C. Ron Cannon

Clinical practice guideline: acute otitis externa.

Objective This clinical practice guideline is an update and replacement for an earlier guideline published in 2006 by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. This update provides evidence-based recommendations to manage acute otitis externa (AOE), defined as diffuse inflammation of the external ear canal, which may also involve the pinna or tympanic membrane. The variations in management of AOE and the importance of accurate diagnosis suggest a need for updating the clinical practice guideline. The primary outcome considered in this guideline is clinical resolution of AOE. Purpose The primary purpose of the original guideline was to promote appropriate use of oral and topical antimicrobials for AOE and to highlight the need for adequate pain relief. An updated guideline is needed because of new clinical trials, new systematic reviews, and the lack of consumer participation in the initial guideline development group. The target patient is aged 2 years or older with diffuse AOE. Differential diagnosis will be discussed, but recommendations for management will be limited to diffuse AOE, which is almost exclusively a bacterial infection. This guideline is intended for primary care and specialist clinicians, including otolaryngologists–head and neck surgeons, pediatricians, family physicians, emergency physicians, internists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. This guideline is applicable in any setting in which patients with diffuse AOE would be identified, monitored, or managed. Action Statements The development group made strong recommendations that (1) clinicians should assess patients with AOE for pain and recommend analgesic treatment based on the severity of pain and (2) clinicians should not prescribe systemic antimicrobials as initial therapy for diffuse, uncomplicated AOE unless there is extension outside the ear canal or the presence of specific host factors that would indicate a need for systemic therapy. The development group made recommendations that (1) clinicians should distinguish diffuse AOE from other causes of otalgia, otorrhea, and inflammation of the external ear canal; (2) clinicians should assess the patient with diffuse AOE for factors that modify management (nonintact tympanic membrane, tympanostomy tube, diabetes, immunocompromised state, prior radiotherapy); (3) clinicians should prescribe topical preparations for initial therapy of diffuse, uncomplicated AOE; (4) clinicians should enhance the delivery of topical drops by informing the patient how to administer topical drops and by performing aural toilet, placing a wick, or both, when the ear canal is obstructed; (5) clinicians should prescribe a non-ototoxic preparation when the patient has a known or suspected perforation of the tympanic membrane, including a tympanostomy tube; and (6) clinicians should reassess the patient who fails to respond to the initial therapeutic option within 48 to 72 hours to confirm the diagnosis of diffuse AOE and to exclude other causes of illness.

Clinical Practice Guideline: Acute Otitis Externa

OBJECTIVE: This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations to manage diffuse acute otitis externa (AOE), defined as generalized inflammation of the external ear canal, which may also involve the pinna or tympanic membrane. The primary purpose is to promote appropriate use of oral and topical antimicrobials and to highlight the need for adequate pain relief. STUDY DESIGN: In creating this guideline, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) selected a development group representing the fields of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, pediatrics, family medicine, infectious disease, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and medical informatics. The guideline was created with the use of an explicit, a priori, evidence-based protocol. RESULTS: The group made a strong recommendation that management of AOE should include an assessment of pain, and the clinician should recommend analgesic treatment based on the severity of pain. The group made recommendations that clinicians should: 1) distinguish diffuse AOE from other causes of otalgia, otorrhea, and inflammation of the ear canal; 2) assess the patient with diffuse AOE for factors that modify management (nonintact tympanic membrane, tympanostomy tube, diabetes, immunocompromised state, prior radiotherapy); and 3) use topical preparations for initial therapy of diffuse, uncomplicated AOE; systemic antimicrobial therapy should not be used unless there is extension outside of the ear canal or the presence of specific host factors that would indicate a need for systemic therapy. The group made additional recommendations that: 4) the choice of topical antimicrobial therapy of diffuse AOE should be based on efficacy, low incidence of adverse events, likelihood of adherence to therapy, and cost; 5) clinicians should inform patients how to administer topical drops, and when the ear canal is obstructed, delivery of topical preparations should be enhanced by aural toilet, placing a wick, or both; 6) when the patient has a tympanostomy tube or known perforation of the tympanic membrane, the clinician should prescribe a nonototoxic topical preparation; and 7) if the patient fails to respond to the initial therapeutic option within 48 to 72 hours, the clinician should reassess the patient to confirm the diagnosis of diffuse AOE and to exclude other causes of illness. And finally, the panel compiled a list of research needs based on limitations of the evidence reviewed. CONCLUSION: This clinical practice guideline is not intended as a sole source of guidance in evaluating patients with AOE. Rather, it is designed to assist clinicians by providing an evidence-based framework for decision-making strategies. It is not intended to replace clinical judgment or establish a protocol for all individuals with this condition and may not provide the only appropriate approach to the diagnosis and management of this problem. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first, explicit, evidence-based clinical practice guideline on acute otitis externa, and the first clinical practice guideline produced independently by the AAO-HNSF.

