Endoscopic Operation Research Articles

A Retrospective Clinical Study of Endoscopic Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome using the Modified Soft Tissue Release kit.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral entrapment neuropathy, and endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) is one of the minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of CTS. Based on the shortcomings of ECTR, we designed the "Modified Soft Tissue Release Kit" to assist the endoscopic operation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic treatment of CTS using this kit. This retrospective review included 57 patients (86 wrists) who underwent ECTR using the "Modified Soft Tissue Release Kit" at our department between January 2017 and August 2019. Three scale scores (i.e., Quick-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand [QDASH]; Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire [BCTSQ]: symptom severity [BCTSQ-SS] and functional status [BCTSQ-FS]) were recorded to assess hand function and symptoms preoperatively, 1 month postoperatively, 3 months postoperatively, and at the last follow-up. We also asked patients to answer a satisfaction question during follow-up. Pre- and post-operation scores were compared using paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Spearman's rank-order correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between scale scores and patient satisfaction. A total of 55 patients (83 wrists) were followed up, with an average follow-up of 27.2 ± 9.3 months. The median preoperative QDASH score was 45.5; the scores at 1 month postoperatively, 3 months postoperatively, and the last follow-up were 4.5, 0, and 0, respectively, with a significant decrease noted compared with the preoperative scores (P < 0.001). The median preoperative BCTSQ-SS and BCTSQ-FS scores were 3.3 and 2.8, respectively; the scores at 1 month postoperatively, 3 months postoperatively, and the last follow-up were 1.2, 1.0, and 1.0, and 1.1, 1.0, and 1.0, respectively, all of which decreased significantly compared with the preoperative scores (P < 0.001). The incidence of nerve injury was 0. The incidence of pillar pain was 0 at the last follow-up. One patient showed no improvement in hand symptoms and function postoperatively, and two patients showed long-term recurrence despite postoperative symptom remission. Approximately 94.5% (52/55) of the patients were satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome. ECTR with the "Modified Soft Tissue Release Kit" can significantly relieve symptoms and improve function in patients with CTS, with significant short- and mid-term efficacy and high safety.

FULL ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY OF BULLET REMOVAL OF THE SPINE: A CASE REPORT

Background: In the past decade, the endoscopic technique has been applied as a feasible and less invasive approach to orthopedic surgeries. Minimally invasive, full-endoscopic surgery has gained considerable attention in managing air gun injuries to the spine. Sacrum injuries among air gun wounds are rare and few have been published in case reports. Here, we present the management of air gun-bullet injury to the pediatric spinal spine in a 5-year-old child using endoscopic surgical intervention.Case Report: A 5-year-old girl was accidentally shot in the lower back with an air gun. The CT scan imaging shown a retained projectile in the pedicle of S1 vertebrae without vascular injury or unstable vertebral fracture. A minimally invasive, full-endoscopic surgical technique was applied to remove the bullet in this patient. On post-surgical follow-up, the patient was in a good recovery state.Discussion: Surgical intervention is needed for decompression, stabilization, and diminished risks of lead toxicity. The percutaneous endoscopic approach is the least invasive intervention performed to ensure a targeted approach through the anatomical openings of the spine and through intervertebral discs and bone structures, thereby further reducing spinal instability, blood loss, and infection risk.Conclusion: The endoscopic operation of minimally invasive surgical techniques is an effective operative approach not only limited in spinal stenosis cases, but also in air gun injuries.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CTEV PATIENTS AT ORTHOPEDIC AND TRAUMATOLOGY OUTPATIENT CLINIC IN DATU BERU GENERAL HOSPITAL TAKENGON CENTRAL ACEH PERIOD AUGUST 2018-JULY 2022

