Objective: Fistula remains a common complication of upper aerodigestive tract reconstruction. Optimal timing of oral feeding is unknown and the impact of early feeding on swallow function and fistula rates remains controversial. The purpose of this study is to better understand the effects of "early feeding" on fistula rate and swallow in patients with free flap reconstruction of upper aerodigestive tract defects.Methods: Retrospective cohort study. One hundred and four patients undergoing free flap reconstruction of mucosalized head and neck defects. Two groups, early feeding (oral intake on or before postoperative day 5) and late-feeding (oral intake after postoperative day 5). Primary outcome was incidence of salivary fistula.Secondary outcomes included Functional Oral Intake Scale scores.Results: Fistula rate was 16.5% in late-feeding group and 0% in early-feeding group (P = .035). Patients who were fed early had an association with progression to a full oral diet by 30 days (P = .027).Discussion: This cohort analysis suggests that in properly selected patients with free flap reconstruction for mucosal defects, early feeding may not increase risk of salivary fistula and may improve swallow functional outcomes earlier.

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IMPORTANCE Although antibiotic prophylaxis following rhinoplasty is widespread, the evidence on antibiotic prophylaxis effectiveness and the superiority of particular administration regimens is controversial. To date, a meta-analysis on the topic has not been performed. OBJECTIVE To systematically review the association between use of preventive antibiotics and postoperative complications in patients undergoing rhinoplasty and quantify the review through meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Central (Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials), Scopus, and Web of Science were searched with prospectively designed search phrases on February 16, 2018. All databases were searched from database inception. Key search terms included rhinoplasty, nasal valve repair, and antibacterial agent. STUDY SELECTION Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with adults (Ն18 years) undergoing rhinoplasty and including systemic antibiotic medications administered in the absence of other reasons for use of an antibiotic (eg, localized or systemic infection), without restrictions on language or the time of publication, were included in the study. Interventions of interest were classified into 3 types: (1) single-dose systemic antibiotic administered within 24 hours before the first incision, (2) multidose systemic antibiotic treatment started within 24 hours before the first incision and continuing after the operation, and (3) systemic antibiotic therapy (single dose or multidose) started within 24 hours after the first incision. The following comparisons were made: for the interventions of type 1, no antibiotic; for the interventions of types 2 or 3, no antibiotic or an intervention of type 1. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Data extraction was compliant with PRISMA guidelines and Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Two independent reviewers assessed the relevance of the remaining records at abstract and full-text stages. Meta-analysis pooled with random-effects model. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Difference in infectious complication rate between groups. RESULTS A total of 262 records were identified; of these, only 5 RCTs fulfilled predetermined population, intervention, comparison, and outcome criteria. The pooled study sample consisted of 589 participants. No significant differences in outcome of preventive antibiotic therapy given either preoperatively or postoperatively were found, with a pooled risk ratio of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.35-2.43; P = .86). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study appears to be the first Cochrane-protocol systematic review and meta-analysis investigating preventive antibiotics in rhinoplasty. This study's results suggest that pooled evidence from the 5 RCTs does not support the use of preventive antibiotic therapy in rhinoplasty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1.

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Objectives Transfeminine patients can experience significant gender dysphoria in vocal communication. Feminization laryngoplasty (FL) is a gender-affirming surgery developed to elevate speaking vocal range, as well as alter vocal resonance and laryngeal cosmesis. The purpose here was to appraise FL’s long-term voice outcomes across a 17-year review period. Study Design Level III, retrospective study and description of technique. Setting A single-institution transfeminine voice clinic. Methods Voice data (speaking fundamental frequency [F0], lowest F0, highest F0, F0 range in both Hertz and semitones, and maximum phonation time [MPT]) were collected and assessed. Self-assessment of voice femininity and complications were documented. Results The 162 patients, all transfeminine women, had a mean age of 40 years with 36-month mean follow-up. There were significant increases in mean speaking F0 (Δ = 50 ± 30 Hz, Δ = 6 ± 3 semitones; P < .001) and mean change in lowest F0 (Δ = 58 ± 31 Hz, Δ = 8 ± 4 semitones; P < .001). There was no significant difference in mean change in highest F0 or MPT. There was significant improvement (Δ = 60% ± 39%; P < .001) in perceptual self-assessment of vocal femininity. There was a 1.2% rate of major postoperative complications requiring inpatient admission or operative intervention. There were no differences in vocal outcomes between those patients who had less than 1-year follow-up and those who had 5-year follow-up. Conclusion FL in this cohort was a safe and effective technique for increasing mean speaking F0, mean lowest F0, and voice gender perception over a prolonged follow-up period. These findings add to the possible treatments aimed at addressing the morbid dysphoria related to voice and communication for our transfeminine patients.

