The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has created a worldwide deadly pandemic that has become a major public health challenge. All semi-urgent and elective medical care has come to a halt to conserve capacity to care for patients during this pandemic. As the numbers of COVID-19 cases decrease across Canada, our healthcare system also began to reopen various facilities and medical offices. The aim for this document is to compile the current evidence and provide expert consensus on the safe return to clinic practice in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. These recommendations will also summarize general precaution principles and practical tips for office across Canada to optimize patient and provider safety. Risk assessment and patient selection are crucial to minimizing exposure to COVID-19. Controversial topics such as COVID-19 mode of transmission, duration of exposure, personal protective equipment, and aerosol-generating procedures will be analyzed and discussed. Practical solutions of pre-visit office preparation, front office and examination room set-up, and check out procedures are explored. Specific considerations for audiology, pediatric population, and high risk AGMPs are also addressed. Given that the literature surrounding COVID-19 is rapidly evolving, these guidelines will serve to start our specialty back into practice over the next weeks to months and they may change as we learn more about this disease.
With further development in biomaterials, it may be possible to design and create an oral prosthesis through use of low-cost 3-dimensional printing technology and freeware. This can empower individuals to attain good healthcare, even if they live in rural, developing, or underserviced areas.
Laryngeal cancer is the most commonly diagnosed head and neck malignancy. Treatment of laryngeal tumors is dependent upon disease stage at diagnosis, and may involve surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of modalities. Regardless of tumor stage or treatment provided, quality of life (QOL) can be drastically affected. Voice-related outcomes are almost universally affected and can have a negative impact on overall QOL. Thus, treatment outcomes must extend beyond issues of oncological cure alone. Measures of voice and voice-related QOL following treatment for laryngeal cancer are important markers of treatment success. This article will broadly outline laryngeal cancer and its treatment, vocal rehabilitation, and provide insight into the various methods of assessing post-treatment voice and the influence of voice change on quality of life in these patients.
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