Background: In the past decade, the endoscopic technique has been applied as a feasible and less invasive approach to orthopedic surgeries. Minimally invasive, full-endoscopic surgery has gained considerable attention in managing air gun injuries to the spine. Sacrum injuries among air gun wounds are rare and few have been published in case reports. Here, we present the management of air gun-bullet injury to the pediatric spinal spine in a 5-year-old child using endoscopic surgical intervention.Case Report: A 5-year-old girl was accidentally shot in the lower back with an air gun. The CT scan imaging shown a retained projectile in the pedicle of S1 vertebrae without vascular injury or unstable vertebral fracture. A minimally invasive, full-endoscopic surgical technique was applied to remove the bullet in this patient. On post-surgical follow-up, the patient was in a good recovery state.Discussion: Surgical intervention is needed for decompression, stabilization, and diminished risks of lead toxicity. The percutaneous endoscopic approach is the least invasive intervention performed to ensure a targeted approach through the anatomical openings of the spine and through intervertebral discs and bone structures, thereby further reducing spinal instability, blood loss, and infection risk.Conclusion: The endoscopic operation of minimally invasive surgical techniques is an effective operative approach not only limited in spinal stenosis cases, but also in air gun injuries.

Research of learning curves for unilateral biportal endoscopy technique and associated postoperative adverse events

To summarize the characteristics of the learning curve and the occurrence of postoperative adverse events during the development of unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) technique by comparing the clinical data of early and late patients treated with UBE technique. All patients who underwent single-level UBE technique between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 were selected as the research subjects. According to the surgical options, all patients were allocated into 3 groups: unilateral decompression and discectomy (UDD) group, unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression (ULBD) group, and lumbar intervertebral fusion (LIF) group. The first 60 cases from each group were extracted and ranked orderly. The endoscopic operation time, the times of fluoroscopy during non-internal fixation implantation, the postoperative hospital stay, the drainage volume, the decrease of hemoglobin, the decrease of hematocrit, and the adverse events were collected. In each group, the patients were allocated into early and late cases according to the operation sequence. The first 30 cases of each group were classified as early cases, and the last 30 cases as late cases. Statistical analysis was performed on the above observation indicators between the early and late cases, and a scatter plot of relevant data changes was drawn to observe the change trend. Compared with the early cases, the endoscopic operation time and the times of fluoroscopy during non-internal fixation implantation of late cases in each group were significantly lower ( P<0.05); the postoperative hospital stay of late cases in LIF group was significantly shorter ( P<0.05); the decreased values of hemoglobin and hematokrit of late cases in ULBD group and LIF group were significantly lower ( P<0.05); the postoperative drainage volume of late cases in ULBD group significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The endoscopic operation time and the times of fluoroscopy during non-internal fixation implantation of 3 groups showed a significant downward trend. The adverse events occurred in 3 early cases and 1 late case of the UDD group, in 6 and 3 cases of the UBLD group, and 8 and 3 cases of the LIF group, respectively. The difference was not significant between the early and late cases ( P>0.05). In the early practice of UBE technique, there is a high incidence of complication, and the surgical trauma is relatively large, which is related to the lack of understanding of the UBE technique characteristics and insufficient surgical experience. With the proficiency of surgical techniques and accumulation of experience, the operation time and the incidence of postoperative adverse events were significantly reduced.

Therapeutic Effects of 4 Surgical Approaches for Small Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Network Meta-analysis.

This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic resection (ER), laparoscopic resection (LR), laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS), and open surgery (OpS) for gastrointestinal stromal tumors with small diameters (≤5cm). Relevant studies were collected through Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. Operative time, hospital stays, time to liquid diet, intraoperative bleeding, and complications were used as outcome indicators for meta-analysis. Twenty-four retrospective cohort studies with 2406 participants were analyzed. LR and OpS groups had longer operating time than the ER group. ER, LECS, and LR groups had decreased lengths of hospital stay than the OpS group. Moreover, patients in LR and LECS groups had fewer complications than those in the OpS group. Endoscopic operation for small gastrointestinal stromal tumors contributes to shortened lengths of surgery and hospital stay. This reduces intraoperative blood loss and promotes gastroenteric functional recovery without increasing the risk of complications or tumor recurrence.

