4. Laryngoscope, 127:2011-2016, 2017.

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complex disease that incorporates many different conditions. Currently, primary CRS is considered a disease of broad airway inflammation, however, the previous classification of CRS with and without nasal polyposis fails to adequately classify patients based upon their etiology of illness. Our aim with this review is discuss the clinical presentation, radiology, endoscopy, histopathology, and treatment algorithm of three different phenotypes of primary CRS: central compartment atopic disease, eosinophilic CRS, and non-eosinophilic CRS. Methods A narrative review of a tertiary rhinology center’s research themes and how they are applied to clinical protocols and practice was assessed. Discussion Diagnosis and treatment of upper and lower airway conditions become increasingly important as phenotypes and endotypes are being described. There are well-described therapies to treat the different phenotypes of CRS, based upon the presumed underlying cause of the inflammatory process. Research continues to shed more light on different endotypes and phenotypes of airway inflammation, however, clinical differentiation of CRS can be applied in clinic practice with three simple phenotypes of CRS. Understanding these different phenotypes and their etiologies allows for further management beyond the ‘maximum medical therapy and then surgery’ approach that has often been used in the management of CRS.

IMPORTANCE Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a broadly defined process that has previously been used to describe many different sinonasal pathologic conditions from odontogenic sinusitis and allergic fungal sinusitis to the more contemporary definition of broad inflammatory airway conditions. Previous classification systems have dichotomized these conditions into CRS with nasal polyps and CRS without nasal polyps. However, clinicians are learning more about the inflammatory subtypes of CRS, which can lead to improved delivery and effectiveness of treatment.OBSERVATIONS In clinical practice, treatment decisions are often based on observable findings, clinical history, presumed disease, and molecular pathophysiologic characteristics. A proposed classification system is simple and practical. It proposes that the functional anatomical compartments involved create the first level of separation into local and diffuse CRS, which are usually unilateral or bilateral in distribution. Diffuse does not imply "pansinusitis" but simply that the disease is not confined to a known functional anatomical unit. This classification takes into account whether local anatomical factors are associated with pathogenesis. Then the inflammatory endotype dominance is separated into a type 2 skewed inflammation, as this has both causal and treatment implications. The non-type 2 CRS encompasses everything else that is not yet known about inflammation and may change over time. The phenotypes or clinical examples are CRS entities that have been described and how they align with this system. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEAlthough research continues to further define the subtypes of CRS into phenotypes and endotypes, the proposed classification system of primary CRS by anatomical distribution and endotype dominance allows for a pathway forward.

Frontal sinus trauma has traditionally been treated using open approaches. Our findings show that endoscopic management should become part of the management algorithm for frontal sinus trauma, which challenges current surgical dogma regarding mandatory open approaches.

Objective: To determine which otolaryngology residency programs have social media platforms and to review which programs are utilizing platforms to advertise virtual open houses and virtual subinternships for residency applicants. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: The study was conducted online by reviewing all accredited otolaryngology residency programs in the United States participating in the Electronic Residency Application Service. Methods: Otolaryngology residency programs were reviewed for social media presence on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Social media posts were evaluated for virtual open houses and virtual subinternships. Residency websites and the Visiting Student Application Service were evaluated for the presence of virtual subinternships. All data were collected between September 5, 2020, and September 9, 2020. This study did not require approval from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Institutional Review Board for Human Use. Results: Among 118 otolaryngology residency programs, 74 (62.7%) participate on Instagram, 52 (44.1%) participate on Twitter, and 44 (37.3%) participate on Facebook. Fifty-one Instagram accounts, 20 Twitter accounts, and 4 Facebook accounts have been created during 2020. Forty-two (36%), 30 (25.4%), and 15 (13%) programs are promoting virtual open houses on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, respectively. Two programs on the Visiting Student Application Service offered virtual subinternships. Seven residency program websites offered virtual subinternships. Nine, 6, and 1 program offered virtual subinternships on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that social media presence on Instagram and Twitter among otolaryngology residency programs has substantially grown in 2020 at a higher rate compared to previous years. These data suggest that otolaryngology residency programs are finding new ways to reach out to applicants amid an unprecedented type of application cycle due to the challenges presented by COVID-19. Many programs are advertising virtual open houses via social media platforms to connect with applicants, and a few programs are offering virtual subinternships to replace traditional subinternships.

