SARS-CoV-2 and hearing: An audiometric analysis of COVID-19 hospitalized patients

PurposeCOVID-19 associated hearing loss is still an ongoing matter of debate. No original studies exist on audiological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients. The main objective was to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 may affect auditory function in clinically ill COVID-19 patients.Materials and methodsCOVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease and without prior history of hearing abnormalities were enrolled from a tertiary referral center, and matched with controls. Participants performed an audiometric evaluation, and thresholds were compared.Results120 ears from 60 patients were enrolled. Patients with COVID-19 showed worse mean auditory thresholds starting from 1000 Hz through higher frequencies, when compared to controls (1000 Hz: 18.52 ± 5.49 dB HL in controls vs 25.36 ± 6.79 dB HL in COVID-19, p < 0.001; 2000Hz: 17.50 ± 5.57 dB HL in controls vs 21.96 ± 7.05 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.010; 3000Hz: 17.97 ± 8.07 dB HL in controls vs 25 ± 9.38 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.003; 4000 Hz: 20.16 ± 10.12 dB HL in controls vs 29.55 ± 11.26 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.001; 8000 Hz: 31.09 ± 12.75 dB HL in controls vs 40.71 ± 19.40 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.030; Pure Tone Average: 20.42 ± 4.29 dB HL in controls vs 24.85 ± 5.62 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.001). Statistical significance persisted after adjusting for confounders such as age, gender and various comorbidities (p < 0.05).ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2 may affect hearing in COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease. Results are in line with the previous suggested effects of COVID-19 on auditory system. This study is expected to encourage further research on this topic.     

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL). Epistaxis and high blood pressure

Objectives

The authors present the guidelines of the French Oto-Rhino-Laryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Society (Société Française d’Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie et de Chirurgie de la Face et du Cou: SFORL) on epistaxis in high blood pressure.

Guidelines (short version) of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL) on pediatric cochlear implant indications

ObjectivesThe authors present the guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (Société française d’oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie de la face et du cou – SFORL) on the indications for cochlear implantation in children.MethodsA multidisciplinary work group was entrusted with a review of the scientific literature on the above topic. Guidelines were drawn up, based on the articles retrieved and the group members’ individual experience. They were then read over by an editorial group independent of the work group. The guidelines were graded as A, B, C or expert opinion, by decreasing level of evidence.ResultsThe SFORL recommends that children with bilateral severe/profound hearing loss be offered bilateral cochlear implantation, with surgery before 12 months of age. In sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in children with severe/profound hearing loss, it is recommended to reduce the interval between the two implants, preferably to less than 18 months. The SFORL recommends encouraging children with unilateral cochlear implants to wear contralateral hearing aids when residual hearing is present, and recommends assessing perception with hearing-in-noise tests. It is recommended that the surgical technique should try to preserve the residual functional structures of the inner ear as much as possible.     

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL). First-line treatment of epistaxis in adults

Objectives

The authors present the guidelines of the French Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Society (SFORL) on first-line treatment of epistaxis in adults.

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL). Second-line treatment of epistaxis in adults

Objectives

The authors present the guidelines of the French Oto-Rhino-Laryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Society (Société Française d’Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie et de Chirurgie de la Face et du Cou: SFORL) on second-line treatment of epistaxis in adults, after failure of anterior and/or anterior–posterior nasal packing.

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL) (short version). Specific treatment of epistaxis in Rendu-Osler-Weber disease

Objectives

The authors present the guidelines of the French Oto-Rhino-Laryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Society (Société Française d’Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie et de Chirurgie de la Face et du Cou: SFORL) concerning specific treatment of epistaxis in Rendu-Osler-Weber disease.

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL). Managing epistaxis under coagulation disorder due to antithrombotic therapy

Objective

The authors present the guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology concerning the management of epistaxis during antithrombotic therapy.

Guidelines (short version) of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL) on cervical lymphatic malformation in adults and children: Diagnosis

Objectives

The authors present the guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL) for the diagnosis of cervical lymphatic malformation in adults and children.

Deterioration experienced by French otolaryngology residents in their training during the COVID-19 pandemic: A STROBE analysis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of the first three waves of COVID-19 on the academic and surgical training of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery residents in France.Material and methodsObservational, retrospective study. A 55-item survey of academic education and surgical training was sent to ENT residents in five major French regions (Île-de-France, Rhône-Alpes Auvergne, Occitanie, Grand Est, Grand Ouest) from August to October 2021.ResultsEighty-nine out of 135 residents (66%) responded. Two-thirds considered that surgical training was more affected than academic education, with reductions evaluated of 50–75%, 25–50% and 0–25% for the first three waves, respectively. Residents in Île-de-France, Rhône-Alpes Auvergne and Grand Est were the most affected by the first wave (75–100% reduction in surgical activity, in parallel to increased admissions). Otology, rhinology and functional exploration were the most affected, whereas pediatrics and oncology were spared. Seventy-one of the 89 residents (79.7%) felt that the first wave impacted their career, while this proportion decreased to 39.3% and 44.9% for the second and third waves, respectively.ConclusionThe first wave of COVID-19, compared to the following two waves, severely impacted the surgical training of French ENT residents, especially in regions severely impacted by the pandemic, while academic education was relatively safeguarded by the implementation of e-learning alternatives.     