Diagnosis, treatment, and current concepts in the endoscopic management of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) are rare tumors derived from the neuroendocrine cell system, which that have increased in incidence and prevalence in recent years. Despite improvements in radiological and metabolic imaging, endoscopy still plays a pivotal role in the number of GEP-NENs. Tumor detection, characterization, and staging are essential in management and treatment planning. Upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is essential for correct localization of the primary tumor site of GI NENs. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has an important role in the imaging and tissue acquisition of pancreatic NENs and locoregional staging of GI neuroendocrine tumors. Correct staging and histological diagnosis have important prognostic implications. Endoscopic operating techniques allow the removal of small GI NENs in the early stage of mucosal or submucosal invasion of the intestinal wall. Preoperative EUS-guided techniques may help the surgeon locate small and deep tumors, thus avoiding formal pancreatic resections in favor of parenchymal-sparing surgery. Finally, locoregional ablative treatments have been proposed in recent studies with promising results in selected patients.

Safety analysis of natural orifice specimen extraction surgery for colorectal cancer.

SummaryThis study investigated the safety, feasibility, and clinical outcomes of natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) by collecting clinical from patients who underwent complete laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer versus those who underwent conventional laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer. Patients with colorectal cancer were selected as the study sample and grouped according to the different surgical methods. A total of 182 patients were eligible for enrollment in the study, including 92 patients who underwent NOSES (NOSES group) and 90 patients who underwent conventional laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery. In the NOSES group, a total of 14 cases were observed to have a postoperative abdominal infection, and the remaining 78 cases did not have an abdominal infection, which we refer to as the infected and uninfected groups in this paper for further analysis. There was no difference in surgical outcome between NOSES surgery and conventional laparoscopic surgery. Diabetes mellitus, prolonged drain retention, and prolonged operative time were risk factors for the development of abdominal infection in NOSES. In contrast, intraoperative use of specimen retrieval bags, use of transanal endoscopic operations, and intraoperative flushing of the abdominal cavity with dilute iodophenol were protective factors for the development of postoperative abdominal infections. NOSES for colorectal cancer is worth promoting because of its small trauma and quick postoperative recovery.

Cost-Effective Fiber Optic Solutions for Biosensing.

In the last years, optical fiber sensors have proven to be a reliable and versatile biosensing tool. Optical fiber biosensors (OFBs) are analytical devices that use optical fibers as transducers, with the advantages of being easily coated and biofunctionalized, allowing the monitorization of all functionalization and detection in real-time, as well as being small in size and geometrically flexible, thus allowing device miniaturization and portability for point-of-care (POC) testing. Knowing the potential of such biosensing tools, this paper reviews the reported OFBs which are, at the moment, the most cost-effective. Different fiber configurations are highlighted, namely, end-face reflected, unclad, D- and U-shaped, tips, ball resonators, tapered, light-diffusing, and specialty fibers. Packaging techniques to enhance OFBs’ application in the medical field, namely for implementing in subcutaneous, percutaneous, and endoscopic operations as well as in wearable structures, are presented and discussed. Interrogation approaches of OFBs using smartphones’ hardware are a great way to obtain cost-effective sensing approaches. In this review paper, different architectures of such interrogation methods and their respective applications are presented. Finally, the application of OFBs in monitoring three crucial fields of human life and wellbeing are reported: detection of cancer biomarkers, detection of cardiovascular biomarkers, and environmental monitoring.

