Objective: In 2013 the American Academy of Otolaryngology published tympanostomy tube guidelines for children; Action Statement 6 recommends against tube placement without middle ear effusion (MEE) at time of assessment. To date, little research has directly evaluated this recommendation in reducing the need for ear tubes. We evaluated the effectiveness of this recommendation and potential risk factors that influence the success of watchful waiting.
Methods: Retrospective chart review collecting demographics, daycare status, smoking exposure, and time of year of visit. Children aged 6 months to 12 years without MEE on presentation, but with 3 or more episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) in 6 months or 4 or more episodes in 12 months, were assigned to watchful waiting (WW) treatment. These patients were followed every 4 months or returned sooner with additional infections. Any continued AOM, or MEE on follow up leading to tube placement, defined WW failure.
Results: 123 patients met criteria, with 81 still in WW to date (66% success rate). 42 children failed WW and received tympanostomy tubes (34% failure rate). There were no statistically significant associations between age, race, gender, smoking exposure, daycare, or month of presentation between children who failed WW compared to children receiving tubes.
Conclusions: Tympanostomy tube guidelines mitigate unnecessary tube placement in a majority of children with recurrent AOM without MEE. To our knowledge, this is the first study supporting the 2013 recommendations, with a 66% success rate. Additionally, no significant associations between modifying risk factors in those who failed watchful waiting were identified.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2019.03.031 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
December 2024
Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, USA.
Lemmel syndrome involves a periampullary duodenal diverticulum (PAD), a pouch-like outpouching near the ampulla of Vater, compressing the common bile duct. We describe a case of severe abdominal pain in a patient who had a large periampullary diverticulum, managed with surgical intervention after an initial failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). An elderly female patient in her early 90s arrived at the emergency department with severe cramping pain localized to the right upper quadrant of her abdomen, progressively intensifying over several weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Endourol
January 2025
Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
Several diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic urological procedures, such as stent placement, ureteroscopy, and bladder stone lithotripsy, can be performed in a hospital, an ambulatory surgery center, in the office with IV sedation, or in the office using only topical anesthesia. The potential benefits of performing procedures in the office setting using topical anesthesia include efficiency and cost reduction. The potential harms are failure to achieve the desired outcome and patient pain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOtolaryngol Head Neck Surg
January 2025
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently increased payment for evaluation and management (E/M) visits, but did not apply these updates to post-operative global period visits. We investigated the resulting Medicare fee-for-service revenue loss for otolaryngologists. Using publicly available Medicare spending/utilization data, we estimated how much additional payment otolaryngologists would have received in 2023 if CMS had reimbursed global period visits at the same rates as other E/M visits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicina (Kaunas)
December 2024
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Konyang University Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea.
: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is associated with less postoperative pain than traditional open thoracotomy. However, trocar and chest tube placement may damage the intercostal nerves, causing significant discomfort. An ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) is a promising mode of pain management; this reduces the need for opioids and the associated side-effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Trauma Emerg Surg
January 2025
Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Background: The role of beta-blockers in severe, traumatic brain injury (TBI) management is debated. Severe TBI may elicit a surge of catecholamines, which has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We hypothesize administering propranolol, a non-selective beta-blocker, within 48 h of TBI will reduce patient mortality within 30 days of injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!