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL): Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and pediatric ENT infections. Short version

ObjectivesTo present the guidelines of the French Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery concerning the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in pediatric ENT infections.MethodsBased on a critical analysis of the medical literature up to November 2016, a multidisciplinary workgroup of 11 practitioners wrote clinical practice guidelines. Levels of evidence were classified according to the GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system: GRADE A, B, C or “expert opinion”. The first version of the text was reworked by the workgroup following comments by the 22 members of the reading group.ResultsThe main recommendations are: NSAIDs are indicated at analgesic doses (e.g. 20–30 mg/kg/day for ibuprofen) in combination with paracetamol (acetaminophen) in uncomplicated pediatric ENT infections (acute otitis media, tonsillitis, upper respiratory infections, and maxillary sinusitis) if: o pain is of medium intensity (visual analogue scale (VAS) score 3–5 or “Evaluation Enfant Douleur” (EVENDOL) child pain score 4–7) and insufficiently relieved by first-line paracetamol (residual VAS ≥ 3 or EVENDOL ≥ 4); o pain is moderate to intense (VAS 5–7 or EVENDOL 7–10). When combined, paracetamol and ibuprofen are ideally taken simultaneously every 6 h. It is recommended: (1) o not to prescribe NSAIDs in severe or complicated pediatric ENT infections; (2) o to suspend NSAIDs treatment in case of unusual clinical presentation of the infection (duration or symptoms); (3) o not to prescribe NSAIDs for more than 72 h.     

Telemedicine in Audiology. Best practice recommendations from the French Society of Audiology (SFA) and the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (SFORL)

ObjectivesAccess to diagnosis and treatments for auditory disorders and related pathologies has regressed in France during the COVID-19 pandemic, posing a risk to the patient's chance of recovery. This best practice recommendations guide aims to list the existing technological solutions for the remote examination of a patient with hearing complaint, and to outline their benefits and, where applicable, their limitations.MethodsThe recommendations were developed both from the clinical experience of the medical experts who drafted the guide, and from an extensive review of the literature dealing with clinical practice recommendations for tele-audiology. Tele-audiometry solutions were identified on the basis of a search engine query carried out in April 2020, prior to verification of their availability on the European market.ResultsVideo otoscopy solutions allow for the teletransmission of images compatible with a high-quality diagnosis, either by connecting via internet to a tele-health platform or using a smartphone or a tablet with an iOS or Android operating system. Using the same telecommunication methods, it is possible to remotely conduct a pure-tone audiometry test in accordance with standard practice, a speech-in-quiet or a speech-in-noise audiometry test, as well as objective measures of hearing. Clinical and paraclinical examinations can be accessed by the physician to be interpreted on a deferred basis (asynchronous tele-audiology). Examinations can also be conducted in real time in a patient, at any age of life, as long as a caregiver can be present during the installation of the transducers or the acoumetry. Tele-audiology solutions also find application in the remote training of future healthcare professionals involved in the management of deafness and hearing impairment.ConclusionUnder French law, tele-otoscopy is a medical procedure that is either a tele-expertise (asynchronous adive) or a teleconsultation act (synchronous advice). Subjective and objective evaluation of the patient's hearing functions can be done remotely provided that the listed precautions are respected.     

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (SFORL) and the French Society of Audiology (SFA) for Speech-in-Noise Testing in Adults

ObjectivesThis document presents the fundamentals of speech audiometry in noise, general requirements for implementation and criteria for choice among the tests available in French according to the health-professional's needs.Material and methodsThe recommendations are based on a systematic analysis of the literature carried out by a multidisciplinary group of doctors, audiologists and audioprosthetists from all over France. They are graded A, B, C or expert opinion according to decreasing level of scientific evidence.ResultsEight tests of speech audiometry in noise can be used in France.ConclusionTo be complete, evaluation of hearing status requires testing understanding of speech in noise. The examination must begin with a minimum of two measurements familiarizing the subject with the test procedure. For initial diagnosis, adaptive procedures establishing the 50% speech reception threshold (SRT50) in noise are to be preferred in order to obtain a rapid and standardized measurement of perception of speech in noise. When the aim is to measure real-life speech comprehension, tests based on sentences, cocktail-party noise and free-field stimulation are to be preferred. Prosthetic gain is evaluated exclusively in free field. This is the only way to evaluate the contribution of binaurality and to measure perception in noise in an environment as close as possible to real life. In order to avoid acoustic interference in free field, at least five loudspeakers should be used, in particular for evaluating the effectiveness of directional microphones, CROS devices enabling sounds picked up in the damaged ear to be rerouted to the functional ear, or bimodal fitting (i.e., when hearing is enabled by two modalities: for example, hearing aid for one ear, cochlear implant for the other).     

