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FDG PET/CT was prospectively studied in 287 cN0 head and neck cancer patients in ACRIN 6685, and additional analysis of neck FDG uptake upon recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) was performed.Two hundred eight had analyzable data. Survival analysis was performed to compare RFS and OS based on neck FDG visual assessment (VA) and SUV max . For SUV max , the optimal thresholds were calculated using conditional inference trees on a randomly selected 70% training data set and validated using the remaining 30% of data. Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank tests were generated for the patient groups based on VA and optimal SUV max thresholds, and the hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also calculated. Hypothesis testing was set at a significance level of 0.05.A total of 73.9% of bilateral cN0 and 50.0% of unilateral cN0 were alive at the end of the study with the remaining being dead or lost to follow-up. Overall survival median follow-up time was 24.0 months (interquartile range, 15.8-25.3; range, 0-37.0). A total of 63.3% of bilateral cN0 and 42.5% of unilateral cN0 patients remained disease free during the study. Recurrence-free survival median follow-up time was 23.9 months (interquartile range, 12.4-25.2; range, 0-35.6). Visual assessment of necks by our panel of radiologists was significantly associated with RFS (HR [95% CI], 2.30 [1.10-4.79]; P = 0.02), but not with OS (HR [95% CI], 1.64 [0.86-3.14]; P = 0.13). The optimal SUV max thresholds were 2.5 for RFS and 5.0 for OS. For SUV max assessment, applying the optimal thresholds to the 30% test data yielded HRs (95% CIs) of 2.09 (0.61-7.14; P = 0.23) for RFS and 3.42 (1.03-11.41; P = 0.03) for OS. The SUV max threshold of 5.0 was significantly associated with RFS (HR [95% CI], 5.92 [1.79-19.57]; P0.001).Neck FDG uptake by VA is significant for RFS. An SUV max threshold of 5.0 is significantly associated with OS and RFS.

To our knowledge, no prior multicenter clinical trial has reported interobserver agreement of (18)F-FDG PET/CT scans for staging of clinical N0 neck in head and neck cancer. Methods: A total of 287 participants were recruited. For visual analysis, positive nodal uptake of (18)F-FDG was defined as uptake visually greater than activity seen in the blood pool. Results: The negative predictive value of the (18)F-FDG PET/CT for N0 clinical neck was 86% or above for visual assessment (95% CI, 86%–88%) for the 2 central readers and above 90% (95% CI, 90%–95%) for SUV(max) for central reads and site reads dichotomized at the optimal cutoff value of 1.8 and the prespecified cutoff value of 3.5, respectively. The κ coefficients between the 2 expert readers and between central reads and site reads varied between 0.53 and 0.78. Conclusion: The NPV of the (18)F-FDG PET/CT for N0 clinical neck was 86% or above for visual assessment and above 90% for SUV(max) cut points of 1.8 and 3.5 with moderate to substantial agreements.

Supplementary Figure S3. JQ1 exerts no effect on mTOR pathway and MCC cells express characteristic MCC makers, including a Merkel cell specific transcription factor Math1.

Supplementary Figure Legend. Legend for Supplementary Figures S1-S4.

To prove the concept of diagnosing primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) without calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) values and identifying potential risk factors for pHPT.Data were extracted from the clinical data warehouse (CDW) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Epic EHR (2014-2019).1737 patients with over 185 000 rows of clinical data were provided in a relational structure and processed/flattened to facilitate modeling. Phenotype elements were identified for pHPT without advance knowledge of calcium and PTH levels. The area under the curve (AUC) for the prediction of pHPT using our model was 0.86 with sensitivity and specificity of 0.8953 and 0.6686, respectively, using a 0.45 probability threshold.Primary hyperparathyroidism was predicted from a dataset excluding calcium and PTH data with 86% accuracy. This approach needs to be validated/refined on larger samples of data and plans are in place to do this with other regional/national datasets.