Endoscopic-assisted adenoidectomy.

Adenoidectomy is a commonly performed procedure. The advent of endoscopic sinus surgery has Popularized the use of endoscopes. Endoscopic-assisted adenoidectomy (EAA) is a natural progression of this technology to allow a more complete adenoidectomy. Two hundred thirty-six patients undergoing adenoidectomy were evaluated with an endoscopic technique. A routine transoral adenoidectomy was performed first. Then a 4-mm 0° telescope was used transnasally, and residual adenoid tissue was removed from the anterior superior nasopharynx. Invariably, residual adenoid tissue was found after transoral adenoidectomy. The EAA technique is minimally invasive, adds less than 5 minutes to the procedure, and is not associated with excessive bleeding. Readily available telescope and endoscopic equipment is used. The EAA technique is advocated for use as an adjunct to a more complete adenoidectomy.

Intraoperative laryngeal nerve monitoring during thyroidectomy.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether nerve integrity monitor testing during thyroidectomy predicts recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) function after surgery. DESIGN Prospective cohort outcomes study PATIENTS The study included 210 consecutive patients with thyroid abnormalities who underwent thyroidectomy. METHODS All patients were intraoperatively monitored with a nerve integrity monitoring system (Xomed NIM II; Medtronic Inc, Fridley, Minnesota), and their vocal cord function was assessed with fiberoptic laryngoscopy before and after surgery. Normal and impaired vocal cord function were compared using an independent t test with respect to postoperative vocal cord mobility, length of the RLN dissection, and the minimum stimulus needed to generate a response at the completion of surgery. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference between the stimulus in milliamperes required to stimulate normal vs abnormal functioning nerves at the completion of the procedure at the cricoarytenoid joint (P = .02) and at the distal end of the RLN dissection (P < .01). A greater length of dissected nerve was associated with normal vocal cord function; however, it was not statistically significant (P = .07). CONCLUSION These data suggest that an RLN that responds at lower-intensity stimulation (</=0.5 mA) at the end of thyroid surgery is associated with normal vocal cord mobility.

The workforce in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery: moving into the next millennium.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to examine the current scope of otolaryngologists’ practices, their geographic distribution, and the roles otolaryngologists and other specialists play in caring for patients with otolaryngic and related conditions of the head and neck. STUDY DESIGN: A large national survey and administrative claims databases were examined to develop practice profiles and compile a physician supply for otolaryngology. A focus group of otolaryngologists provided information to model future scenarios. RESULTS: The current and predicted workforce supply and demographics are at a satisfactory level and are decreasing as a proportion of the increasing population. Empiric data analysis supports the diverse nature of an otolaryngologists practice and the unique role for otolaryngologists that is not shared by many other providers. Together with the focus group results, the study points to areas for which more background and training are warranted. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents a first step in a process to form coherent workforce recommendations for the field of otolaryngology.

The anomaly of nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve: identification and management.