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Background Dehydration of airway surface liquid (ASL) disrupts normal mucociliary clearance (MCC) in sinonasal epithelium, which may lead to chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Abnormal chloride (Cl−) transport is one such mechanism that contributes to this disorder and can be acquired secondary to environmental perturbations, such as hypoxia at the tissue surface. The objective of this study was to assess the technological feasibility of the novel micro-optical coherence tomography (μOCT) imaging technique for investigating acquired MCC defects in cultured human sinonasal epithelial (HSNE) cells. Methods Primary HSNE cell cultures were subjected to a 1% oxygen environment for 12 hours to induce acquired cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunction. Ion transport characteristics were assessed with pharmacologic manipulation in Ussing chambers. ASL, periciliary fluid (PCL), and ciliary beat frequency (CBF) were evaluated using μOCT. Results Amiloride-sensitive transport (ΔISC) was greater in cultures exposed to hypoxia (hypoxia: −13.2 ± 0.6 μA/cm2; control: −6.5 ± 0.1 μA/cm2; p < 0.01), whereas CFTR-mediated anion transport was significantly diminished (hypoxia: 28.6 ± 0.3 μA/cm2; control: 36.2 ± 1.6 μA/cm2; p < 0.01), consistent with acquired CFTR dysfunction and sodium hyperabsorption. Hypoxia diminished all markers of airway surface function microanatomy as observed with μOCT, including ASL (hypoxia: 5.0 ± 0.4 μm; control: 9.0 ± 0.9 μm; p < 0.01) and PCL depth (hypoxia: 2.5 ± 0.1 μm; control: 4.8 ± 0.3 μm; p < 0.01), and CBF (hypoxia: 8.7 ± 0.3 Hz; control: 10.2 ± 0.3 Hz; p < 0.01). Conclusion Hypoxia-induced defects in epithelial anion transport in HSNE led to predictable effects on markers of MCC measured with novel μOCT imaging. This imaging method represents a technological leap forward and is feasible for assessing acquired defects impacting the airway surface.

Background Critical review of current head and neck reconstructive practices as related to free flap donor sites and their impact on clinical outcomes and cost. Methods Retrospective multicenter review of free tissue transfer reconstruction of head and neck defects (n = 1315). Variables reviewed: defect, indication, T classification, operative duration, and complications. A convenience sample was selected for analysis of overall (operative and inpatient admission) charges per hospitalization (n = 400). Results Mean charges of hospitalization by donor tissue: radial forearm free flap (RFFF) $127 636 (n = 183), osteocutaneous RFFF (OCRFFF) $125 456 (n = 70), anterior lateral thigh $133 781 (n = 54), fibula $140 747 (n = 42), latissimus $208 890 (n = 24), rectus $169 637 (n = 18), scapula $128 712 (n = 4), and ulna $110 716 (n = 5; P = .16). Mean operative times for malignant lesions stratified by T classification: 6.9 hours (±25 minutes) for T1, 7.0 hours (±16 minutes) for T2, 7.3 hours (±17 minutes) for T3, and 7.8 hours (±11 minutes) for T4 (P < .0001). Complications correlated with differences in mean charges: minor surgical ($123 720), medical ($216 387), and major surgical ($169 821; P < .001). Operations for advanced malignant lesions had higher mean charges: T1 lesions ($106 506) compared to T2/T3 lesions ($133 080; P = .03) and T4 lesions ($142 183; P = .02). On multivariate analysis, the length of stay, operative duration, and type a postoperative complication were factors affecting overall charges for the hospitalization (P < .018). Conclusion Conclusion: The RFFF and OCRFFF had the lowest complication rates, length of hospitalization, duration of operation, and mean charges of hospitalization. Advanced stage malignant disease correlated with increased hospitalization length, operative time, and complication rates resulting in higher hospitalization charges.