to the RV afterload and remodeling., Key Points: • Abnormal flow patterns through proximal pulmonary arteries in patients with TOF are associated with excessive viscous energy loss. • Inefficient flow conduction is associated with the RV dilation and reduced function and might contribute to the RV adaptive remodeling., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Society of Radiology.)

Objective: The reversed Potts shunt is an increasingly applied mode of surgical palliation of severe pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, the long-term flow hemodynamic effect of the Potts shunt physiology and desirable long-term hemodynamic end points are not defined. The purpose of this descriptive study was to analyze a series of pediatric patients who underwent surgical Potts shunt as a part of end-stage PH palliation using 4-dimensional (4D)-flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to (1) quantitate the flow through the anastomosis, (2) correlate the shunting pattern with phases of cardiac cycle and PH comorbidities, and (3) describe chronologic changes in shunting pattern., Methods: This was a 2-center study evaluating 4 patients seen in the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado who were evaluated and selected to undergo surgical reverse Potts shunt at Washington University School of Medicine and were serially followed using comprehensive imaging including cardiac MRI and 4D-flow MRI., Results: After the procedure, each child underwent 2 4D-flow MRI evaluations. Pulmonary pressure offload was evident in all patients, as demonstrated by positive systolic right-to-left flow across the Potts shunt. All patients experienced some degree of the flow reversal, which occurs primarily in diastole. Interventricular dyssynchrony further contributed to flow reversal across the Potts shunt. Lastly, systemic and pulmonary blood mixing in the descending aorta results in secondary helical flow persisting throughout the diastole., Conclusions: 4D-flow MRI demonstrates that children who have undergone a Potts shunt for severe PH can experience shunt flow reversal. Cumulatively, this left-to-right pulmonary shunt adds to right ventricular volume overload. We speculate that a valved conduit may decrease the left to right shunting and improve overall cardiac output., (Copyright © 2021 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)