Background Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) techniques have evolved over the past decade into intermittent IONM (I-IONM) and continuous IONM (C-IONM) modes of application. Despite many prior publications on both types of IONM, there remains uncertainty about what outcomes should be measured for each form of IONM. The primary objective of this paper is to define categories of benefit for I-IONM/C-IONM and to clarify and standardize their reporting outcomes. Methods Expert review consensus statement utilizing modified Delphi methodology. Results I-IONM provides diagnosis, classification, and prevention of nerve injury through accurate and early nerve identification. C-IONM provides real-time information on nerve functional integrity and thus may prevent some types of nerve injury but cannot assist in nerve localization. Sudden mechanisms of nerve injury cannot be predicted or prevented by either technique. Conclusions I-IONM and C-IONM are complementary techniques. Future studies evaluating the utility of IONM should focus on outcomes that are appropriate to the type of IONM being utilized.

ImportanceCounseling prior to thyroid cancer (TC) treatment is an essential component of informed consent. An informed patient affects treatment-related expectations and patient engagement, factors that contribute significantly to patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes.ObjectiveTo describe experiences with pretreatment counseling among survivors of TC and to test factors associated with self-reported treatment meeting expectations.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsA cross-sectional survey was administered between October 18, 2019, and February 8, 2020, to members of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association Inc, and to individuals accessing the public-facing ThyCa website. Survey respondents were asked 55 questions, including 4 free-text questions and 2 multiple-choice questions about pretreatment counseling.Main Outcomes and MeasuresRespondents self-reported (1) their unmet information needs, (2) rates of treatment meeting expectations, and (3) rates of treatment understanding. A mixed-methods analysis was performed, including qualitative content analysis of free-text responses and multivariable logistic regression of factors associated with self-reported levels of treatment meeting expectations.ResultsOf the 1412 survey respondents, 1249 were women (88.4%). The median age at diagnosis was 48 years (range, 18-85 years), and the median age at the time of survey completion was 60 years (range, 18-87 years). A total of 1259 respondents (89.2%) provided free-text responses to the question, “What would you tell someone newly diagnosed with your same condition?” Of these individuals, 526 (37.2%) reported inadequate pretreatment plan understanding and 578 (40.9%) reported that their treatment experience did not meet their expectations. Treatment met expectations for only 95 respondents (18.1%) reporting an inadequate pretreatment plan understanding. Of the 526 survivors of TC reporting a lack of understanding, 473 (90.0%) provided additional textual comments, most commonly in the categories of postoperative treatment, surveillance, and treatment effects. On multivariable logistic regression, self-reported failure to have an understanding of TC treatment was independently associated with failure of treatment to meet expectations (odds ratio, 5.1 [95% CI, 3.7-6.9]). Patients reporting a full understanding of their treatment plan were 5-fold more likely to indicate that their initial treatment experience was on par with expectations, independent of reported postoperative complications, age, sex, and other potential confounders.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this survey study, a substantial proportion of survivors of TC reported inadequate pretreatment understanding. This gap in understanding was associated with high levels of self-reported failure of treatment to meet expectations, which in turn is associated in other studies with poorer patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes. These outcomes may be improved by addressing gaps in patient understanding so expectations more closely match TC diagnosis and treatment pathways.

Context Broad genomic analyses among thyroid histologies have been described from relatively small cohorts. Objective Investigate the molecular findings across a large, real-world cohort of thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples. Design Retrospective analysis of RNA sequencing data files. Setting Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments laboratory performing Afirma Genomic Sequencing Classifier (GSC) and Xpression Atlas (XA) testing. Participants A total of 50 644 consecutive Bethesda III-VI nodules. Intervention None. Main Outcome Measures Molecular test results. Results Of 48 952 Bethesda III/IV FNAs studied, 66% were benign by Afirma GSC. The prevalence of BRAF V600E was 2% among all Bethesda III/IV FNAs and 76% among Bethesda VI FNAs. Fusions involving NTRK, RET, BRAF, and ALK were most prevalent in Bethesda V (10%), and 130 different gene partners were identified. Among small consecutive Bethesda III/IV sample cohorts with one of these fusions and available surgical pathology excision data, the positive predictive value of an NTRK or RET fusion for carcinoma or noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features was >95%, whereas for BRAF and ALK fusions it was 81% and 67%, respectively. At least 1 genomic alteration was identified by the expanded Afirma XA panel in 70% of medullary thyroid carcinoma classifier–positive FNAs, 44% of Bethesda III or IV Afirma GSC suspicious FNAs, 64% of Bethesda V FNAs, and 87% of Bethesda VI FNAs. Conclusions This large study demonstrates that almost one-half of Bethesda III/IV Afirma GSC suspicious and most Bethesda V/VI nodules had at least 1 genomic variant or fusion identified, which may optimize personalized treatment decisions.

