Adherence to positive airway pressure therapy in patients with Down syndrome: assessing cloud based monitoring data.

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in Down syndrome (DS) with many patients prescribed positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. This study evaluates PAP adherence and identifies factors influencing adherence.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of electronic health records and cloud-based PAP therapy data from DS patients at Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA.

Clinical utility of rapid whole genome sequencing in neonatal patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the impact of rapid and ultra-rapid whole genome sequencing (rWGS/urWGS) on the care of neonatal intensive care (NICU) patients who require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort study at a single-center NICU in a tertiary children's hospital. The study population includes NICU patients treated with ECMO from May 2017 to September 2023.

The Role of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Acute Bilateral Vocal Cord Paresis or Paralysis Post-Thyroidectomy.

Objectives: Acute post-thyroidectomy bilateral vocal cord paresis or paralysis (BVCP) is often managed with observation, botulinum toxin injection or tracheostomy. However, only a few cases discuss obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the context of BVCP with limited exploration of home sleep test (HST) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as post-operative assessment and management tools. This study suggests CPAP as a less invasive approach while awaiting vocal cord recovery.

Factors associated with adherence to swallowing therapy among patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess disparities in adherence to swallowing therapy for clinically diagnosed oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) patients.

Methods: Analysis was conducted on data from 600 patients with OD and confirmed impairments in swallowing safety and/or efficiency on a videofluoroscopic swallow study. Patients were classified based on their adherence to treatment sessions, defined as the number of swallow treatment sessions attended.

Factors Associated With Improvement Following In-office Steroid Injections for Vocal Fold Scar.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients receiving in-office vocal fold steroid injections (VFSI), highlighting relatively new measures around vocal pitch.

Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of vocal fold scar who received in-office VFSI from 2013 to 2024 were evaluated. Pre- and post-steroid Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10) scores, stroboscopic vibratory parameters, acoustic measures of cepstral peak prominence (CPP), and fundamental frequency coefficient of variation (F0CoV) during sustained phonation were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and McNemar's tests.

The Impact of Vocal Tremor on Deglutition: A Pilot Study.

Objective: Vocal tremor (VT) poses treatment challenges due to uncertain pathophysiology. VT is typically classified into two phenotypes: isolated vocal tremor (iVT) and essential tremor-related voice tremor (ETvt). The impact of phenotypes on upper aerodigestive tract physiology during swallowing remains unclear.

Vocal Health Assessment of Professional Performers Returning to the Stage After the COVID-19 Pandemic Shutdown.

Objectives/hypothesis: This study assessed the vocal health of performers returning to full-time performance after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown and investigated how differences in voice usage, exposure to voice care professionals, and vocal pathology before and during the pandemic contributed to variability in self-perceived and instrumental vocal outcome measures.

Study Design: This was a prospective, case-control observational study conducted at a single outpatient site.

Methods: Twenty-two patients, 11 cases and 11 controls, were enrolled for the study.

A Large Cohort Analysis of Epiglottic Phenotypes and Pharyngeal Residue.

Objective: To describe the phenotypic characteristics of the epiglottis at rest and their impact on vallecular residue.

Methods: Videofluoroscopic studies (VFSS) were pooled from 2 Laryngology practices, and Image J was used to measure epiglottic anatomic features at rest. Studies were rated by the MBSImp and presence of vallecular residue following swallow of thin and puree boluses.

Alterations in Swallowing Six Weeks After Primary Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF).

This aim of this study is to characterize the nature and pathophysiology of dysphagia after ACDF surgery by precisely and comprehensively capturing within-subject changes on videofluoroscopy between preoperative and postoperative time points. 21 adults undergoing planned primary ACDF procedures were prospectively recruited and enrolled. Participants underwent standardized preoperative and six-week postoperative videofluoroscopic swallow studies.

Postoperative Care of Zenker Diverticula: Contemporary Perspective from the Prospective OUtcomes Cricopharyngeaus Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify trends in postoperative management of persons undergoing surgery for Zenker diverticula (ZD) by evaluating length of stay (LOS), diet on discharge, and imaging with or without surgical complication.

Methods: Prospectively enrolled adult patients with cricopharyngeal muscle dysfunction with diverticula undergoing surgery from August 1, 2017 to February 1, 2023 were included. Data were extracted from a multi-institutional REDCap database, summarizing means, medians, percentages, and frequencies.

The Effectiveness of Ultraviolet Smart D60 in Reducing Contamination of Flexible Fiberoptic Laryngoscopes.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of disinfection protocols utilizing a ultraviolet (UV) Smart D60 light system with Impelux™ technology with a standard Cidex ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) disinfection protocol for cleaning flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopes (FFLs).

Methods: Two hundred FFLs were tested for bacterial contamination after routine use, and another 200 FFLs were tested after disinfection with one of four methods: enzymatic detergent plus Cidex OPA (standard), enzymatic detergent plus UV Smart D60, microfiber cloth plus UV Smart D60, and nonsterile wipe plus UV Smart D60. Pre- and post-disinfection microbial burden levels and positive culture rates were compared using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Fisher's two-sided exact, respectively.

