Coding for Otolaryngology Office Procedures.

This review article provides a summary of current correct coding for in-office surgical procedures. The relevant Current Procedural Terminology codes are covered and tips and guidance provided for their correct use. Also, where applicable, facility versus nonfacility reimbursement policy and the associated implications for physicians practicing in hospital-based clinics are discussed.

The Value of Mentorship.

The recent Young Physicians needs assessment survey identified mentorship as the single greatest need for this demographic, which includes physicians under 40 years of age or in their first 8 years of practice after completion of training. Much has been written in textbooks and other journals about mentorship, and as young physicians are certainly not alone in this need, mentorship has become a key focus of future Academy endeavors. Serving as Chair of the Young Physicians Section over the past year has afforded me the opportunity to interact with a variety of dynamic and engaging leaders in our Academy, and herein I provide a synopsis of what these experiences have taught me as well as provide some of the most important pearls that I have picked up along the way.

The Management of Spontaneous Otogenic CSF Leaks: A Presentation of Cases and Review of Literature.

Objective The types of otogenic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulae were previously classified into defects through, adjacent to, or distal to the otic capsule. This article presents cases of the three different types of spontaneous CSF fistulae and reviews pertinent literature. We examine the management of the different types of otogenic CSF leaks with modern audiovestibular testing, imaging, and surgical techniques.

Airway management following pediatric cardiothoracic surgery.

Objectives: (1) Review airway management in pediatric patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery (CTS); (2) determine the incidence of airway-related complications of CTS in this population.

Design: Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary care children's hospital.

Pediatric peritonsillar abscess: Quinsy ie versus interval tonsillectomy.

Peritonsillar Abscess: Quinsy versus interval tonsillectomy.

Objectives Study Design: Case series with chart review.

Methods: We reviewed the records of children treated for peritonsillar abscess between 2007 and 2011 at an academic tertiary pediatric hospital.

Successful discontinuation of propranolol for infantile hemangiomas of the head and neck at 12 months of age.

Background: Although propranolol can be an effective primary medical therapy for infantile hemangiomas of the head and neck, the duration of treatment and time to discontinue propranolol is unclear.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the duration of treatment and age at which propranolol may be successfully discontinued in children with infantile hemangiomas of the head and neck.

Methods: A review of all patients presenting to a pediatric vascular anomalies clinic from January 2008 to December 2011 was performed.

Impact of incision and drainage of infected thyroglossal duct cyst on recurrence after Sistrunk procedure.

Objective: To determine whether incision and drainage of infected thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) is associated with increased risk of recurrence after Sistrunk procedure when compared with antibiotic treatment alone.

Design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Tertiary referral practice.

Survey of Ménière's disease in a subspecialty referral practice.

Objectives: To define the prevalence of definite Ménière's disease (MD) among patients presenting with characteristic symptoms and examine the utility of published diagnostic guidelines.

Study Design And Setting: Retrospective review in an academic referral practice.

Results: The prevalence of definite MD in these 295 individuals was 64%.

Clinical predictors for hearing loss in children with bacterial meningitis.

Objectives: To identify clinical risk factors that predict a higher incidence of hearing loss in children with bacterial meningitis, to determine the overall incidence of hearing loss in a large group of children proven by culture findings to have bacterial meningitis, and to compare clinical characteristics among patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis and Neisseria meningitidis meningitis.

Design: Retrospective review

Setting: Tertiary pediatric hospital.

Patients: A total of 171 children identified with bacterial meningitis who met inclusion criteria over a consecutive 10-year period.