The impact of social restrictions on the incidence and microbiology of severe acute tonsillitis.

Introduction: We aimed to explore the impact of social distancing on the incidence, severity and microbiology of patients with acute tonsillitis (AT).

Methods: In this single-centre study, we retrospectively included all patients with AT referred to the Ear-Nose-Throat Department, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, in the two years preceding versus the two years after the COVID-19 lockdown in Denmark (11 March 2020).

Results: In total, 425 patients were included.

Exploring tonsillar cancer associations in patients with base of tongue cancer: insights from a single-center study.

Purpose: To explore the prevalence of synchronous and metachronous tonsillar cancer in patients with base of tongue cancer, as well as identifying potential risk factors linked to these secondary malignancies. We aim to answer the following question: Should bilateral tonsillectomy be recommended to patients diagnosed with base of tongue cancer?

Methods: A case-series study was conducted at Aarhus University Hospital, including all patients with histologically confirmed base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma treated between January 2012 and December 2021. Data from electronic patient records, including diagnosis of prior, synchronous or metachronous tonsillar cancer, demographics, and clinical features were analysed.

Factors affecting lymph node yield and density in neck dissection.

Background: Studies suggest that neck dissections with a minimum of 16-18 yielded nodes are associated with better overall survival compared to neck dissections with lower yields.

Aims: We aimed to identify factors affecting the lymph node yield and density in patients with oral cavity cancer undergoing elective neck dissection levels 1-3.

Materials And Methods: Using prospectively registered data, we conducted a population-based cohort study on all patients surgically treated for oral cavity cancer including levels 1-3 neck dissection at our institution from 2018 to 2022.

Penicillin concentrations in oropharyngeal and frontal sinus tissue following enteral and intravenous administration measured by microdialysis in a porcine model.

Background: Penicillin may be administered enterally or intravenously for the treatment of bacterial infections within the oropharynx and the frontal sinuses. We aimed to assess and compare penicillin concentrations in oropharyngeal and frontal sinus tissues following enteral and intravenous administration in a porcine model.

Method: Twelve pigs were randomized to receive either enteral (0.

Incidental [18F]FDG-avid focuses in parotid glands on PET/CT.

Background: The number of unexpected focal [18F]FDG-avid findings (incidentalomas) within the parotid gland (PGI) continues to increase with the expanding use of PET/CT scanning. The prevalence of malignancy in PGIs is uncertain and appropriate management is unsettled.

Aims: We aimed to explore the underlying pathologies associated with PGI.

The impact of social restrictions on the incidence and microbiology of peritonsillar abscess: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the impact of social distancing on the incidence and microbiology of peritonsillar abscess (PTA).

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of all patients with PTA and their microbiological findings in the 2 years preceding versus the 2 years following the COVID-19 lockdown in Denmark (11 March 2020), who were admitted to the Ear-Nose-Throat Department, Aarhus University Hospital. Age-stratified population data for the catchment area were obtained from Statistics Denmark.

Bacterial findings in patients referred to hospital for the treatment of acute tonsillitis with or without peritonsillar phlegmon.

Background: The vast majority of patients with acute tonsillitis (AT) are managed in general practice. However, occasionally patients are referred to hospital for specialized management because of aggravated symptoms and/or findings suggestive of peritonsillar involvement. No prospective studies have been conducted aiming to investigate the prevalent and significant microorganisms in this highly selected group of patients.

Evaluation of Guidelines For Tonsillectomy in Adults With Recurrent Acute Tonsillitis.

Objectives: The criteria for selecting patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis (RT) for tonsillectomy remain unsettled and different guidelines are used internationally. We aimed to evaluate currently used guidelines for tonsillectomy in adults with RT and identify the best predictive parameters for improved throat-related quality of life (TR-QOL) after surgery.

Methods: About 66 RT patients undergoing tonsillectomy was prospectively included and categorized into 3 groups based on which guideline(s) they met: Group 1: patients not meeting any of the Danish/Paradise/Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) guidelines.

Translation and validation of the Tonsillectomy Outcome Inventory 14 into Danish.

Introduction: No Danish validated patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) exises for assessing throat-related quality of life in patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis (RT) and chronic tonsillitis (CT). We aimed to translate and linguistically validate the Tonsillectomy Outcome Inventory 14 (TOI-14) into Danish and describe scores in RT and CT patients before and after tonsillectomy as well as in healthy controls.

Methods: We followed the guideline for PROM translation and cultural adaption set out by the Quality of Life Special Interest Group - Translation and Cultural Adaptation group formed by ISPOR.

Epidemiology, outcomes, and prognostic factors in submandibular gland carcinomas: a national DAHANCA study.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to present incidence, histological subtypes, survival rates, and prognostic factors based on a national cohort of patients with salivary gland carcinoma.

Methods: All Danish patients with submandibular gland carcinoma diagnosed from 1990 to 2015 (n = 206) were included and analyzed following histological re-evaluation. Data were collected by the Danish Head and Neck Cancer Group (DAHANCA).

Incidental FDG-Avid Focuses in Palatine Tonsils on PET/CT.

Objectives: The management of incidental findings of FDG-avid tonsils on PET/CT (IFT) is unclear. We aimed to explore the prevalence of malignancy in IFT, identify risk factors for malignancy, and calculate optimal cutoffs of maximum standardized uptake values (SUV ) to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions.

Methods: All patients who were tonsillectomized at our institution because of IFT from October 2011 to December 2020 were included.

Quality of life after tonsillectomy in adult patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis: a systematic review.

