Establishing Effective Patient Engagement Through a Terms of Reference to Foster Inclusivity and Empowerment in Research: Example From a Healthcare Transition Quality Indicators Project.

Introduction: Patient engagement in research aims to foster meaningful partnerships, integrating patient experiences into the research process. This paper describes the development of a Terms of Reference (ToR) to support these meaningful partnerships. While engagement improves data collection and empowerment, ineffective engagement can lead to negative outcomes.

Patient, caregiver and other knowledge user engagement in consensus-building healthcare initiatives: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Patient engagement and integrated knowledge translation (iKT) processes improve health outcomes and care experiences through meaningful partnerships in consensus-building initiatives and research. Consensus-building is essential for engaging a diverse group of experienced knowledge users in co-developing and supporting a solution where none readily exists or is less optimal. Patients and caregivers provide invaluable insights for building consensus in decision-making around healthcare, policy and research.

A commentary on the healthcare transition policy landscape for youth with disabilities or chronic health conditions, the need for an inclusive and equitable approach, and recommendations for change in Canada.

There is a growing number of youth with healthcare needs such as disabilities or chronic health conditions who require lifelong care. In Canada, transfer to the adult healthcare system typically occurs at age 18 and is set by policy regardless of whether youth and their families are ready. When the transition to adult services is suboptimal, youth may experience detrimental gaps in healthcare resulting in increased visits to the emergency department and poor healthcare outcomes.

Mucosal Thickening Occurs in Contralateral Paranasal Sinuses following Sinonasal Malignancy Treatment.

 To investigate the incidence and degree of contralateral sinus disease following treatment of sinonasal malignancy (SNM) using radiological findings as an outcome measure.  Retrospective case series.  Tertiary referral academic center.

Listeners learn phonotactic patterns conditioned on suprasegmental cues.

Language learners are sensitive to phonotactic patterns from an early age, and can acquire both simple and 2nd-order positional restrictions contingent on segment identity (e.g., /f/ is an onset with /æ/but a coda with /ɪ/).

An Algorithm for Surgical Approach to the Anterior Skull Base.

Objective: To characterize our experience with the surgical management of anterior skull base malignancy, and to propose an algorithm for surgical approach to anterior skull base malignancies.

Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: Academic cranial base center.

Skull Base Surgery Training and Practice Patterns among Recent Otolaryngology Fellowship Graduates.

Objective: To collect data on skull base surgery training experiences and practice patterns of otolaryngologists that recently completed fellowship training.

Design: A 24-item survey was disseminated to physicians who completed otolaryngology fellowships in rhinology, head and neck oncology, or neurotology between 2010 and 2014.

Results: During a typical year, 50% of rhinologists performed more than 20 endoscopic anterior skull base cases, 83% performed fewer than 20 open cases, and were more confident performing advanced transplanum (p = 0.

Atrophy of the tongue following complete versus partial hypoglossal nerve transection in a canine model.

Objectives/hypothesis: The hypoglossal nerve (XII) has been used as a donor nerve in facial and laryngeal reinnervation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neuromuscular changes that occur within the tongue following partial or complete transection of XII using a canine model.

Study Design: Histopathological comparison of tongue denervation following two types of XII resection in a canine model.

Head and neck cancer in South Asia: Macroeconomic consequences and the role of the head and neck surgeon.

Background: Head and neck cancer constitutes a substantial portion of the burden of disease in South Asia, and there is an undersupply of surgical capacity in this region. The purpose of this study was to estimate the economic welfare losses due to head and neck cancer in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in 2010.

Methods: We used publicly available estimates of head and neck cancer morbidity and mortality along with a concept termed the value of a statistical life to estimate economic welfare losses in the aforementioned countries in 2010.

Skull base erosion and associated complications in sphenoid sinus fungal balls.

Background: Sphenoid sinus fungal balls (SSFB) are rare entities that can result in serious orbital and intracranial complications. There are few published reports of complications that result from SSFB.

Objective: To review the incidence of skull base erosion and orbital or intracranial complications in patients who present with SSFB.

Head and neck cancer in South Asia: macroeconomic consequences and the role of surgery.

Background: Head and neck cancer, for which the diagnosis and treatment are often surgical, comprises a substantial proportion of the burden of disease in South Asia. Further, estimates of surgical volume suggest this region faces a critical shortage of surgical capacity. We aimed to estimate the total economic welfare losses due to the morbidity and mortality of head and neck cancer in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh for 1 year (2010).

Evaluation of Improvement in Nasal Obstruction Following Nasal Valve Correction in Patients With a History of Failed Septoplasty.

