Intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring to guide surgery in renal hyperparathyroidism (PEREGRINE): a protocol for a randomised multiarm surgical pilot trial.

Background: Secondary and tertiary renal hyperparathyroidism (RHPT) are common sequelae of chronic kidney disease and are associated with worse patient mortality and quality of life. Clinical guidelines remain lacking with regard to recommendations for using intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) during surgery for RHPT. A prospective randomised study will help evaluate the role of IOPTH in guiding surgery for secondary and tertiary RHPT.

Quality Indicators in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: A Scoping Review.

ImportanceQuality indicators are used to evaluate the quality of healthcare delivery and as a speciality, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) is beginning to transition toward this empirical understanding of healthcare quality and delivery.ObjectiveTo describe the number and quality of studies that have developed novel quality indicators for any subdiscipline in OHNS.DesignWe performed a database search of MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), Web of Science, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Myocardial Injury After Major Head and Neck Surgery.

Importance: Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) is associated with increased perioperative mortality; however, the incidence and prognostic impact of MINS after major head and neck surgery remains uncertain.

Objective: To determine the incidence and clinical implications of MINS in patients after major head and neck surgery.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study used data from the VISION (Vascular Events in Noncardiac Surgery Patients Cohort Evaluation; 2017) study, an international prospective cohort study that analyzed more than 35 000 patients who had noncardiac surgery.

Generative AI in Otolaryngology Residency Personal Statement Writing: A Mixed-Methods Analysis.

Objective: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) interfaces have rapidly integrated into various societal domains. Widespread accessibility of GAI for drafting personal statements poses challenges for evaluators to gauge writing ability and personal insight. This study aims to compare the quality of GAI-generated personal statements to those written by successful applicants in OHNS residency programs, via integration of statistical and qualitative thematic analyses.

Patterns of Failure in Cutaneous Head and Neck Melanoma Following Negative Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BackgroundCutaneous head and neck melanoma (cHNM) has a high rate of false-negative sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and up to a 25% risk of recurrence despite negative SLNB. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of melanoma recurrence in patients with cHNM with negative SLNB.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of consecutive cHNM patients at a tertiary care centre from 2014-2022.

A multi-centre, participant-blinded, randomized, 3-year study to compare the efficacy of Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP) to Freehand Surgery (FHS) on bony union and quality of life outcomes for mandibular reconstruction with fibular and scapular free flaps: study protocol for a randomized phase II/III trial.

Background: Advanced head and neck malignancies with underlying bony involvement often require aggressive oncological resection of large segments of the oral cavity including the mandible. These patients require vascularized donor osseous free tissue transfer to reconstruct significant defects. Traditionally, the donor bone is harvested on its vascular supply and shaped to the defect in a free hand fashion (FHS).

Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Monitoring Criteria in Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Network Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy.

Importance: Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) monitoring is recommended by the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons for use during parathyroidectomy for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), but there is no clinician consensus regarding the IOPTH monitoring criteria that optimize diagnostic accuracy.

Objective: To evaluate and rank the diagnostic properties of IOPTH monitoring criteria used during surgery for patients with PHPT.

Data Sources: A bayesian diagnostic test accuracy network meta-analysis (DTA-NMA) was performed, in which peer-reviewed citations from January 1, 1990, to July 22, 2023, were searched for in MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and CINAHL.

Methodological review to develop a list of bias items for adaptive clinical trials: Protocol and rationale.

Background: Randomized-clinical trials (RCTs) are the gold-standard for comparing health care interventions, but can be limited by early termination, feasibility issues, and prolonged time to trial reporting. Adaptive clinical trials (ACTs), which are defined by pre-planned modifications and analyses that occur after starting patient recruitment, are gaining popularity as they can streamline trial design and time to reporting. As adaptive methodologies continue to be adopted by researchers, it will be critical to develop a risk of bias tool that evaluates the unique methodological features of ACTs so that their quality can be improved and standardized for the future.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of unknown primary in the head and neck: a case report and review of the literature.

Objective: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of unknown primary (MEC-UP) in the head and neck is a rare presentation of the most common salivary gland cancer. Cancers of unknown primary sites often have poorer prognoses than similar cancers with known primary. Few cases of MEC-UP have been reported; therefore, the objective of this report is an overview of the diagnosis and management of MEC-UP.

Adjuvant Radioactive Iodine Ablation in Tall Cell Subtype Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Tall cell subtype papillary thyroid cancer (TCS-PTC) is associated with aggressive disease features and worse patient outcomes. It remains unclear whether adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation following thyroidectomy is associated with improved survival in TCS-PTC. The purpose of this review and meta-analysis was to determine whether adjuvant RAI was associated with improved survival in patients with TCS-PTC.

Return to work and self-reported swallowing following transoral robotic surgery for early-stage oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Treatment de-intensification, including transoral robotic surgery (TORS), may outcomes in HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Early return to work (RTW) improves quality of life in oncology patients. Our objective was to compare the RTW time in OPSCC patients undergoing primary TORS or chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

A multi-institutional feasibility lead-in trial of lymphatic mapping with SPECT-CT for evaluating contralateral disease in lateralized oropharynx cancer using 99m-technetium sulfur colloid.