We previously found CC chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3) to be a potent effector of inflammation during otitis media (OM): exogenous CCL3 rescues the OM phenotype of tumor necrosis factor-deficient mice and the function of macrophages deficient in several innate immune molecules. To further delineate the role of CCL3 in OM, we evaluated middle ear (ME) responses of ccl3 Ϫ/Ϫ mice to nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). CCL chemokine gene expression was evaluated in wildtype (WT) mice during the complete course of acute OM. OM was induced in ccl3 Ϫ/Ϫ and WT mice, and infection and inflammation were monitored for 21 days. Phagocytosis and killing of NTHi by macrophages were evaluated by an in vitro assay. The nasopharyngeal bacterial load was assessed in naive animals of both strains. Many CCL genes showed increased expression levels during acute OM, with CCL3 being the most upregulated, at levels 600-fold higher than the baseline. ccl3 Ϫ/Ϫ deletion compromised ME bacterial clearance and prolonged mucosal hyperplasia. ME recruitment of leukocytes was delayed but persisted far longer than in WT mice. These events were linked to a decrease in the macrophage capacity for NTHi phagocytosis and increased nasopharyngeal bacterial loads in ccl3 Ϫ/Ϫ mice. The generalized impairment in inflammatory cell recruitment was associated with compensatory changes in the expression profiles of CCL2, CCL7, and CCL12. CCL3 plays a significant role in the clearance of infection and resolution of inflammation and contributes to mucosal host defense of the nasopharyngeal niche, a reservoir for ME and upper respiratory infections. Therapies based on CCL3 could prove useful in treating or preventing persistent disease.KEYWORDS chemokines, otitis media, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, innate immunity, nasopharyngeal culture, mucosal flora O titis media (OM) is a primarily infectious disease that involves, in the majority of cases, pathogenic bacteria alone or in combination with a virus (1). The bacteria most frequently isolated from middle ear (ME) effusions during acute OM are Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), and Moraxella catarrhalis (2). Children acquire these potential otopathogens, along with a broad variety of other microorganisms, as part of their normal nasopharyngeal flora early in infancy (3).The pathogenesis of OM is considered multifactorial. Prior viral infection of the nasopharynx, significantly increased bacterial colonization of the nasopharynx (4) and/or cocolonization by different bacterial strains (4, 5), as well as dysfunction of the Eustachian tube leading to pressure differences between the nasopharynx and Eustachian tube (6) have all been associated with an elevated risk of OM. Immature or compromised immune status, allergy, and genetic predispositions (7) also contribute to OM susceptibility.The fact that acute OM normally resolves in a few days, before cognate immunity

Objectives To examine the social perception of microtia and quantify the effect of reconstruction on socially perceived attributes. Methods Parental consent was obtained for peri‐reconstruction photographs in a patient with unilateral grade 3 microtia without an underlying craniofacial syndrome. With computer simulation, the normal, preoperative microtia, and postoperative reconstruction ear were isolated and blended into the oblique and lateral views of that volunteer's face to isolate ear morphology as a variable against a constant facial baseline. These photographs were embedded into Web‐based surveys with visual analogue scales to capture social perception data and then were sourced to general population adults. Results Survey respondents totaled 631. On average, the face with the microtia ear was perceived to be less friendly (P = .015), less healthy (P = .022), and less successful (P = .005) than the same face with the “normal” ear. There were no statistically significant differences in socially perceived attributes between the face with the normal ear and the face with the reconstructed ear. Conclusion This is the first study to examine the social perception consequences of microtia and microtia reconstruction in children. These findings may explain the significant psychosocial distress experienced by these patients by exploring the social perception of specific attributes perceived. Lastly, this study may better inform microtia patients and their physicians on the impact of auricular reconstruction on third party's perception of social attributes. Level of Evidence N/A Laryngoscope, 131:195–200, 2021