The first wave of COVID-19 did not cause longer wait times in head and neck cancer. Experience of a French expert center

BackgroundHead and neck cancers (HNC) have poor survival prognosis, as tumors are often diagnosed at advanced stages in patients consulting late. The first lockdown linked to the 1st wave of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) disrupted consultation schedules in France.ObjectiveThe principal aim of the present study was to analyze consultation wait time in HNC during and after lockdown, in our university expert oncology reference center, to disclose any increase in treatment wait time.MethodsA single-center retrospective study included patients with a first diagnosis of HNC. Three groups were distinguished: “lockdown”, “post-lockdown”, and a “control” group (corresponding to a reference period 1 year earlier). Intervals between first oncologic consultation and multidisciplinary tumor board (FC-MTB) and between MTB and first treatment (MTB-T) were assessed.ResultsOne hundred and seven patients were included in the control group, 60 in the lockdown group and 74 in the post-lockdown group. There was no increase in median FC-MTB interval (respectively 35, 29 and 28 days) between the lockdown and post-lockdown groups compared to the control group (respectively P = 0.2298 and P = 0.0153). Likewise, there was no increase in MTB-T interval (27, 20 and 26 days respectively) (P = 0.4203).ConclusionNo increase in wait times was observed during the lockdown and post-lockdown periods in our center.     

Guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology (SFORL), short version. Extension assessment and principles of resection in cutaneous head and neck tumors

Cutaneous head and neck tumors mainly comprise malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, trichoblastic carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, adnexal carcinoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, sclerodermiform basalioma and angiosarcoma. Adapted management requires an experienced team with good knowledge of the various parameters relating to health status, histology, location and extension: risk factors for aggression, extension assessment, resection margin requirements, indications for specific procedures, such as lateral temporal bone resection, orbital exenteration, resection of the calvarium and meningeal envelopes, neck dissection and muscle resection.     

新冠肺炎危重型患者气管切开术初步经验与体会(附1例报告)

新型冠状病毒肺炎(新冠肺炎,COVID-19)是指由2019新型冠状病毒(新冠病毒,2019-nCoV)感染导致的肺炎。新冠病毒传播途径主要为呼吸道飞沫传播和接触传播,并存在气溶胶传播可能。由于肺部严重感染易导致急性呼吸窘迫综合征,新冠肺炎危重型患者气管切开术可作为一种救治手段,但术中可能会产生大量的病毒飞沫通过气道扩散在空气中形成气溶胶,增加院内感染风险。本文根据国家卫健委新冠肺炎相关诊疗方案和措施,结合我院的1例危重型患者在重症监护隔离病区行气管切开术的经验,探讨危重型新冠肺炎患者气管切开的必要性、手术方式、术前准备、术中操作、术后护理及医护防护措施等相关问题。     

Guidelines of the French Society of ENT (SFORL): Drug-induced sleep endoscopy in adult obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

ObjectivesTo determine the indications, anesthesiological and surgical procedure and interest of drug-induced sleep endoscopy in the treatment of adult obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.DesignA redactional committee of 17 experts was set up. Conflicts of interest were disclosed and followed up throughout the process of drawing up the guidelines. The work received no funding from any firm dealing in health products (drugs or devices). The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) method was applied to assess the quality of the data on which the guidelines were founded. It was stressed that strong recommendations should not be made on the basis of poor-quality or insufficient data.MethodsThe committee studied 29 questions on 5 topics: indications and contraindications, anesthetic technique, surgical technique, interpretation and reporting of results, and management guided by results.ResultsExpert review and application of the GRADE method led to 30 guidelines: 10 with high level of evidence (Grade 1+ or 1?), 19 with low level (GRADE 2+ or 2?) and 1 expert opinion.ConclusionExperts fully agreed on the strong guidelines formalizing the indications and modalities of drug-induced sleep endoscopy for adult obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.     

French Society of ENT (SFORL) guidelines. Indications for cochlear implantation in adults

The authors present the guidelines of the French Society of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery (SFORL) regarding indications for cochlear implantation in adults. After a literature review by a multidisciplinary workgroup, guidelines were drawn up based on retrieved articles and group-members’ experience, then read over by an independent reading group to edit the final version. Guidelines were graded A, B, C or “expert opinion” according to decreasing level of evidence. There is no upper age limit to cochlear implantation in the absence of proven dementia and if autonomy is at least partial. Bilateral implantation may be proposed if unilateral implantation fails to provide sufficiently good spatial localization, speech perception in noise and quality of life, and should be preceded by binaural hearing assessment. Rehabilitation by acoustic and electrical stimulation may be proposed when low-frequency hearing persists. Quality of life should be assessed before and after implantation.     

Management of somatic pain induced by head and neck cancer treatment: Pain following radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Guidelines of the French Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Society (SFORL)

ObjectivesThe authors present the section of the guidelines of the French Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Society (SFORL) for the management of somatic pain induced by head and neck cancer treatment concerning management of pain following radiation therapy and chemotherapy.MethodsA multidisciplinary work group was entrusted with a literature review. Guidelines were drawn up based on the articles retrieved and the group members’ experience. They were read over by an editorial group independent of the work group. A coordination meeting drew up the final version. Guidelines were graded A, B or C or as expert opinion in decreasing order of level of evidence.ResultsParticular care should be given to detection and early adapted treatment of pain induced by radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, to improve quality of life in head and neck cancer patients.