Report outcomes of rapid implementation of telehealth across an academic otolaryngology‐head and neck surgery department during the COVID‐19 pandemic This is a retrospective, single‐institution study of rapid deployment of telehealth during the COVID‐19 pandemic Characteristics of patients were compared between those who agreed and those who declined telehealth care Reasons for declining telehealth visits were ascertained Characteristics of telehealth visits were collected and patients were asked to complete a post‐visit satisfaction survey There was a 68% acceptance rate for telehealth visits In multivariable analysis, patients were more likely to accept telehealth if they were being seen in the facial plastics subspecialty clinic (odds ratio [OR] 59 55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2 21‐1607 52;P = 015) compared to the general otolaryngology clinic Patients with Medicare (compared to commercial insurance) as their primary insurance were less likely to accept telehealth visits (OR 0 10, 95% CI 0 01‐0 77;P = 027) Two hundred and thirty one patients underwent telehealth visits;most visits (69%) were for established patients and residents were involved in 38% of visits There was an 85% response rate to the post‐visit survey On a scale of one to ten, the median satisfaction score was 10 and 99% of patients gave a score of 8 or higher Satisfaction scores were higher for new patient visits than established patient visits (P = 020) Rapid implementation of telehealth in an academic otolaryngology‐head and neck surgery department is feasible There was high acceptance of and satisfaction scores with telehealth 3 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a possible link between breast and thyroid cancer. METHODS: A multi-center retrospective review of patients in the electronic medical records of six Accrual to Clinical Trial (ACT) institutions with both breast cancer and thyroid carcinoma. Each center queried their data using a predefined data dictionary. Information on thyroid and breast cancer included dates of diagnosis, histology, and patient demographics. RESULTS: A random effects model was used. There were 4.24 million women’s records screened, 44,605 with breast cancer and 11,846 with thyroid cancer. The relative risks observed at each institution ranged from 0.49 to 13.47. The combined risk ratio estimate was 1.77 (95% CI: 0.50 – 5.18). CONCLUSION: There was no association between risk of developing thyroid cancer and being a breast cancer survivor compared to no history of breast cancer, but the range of relative risks among the participating institutions was wide. Our findings warrant further study of more institutions with a larger sample size. Additionally, further analysis of the significance of regional risk ratio differences may be enlightening. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3

BACKGROUND Opioid abuse is widespread in the United States and the risk for chronic use is increased in surgical patients, including patients with thyroid and parathyroid. METHODS Records for 171 patients prior to and 67 patients following implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol for ambulatory thyroid/parathyroid surgeries were reviewed. The ERAS included superficial cervical plexus block, multimodal premedication, and postoperative reliance on acetaminophen and ibuprofen with judicious prescribing of opioids. RESULTS Post-ERAS patients were prescribed a mean 72 morphine milligram equivalents (MME); pre-ERAS patients were prescribed a mean 163 MME (p

OBJECTIVES To provide a clinical disease state review of recent relevant literature and to generate expert consensus statements regarding the breadth of pediatric thyroid cancer diagnosis and care, with an emphasis on thyroid surgery. To generate expert statements to educate pediatric practitioners on the state-of-the-art practices and the value of surgical experience in the management of this unusual and challenging disease in children. METHODS A literature search was conducted and statements were constructed and subjected to a modified Delphi process to measure the consensus of the expert author panel. The wording of statements, voting tabulation, and statistical analysis were overseen by a Delphi expert (J.J.S.). RESULTS Twenty-five consensus statements were created and subjected to a modified Delphi analysis to measure the strength of consensus of the expert author panel. All statements reached a level of consensus, and the majority of statements reached the highest level of consensus. CONCLUSION Pediatric thyroid cancer has many unique nuances, such as bulky cervical adenopathy on presentation, an increased incidence of diffuse sclerosing variant, and a longer potential lifespan to endure potential complications from treatment. Complications can be a burden to parents and patients alike. We suggest that optimal outcomes and decreased morbidity will come from the use of advanced imaging, diagnostic testing, and neural monitoring of patients treated at high-volume centers by high-volume surgeons.

