Kelvin Zhou

Background: Biopsy is required to stage cutaneous head and neck melanomas (cHNM), but cHNM can be pathologically upstaged following surgical resection. Here, we evaluated whether upstaged cHNM with negative sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) impacts survival and time to cHNM recurrence. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed cHNM patients with negative SLNB treated from 2007 to 2014. We included adult cHNM patients with T2a-4a disease at biopsy who underwent SLNB-negative and wide local excision. We extracted patient demographics, treatment details, and survival outcomes. Melanoma-specific survival (MSS) and cHNM recurrence outcomes were analyzed using Cox regression analysis and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Overall, 87 patients met inclusion criteria, 17 of whom were upstaged after definitive treatment. No significant baseline demographic or cHNM differences were observed between groups. Excisional biopsies were most performed (n = 57, 65.5%), yet upstaged patients more frequently underwent shave or punch biopsies. Most cHNM lesions were found on the face (n = 35, 40.2%). Univariable Cox regression revealed significant association between upstaged pathology (unadjusted hazard ratio: 3.20, 95% CI: 1.12-9.16), close margins (unadjusted hazard ratio: 4.95, 95% CI: 1.61-15.20), and worse MSS; however, multivariable Cox regression did not demonstrate any relationship between upstaged pathology or margin status and MSS. Conclusion: Among patients with pT2-4a, SLNB-negative cHNM, pathological upstaging does not independently predict MSS when adjusted for margin status, but large multicenter prospective cohort studies are needed to further validate these findings.

Objective: Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and endoscopic skull base surgery (ESBS) approaches have revolutionized the management of sinonasal and intracranial pathology. Maintaining surgical hemostasis is essential as bleeding can obscure the visibility of the surgical field, thus increasing surgical duration, risk of complications, and procedural failure. Tranexamic acid (TXA) acts to reduce bleeding by inhibiting fibrin degradation. This review aims to assess whether TXA improves surgical field quality and reduces intraoperative blood loss compared with control.Methods: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from inception until September 1, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened citations, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality using the Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool for randomized trials. Data were pooled using a random‐effect model, with continuous data presented as mean differences and dichotomous data presented as odds ratios.Results: Seventeen ESS randomized controlled trials (n = 1377) and one ESBS randomized controlled trial (n = 50) were reviewed. Significant improvement in surgical field quality was achieved with both systemic TXA (six studies, p < 0.00001) and topical TXA (six studies, p = 0.01) compared with the control. Systemic TXA (eight studies) and topical TXA (three studies) both achieved a significant reduction in intraoperative blood loss compared with the control (p < 0.00001). There were significant differences in operative times (p < 0.001) but no significant difference in perioperative outcomes (p = 0.30).Conclusion: This meta‐analysis demonstrated that the administration of TXA in ESS can improve surgical field quality and reduce intraoperative blood loss. TXA use did not result in increased perioperative complications including thrombotic events.

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP) most commonly occurs secondary to iatrogenic injury and/or malignancy, but can also be a consequence of central nervous system (CNS) pathology. We report a case of BVCP secondary to leptomeningeal consequence in the context of unknown primary malignancy. The aim of this report is to promote awareness for BVCP caused by rare CNS pathology and highlight the importance of complete neoplastic and paraneoplastic workups in new-onset BVCP with unclear etiology. Here, we present a case report and review of the literature. A 68-year-old female presented with new-onset BVCP in the context of progressive dysphagia in addition to rectal and urinary incontinence. She underwent an awake tracheostomy. Her infectious and paraneoplastic workups did not identify a cause for her BVCP. Her brain MRI demonstrated enhancement of multiple cranial nerves, spine MRI demonstrated leptomeningeal enhancement, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology was positive for metastatic adenocarcinoma. Her functional status was poor and she was deemed ineligible for chemotherapy and transitioned to palliative care. She died three months following her hospital admission. Leptomeningeal metastasis is a rare cause of new-onset BVCP. Airway management remains a critical component in BVCP. The sudden onset of BVCP in the context of generalized neurologic symptoms or cranial nerve deficits should prompt complete neoplastic and paraneoplastic investigation.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea results from abnormal communications between the subarachnoid and sinonasal spaces. Accurate preoperative diagnosis and localization are vital for positive clinical outcomes. However, the diagnosis and localization of CSF rhinorrhea remain suboptimal due to a lack of accurate understanding of test characteristics. Objective: This systematic review aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of various tests and imaging modalities for diagnosing and localizing CSF rhinorrhea. Methods: A systematic review of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results: Our search identified 4039 articles—53 cohort studies and 24 case series describing 1622 patients were included. The studies were heterogeneous and had a wide range of sensitivities and specificities. Many specificities were incalculable due to a lack of true negative and false positive results, thus precluding a meta-analysis. Median sensitivities and specificities were calculated for cohort studies of the following investigations: high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) 0.93/0.50 (sensitivity/specificity), magnetic resonance cisternography (MRC) 0.94/0.77, computed tomography cisternography (CTC) 0.95/1.00, radionuclide cisternography (RNC) 0.90/0.50, and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance cisternography (CEMRC) 0.99/1.00, endoscopy 0.58/1.00, topical intranasal fluorescein (TIF) 1.00/incalculable, intrathecal fluorescein (ITF) 0.96/1.00. Case series were reviewed separately. Etiology and site-specific data were also analyzed. Conclusion: MR cisternography is more accurate than high-resolution CT at diagnosing and localizing CSF rhinorrhea. CT cisternography, contrast-enhanced MR cisternography, and radionuclide cisternography have good diagnostic characteristics but are invasive. Intrathecal fluorescein shows promising data but has not been widely adopted for purely diagnostic use. Office endoscopy has limited data but does not sufficiently diagnose CSF rhinorrhea independently. These findings confirm with current guidelines and evidence.

Noise in the operating room (OR) contributes to miscommunication among team members and may negatively impact patient outcomes. This study aimed to quantify noise levels during endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. The secondary aim was to understand how OR team members perceive noise during endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. Noise levels were measured using the validated phone application SoundMeter X 10.0.4 (r1865) (Faber Acoustical, Utah, USA) at the ear-level of the surgeon, scrub nurse, circulating nurse, and anesthesiologist. At the end of each surgery, OR team members were asked to complete a six-question questionnaire about noise during that surgery. One thousand four hundred and two noise measurements were recorded across 353 trials. The loudest mean noise measurement was 84.51 dB and maximum noise measurement was 96.21 dB at the ear-level of the surgeon. Noise was significantly higher at the ear-level of the surgeon and scrub nurse in comparison to the circulating nurse (p = .000) and anesthesiologist (p = .000). Forty percent of questionnaire respondents believed noise was a problem and 38% stated that noise caused communication issues during surgery. Surgeons and scrub nurses have significantly higher noise exposure in comparison to circulating nurses and anesthesiologists during endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. For these members of the OR team, noise is also identified as problematic and causing issues with communication. Mechanisms to reduce potential noise may be implemented to improve communication and patient outcomes in endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery.