Tracheostomy, the Not So Definitive Airway?: Tracheostomy Morbidity in Pediatric Craniofacial Patients.

Background: Tracheostomy is the definitive treatment for airway management in severe cases of craniofacial-associated upper airway obstruction, like the Pierre-Robin sequence, but is associated with significant morbidity. The purpose of this study was to examine tracheostomy-associated morbidities and mortalities in craniofacial patients to identify opportunities to improve clinical care and patient prognosis.

Methods: The study was a retrospective review of pediatric craniofacial patients who were tracheostomized between 2016 and 2022.

Histopathologic differences between adult and pediatric patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background: Adult and pediatric patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) may have differing philosophies in therapeutic management. Few studies have examined sinonasal tissue-level comparisons of these groups. This study examines histopathologic differences between children and adults with CRS, with the goal of understanding disease pathogenesis and optimizing medical management for both populations.

Using Active-Phonation Cone-Beam Computed Tomography to Evaluate Pediatric Patients With Suspected Velopharyngeal Dysfunction, a Pilot Study.

Velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) is described as the incomplete closure of the velopharyngeal port during a speech production. Nasopharyngoscopy and/or multiplanar videofluoroscopy have been utilized for decades to assess the degree and nature of the dysfunction. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is presented as an additional diagnostic tool, allowing for clear visualization of the affected structures and the ability to obtain accurate measurements (within 100 microns) of the involved anatomy and defect.

Utilization of emergency department computed tomography and otolaryngology consultation in the diagnosis of pediatric peritonsillar abscess.

Objectives: To determine whether obtaining a computed tomography (CT) scan in the emergency department (ED) is predictive of peritonsillar abscess (PTA) in the pediatric population, and to evaluate for clinical characteristics that may suggest whether a CT is beneficial in the diagnosis of pediatric PTA.

Methods: Single-institution retrospective chart review at Rush University Hospitals. Study included pediatric patients, aged 17 or younger, who presented to the ED with suspected PTA over a 6-year period.

Large Parotid Gland Lipoblastoma in a Teenager.

Background: Lipoblastomas are rare benign neoplasms that arise from fetal white fat cells. They are typically found in children under the age of 3 and have been reported in the mediastinum, extremities, and infrequently in the head and neck. We present a rare case of a lipoblastoma arising from the parotid gland and the first known report of a parotid lipoblastoma in a teenager.

Prevention of Tracheostomy-Related Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers.

Objective To determine if standardization of perioperative tracheostomy care procedures decreased the incidence of hospital-acquired tracheostomy-related pressure ulcers. Methods All patients at least 18 years old who underwent placement of a tracheostomy tube in the operating room from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, were cared for postoperatively through an institutionally adopted quality improvement protocol. This included 4 elements: (1) placement of a hydrocolloid dressing underneath the tracheostomy flange in the postoperative period, (2) removal of plate sutures within 7 days of the tracheostomy procedure, (3) placement of a polyurethane foam dressing after suture removal, and (4) neutral positioning of the head.

Prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background: An association between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been previously reported; however, the underlying factors linking CRS and GERD remain to be elucidated.

Objective: To assess the association of GERD and CRS using prospective and retrospective approaches.

Methods: The retrospective study comprised a large cohort of CRS cases, whereas the prospective arm evaluated a series of CRS cases and controls.

African American Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis Have a Distinct Phenotype of Polyposis Associated with Increased Asthma Hospitalization.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common inflammatory disease of the upper airways that is often categorized into subtypes including "with" and "without" nasal polyps. However, the influence of multiple important epidemiologic factors, including race, on CRS has not been investigated.

Objective: The present study assessed various phenotypic characteristics of CRS in patients, living in the United States, with different racial backgrounds.

The use of botulinum toxin B in the treatment of a post-traumatic sialocele in a 4-year-old child: A case report.

Parotid sialoceles are bothersome complications of parotidectomy and penetrating injury to the parotid gland. Though typically self-limited and responsive to conservative management, they can be particularly difficult to manage in the pediatric population where even conservative interventions are less well tolerated. We present the case of a 4-year-old child with a post-traumatic parotid sialocele that was successfully managed with a single injection of botulinum toxin B.

A role for anti-BP180 autoantibodies in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objectives/hypothesis: Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is accompanied by evidence of a vigorous adaptive immune response, and emerging studies demonstrate that some nasal polyps manifest a polyclonal autoantibody response. We previously found that antibodies against BP180, a component of the hemidesmosome complex and the dominant epitope in autoimmune bullous pemphigoid, were found at elevated levels in nasal polyp tissue. Given the critical role of hemidesmosomes in maintaining epithelial integrity, we sought to investigate the distribution of BP180 in nasal tissue and evaluate for evidence of systemic autoimmunity against this antigen in CRS.

Nasal saline irrigation in children: a study of compliance and tolerance.

Objective: To determine the compliance with and tolerance of nasal saline irrigation in children.

Study Design: Phone survey.

Setting: Tertiary pediatric hospital.