Comparing early and delayed repair of common bile duct injury to identify clinical drivers of outcome and morbidity

Background: When it comes to fixing a common bile duct injury (CBDI), center and surgeon experience matter. There is a lack of information on the factors that influence morbidity in relation to repair time in this group. Methods: Patients with CBDI who had surgery at a single facility were retrospectively examined from January 2020 to June 2021. Patient outcomes were compared between those who had surgery soon after injury (before 48 hours) and those who waited longer. The likelihood of readmission was predicted for individuals undergoing delayed repair. Results: In all, 61 people underwent biliary reconstruction surgery. Patient demographics, damage categorization subtype, incidence of vasculobiliar injury (VBI), hospital length of stay, 30-day readmission rate, and 90-day death rate were not significantly different between the early repair and delayed repair groups.Delaying repairs in patients with VBI or those who have had several endoscopic operations before their repairs enhance their risk of readmission. Using these factors, a predictive model was built. Conclusion: The results for patients receiving early or delayed CBDI repair are comparable when the care is provided by a tertiary hepatopancreatobiliary facility.

Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2-Induced COVID-19 on Fixed Operating Room Times in Urologic Operations

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, on operating room (OR) efficiency for urologic procedures using the concept of fixed OR times. Patients and MethodsOver a 24-month period, urology OR data were prospectively collected. Operations were divided into fixed and variable time points. The fixed OR times were in-roomw to anesthesia-release time, anesthesia-release to cut time, in-room to cut time, and close to wheels-out time. Data from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019, were pre-COVID-19 data, and data from April 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, were post-COVID-19 data. Operations were grouped into endoscopic, implant, major open, and robotic-assisted cases. In the post-COVID-19 era, all patients had a negative polymerase chain reaction test result within 48 hours of operation. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare the fixed OR times between the pre- and post-COVID-19 eras. ResultsA total of 3189 procedures were evaluated: 2058 endoscopic operations (1124 in the pre-COVID-19 era and 934 in the post-COVID-19 era), 343 implant procedures (192 in the pre-COVID-19 era and 151 in the post-COVID-19 era), 222 major open procedures (119 in the pre-COVID-19 era and 103 in the post-COVID-19 era), and 566 robotic-assisted procedures (338 in the pre-COVID-19 era and 228 in the post-COVID-19 era). There were no fixed OR times in any of the examined groups that were negatively impacted by COVID-19. The percentage of the total OR time occupied by fixed OR variables in the pre-COVID-19 era was 40.6% for endoscopic operations, 41.1% for implant procedures, 29.8% for major open procedures, and 21.8% for robotic-assisted procedures. ConclusionA substantial portion of the total OR time includes fixed time points. Furthermore, COVID-19 did not have a negative impact on fixed OR times in a negative testing environment. Urologic OR efficiency should be maintained in the post-COVID-19 era.

Development and evaluation of a simulator for endoscopic sinus surgery

Endoscopic surgical procedures have been established as gold standard in sinus surgery. Challenges for surgical training have been addressed by the use of virtual reality (VR) simulators. To date, a number of simulators have been developed. However, previous studies regarding their training effects investigated only medically pretrained subjects or the time course of training outcomes has not been reported. A computer tomography (CT) dataset was segmented manually. A three-dimensional polygonal surface model was generated and textured using original photographic material. Interaction with the virtual environment was performed using a haptic input device. For the investigation of training outcomes with the simulator, the parameters duration and the number of errors were recorded. Ten subjects completed a training consisting of five runs on ten consecutive days. Within the whole exercise period, four subjects reduced the duration of intervention by more than 60%. Four subjects reduced the number of errors by more than 60%. Eight out of 10 subjects showed an improvement with respect to both parameters. On median, the duration of the procedure was reduced by 46 seconds and the number of errors by 191. The statistical analysis between the two parameters showed a positive correlation. Our data suggests that training on the FESS-simulator considerably improves the performance even in inexperienced subjects, both in terms of duration and accuracy of the procedure.

