Virtual Reality-Enhanced Assessment of the Anterior Glottic Angle Using Cadaveric Models: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Objectives: Vocal fold paralysis (VFP) is a complex disorder that affects voice, speech, swallowing, and overall quality of life. Current evaluation methods for determining the position of paralyzed vocal folds lack the objectivity required for personalized interventions and research on innovative treatments for VFP. This study was designed to validate the accuracy and reproducibility of a virtual reality (VR)-based platform to measure the anterior glottic angle (AGA), a critical component in determining the position of a paralyzed vocal fold.

The Safety of Pediatric Bedside Tracheostomy.

Objective: Traditionally, pediatric tracheostomy has been viewed as a technically demanding procedure with a high complication rate, requiring the routine use of a formal operating room. Pediatric bedside tracheostomy in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting has not been widely reported, in contrast to the widespread adult bedside ICU tracheostomy. Transport of these critically ill, multiple life support systems dependent patients can be technically difficult, labor intensive, and potentially risky for these patients.

Preoperative MRI for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma: timing and correlation to histopathology.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an integral part of the evaluation of local and regional disease in tongue squamous cell carcinoma prior to surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of MRI in assessing tumour dimensions, as well as the impact of the time-lag from diagnostic biopsy on the accuracy of MRI. The medical records of 64 patients with tongue carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively.

A Novel Nonsurgical Technique for Correcting Congenital Auricular Anomalies.

Congenital ear anomalies are associated with psychological morbidity. Ear deformities can usually be corrected by nonsurgical techniques such as splinting or molding in the neonatal period, initiated before 6 weeks. Without early corrections, many will require otoplasty during childhood.

Airway management following head and neck microvascular reconstruction: is tracheostomy mandatory?

Objectives: Airway management following maxillofacial microvascular reconstruction is a fundamental part of the perioperative management. In oral cavity microvascular reconstruction, the airway is potentially compromised by airway edema, flap edema or bulkiness, hematoma formation, or upper airway sequelae from surgery. Classical teaching advocates elective tracheostomy in patients undergoing maxillofacial free flap reconstruction, while others keep patients intubated overnight (delayed extubation).

Effects of carbonation of liquids on penetration-aspiration and residue management.

Objective: Carbonation as a sensory enhancement strategy for prevention of aspiration of thin liquids has not been thoroughly studied. The aim of our study was to examine the effect of carbonation on penetration-aspiration and pharyngeal residue in dysphagia patients using Fiber-Optic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) and to identify parameters associated with a response to carbonation.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients undergoing FEES in a dysphagia clinic.

Thyroid malignancy rates according to the Bethesda reporting system in Israel - A multicenter study.

Introduction: The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology was developed in 2007 to facilitate an accurate, reproducible communication of thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) interpretations between clinicians and cytopathologists and to serve as a guide for treatment. Based on large patient series, the system details the risk of malignancy for each category as well as a suggested management for each FNA result. Though this system has been widely adopted, there are only few studies to determine whether results are applicable for Israel.

A Very Rare Complication of Vocal Fold Augmentation With Calcium Hydroxylapatite: Neck Abscess.

Introduction: Vocal fold injection augmentation is performed routinely for the treatment of glottic insufficiency especially due to unilateral vocal fold paralysis. There are numerous materials that are used for injection laryngoplasty, calcium hydroxylapatite being one of them.

Case Report: We present an interesting case of a 64-year-old male patient with metastatic acinic cell carcinoma of the right parotid gland, who underwent right vocal cord injection laryngoplasty with calcium hydroxylapatite for right vocal cord paralysis with glottal insufficiency and developed a neck abscess.

Spectrum of genes for inherited hearing loss in the Israeli Jewish population, including the novel human deafness gene ATOH1.

Mutations in more than 150 genes are responsible for inherited hearing loss, with thousands of different, severe causal alleles that vary among populations. The Israeli Jewish population includes communities of diverse geographic origins, revealing a wide range of deafness-associated variants and enabling clinical characterization of the associated phenotypes. Our goal was to identify the genetic causes of inherited hearing loss in this population, and to determine relationships among genotype, phenotype, and ethnicity.

Mucous membrane pemphigoid-otorhinolaryngological manifestations: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) refers to a heterogeneous group of rare, chronic, inflammatory, mucous membrane-dominated, sub-epithelial blistering diseases that manifest with a varying constellation of oral, ocular, cutaneous, genital, nasopharyngeal, esophageal, and laryngeal lesions. MMP can progress to scarring in affected areas, which may lead to devastating complications including ocular involvement leading to blindness as well as laryngeal involvement leading to airway obstruction.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients that were followed in two tertiary academic centers between 2009 through 2017 for upper aerodigestive tract manifestations of MMP.

Closed-suction compared with Penrose drainage after free flap reconstruction in the head and neck.

Microsurgical free flaps are common in head and neck reconstruction, and their techniques and outcomes have continuously improved during the past decades. However, there are variations in practice among surgeons between the use of closed-suction drainage systems and Penrose drains. The proponents of Penrose drains propose that the negative pressure generated by the closed-suction drainage system may harm the microvascular anastomosis.

Epistaxis in the setting of antithrombotic therapy: A comparison between factor Xa inhibitors, warfarin, and antiplatelet agents.

Objectives/hypothesis: To describe the characteristics and severity of epistaxis in patients taking factor Xa inhibitors novel anticoagulants.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: A study of adult patients hospitalized due to spontaneous epistaxis under the treatment of warfarin, rivaroxaban, or apixaban between the years 2011 and 2017 was performed.

Mobile phone usage does not affect sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Objective: Recent studies found that mobile phone users had a significantly greater risk of having elevated thresholds in speech frequencies. This study investigated the correlation between the laterality of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, handedness and the preferred ear for mobile phone use.

Methods: The study included all patients who presented with sudden sensorineural hearing loss to the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery in our tertiary referral medical centre between 2014 and 2016.

Two transgenic mouse models for β-subunit components of succinate-CoA ligase yielding pleiotropic metabolic alterations.

Succinate-CoA ligase (SUCL) is a heterodimer enzyme composed of Suclg1 α-subunit and a substrate-specific Sucla2 or Suclg2 β-subunit yielding ATP or GTP, respectively. In humans, the deficiency of this enzyme leads to encephalomyopathy with or without methylmalonyl aciduria, in addition to resulting in mitochondrial DNA depletion. We generated mice lacking either one Sucla2 or Suclg2 allele.