Endoscopic surgery for subglottic stenosis is a critical aspect of patient management. Neither surgical technique nor grade of stenosis was seen to alter the surgical intervals. Mitomycin application was associated with an extended time interval between endoscopic treatments.

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IMPORTANCE Thirty-day hospital readmissions have substantial direct costs and are increasingly used as a measure of quality care. However, data regarding the risk factors and reasons for readmissions in head and neck cancer surgery reconstruction are lacking. OBJECTIVE To describe the rate, risk factors, and causes of 30-day readmission in patients with head and neck cancer following free or pedicled flap reconstruction. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, population-based cohort study analyzed medical records from the Nationwide Readmissions Database of 9487 patients undergoing pedicled or free flap reconstruction of head and neck oncologic defects between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014. Data analysis was performed in October 2017. EXPOSURES Pedicled or free flap reconstruction of an oncologic head and neck defect. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause readmissions. Secondary outcomes included risk factors, causes, and costs of readmission. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine factors independently associated with 30-day readmissions. RESULTS Among 9487 patients included in the study (6798 male; 71.7%), the median age was 63 years (interquartile range, 55-71 years), and the 30-day readmission rate was 19.4% (n = 1839), with a mean cost per readmission of $15 916 (standard error of the mean, $785). The most common indication for readmission was wound complication (26.5%, n = 487). On multivariate regression, significant risk factors for 30-day readmission were median household income in the lowest quartile (vs highest quartile: odds ratio [

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Background The impact of treatment delays on survival in oropharyngeal cancer and whether the effect varies by human papillomavirus (HPV) status have yet to be defined. Methods Retrospective analysis of the survival impact of time from diagnosis to surgery (DTS), surgery to radiation (SRT), and duration of radiation (RTD) for patients in the National Cancer Database with resected oropharyngeal cancer who underwent adjuvant radiation from 2010 to 2014. Results We identified optimal thresholds of 30, 40, and 51 days for DTS, SRT, and RTD, respectively, with treatment times exceeding these thresholds associated with significantly worse overall survival. Prolonged SRT and RTD were associated with mortality regardless of HPV status, although rising DTS was only predictive among patients with HPV‐negative tumors. Conclusions Treatment delays significantly impact survival in oropharyngeal cancer. The consequences of prolonged DTS may be stronger in HPV‐negative than HPV‐positive disease. These data serve as a foundation for future research and clinical management.

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Objective: Prior studies have relied on CT to assess alterations in anatomy among patients undergoing radiation for head and neck cancer. We sought to determine the feasibility of using MRI-based image-guided radiotherapy to quantify these changes and to ascertain their potential dosimetric implications. Methods: 6 patients with head and neck cancer were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) on a novel tri- 60Co teletherapy system equipped with a 0.35-T MRI (VR, ViewRay Incorporated, Oakwood Village, OH) to 66-70 Gy in 33 fractions (fx). Pre-treatment MRIs on Fx 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 33 were imported into a contouring interface, where the primary gross tumour volume (GTV) and parotid glands were delineated. The centre of mass (COM) shifts for these structures were assessed relative to Day 1. Dosimetric data were co-registered with the MRIs, and doses to the GTV and parotid glands were assessed.Results: Primary GTVs decreased significantly over the course of IMRT (median % volume loss, 38.7%; range, 29.5-72.0%; p , 0.05) at a median rate of 1.2%/ fx (range, 0.92-2.2%/fx). Both the ipsilateral and contralateral parotid glands experienced significant volume loss (p , 0.05, for all) and shifted medially during IMRT. Weight loss correlated significantly with parotid gland volume loss and medial COM shift (p , 0.05). Conclusion: Integrated on-board MRI can be used to accurately contour and analyze primary GTVs and parotid glands over the course of IMRT. COM shifts and significant volume reductions were observed, confirming the results of prior CT-based exercises. Advances in knowledge: The superior resolution of onboard MRI may facilitate online adaptive replanning in the future.