The primary goal of most cochlear implant procedures is to improve a patient’s ability to discriminate speech. To accomplish this, cochlear implants are programmed so as to maximize speech understanding. However, programming a cochlear implant can be an iterative, labor-intensive process that takes place over months. In this study, we sought to determine whether functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive neuroimaging method which is safe to use repeatedly and for extended periods of time, can provide an objective measure of whether a subject is hearing normal speech or distorted speech. We used a 140 channel fNIRS system to measure activation within the auditory cortex in 19 normal hearing subjects while they listed to speech with different levels of intelligibility. Custom software was developed to analyze the data and compute topographic maps from the measured changes in oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentration. Normal speech reliably evoked the strongest responses within the auditory cortex. Distorted speech produced less region-specific cortical activation. Environmental sounds were used as a control, and they produced the least cortical activation. These data collected using fNIRS are consistent with the fMRI literature and thus demonstrate the feasibility of using this technique to objectively detect differences in cortical responses to speech of different intelligibility.

Objectives Cochlear implants are a standard therapy for deafness, yet the ability of implanted patients to understand speech varies widely. To better understand this variability in outcomes, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to image activity within regions of the auditory cortex and compare the results to behavioral measures of speech perception. Design We studied 32 deaf adults hearing through cochlear implants and 35 normal-hearing controls. We used fNIRS to measure responses within the lateral temporal lobe and the superior temporal gyrus to speech stimuli of varying intelligibility. The speech stimuli included normal speech, channelized speech (vocoded into 20 frequency bands), and scrambled speech (the 20 frequency bands were shuffled in random order). We also used environmental sounds as a control stimulus. Behavioral measures consisted of the Speech Reception Threshold, CNC words, and AzBio Sentence tests measured in quiet. Results Both control and implanted participants with good speech perception exhibited greater cortical activations to natural speech than to unintelligible speech. In contrast, implanted participants with poor speech perception had large, indistinguishable cortical activations to all stimuli. The ratio of cortical activation to normal speech to that of scrambled speech directly correlated with the CNC Words and AzBio Sentences scores. This pattern of cortical activation was not correlated with auditory threshold, age, side of implantation, or time after implantation. Turning off the implant reduced cortical activations in all implanted participants. Conclusions Together, these data indicate that the responses we measured within the lateral temporal lobe and the superior temporal gyrus correlate with behavioral measures of speech perception, demonstrating a neural basis for the variability in speech understanding outcomes after cochlear implantation.

IMPORTANCEAlthough the development of persistent opioid use after surgical procedures has garnered much attention in recent years, large-scale studies characterizing patterns of persistent opioid use among patients undergoing plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures are lacking.OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of immediate and long-term postoperative opioid use after plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSIn this population-based cohort study, patients who underwent 5 classes of plastic and reconstructive procedures (nasal, eye, breast, abdomen, and soft tissue reconstruction) between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2015, were identified using IBM MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental research databases. Patients were excluded if they were younger than 18 years, lacked continuous insurance coverage for 1 year preoperatively and postoperatively, had a second anesthesia event within 1 year postoperatively, and filled an opioid prescription within the year prior to surgery. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESAnalgesic prescription patterns in the immediate postoperative period. The primary outcome was rates of persistent opioid use (opioid prescriptions filled 90-180 days postoperatively). The secondary outcome was rates of prolonged opioid use (opioid prescriptions filled 90-180 days postoperatively and again 181-365 days postoperatively). Explanatory variables included patient demographics, procedure type, and relevant comorbidities. RESULTSOf the 466 677 patients who met inclusion criteria, 96 397 (45.3%) were men, and the mean (SD) age was 46.8 (17.7) years. Furthermore, 212 387 (54.6%) of the patients filled prescriptions for postoperative analgesics, with 212 387 (91.5%) of analgesic prescriptions filled being for opioids. Persistent opioid use occurred in 30 865 (6.6%) patients (5.1%-13.5% across procedure classes), while prolonged opioid use occurred in 10 487 (2.3%) patients (1.7%-5.6% across procedure classes). Patients who filled prescriptions for opioids in the perioperative period were significantly more likely to exhibit persistent (odds ratio [OR], 2.87; 95% CI, 2.80-2.94) and prolonged (OR, 2.90; 95% CI, 2.77-3.02) opioid use than those who did not fill perioperative opioid prescriptions, with the greatest odds for persistent use found in patients who underwent breast (OR, 4.36; 95% CI,) and nasal (OR, 3.51; 95% CI, 3.30-3.73) procedures. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, independent risk factors for persistent and prolonged opioid use included perioperative opioid use, procedure type, and prior-year mental health (depression and anxiety) and substance abuse diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEGiven the significant risk of persistent opioid use after plastic and reconstructive procedures, it is imperative to develop best practices guidelines for postoperative opioid prescription practices in this population.LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA.

While hyperbilirubinemia is extremely common among neonates and is usually mild and transient, it sometimes leads to bilirubin-induced neurologic damage (BIND). The auditory pathway is highly sensitive to the effects of elevated total serum/plasma bilirubin (TB) levels, with damage manifesting clinically as auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). Compared to full-term neonates, preterm neonates are more susceptible to BIND and suffer adverse effects at lower TB levels with worse long-term outcomes. Furthermore, while standardized guidelines for management of hyperbilirubinemia exist for term and late-preterm neonates, similar guidelines exist for neonates less than 35 wks gestational age (GA) are limited.