Investigation of the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders at shoulder, neck and elbow of digestive endoscopy operators

Objective: To investigate the effect of endoscopic operation volume on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of shoulder, neck and elbow. Methods: From December 2019 to March 2020, random sampling was used to select 200 gastroenterologists from hospitals at or above the municipal level in Sichuan Province as the research object. Gastroenterologists were divided into 108 eadoscop in the low operation group (The operation volume is less than 5 000 cases) and 92 eadoscop in the high operation group (The operation volume is more than 5 000 cases) according to the operation volume. MSDS was investigated by UCLA shoulder scoring system, Tanaka Jingjiu cervical spondylosis scale and improved An and Morrey elbow scoring system, and the chi-square test was used to compare the basic conditions of different body parts in the two groups. The basic condition of each part of the two groups was tested and compared. Results: Compared with the low operation group, the age and working years of the high operation group were longer, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The most painful part between the two groups was the shoulder, accounting for 25.9% (28/108) and 37.0% (34/92), respectively. Occasional shoulder pain was the most (41.9%, 26/62) and normal function was the most (32.3%, 20/62) ; The forward flexion angle exceeds 150° at most (40.3%, 25/62). Slight pain often occurred in the neck, accounting for 57.7% (15/26), the occasional impact of pain on the upper limbs accounted for 61.5% (16/26), and the impact on the fingers accounted for 53.8% (14/26) ; 65.0% (15/26) had mild disturbance to the sense of signs; Normal tendon reflex accounted for 88.5% (23/26) ; The influence of opponents was weakness, discomfort and no dysfunction, accounting for 53.8% (14/26) ; Endoscopists with normal muscle strength (2 points) and mild decline accounted for 50.0% (13/26) respectively, and there was no significant difference among the groups (P=0.234、1.000、1.000、0.050、0.680、0.539、0.431、0.239). The elbow score scale showed that mild loss accounted for 55.0% (11/20), mild instability accounted for 65% (13/20), and mild pain accounted for 55.0% (11/20) . Conclusion: MSDs is a health problem faced by endoscopists, and targeted preventive measures should be taken for its possible causes.

Use of a specialty endoscopy online platform for continuing medical education for clinical endoscopists during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundTo explore the use of a digestive endoscopy professional online platform by domestic endoscopists and its application effect on endoscopists’ continuing medical education, analyse the related problems of continuing medical education using this method, and propose targeted improvement suggestions.MethodsBased on the “Doctor’s Circle” app, a questionnaire was sent to all members who successfully registered on the Hebei Biliary and Pancreatic Endoscopy Diagnosis and Treatment Alliance online platform. The questionnaire was available for 30 days. The questionnaire survey results were collected and counted for a grouping comparison.ResultsBy the deadline, 703 completed questionnaires had been received. After the registered doctors joined the platform, 469 (66.7%) experienced a significant influence on their own endoscopic operation ability level, and 354 (50.3%) felt a significant improvement in their ability to diagnose biliary- and pancreatic-related diseases. The application effect of the platform on members’ continuing medical education was affirmed by the vast majority of registered doctors. The clinical specialty of registered doctors, the length of time they joined the platform, the length of time they participated in the platform activities each time, and whether they played back course videos after the live broadcast of the course on the platform were the main factors affecting the application effect on continuing medical education (P < 0.05). Registered doctors who benefited significantly from the platform used it for 6–12 months, participated in activities for 1–2 hours each time, and often played back course videos.ConclusionThe new model of continuing medical education based on an online platform breaks through the constraints of traditional models and meets the individualized needs of every medical worker to improve their comprehension level. At present, the global outbreak of COVID-19 makes this learning mode increasingly popular among medical workers. We should constantly improve the organization of the content and methods of continuing medical education courses, make the online platform better serve the majority of medical workers, and effectively improve the comprehension levels of clinicians.

Transanal Endoscopic Operation Approach to Mesorectal Lesions: Local Excision of Lymph Node Metastasis of Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Transanal Endoscopic Operation Approach to Mesorectal Lesions: Local Excision of Lymph Node Metastasis of Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Comprehensive endoscopic management of impacted ureteral stones: Literature review and expert opinions.