ImportanceIdentification and preservation of parathyroid glands (PGs) remain challenging despite advances in surgical techniques. Considerable morbidity and even mortality result from hypoparathyroidism caused by devascularization or inadvertent removal of PGs. Emerging imaging technologies hold promise to improve identification and preservation of PGs during thyroid surgery.ObservationThis narrative review (1) comprehensively reviews PG identification and vascular assessment using near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF)—both label free and in combination with indocyanine green—based on a comprehensive literature review and (2) offers a manual for possible implementation these emerging technologies in thyroid surgery.Conclusions and RelevanceEmerging technologies hold promise to improve PG identification and preservation during thyroidectomy. Future research should address variables affecting the degree of fluorescence in NIRAF, standardization of signal quantification, definitions and standardization of parameters of indocyanine green injection that correlate with postoperative PG function, the financial effect of these emerging technologies on near-term and longer-term costs, the adoption learning curve and effect on surgical training, and long-term outcomes of key quality metrics in adequately powered randomized clinical trials evaluating PG preservation.

Introduction: The risk of long-term opioid use (90–180 days) in previously opioid-naive patients ranges from 5.9% to 6.5%.1,2 Recent studies conducted investigating whether implementing an...

BACKGROUND: The development of systemic treatment options leveraging the molecular landscape of advanced thyroid cancer is a burgeoning field. This is a multidisciplinary evidence-based statement on the definition of advanced thyroid cancer and its targeted systemic treatment. METHODS: An expert panel was assembled, a literature review was conducted, and best practice statements were developed. The modified Delphi method was applied to assess the degree of consensus for the statements developed by the author panel. RESULTS: A review of the current understanding of thyroid oncogenesis at a molecular level is presented and characteristics of advanced thyroid cancer are defined. Twenty statements in topics including the multidisciplinary management, molecular evaluation, and targeted systemic treatment of advanced thyroid cancer are provided. CONCLUSIONS: With the growth in targeted treatment options for thyroid cancer, a consensus definition of advanced disease and statements regarding the utility of molecular testing and available targeted systemic therapy is warranted.

Traditionally, data regarding thyroidectomy were extracted from billing databases, but information may be missed. In this study, a multi-institutional pediatric thyroidectomy database was used to evaluate recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury and hypoparathyroidism.Retrospective multi-institutional cohort study.Tertiary care pediatric hospital systems throughout North America.Data were individually collected for thyroidectomies, then entered into a centralized database and analyzed using univariate and multivariable regression models.In total, 1025 thyroidectomies from 10 institutions were included. Average age was 13.9 years, and 77.8% were female. Average hospital stay was 1.9 nights and 13.5% of patients spent at least 1 night in the pediatric intensive care unit. The most frequent pathology was papillary thyroid carcinoma (42%), followed by Graves' disease (20.1%) and follicular adenoma (18.2%). Overall, 1.1% of patients experienced RLN injury (0.8% permanent), and 7.2% experienced hypoparathyroidism (3.3% permanent). Lower institutional volume (odds ratio [OR], 3.57; 95% CI, 1.72-7.14) and concurrent hypoparathyroidism (OR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.64-7.53) correlated with RLN injury on multivariable analysis. Graves' disease (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.35-3.80), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 2.39-9.09), central neck dissection (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 2.36-5.49), and total vs partial thyroidectomy (OR, 7.14; 95% CI, 4.55-11.11) correlated with hypoparathyroidism.These data present thyroidectomy information and complications pertinent to surgeons, along with preoperative risk factor assessment. Multivariable analysis showed institutional volume and hypoparathyroidism associated with RLN injury, while hypoparathyroidism associated with surgical indication, central neck dissection, and extent of surgery. Low complication rates support the safety of thyroidectomy in pediatric tertiary care centers.

Children are more likely to experience recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury during thyroid surgery. Intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) may assist in nerve identification and surgical decision making. A literature review of pediatric IONM was performed and used to inform a monitoring technique guide and expert opinion statements. Pediatric IONM is achieved using a variety of methods. When age-appropriate endotracheal tubes with integrated surface electrodes are not available, an alternative method should be used. Patient age and surgeon experience with laryngoscopy influence technique selection; four techniques are described in detail. Surgeons must be familiar with the nuances of monitoring technique and interpretation; opinion statements address optimizing this technology in children. Adult IONM guidelines may offer strategies for surgical decision making in children. In some cases, delay of second-sided surgery may reduce bilateral RLN injury risk.