SUMMARY Hyperbilirubinemia is occurs very frrequently among neonates and is usually mild and transient, with no long-lasting sequelae. However, bilirubin-induced neurologic damage may occur in some infants. The auditory pathway is the most sensitive part of the central nervous system to bilirubin-induced toxicity, and permanent sequelae may result from only moderately elevated total serum/plasma bilirubin levels. The damage to the auditory system occurs primarily within the brainstem and cranial nerve VIII, and manifests clinically as auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Best practices for antibiotic use after facial plastic and reconstructive procedures have been the subject of much debate, and there is a need for large-scale data to guide further development of evidence-based guidelines for antibiotic use in this setting.OBJECTIVE To assess patterns of postoperative antibiotic prescriptions and infection rates after nasal and oculoplastic procedures. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSA retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using IBM MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental research databases of 294 039 patients who underwent facial plastic surgery procedures between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2015. Patients were excluded if they were younger than 18 years, lacked continuous insurance coverage for 1 year before and after the procedure, or underwent additional procedures on the surgery date of interest. Statistical analysis was performed from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESPrimary outcomes were antibiotic prescription patterns in the immediate postoperative period and rates of postoperative infectious complications. Explanatory variables included patient demographics, procedure type, and relevant comorbidities, which were used in multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTSOf the 294 039 patients who met inclusion criteria (55.9% women and 44.1% men; mean [SD] age, 54.0 [18.6 years]), 45.2% filled prescriptions for postoperative antibiotics, including 55.3% of patients undergoing nasal procedures and 14.7% of patients undergoing oculoplastic procedures. Superficial surgical site infections occurred in 1.6% of patients, while deep surgical site infections occurred in 0.3% of patients. On multivariable logistic regression, patients receiving postoperative antibiotics were at significantly decreased risk of postoperative infections (nasal procedures: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.144 [95% CI, 0.102-0.203]; oculoplastic procedures: aOR, 0.254 [95% CI, 0.104-0.622]) compared with those who did not receive postoperative antibiotics. Increased duration of postoperative antibiotics was not associated with reduced rates of infectious complications (nasal procedures: aOR, 1.000 [95% CI, 0.978-1.022]; oculoplastic procedures: aOR, 1.024 [95% CI, 0.959-01.092]). Despite being more likely to experience postoperative infections, patients with a history of tobacco use (aOR, 0.806 [95% CI, 0.747-0.870]), immunodeficiency (aOR, 0.774 [95% CI, 0.737-0.813]), or type 1 or 2 diabetes (aOR, 0.810 [95% CI, 0.772-0.850]) were less likely to be prescribed antibiotics than those without these conditions.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Postoperative antibiotic prescriptions were associated with reduced rates of infections after facial plastic surgery. This study highlights the role of population-level data in the development of best practices for postoperative antibiotic use and identifies the need for additional examination of antibiotic use patterns and recommendations for populations at increased risk for postoperative wound infection.

Background Identifying mental health disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), is important prior to rhinoplasty surgery; however, these disorders are underdiagnosed, and screening tools are underutilized in clinical settings. Objectives The authors sought to evaluate the correlation of a rhinoplasty outcomes tool (Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey [SCHNOS]) with psychiatric screening tools. Methods Patients presenting for rhinoplasty consultation were prospectively enrolled and administered mental health instruments to assess depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), and BDD (BDD Questionnaire-Aesthetic Surgery [BDDQ-AS]) as well as the SCHNOS rhinoplasty outcomes scale. Convergent validity of SCHNOS scores with these mental health instruments was assessed as well as calculation of an optimal SCHNOS-C score to screen for BDD. Results A total 76 patients were enrolled in the study. The average SCHNOS-O score (standard deviation) was 46.1 (34.0) and the average SCHNOS-C score was 61.1 (27.0). Five (7%) patients screened positive for depression, and 24 (32%) patients screened positive for mild, 5 (7%) for moderate, and 4 (5%) for severe anxiety. Twenty-four (32%) patients screened positive for BDD by BDDQ-AS scores. SCHNOS-O and SCHNOS-C did not correlate with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 or Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scores; SCHNOS-C did correlate with BDDQ-AS. A score of 73 or greater on SCHNOS-C maximized the sensitivity and specificity of also screening positive for BDD with BDDQ-AS. This score correlated with a sensitivity of 62.5%, specificity of 80.8%, and number needed to diagnose of 2.3, meaning for every 2 patients with a score of ≥73 on SCHNOS-C, 1 will have a positive BDDQ-AS score. Conclusions SCHNOS-C correlates with BDDQ-AS and may help screen rhinoplasty patients at higher risk for BDD. Level of Evidence: 2

This article compares outcomes in patients presenting for either primary or secondary (revision) anterior septal reconstruction (ASR) to treat caudal septal deviation. Patients undergoing ASR by senior author (S. P. M.) between January 1, 2012 and September 1, 2017, with both preoperative and postoperative Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scores documented in the chart were included. Data were compared between patients undergoing primary and secondary ASR by univariable and multivariable logistic regression. A total of 199 patients were included in this study; 128 (64%) underwent primary ASR and 71 (36%) underwent secondary ASR. After multivariable analysis, a greater ratio of females and autologous rib graft harvest in the secondary compared with primary ASR, and decreased odds of inferior turbinate reduction in the secondary group was found. There was no significant difference in NOSE scores between the primary and secondary group, and there were very few complications or revision surgeries. While outcomes are similar between primary and secondary (revision) ASR to treat caudal septal deviation, there was a significantly higher rate of autologous rib harvest, highlighting the importance of addressing deviations of the caudal septum at the primary procedure to reduce morbidity related to rib graft harvest and revision surgery.