Validation of a 3D-Printed Percutaneous Injection Laryngoplasty Simulator: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Simulation may be a valuable tool in training laryngology office procedures on unsedated patients. However, no studies have examined whether existing awake procedure simulators improve trainee performance in laryngology. Our objective was to evaluate the transfer validity of a previously published 3D-printed laryngeal simulator in improving percutaneous injection laryngoplasty (PIL) competency compared with conventional educational materials with a single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Interim Results of a Phase 1/2 Open-Label Study of INO-3107 for HPV-6 and/or HPV-11-Associated Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis.

Objective: To evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of INO-3107, a DNA immunotherapy designed to elicit targeted T-cell responses against human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11, in adult patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP; NCT04398433).

Methods: Eligible patients required ≥2 surgical interventions for RRP in the year preceding dosing. INO-3107 was administered by intramuscular (IM) injection followed by electroporation (EP) on weeks 0, 3, 6, and 9.

Presumptive Diagnosis in Tele-Health Laryngology: A Multi-Center Observational Study.

Objectives: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, outpatient visits were adapted for the virtual setting, forcing laryngologists to presume certain diagnoses without the aid of laryngoscopy, solely based on history and the limited physical exam available via video visit. This study aims to examine the accuracy of presumptive diagnoses made via telemedicine, compared to subsequent in-person follow up, where endoscopic examination could confirm or refute suspected diagnoses.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 38 patients evaluated for voice-related issues at NYU Langone Health and the University of California-San Francisco.

Comparative Treatment Outcomes for Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis: 5-Year Update.

The North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC) previously published a 3-year multi-institutional prospective cohort study showing variation in treatment effectiveness between 3 primary surgical techniques for idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS). In this report, we update these findings to include 5 years of data evaluating treatment effectiveness. Patients in the NoAAC cohort were re-enrolled for 2 additional years and followed using the prespecified published protocol.

Paralysis Versus Non-Paralysis Anesthesia for Operative Laryngoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To compare outcomes between two standard-of-care anesthesia regimens for operative laryngoscopy: general anesthesia with a neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) versus remifentanil and propofol (non-NMBA).

Methods: This was a prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial at a tertiary care center. Patients were randomized to either anesthesia using rocuronium (NMBA) or with remifentanil/propofol infusion alone (non-NMBA).

A scoping review of the methods used to capture dysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: the need for a paradigm shift.

Objective: Dysphagia is the most commonly reported complication of annterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery. However, the incidence of dysphagia post-ACDF varies widely-partly attributable to differing outcome measures used to capture dysphagia. Our objective was to conduct a scoping review of the literature to quantify which dysphagia outcome measures have been employed post-ACDF and examine trends by study design, year, and location.

Killian Jamieson Diverticulum, the Great Mimicker: A Case Series and Contemporary Review.

Objective: To assess barium esophagram (BAS) as a diagnostic marker for patients with Killian Jamieson diverticula (KJD).

Methods: Prospective, multicenter cohort study of individuals enrolled in the Prospective OUtcomes of Cricopharyngeus Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative. Patient demographics, comorbidities, radiographic imaging reports, laryngoscopy findings, patient-reported outcome measures (PROM), and operative reporting were abstracted from a REDCap database and summarized using means, medians, percentages, frequencies.

Longitudinal Effects of Base of Tongue Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy in a Pre-Clinical Model.

Background/objectives: Base of tongue (BOT) dysfunction is common following oropharyngeal concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). We present a clinically relevant animal model quantifying the effects of CCRT on tongue strength and elasticity over time.

Methods: Fifty-three male and 53 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to control or experimental groups.

Cricopharyngeus Muscle Dysfunction and Hypopharyngeal Diverticula (e.g., Zenker): A Multicenter Study.

Objective: To describe demographics and imaging and compare findings and symptoms at presentation in a large cohort of persons with cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction (CPMD) with and without hypopharyngeal diverticula.

Methodology: Prospective, multicenter cohort study of all individuals enrolled in the Prospective OUtcomes of Cricopharyngeal Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative. Patient survey, comorbidities, radiography, laryngoscopy findings, and patient-reported outcome measures (e.

Prospective, Multi-Center Study of the Anatomic Distribution of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis.

Objectives/hypothesis: To create a model of the anatomic distribution, recurrence, and growth patterns of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP).

Study Design: Prospective, multi-institutional cohort study.

Methods: Adult patients with a diagnosis of RRP evaluated between August 1, 2018 and February 1, 2021 at six participating centers were invited to enroll.

Percutaneous Dilational Tracheostomy for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients Requiring Mechanical Ventilation.

Objectives: To assess the impact of percutaneous dilational tracheostomy in coronavirus disease 2019 patients requiring mechanical ventilation and the risk for healthcare providers.

Design: Prospective cohort study; patients were enrolled between March 11, and April 29, 2020. The date of final follow-up was July 30, 2020.