Background Self-awareness of skill, essential for progression as a surgeon, has direct bearing on postresidency practice; however, studies have supported that residents achieve self-perceived competence later than believed by program directors. This study compares residents' self-perception of operative competency to attending surgeon's evaluation using Computer Enhanced Visual Learning, a validated online hemithyroidectomy-specific assessment tool. Methods Eleven otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (HNS) residents completed a preoperative module and postoperative survey, later reviewed by an attending surgeon. Eighty-three performances were assessed for inter-rater reliabilities of key surgical steps. Results Almost perfect agreement (Kappa = 0.81-1.00) was shown in 11 of 18 parameters. Substantial agreement (Kappa = 0.61-0.80) was demonstrated in the remaining seven parameters. Conclusions Otolaryngology-HNS trainees have high self-awareness of their performance at each step in a hemithyroidectomy. Standardized assessment tools can allow for documentation of procedural performance and serve as guides for improvement. This is the only study to examine otolaryngology-HNS trainees' self-perceived skill compared to an attending surgeon's assessment for hemithyroidectomy.

Introduction Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a condition in which one or more parathyroid glands secrete excess amounts of parathyroid hormone (PTH). In short, PHPT is characterized by hypercalcemia/hypercalciuria with concurrent elevated PTH levels. This condition is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, psychiatric disturbances, and renal complications. As of now, the disease typically runs a long course before being identified and treated. At present, surgery is the only viable treatment option for patients with this disease. Publications from other tertiary centers have identified a large‐scale underdiagnosis of PHPT. The aim of this study is to determine if similar trends exist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Moreover, this study was seen as a first step to developing a machine learning strategy to diagnose PHPT in large clinical data sets. Methods To evaluate for potential underdiagnosis of PHPT at UAMS, all patients from 2006 to 2018 with hypercalcemia and/or hypercalciuria (excluding those with known malignancies or other possible causes of excess serum calcium) were identified in electronic medical records. Then, it was evaluated whether these hypercalcemic/hypercalciuric patients received subsequent measurement of PTH levels necessary to confirm the diagnosis of HPT. Results At UAMS between 2006 and 2018, 28 831 patients were identified as having hypercalcemia and/or hypercalciuria. Of these patients, only 7984 ever had subsequent PTH levels tested. Therefore, 20 847 (72.3%) of these patients never had PTH labs drawn. Conclusions These findings may represent a significant patient population in which PHPT remains undiagnosed due to lack of follow‐up. PHPT is often a silent disease with an insidious onset. At the point of diagnosis, typically the treatment is surgical removal of the offending parathyroid gland(s) (parathyroidectomy). Identification of underdiagnosis is the first step for subsequent improvement in the diagnosis of PHPT. Detection of this disease in its earlier stages may open the door for medical and lifestyle interventions, thereby decreasing long‐term sequelae of the disease, such as osteoporosis, myocardial infarction, or stroke.

