Postoperative Outcomes of Intracapsular Tonsillectomy With Coblation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Following tonsillectomy, postoperative pain and hemorrhage from the tonsillar bed are causes of significant morbidity. Intracapsular tonsillectomy with Coblation is suggested to minimize such morbidity while remaining efficacious in long-term outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed short-term morbidity and long-term outcomes from intracapsular tonsillectomy with Coblation, focusing primarily on posttonsillectomy hemorrhage.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library.

REVIEW METHODS

Guided by PRISMA guidelines, studies on intracapsular tonsillectomy with Coblation published between December 2002 and July 2022 evaluating frequency of posttonsillectomy hemorrhage were screened. Studies without primary data were excluded. Meta-analysis was conducted using the random-effect model. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who experienced posttonsillectomy hemorrhage. The secondary outcomes were posttonsillectomy pain, the proportion requiring revision tonsillectomy, and severity of sleep-disordered breathing measured by polysomnography outcomes.

RESULTS

From 14 studies there were 9821 patients. The proportion of total posttonsillectomy hemorrhage was 1.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5%-1.6%, n = 9821). The proportion experiencing primary hemorrhage, secondary hemorrhage, and those requiring further tonsil surgery were 0.1% (95% CI 0.0%-0.1%; study n = 7), 0.8% (95% CI 0.2%-1.4%; study n = 7), and 1.4% (95% CI 0.6%-2.2%; study n = 6), respectively. Mean reduction in apnea-hypopnea index was -16.0 events per hour (95% CI -8.8 to -23.3, study n = 3) and mean increase in oxygen nadir was 5.9% (95% CI 2.6%-9.1%, study n = 3).

CONCLUSION

Intracapsular tonsillectomy with Coblation has been demonstrated to have a low rate of posttonsillectomy hemorrhage. Data regarding long-term tonsil regrowth and need for reoperation were encouraging of the efficacy of this technique.

Head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma: does AFIP histological grading correlate with rate of nodal metastases?

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the presentation of head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and identify the significance of AFIP histological grading on the risk of neck metastasis and cancer free survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study is a retrospective cohort analysis of patients treated for head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma at the RMH between 2005 and 2022. Patient demographics, treatment, pathology, in particular the AFIP histological grading of the primary tumour, and outcomes were collected and tabulated. Time to recurrence was recorded, and survival outcomes were calculated with Kaplan-Meier method. Comparisons were made on different histological grading and regional metastases.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients were identified and thirty met the inclusion criteria. There was an age range of 18-77 years (median 54 years) with no significant sex difference. Our patients had a 94% 5-year survival and an 86% 10-year survival. Thirteen patients had elective neck dissection and 2 out of 13 (15%) of the patients had positive neck disease. Of the two patients with regional metastasis, the primary tumour was graded as intermediate and low grade. No high-grade MEC patients had regional metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck is associated with a good disease-specific and overall survival despite the presence of regional metastasis. The AFIP histological grading system did not have a statistically significant correlation to the incidence of nodal metastasis.

COVID-19 vaccine associated cervical lymphadenopathy: a case series

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is an evolving worldwide pandemic causing significant morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 vaccinations have been developed to increase immunity against the virus. In New Zealand, the Pfizer BioNTech mRNA vaccine has been provisionally approved for use. Axillary lymphadenopathy is a recognized side effect of the mRNA vaccine, however cervical lymphadenopathy has also been reported. Due to a wide range of differential diagnoses, the finding of cervical lymphadenopathy requires thorough investigation which can include imaging and invasive diagnostic procedures.

METHODS

Five patients were identified by otorhinolaryngology (ORL) consultants at Whangarei Base Hospital and Waikato Hospital between 15/7/2021 and 21/12/2021 after being investigated through high suspicion of cancer triage pathways set by the New Zealand Ministry of Health. Inclusion criteria were adult patients with cervical lymphadenopathy following vaccination. Exclusion criteria were no history of vaccination or lymphadenopathy present before vaccination.

RESULTS

All patients were identified to have cervical lymphadenopathy on radiological imaging and a recent history of COVID-19 vaccination with the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. Interval vaccination to fine needle aspiration time ranged between 41 and 76 days. All patients had cytological or histological diagnosis showing reactive findings or interval imaging showing resolution of lymphadenopathy.

CONCLUSION

With increasing levels of COVID-19 vaccination and booster vaccinations we will continue to see cases of COVID-19 vaccine associated cervical lymphadenopathy. We highlight the importance of taking a COVID-19 vaccination history and including COVID-19 associated cervical lymphadenopathy in the differential diagnosis of presentation with a neck lump.

Traumatic amputations in children and adolescents: demographics from a regional limb-fitting centre in the United Kingdom

There is no published literature detailing the demographics of paediatric amputations in the United Kingdom. We performed this review of children and adolescents referred to a regional limb-fitting centre from the 1930s to the current decade who suffered amputation as a result of trauma, and compared our data with similar cohorts from other units. Of the 93 patients included, only 11 were injured in the last 20 years. Road traffic accidents accounted for 63% of traumatic amputations. Of all amputations, 81% were in the lower limb and 19% in the upper limb. Our figures are similar to those from a United Kingdom national statistical database of amputees which showed on average four traumatic amputee referrals to each regional limb-fitting centre in the United Kingdom per ten-year period. Compared with the United States, the incidence of paediatric traumatic amputations in the United Kingdom is low.

An unusual complication of a myoelectric prosthesis

This clinical note describes an unusual and previously unreported complication of wearing a myoelectric prosthesis in a child with congenital upper limb deficiency. After an initial period of wearing a cosmetic prosthesis, he was provided with a child's trans-radial myoelectric prosthesis with a Steeper Scamp Electric hand at the age of 21 months. After successful and uncomplicated use of this prosthesis for 2 years--a sudden onset of burns of the skin of the stump underlying the single electrode site was noted. The cause of the burns was thought to be due to heat generated from electrical failure possibly from ingress of moisture. This complication has not before been experienced in the authors' centre, nor has it been reported in the literature. While constant improvements are being made in the field of electrically powered prosthesis, the rehabilitation team should be aware of this unusual complication.

Clinical tests for carpal tunnel syndrome: an evaluation

Five clinical tests in common use for diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndromes have been shown to have little diagnostic value, either individually or in various combinations. No physical sign is useful in the diagnosis of this condition, which should be suspected on the basis of presenting symptoms and confirmed by electrodiagnosis using standard median nerve conduction tests.