Purpose: The aims of this systematic review were to (1) explore the evidence for improved quality of life (QOL) in adult patients undergoing tonsillectomy because of recurrent acute tonsillitis (RT) and (2) evaluate which set of guidelines for tonsillectomy in adult RT patients is preferable, using QOL as outcome measure.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. RCT/cohort studies exploring the effect of elective tonsillectomy in adult RT patients using any QOL assessment tool no less than 6 months after surgery were included.

Cervical suppurative lymphadenitis in children: microbiology, primary sites of infection, and evaluation of antibiotic treatment.

Purpose: The significant pathogens associated with paediatric cervical suppurative lymphadenitis (CSL) are unclarified, and there is a lack of clinical evaluations of antibiotic regimens in paediatric CSL. We aimed to (1) explore the bacterial findings and the associated primary sites of infection in paediatric cases of CSL and (2) evaluate the clinical outcomes in patients treated with different antibiotic regimens.

Methods: All children (< 18 years) treated for non-mycobacterium CSL at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Aarhus University Hospital, from 2001 to 2018 were retrospectively evaluated.

Clinical evaluation of antibiotic regimens in patients with surgically verified parapharyngeal abscess: a prospective observational study.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different antibiotic regimens for the treatment of parapharyngeal abscess (PPA) and characterize patients, who suffered potentially preventable complications (defined as death, abscess recurrence, spread of infection, or altered antibiotic treatment because of insufficient progress).

Methods: Sixty adult patients with surgically verified PPA were prospectively enrolled at five Danish Ear-nose-throat departments.

Results: Surgical treatment included internal incision (100%), external incision (13%), and tonsillectomy (88%).

Prognostic scoring models in parotid gland carcinoma.

Background: The aim was to identify prognostic factors and test three prognostic scoring models that predicted the risk of recurrence in patients with parotid gland carcinoma.

Methods: All Danish patients with parotid gland carcinoma, treated with curative intent, from 1990 to 2015 (n = 726) were included. Potential prognostic factors were evaluated using Cox regression and competing risk analyses.

Surgical treatment of the neck in patients with salivary gland carcinoma.

Background: Elective neck dissection (END) in patients with salivary gland carcinoma is controversial and there are no universally accepted guidelines.

Methods: Patients were identified from the Danish Head and Neck Cancer Group. Between 2006 and 2015, 259 patients with primary salivary gland carcinoma were treated with END.

Microbiology of parapharyngeal abscesses in adults: in search of the significant pathogens.

We aimed to describe the microbiology of parapharyngeal abscess (PPA) and point out the likely pathogens using the following principles to suggest pathogenic significance: (1) frequent recovery, (2) abundant growth, (3) growth in relative abundance to other microorganisms, (4) percentage of the isolates recovered in both absolute and relative abundance, (5) more frequent recovery in PPA pus compared with tonsillar surface and tissue. Comprehensive bacterial cultures were performed on specimens obtained from adult patients (n = 60) with surgically verified PPA, who were prospectively enrolled at five Danish ear-nose-throat departments. The prevalent isolates (in PPA pus) were unspecified anaerobes (73%), non-hemolytic streptococci (67%), Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) (40%), Corynebacterium spp.

Clinical presentation and microbiology of acute salivary gland infections.

Introduction: Acute salivary gland infections (ASI) have been associated with poor outcome in elderly and postoperative patients. Perioperative care and treatment of co-morbidities have improved considerably, but most of our knowledge regarding ASI dates back several decades. The aim of this study was to describe the microbiology and treatment of ASI in a large post-millennial cohort.

Complications of peritonsillar abscess.

Background: The vast majority of patients with peritonsillar abscess (PTA) recover uneventfully on abscess drainage and antibiotic therapy. However, occasionally patient´s condition deteriorates as the infection spread in the upper airway mucosa, through cervical tissues, or hematogenously. The bacterial etiology of PTA is unclarified and the preferred antimicrobial regimen remains controversial.

Salivary gland carcinoma in Denmark: a national update and follow-up on incidence, histology, and outcome.

Purpose: Salivary gland carcinoma is a rare disease and studies on epidemiology and outcome require data collection over many years. The aim of this study is to present an update of incidence rates, anatomical sites, histological subtypes, and survival rates based on the Danish national cohort of salivary gland carcinoma patients.

Methods: Data from all Danish patients with salivary gland carcinoma diagnosed from 1990 to 2015 (n = 1601) were included and analyzed following histological reevaluation and reclassification.

Head and neck sarcomas: the first report addressing the duration of symptoms and diagnostic work up.

Head and neck sarcomas are rare and difficult to diagnose and manage.: To describe a population of patients with head and neck sarcomas focusing on the effect of symptom duration and time to diagnosis on mortality and recurrence risk. Fifty-one patients treated in our department between 1998-2013 were retrospectively included.

Post-operative haemorrhage after acute bilateral tonsillectomy in patients with peritonsillar abscess: prevalence, treatment, risk factors, and side of bleeding.

Bilateral quinsy tonsillectomy (QT) in patients with peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is associated with the risk of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage (PTH) and current literature finds a significantly higher risk of PTH contralaterally to the quinsy. To determine the prevalence of PTH in a large cohort of patients undergoing QT, explore risk factors for PTH, describe our methods of treatment, and evaluate if contralateral haemorrhage is more common than ipsilateral haemorrhage. All patients undergoing QT at Aarhus University Hospital in the period 2001-2017 were included in the study.

Low rate of co-infection in complicated infectious mononucleosis.

Introduction: It remains unclarified if bacterial co-infection is common in patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) and acute tonsillitis and/or peritonsillar abscess (PTA). Recent studies suggest that Fusobacterium necrophorum is a prevalent pathogen in acute tonsillitis and PTA. We hypothesised that this anaerobe may play a significant role for the aggravated infection and the development of PTA among teenagers and young adults with IM.