Importance: There is epidemiologic evidence that the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer is associated with subclinical disease detection. Evidence for a true increase in thyroid cancer incidence has also been identified. However, a true increase in disease would likely be heralded by an increased incidence of thyroid-referable symptoms in patients presenting with disease.Objectives: To evaluate whether modes of detection (MODs) used to identify thyroid nodules for surgical removal have changed compared with historic data and to determine if MODs vary by geographic location.Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a retrospective analysis of pathology and medical records of 1328 patients who underwent thyroid-directed surgery in 16 centers in 4 countries: 4 centers in Canada, 1 in Denmark, 1 in South Africa, and 12 in the US. The participants were the first 100 patients (or the largest number available) at each center who had thyroid surgery in 2019. The MOD of the thyroid finding that required surgery was classified using an updated version of a previously validated tool as endocrine condition, symptomatic thyroid, surveillance, or without thyroid-referable symptoms (asymptomatic). If asymptomatic, the MOD was further classified as clinician screening examination, patient-requested screening, radiologic serendipity, or diagnostic cascade.Main Outcomes and Measures: The MOD of thyroid nodules that were surgically removed, by geographic variation; and the proportion and size of thyroid cancers discovered in patients without thyroid-referable symptoms compared with symptomatic detection. Data analyses were performed from April 2021 to February 2022.Results: Of the 1328 patients (mean [SD] age, 52 [15] years; 993 [75%] women; race/ethnicity data were not collected) who underwent thyroid surgery that met inclusion criteria, 34% (448) of the surgeries were for patients with thyroid-related symptoms, 41% (542) for thyroid findings discovered without thyroid-referable symptoms, 14% (184) for endocrine conditions, and 12% (154) for nodules with original MOD unknown (under surveillance). Cancer was detected in 613 (46%) patients; of these, 30% (183 patients) were symptomatic and 51% (310 patients) had no thyroid-referable symptoms. The mean (SD) size of the cancers identified in the symptomatic group was 3.2 (2.1) cm (median [range] cm, 2.6 [0.2-10.5]; 95% CI, 2.91-3.52) and in the asymptomatic group, 2.1 (1.4) cm (median [range] cm, 1.7 [0.05-8.8]; 95% CI, 1.92-2.23). The MOD patterns were significantly different among all participating countries.Conclusions and Relevance: This retrospective analysis found that most thyroid cancers were discovered in patients who had no thyroid-referable symptoms; on average, these cancers were smaller than symptomatic thyroid cancers. Still, some asymptomatic cancers were large, consistent with historic data. The substantial difference in MOD patterns among the 4 countries suggests extensive variations in practice.

Background This American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) consensus statement focuses on evidence-based comprehensive pain management practices for thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Overutilization of opioids for postoperative pain management is a major contributing factor to the opioid addiction epidemic however evidence-based guidelines for pain management after routine head and neck endocrine procedures are lacking. Methods An expert panel was convened from the membership of the AHNS, its Endocrine Surgical Section, and ThyCa. An extensive literature review was performed, and recommendations addressing several pain management subtopics were constructed based on best available evidence. A modified Delphi survey was then utilized to evaluate group consensus of these statements. Conclusions This expert consensus provides evidence-based recommendations for effective postoperative pain management following head and neck endocrine procedures with a focus on limiting unnecessary use of opioid analgesics.

BACKGROUND Intraoperative scintigraphy (IoS) has been proposed as a tool for real-time intraoperative decision-making regarding parathyroid adenoma localization and confirmation of excision. METHODS Retrospective review of patients who underwent minimally invasive parathyroidectomies with scintigraphy performed intraoperatively. Preoperative neck ultrasound, 4D computed tomography, as well as intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) and gamma probe measurements were conducted per standard practice. IoS images were obtained prior to and following parathyroid excision. Cases were reviewed to determine accuracy of IoS for localizing parathyroid pathology and confirming successful excision. RESULTS Fifty-six cases met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-nine patients (51.8%) showed confirmation of excision of an abnormal gland on post-excision IoS. There were no significant differences in IOPTH reduction and postoperative laboratory values between patients with IoS-identified resolution and those without IoS-identified resolution. CONCLUSIONS With low accuracy in correctly localizing abnormal glands and confirming their excision, there is no appreciable benefit of IoS at this time.

PURPOSE The objective of this study was to determine the negative predictive value (NPV) of positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for the clinically N0 neck on the basis of neck dissection. METHODS Participants with newly diagnosed, first-time, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and at least one clinically N0 neck side for which dissection was planned were included. A total of 287 participants were prospectively enrolled from 23 American College of Radiology Imaging Network-qualified institutions. PET/CT was compared with findings at neck dissection. RESULTS PET/CT scans and pathology findings were available for 270 N0 neck sides from 212 participants. For visual assessment, the NPV specific to the clinical-N0 sides was 0.868 (95% CI, 0.803 to 0.925). For dichotomized maximum standardized uptake value, the NPVs specific to the nodal basins were 0.940 (95% CI, 0.928 to 0.952) and 0.937 (95% CI, 0.925 to 0.949) at prespecified cutoffs of 2.5 and 3.5, respectively. The optimal cutoff maximum standardized uptake value was determined to be 1.8, with an NPV of 0.942 (95% CI, 0.930 to 0.953). The PET/CT-informed surgical treatment plan was changed in 51 of 237 participants (22%) compared with the PET/CT-blinded surgical plan. In 34 participants (14%), this led to planned dissection of additional nodal levels. In 12 participants (5%), this led to fewer planned dissected nodal levels. Negative PET/CT scans in N0 necks was true negative in 87% and false negative in 13%. CONCLUSION [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT has high NPV for the N0 neck in T2 to T4 HNSCC. The surgical treatment plans on the basis of PET/CT findings may be changed in approximately 22% of this group. These findings suggest that [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT may assist the clinician in deciding on the best therapy for the clinically N0 neck in HNSCC. Well-designed clinical trials should be performed to test the outcome of omitting neck dissection by using PET/CT.