Importance: Patients with a septal deviation and concerns about nasal obstruction often undergo septoplasty to improve nasal airflow. Following primary septoplasty, however, some patients have persistent symptoms due to nasal valve dysfunction and may require nasal valve surgery.

Objectives: To evaluate the change in disease-specific quality of life for patients who undergo nasal valve correction after failed septoplasty using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) survey and to determine whether identifiable anatomical risk factors are more common in patients with a history of failed septoplasty.

Laryngeal Reinnervation Using a Split-Hypoglossal Nerve Graft in a Canine Model.

Importance: Vocal fold immobility following injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) may lead to substantial morbidity. A reinnervation treatment strategy offers several theoretical benefits over static treatment options. This study evaluates the robustness of reinnervation of the larynx using a split-hypoglossal nerve graft in an animal model, with outcomes assessed by independent blinded review.

Incidence and survival patterns of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma in the United States.

Objective To determine trends in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) survival patterns in the United States. Design Retrospective review of national database. Participants All cases of SNUC in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results program from 1973 to 2010 were examined.

Transfusion in head and neck free flap patients: practice patterns and a comparative analysis by flap type.

Objective: To characterize patterns of utilization and outcomes following transfusion in head and neck patients undergoing free flap reconstruction.

Study Design: Case series with chart review.

Setting: Tertiary academic medical center.

Delayed Endovascular Coil Extrusion following Internal Carotid Artery Embolization.

Internal carotid artery injury is a rare and devastating complication of endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery that has an associated mortality rate of 15%. This case describes a patient who developed massive epistaxis following routine sinus surgery and was eventually diagnosed with a pseudoaneurysm of the cavernous internal carotid artery. Endovascular coiling and Onyx (Covidien, Irvine, California, United States) liquid embolization were ultimately used to completely occlude the internal carotid artery with resolution of bleeding; however, the patient had an unexpected late complication of coil extrusion through the pseudoaneurysm sac into the sphenoid sinus and nasal cavity.

The value of a collaborative course for advanced head and neck surgery in East Africa.

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine the value of a collaborative course for advanced head and neck surgery in East Africa.

Study Design: Survey of participants.

Methods: A 3-day course in head and neck surgery was designed for otolaryngologists and trainees from Kenya and surrounding countries through a collaborative effort between Kenyatta National Hospital, the University of Nairobi, and the Head and Neck Divisions from the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Respiratory variation predicts optimal endotracheal tube placement for intra-operative nerve monitoring in thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

Background: Intra-operative nerve monitoring (IONM) of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) during thyroid and parathyroid surgery is thought to aid in identification and dissection of the RLN. While utilization of IONM is increasing, one area of variability in its application is the assessment of adequate endotracheal tube electrode placement for IONM during the case. The main objective of this study is to assess the overall success of utilizing respiratory variation to confirm proper endotracheal tube placement for RLN monitoring.

Evaluation of frozen section margins in high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.

Objectives/hypothesis: To identify histopathologic features associated with poor correlation of frozen and permanent pathology margins following wide local excision for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing excision of advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas between the years 2010 AND 2013 was performed.

Global health-related publications in otolaryngology are increasing.

Objectives/hypothesis: Determine trends in global health-related publication in otolaryngology.

Study Design: A review of research databases.

Methods: A search of publications available on PubMed and nine additional databases was undertaken reviewing two time periods 10 years apart for the timeframes 1998 to 2002 (early time period) and 2008 to 2012 (recent time period) using specific search terms to identify global health-related publications in otolaryngology.

Esthesioneuroblastoma: an update on the massachusetts eye and ear infirmary and massachusetts general hospital experience with craniofacial resection, proton beam radiation, and chemotherapy.

Objectives To update the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) experience in the management of esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) with multimodality therapy and to reassess treatment outcomes and complications in a larger cohort with longer follow-up times. Design A retrospective chart review. Setting A tertiary referral center.

Incidence and survival patterns of cranial chordoma in the United States.

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine trends in survival patterns for cranial chordoma in the United States.

Study Design: A cross-sectional analysis of a national healthcare database.

Methods: All cases of microscopically confirmed cranial chordoma between 1973 and 2009 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute were examined.

The increasing role of otolaryngology in the management of surgical thyroid disorders.

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine trends in office visits and medical specialty seen for surgical diagnoses of the thyroid gland.

Study Design: A cross-sectional analysis of a national healthcare database.

Methods: From the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), all cases of surgical thyroid disorders (e.