Treatment of urolithiasis, a benign disease, requires high efficacy and safety. Endoscopic treatment of impacted ureteral stones remains a challenging procedure for urologists, despite recent remarkable advances in surgical technology in treatment of urolithiasis. The success rate of endoscopic treatment in patients with impacted stones is reported to be lower than that in patients with nonimpacted stones. Moreover, the presence of stone impaction is associated with high rates of intraoperative and postoperative complications. The best management for patients with impacted ureteral stones should therefore be devised based on the latest knowledge and techniques. The present review focuses on the preoperative prediction of stone impaction, the safest and most effective endoscopic surgical procedures, and the most appropriate management for postoperative ureteral strictures. We overview comprehensive endoscopic management for impacted ureteral stones based on literature review and expert opinions.

Comparison of endoscopic and open methods of surgical treatment for lumbosacral spinal canal stenosis: a systematic literature review

Objective. To analyze clinical outcomes and complication rates of transforaminal and interlaminar endoscopic decompression and open microsurgical operations performed for lumbosacral spinal canal stenosis.Material and Methods. The data of 60 literature sources selected in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library databases were systematized by evaluating diagnostic methods, clinical pictures and surgical treatment of the lumbar spinal canal stenosis. Original studies, case series and reviews containing information on surgical methods for the treatment of spinal stenosis at the lumbar level were analyzed.Results. The complication rate after transforaminal endoscopic decompression (relapses, infectious complications, damage to the dural membrane and spinal roots) does not exceed 2.7 %, which is significantly lower than that in open microsurgical operation (4.8–8.8 %). Endoscopic decompression and reconstruction of the spinal canal demonstrate good clinical outcomes, lower number of bed-days, readmissions, and good economic benefits. When stenosis is combined with instability of the spinal motion segment, performing only a decompressive operation in any volume does not give a significant clinical result, and stabilization surgery is required.Conclusion. The introduction of endoscopic reconstructive surgery for spinal canal stenosis in the lumbosacral spine is associated not only with technical progress and improvement of endoscopic optics, but also with the search for the causes of unsatisfactory results of open operations. Endoscopic interventions showed good clinical outcomes and a decrease in the complication rate. However, the evidence base needs to be expanded due to the lack of randomized trials to compare open decompression and stabilization, and endoscopic reconstructive surgeries in patients with various manifestations of spinal stenosis.

Dual-camera endoscopic imaging probe combining simultaneous illumination of white-light and laser sources for near real-time monitoring of tissue features

In this work, a dual-display endoscopic vision system was designed as a multi-parametric tool to monitor dynamic responses of biological tissues. The endoscope integrates oximetry principles, laser speckles imaging, and image fusion processing to simultaneously monitor hemodynamic and metabolic information with high spatial resolution. In addition, morphological changes of the tissue were evaluated using linear approximation to Rayleigh-MIE scattering over the visible range. The setup contains a white light source (QTH lamp), an NIR laser (810 nm), commercially available endoscope, high speed four position filter wheel, and two CCD cameras (color and monochromatic) for near real-time processing and display. Validation of the system was demonstrated in two models of tissue injury challenge, including a drug toxicity experiment conducted on a mouse model and the artery occlusion of a human finger. The experimental results illustrate the ability of our system to simultaneously map and temporally track changes in tissue parameters which has the potential to provide valuable insight into the physiological state of the tissue during endoscopic surgical procedures, making it attractive in the future for use in clinical practice and research applications.

IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF MESENCHYMAL FORMATIONS OF CHRONIC POLYPOID RHINOSINUSITIS

: The aim of the study was to investigate the mesenchymal formations in the stroma of polyps of different forms of chronic polypoid rhinosinusitis. We carried out morphological and immunohistochemical study of paraffin blocks prepared from nasal polyps, which remote by endoscopic operation in 45 patients with chronic polypoid rhinosinusitis in 2013. The study showed that the observation of mesenchymal formations in nasal polyps, which could be regarded as a growth zone of polyps.

