Current role of artificial intelligence and machine learning: is their application feasible in pediatric upper airway obstructive disorders?

Purpose: The aim of this article was to conduct a systematic review to evaluate the role and reliability of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the diagnosis, management, and potential treatment of pediatric upper airway obstruction (UAO).

Methods: This PRISMA-based review searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for English-language studies on pediatric UAO (≤ 18 years) using AI/ML. Non-original works, unrelated topics, mixed-age studies, and those without AI/ML were excluded.

Pediatric Acute Mastoiditis: Which Factors Influence CT Scan Prescription and Surgical Intervention? A Multivariate Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate factors associated with computed tomography (CT) scan prescription and surgical intervention in pediatric patients with acute mastoiditis (AM). METHODS: Children with AM admitted to Modena University Hospital over a 10-year period were retrospectively divided into 3 groups: those who did not undergo a CT scan nor surgery (Group A); those who underwent a CT scan but not surgery (Group B); and those who underwent CT scan and surgery (Group C). A multivariate analysis was performed to determine possible differences among groups in terms of clinical and laboratory variables.

Current Applications and Outcomes of Robotic Surgery in Pediatric Upper Airway and Neck Procedures: A Systematic Review.

: This review summarizes current evidence on robotic-assisted upper airway and neck surgery in pediatric patients, highlighting clinical indications, outcomes, limitations, and areas for future research. : A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, including studies on robotic surgery for pediatric patients (≤18 years) with upper airway conditions and cervical pathologies. Data on study characteristics, patient demographics, surgical details, outcomes, and robotic system advantages or limitations were extracted.

Comparative Analysis of Information Quality in Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology: Clinicians, Residents, and Large Language Models.

Objective: Pediatric otorhinolaryngology (ORL) addresses complex conditions in children, requiring a tailored approach for patients and families. With artificial intelligence (AI) gaining traction in medical applications, this study evaluates the quality of information provided by large language models (LLMs) in comparison to clinicians, identifying strengths and limitations in the field of pediatric ORL.

Study Design: Comparative blinded study.

Canal Wall Down Timpanoplasty with Partial Mastoid Obliteration in Children and Adults Affected by Chronic Otitis Media with Cholesteatoma.

Background: The aim of the study is to evaluate the incidence of recurrence of acquired cholesteatoma and functional outcomes in patients who underwent CWD tympanoplasty with cavity obliteration using an inferior-based musculoperiosteal flap. A comparison between children and adults was conducted. Methods: All surgeries performed by the same expert surgeon from 2016 to 2019 were considered for the study.

Follow-up strategies in pediatric cholesteatoma: a systematic review.

Purpose: The aim of this article was to systematically review the literature on the pediatric population surgically treated for cholesteatoma and describe the applied post-operative follow-up strategies.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the Primary Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement recommendations. After running the selected search string in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, studies in English, reporting on surgically treated pediatric cholesteatoma patients (age younger or equal to 18 year-old) were retrieved.

Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of CRSwNP in the real-life setting: a review of the literature.

Introduction: The recent approval of Dupilumab has profoundly revolutionized the management of patients affected by severe and recalcitrant Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP). However, a review that summarizes the results of real-life studies and compares them to phase 3 studies SINUS-24 and 52 is still lacking.

Materials And Methods: A search of all real-life studies published from 2019 to 2023 was performed.

Perception of Gender Bias in Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery - A Comparative Study.

Introduction: To investigate the differences in the professional and personal life and the perception of gender-bias, among Italian female surgeons working in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS), as compared to those involved in other surgical fields (overall group [OG]).

Materials And Methods: An online survey was administered to female medical doctors working in all surgical fields in Italian hospitals.

Results: Of the 1963 responders included, 153 (7.

Effects of Total Intravenous Versus Inhalational Anesthesia on Bleeding During Endoscopic Ear Surgery: Preliminary Results From a Case-Control Study.

Objective: To assess the impact of the type of maintenance anesthesia on the bleeding conditions of the surgical field and hemodynamic parameters during endoscopic ear surgery (EES), comparing totally intravenous inhalational anesthesia (TIVA) with inhalational anesthesia (IA).

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

"Hot" vs "Cold" endoscopic stapes surgery: a matched case-control study.

Purpose: To compare hearing results and complication rates between two groups of patients operated on by endoscopic stapes surgery (ESS) for otosclerosis, either with CO fiber laser or microdrill.

Methods: A case-control study was performed. All consecutive cases of CO fiber laser ESS operated at a single center during the period 2017-2020 (case group) were matched to a control group of patients operated by traditional technique, according to year of surgery, preoperative mean air-bone gap, sex and age.

Women in Surgery Italia: what are the opportunities in the operatory room? Results from a nationwide interdisciplinary survey.

Many studies documented the "glass ceiling" effect for women in surgery: achievements in academic and leadership positions are not consistent with the percentage of female surgeons in practice. A solid surgical case volume and expertise in high-complexity cases are required to pursue leadership positions. The aim of the study was to determine whether part of the difficulties encountered by female surgeons may lie in reduced surgical opportunities.

Step-by-Step Stapedotomy through Transcanal Exclusive Endoscopic Approach.

In recent years there has been an increasing trend in the use of the endoscope to treat a variety of middle ear pathologies, including otosclerosis. Several studies comparing traditional microscopic and endoscopic stapes surgery have reported similar hearing results and an overall low rate of complications. The endoscope has unraveled its full potential in demanding settings of stapes surgery, such as unfavorable anatomy of the oval window niche or revision cases.

Taste impairment after endoscopic stapes surgery: Do anatomic variability of chorda tympani and surgical technique matter? : Post-operative dysgeusia after EStS.

Purpose: To investigate how the anatomical configuration of the oval window region (OWR) influences the management of the chorda tympani (ChT) and the curetting of adjacent bony structures, in a setting of patients undergoing endoscopic stapes surgery (EStS); to assess the incidence of early and late post-operative dysgeusia and to identify anatomical and surgical factors influencing taste function after EStS.

Methods: Surgical video recordings of 48 patients undergoing EStS for otosclerosis between January 2019 and July 2020 were retrospectively revised, to classify the anatomical variability of selected middle ear structures and the management strategies for the ChT. Clinical records of included patients were reviewed for subjective early and late post-operative taste impairment using a 5-point Likert-scale.

Disease-specific quality of life and psychological distress after endoscopic tympanoplasty.

Purpose: To assess the postoperative quality of life (QoL) of patients operated on for chronic otitis media (COM) and cholesteatoma by endoscopic approach, with respect to disease-specific complaints and psychological distress, using two validated questionnaires: Chronic Ear Survey (CES) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).

Methods: Eighty-five consecutive patients operated on for cholesteatoma and COM by endoscopic tympanoplasty from March 2018 to February 2020 filled in CES and DASS-21, within one month prior to surgery. A second administration of each questionnaire was performed at the yearly postoperative evaluation.

Functional Results and Learning Curve of Endoscopic Stapes Surgery: A 10-Year Experience.

Objectives/hypothesis: To assess hearing outcomes and complications of endoscopic stapes surgery by a single surgeon in a 10-year period, to compare these data with conventional microscopic procedures by the same operator, and to describe the learning curve of endoscopic stapedotomy.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Methods: This is a retrospective study on patients who underwent endoscopic stapes surgery performed by the same senior surgeon, experienced both in microscopic and endoscopic techniques, between January 2009 and December 2018.

Complications in Endoscopic Ear Surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the premise that endoscopic ear surgery (EES) is associated with a low rate of complications (intraoperative and postoperative).

Study Design: Retrospective review at two institutions.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.