There is no greater nemesis for the thyroid surgeon than difficulty in localizing the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). An unusual but important cause of this problem is the nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve (NRLN). The NRLN is vulnerable during thyroid surgery, with nerve damage potentially resulting in permanent vocal cord paralysis. The NRLN arises on the right side of the neck and is associated with malformation of the aortic arch. Preoperative chest x-ray films, therefore, are a valuable adjunct in identifying patients who may have laryngeal nerve anomaly. Additional studies that may be useful are barium swallow and digital subtraction and angiography in selected patients. Often the NRLN will be identified only at the time of surgery when the RLN triangle is discovered to be empty. In the case presented, identification of this aberrant nerve was greatly facilitated by use of a nerve-integrity monitor. A review of the relevant anatomy and embryology of NRLN is presented along with a survey of useful adjunctive studies to identify this anomaly. A protocol for surgical management is also recommended.

Thyroidectomy Incision Using A Novel Anatomic Landmark Method

There was no postoperative infection noted in any case nor has there been any keloid scar formation noted on follow-up exams. Patient and surgeon satisfaction with incision placement has been good. Unless an axillary or anterior chest approach is used, there will be a resultant scar in the neck. Terris, et al have pointed out that the prevalence of thyroid disease is higher in women than in men. Due to increasing societal focus on appearance, cosmetic outcomes as regards the thyroid surgery scar are becoming more important and therefore the need for a symmetric and aesthetically pleasing scar. It is thought that placement of the incision is crucial for a good cosmetic result. If the incision is made too superior in the neck, it might be quite noticeable when wearing normal clothing. If the incision is too inferior, there is increased chance of keloid formation. In a study by Jancwicz, et al, the authors found that the incision moves an average of 20 mm inferiorly when the patient is positioned for surgery. However, this study did not account for the location of the patient’s pathology as it relates to the upper or lower portion of the thyroid lobe when marking out an incision.

Facial Nerve in Parotidectomy: A Topographical Analysis

Objective: Establish normative data concerning parotidectomy and facial nerve dissection and determine the relationship between the length of the facial nerve dissected during parotidectomy and subsequent facial nerve paresis.

Carotidynia: An Unusual Pain in the Neck:

Described by Fay in 1927, carotidynia has not received much attention in the otolaryngology-head and neck surgery literature. This unusual entity is characterized by ipsilateral neck pain in the region of the carotid artery near its bifurcation. The differential diagnosis is extensive and includes thyroiditis, migraine headache, aneurysm of the carotid system, temporomandibular joint syndrome, giant cell arteritis, and head and neck neoplasms. A correct diagnosis is usually achieved by careful review of the history and physical examination. Laboratory studies are obtained primarily to exclude other causes. Successful treatment is most often effected with the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, although other treatment modalities may be needed. A series of 25 patients treated during the past 10 years is presented. The symptoms, physical findings, appropriate laboratory studies, and a treatment protocol for this uncommon entity are detailed.

Fine-Needle Aspiration: Survey of Clinical Utility:

OBJECTIVES: The goal was to determine the features of clinical usage of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in this country in terms of utilization, indications, and practice and demographic characteristics of those who use FNA. STUDY DESIGN: A survey was mailed to otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons (OTO-HNSs) in the United States. The results were totaled and analyzed for indications for FNA performance, practice setting, age, and geographic location of practitioners. RESULTS: The most common indications for use of FNA were in the diagnoses of neck, thyroid, salivary, and other masses in the head and neck. In the survey group the average number of FNAs performed per month was 4.7 per respondent practitioner. FNA was statistically related to age (older physicians performed it less) and region of the country. FNAs are performed at a lower rate in the West. CONCLUSIONS: FNA is a commonly performed procedure. Certain groups of OTO-HNSs (older, located in western states) do not perform FNA as commonly as other OTO-HNSs. Further education regarding the merits of FNA is needed.