Health care consumer organizations and insurance companies increasingly are scrutinizing value when considering reimbursement policies for medical interventions. Recently, members of several American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) committees worked closely with one insurance company to refine reimbursement policies for preoperative localization imaging in patients undergoing surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. This endeavor led to an AAO-HNS parathyroid imaging consensus statement (https://www.entnet.org/content/parathyroid-imaging). The American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Surgery Section gathered an expert panel of authors to delineate imaging options for preoperative evaluation of surgical candidates with primary hyperparathyroidism. We review herein the current literature for preoperative parathyroid localization imaging, with discussion of efficacy, cost, and overall value. We recommend that planar sestamibi imaging, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), SPECT/CT, CT neck/mediastinum with contrast, MRI, and four dimensional CT (4D-CT) may be used in conjunction with high-resolution neck ultrasound to preoperatively localize pathologic parathyroid glands. PubMed literature on parathyroid imaging was reviewed through February 1, 2019.

To quantify how frequently intraoperative parathyroid hormone levels increase during thyroid surgery and to explore a possible relationship between secondary hyperparathyroidism due to vitamin D deficiency and elevation in intraoperative parathyroid hormone.Case series with chart review.Tertiary academic center.A total of 428 consecutive patients undergoing completion and total thyroidectomy by the senior author over a 7-year period were included for analysis. All patients had baseline and postexcision intraoperative parathyroid hormone levels as well as vitamin D levels from the same laboratory. Institute of Medicine criteria were employed for vitamin D stratification (30, normal; 20-29.9, insufficient;20, deficient) . Other data analyzed include sex, age, neck dissection status, and parathyroid autotransplantation.A total of 118 patients (27.6%) had an intraoperative parathyroid hormone elevation above baseline. Patients with vitamin D deficiency were significantly more likely to experience hormone elevation ( P = .04). When parathyroid hormone rose, it did so by a mean 32.1 pg/mL. Patients with vitamin D deficiency demonstrated significantly larger hormone increases ( P = .03).Elevation in intraoperative parathyroid hormone levels above baseline after completion and total thyroidectomy occurs in over one-fourth of cases and is significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency. This study is the first to report this observation. We hypothesize that vitamin D deficiency in these patients may create a subclinical secondary hyperparathyroidism that leads to intraoperative parathyroid hormone elevation when the glands are manipulated. Additional studies will be needed to explore this physiologic mechanism and its clinical significance.

The purpose of this publication was to inform surgeons as to the modern state-of-the-art evidence-based guidelines for management of the recurrent laryngeal nerve invaded by malignancy through blending the domains of 1) surgical intraoperative information, 2) preoperative glottic function, and 3) intraoperative real-time electrophysiologic information. These guidelines generated by the International Neural Monitoring Study Group (INMSG) are envisioned to assist the clinical decision-making process involved in recurrent laryngeal nerve management during thyroid surgery by incorporating the important information domains of not only gross surgical findings but also intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve functional status and preoperative laryngoscopy findings. These guidelines are presented mainly through algorithmic workflow diagrams for convenience and the ease of application. These guidelines are published in conjunction with the INMSG Guidelines Part I: Staging Bilateral Thyroid Surgery With Monitoring Loss of Signal. Level of Evidence: 5 Laryngoscope, 128:S18-S27, 2018.