Operative Surveillance of Airway Hemangiomas in PHACE Syndrome.

PHACE is a rare syndrome that can present with airway hemangiomas. Management for these patients is variable and the utilization of operative endoscopic airway evaluation has not been described. The objectives of this study were to identify the incidence of airway symptoms in patients being evaluated for PHACE syndrome and determine the utility of operative endoscopy. An IRB-approved retrospective cohort study was conducted on consecutive pediatric patients with head and neck infantile hemangioma (IH) evaluated in a multi-disciplinary vascular anomalies center between 2013 and 2019. Patients were included if they were being worked up for PHACE syndrome and had an otolaryngology evaluation. Demographics, clinical, and surgical variables were collected. There were 317 patients with head and neck IH. Thirty-six patients met inclusion criteria. The majority of patients were female (31/36; 86.1%) and less than half of the patients (15/36; 41.7%) were eventually diagnosed with PHACE syndrome. Median age at presentation was 2 months (range 0-82 months). A total of 28/36 (77.8%) of patients were managed with propranolol. The majority of the patients presented without aerodigestive symptoms; however, 16/36 (44.4%) of patients presented with symptoms such as stridor, hoarseness, and dysphagia. A total of 20/36 (55.6%) of patients underwent operative endoscopy. A total of 8/20 (40.0%) of patients who underwent operative endoscopy had operative intervention. Of the entire cohort, only 2/15 (13.3%) patients diagnosed with PHACE were found to have a subglottic hemangioma. Both patients presented with stridor. Operative endoscopy remains useful in the workup of PHACE syndrome to identify subglottic hemangiomas, however there may be relatively low yield in asymptomatic patients. In office flexible laryngoscopy may be a less invasive means to examine the subglottic region. A multi-center prospective study would be necessary to evaluate incidence of subglottic hemangiomas in asymptomatic patients evaluated for PHACE.

Clinical predictors of invasive fungal rhinosinusitis in a tertiary pediatric hospital

ObjectivesInvasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFRS) is a potentially fatal disease that affects the severely immunocompromised and requires aggressive treatment. The objective of this study is to better describe predictors of biopsy positivity in patients at high risk of IFRS at a pediatric hospital. MethodsThis was a single-center case-control study of 36 patients (37 total biopsies) ≤ 21 years old with one of five high-risk oncologic/hematologic diagnoses who underwent operative endoscopy for clinical suspicion for IFRS. IFRS positivity was defined histologically. Collected information included patient demographics, primary diagnosis, oncologic relapses, time from diagnosis to biopsy, clinical characteristics, and endoscopic findings. These data were used to create a simple predictive scoring system. Results17 patients had biopsy-proven IFRS (IFRS(+)) for an overall incidence of 2.1% in the designated high-risk population. Average time from most recent oncologic development (diagnosis, relapse, or hematopoietic stem-cell transplant) to biopsy in the IFRS(+) group was 2.09 months (SD = 2.26), and 7.28 months in the IFRS(−) group (SD = 9.17) (p = 0.009). Clinical characteristics did not differentiate between IFRS(+) and IFRS(−). Bedside endoscopy performed poorly, as it was interpreted as normal in 42.8% of IFRS(+) and 53.8% of IFRS(−). In contrast, the presence of any positive endoscopic finding intra-operatively was highly specific for IFRS(+) (94%) with moderate sensitivity (70%), and the difference in rate of positivity between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). ConclusionOperative endoscopy with biopsy remains the gold-standard to rule-out IFRS in the setting of high clinical suspicion. Time elapsed from most recent oncologic development to clinical concern for IFRS may influence the likelihood of disease, though this requires further study. Clinical symptoms and bedside endoscopy were not predictive and should be used with caution in decision-making.