Background: Lymphatic mapping with SPECT-CT has been demonstrated to accurately define lymphatic drainage patterns in oropharyngeal cancer but there has yet to be a study demonstrating its feasibility across multiple institutions.

Methods: Twelve adult patients with lateralized oropharyngeal carcinoma (T1-T3) who were planned for definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy without contralateral nodal disease underwent injection of 99-m technetium sulfur colloid followed by static planar lymphoscintigraphy to verify tracer migration, and SPECT-CT acquired at 30 ± 15 min (optional) and 3 h (±1 h) (mandatory time-point).

Results: All 12 patients completed the study with 7/12 patients having the injections performed under local anesthetic and 5 patients requiring general anesthetic.

Adaptive clinical trials in surgery: A scoping review of methodological and reporting quality.

Importance: Adaptive surgical trials are scarce, but adopting these methods may help elevate the quality of surgical research when large-scale RCTs are impractical.

Objective: Randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for evidence-based healthcare. Despite an increase in the number of RCTs, the number of surgical trials remains unchanged.

Impact of cytomegalovirus on outcomes in acute severe ulcerative colitis: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Concomitant cytomegalovirus (CMV) is highly prevalent in acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) but data for outcomes of CMV positivity in ASUC and the benefit of antiviral therapy remain unclear.

Objectives: We aim to determine the impact of CMV positivity, and antiviral therapy, on outcomes such as colectomy-free survival, length of hospital stay and readmission rate, among hospitalized patients with ASUC.

Design: This is a retrospective, multicentre study of patients admitted with ASUC.

Intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring in parathyroidectomy for hyperparathyroidism: a protocol for a network meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy.

Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (iPTH) monitoring is standard-of-care in the surgical management of hyperparathyroidism. It involves real-time determination of circulating PTH levels to guide parathyroid gland excision. There exists several iPTH monitoring criteria, such as the Miami criteria, and a lack of standardization in the timing of post-parathyroid gland excision samples.

'It's a fragile open door'-enhancing COVID-19 vaccination rates in people receiving treatment for substance use disorder.

Background: People with substance use disorder are at high risk of harms from COVID-19 infection. Vaccine hesitancy is common in this population and compounds pre-existing barriers to accessing health care. A drug and alcohol service in Sydney, Australia introduced strategies to enhance COVID-19 vaccination in people receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT).

Determining efficacy of dynamic multimedia bowel preparation instructions versus standard instructions on adenoma detection and patient reported measures (DIGICLEAN trial): a study protocol for a multicentre, colonoscopist-blinded, randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Colonoscopy plays important roles in bowel cancer screening and treatment. Poor bowel preparation occurs in 20-25% of colonoscopies. This negatively impacts adenoma and sessile serrated lesion detection rates, procedural time, requirement for repeat colonoscopies, healthcare costs and likelihood of patient withdrawal from screening programmes.

Dual biologic therapy with ocrelizumab for multiple sclerosis and vedolizumab for Crohn's disease: A case report and review of literature.

Background: Little is known about the safety and efficacy of using two or more biologics for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases, including Crohn's disease (CD).

Case Summary: This case report and narrative review demonstrate the potential safety of dual biologic therapy (DBT) in a 45-year-old female with two separate immune-mediated diseases. She had a history of multiple sclerosis for which she was receiving treatment with ocrelizumab, and she had been recently diagnosed with CD after presenting with diarrhoea.

The Refugee Co-Location Model may be useful in addressing refugee barriers to care. What do refugees think?

Co-location of services for refugees may be beneficial in addressing barriers to care. This model of care involves support for a specialist refugee nurse service with general practice, as well as developing partnerships with settlement support agencies and Primary Health Networks. We consider published literature on refugee perceptions of co-location, different models of care, upcoming research and priorities in the area.

Out-of-pocket costs associated with head and neck cancer treatment.

Background: Out-of-pocket costs (OOPC) associated with treatment have significant implications on quality of life and survival in cancer patients. Head and neck cancer patients face unique treatment-related challenges, but to date OOPC have been understudied in this population.

Aims: This study aims to identify and measure OOPC for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) in Ontario.

Refugee healthcare perceptions in regional northern Australia: transition through engagement, access, trust, privacy, the old, and the new.

Current Australian Government policy aims to resettle refugees in regional Australia, but little is known about their primary and hospital healthcare experiences in these settings. By taking an interpretive approach to a narrative inquiry methodology, a qualitative study was performed to examine refugee perceptions of health care in a regional centre of northern Queensland, Australia. Purposive sampling and an interview guide were developed in partnership with the local refugee resettlement agency.

A model explaining refugee experiences of the Australian healthcare system: a systematic review of refugee perceptions.

Background: Refugees have significant unmet health needs. Delivering services to refugees continues to be problematic in the Australian healthcare system. A systematic review and thematic synthesis of the literature exploring refugee perceptions of the Australian healthcare system was performed.