Objectives To provide a clinical disease state review of recent relevant literature and to generate expert consensus statements regarding the breadth of pediatric thyroid cancer diagnosis and care, with an emphasis on thyroid surgery. To generate expert statements to educate pediatric practitioners on the state-of-the-art practices and the value of surgical experience in the management of this unusual and challenging disease in children. Methods A literature search was conducted and statements were constructed and subjected to a modified Delphi process to measure the consensus of the expert author panel. The wording of statements, voting tabulation, and statistical analysis were overseen by a Delphi expert (J.J.S.). Results Twenty-five consensus statements were created and subjected to a modified Delphi analysis to measure the strength of consensus of the expert author panel. All statements reached a level of consensus, and the majority of statements reached the highest level of consensus. Conclusion Pediatric thyroid cancer has many unique nuances, such as bulky cervical adenopathy on presentation, an increased incidence of diffuse sclerosing variant, and a longer potential lifespan to endure potential complications from treatment. Complications can be a burden to parents and patients alike. We suggest that optimal outcomes and decreased morbidity will come from the use of advanced imaging, diagnostic testing, and neural monitoring of patients treated at high-volume centers by high-volume surgeons.

Assess the impact of surgical technique used to address level IV on the rate of postoperative chyle leak.Retrospective chart review.Academic tertiary care center.An analysis of 436 consecutive neck dissections (NDs) in 368 patients was performed by 3 head and neck surgeons between 2014 and 2017. Variation in technique reflects individual approaches to the management of level IV and included suture ligation (SL), monopolar electrocautery (MC), and harmonic scalpel transection (HS). Data points included patient demographics, surgical technique, intraoperative findings, postoperative chyle leaks, and leak management. Correlation between variables was analyzed through χOverall, 12 patients (3.2%) developed chyle leaks postoperatively. Nine of 12 and 3 of 12 presented with left- and right-sided leaks, respectively. Five of 12 leaks occurred following bilateral ND, 5 of 12 following left ND, and 2 of 12 following right ND. Univariate analysis showed a statistically significant difference (SL and MC techniques demonstrated superiority over the HS technique in preventative management of chyle leak in level IV, with a significantly higher rate of chyle leak observed in endocrine-related pathology.

Objective To develop and assess an otolaryngology-specific surgical priority scoring system that incorporates varying levels of mucosal involvement. Study Design Retrospective cohort. Setting Academic medical center. Methods A novel mucosal score was developed based on best available evidence. This mucosal score was incorporated into the Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive (MeNTS) score to generate a MeNTS-Mucosal (MeNTS-M) score. A retrospective cohort of patients was identified to assess the surgical priority scoring systems. Inclusion criteria included all scheduled surgical procedures between March 23, 2020, and April 17, 2020. Decisions about whether to proceed or cancel were made based on best clinical judgment by surgeons, without use of any surgical priority scores. The predictive value of the surgical priority scoring systems was assessed in this retrospective cohort. Results The median MeNTS score was significantly lower in adult patients whose surgery proceeded compared to those for whom the surgery was cancelled (48 vs 56; P = .004). Mucosal and MeNTS-M scores were not statistically different based on whether surgery proceeded. Among adult patients, the highest area under the curve (AUC) was for the MeNTS scoring system (0.794); both the mucosal and MeNTS-M systems had lower AUC values (which were significantly lower than the AUC for the MeNTS scoring system). Conclusion This study represents development and assessment of the first otolaryngology-specific surgical priority score and incorporates varying levels of mucosal disruption. The combined MeNTS-M scoring system could be a valuable tool in appropriately triaging otolaryngology–head and neck surgery procedures.

This article provides best practice guidelines regarding nasopharyngolaryngoscopy and OHNS clinic reopening during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The aim is to provide evidence‐based recommendations defining the risks of COVID‐19 in clinic, the importance of pre‐visit screening in addition to testing, along with ways to adhere to CDC guidelines for environmental, source, and engineering controls.

Variants of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT), described as normocalcemic (NC) and normohormonal (NH), can confuse the diagnosis of classic pHPT.A MEDLINE search was performed for variants of pHPT using the PubMed database (last queried October 2019).The search was restricted to articles published after 1960 that were specific to humans. Studies were included in our analysis if laboratory values and incidence of end-organ involvement were reported for NCpHPT and NHpHPT variants. The search returned 189 articles; 27 additional studies were identified and included for a total of 216. Non-English-language studies were excluded. Abstracts were screened, full-text articles were then assessed, and 82 articles were excluded. Data were pooled using a random-effects model in studies that compared NC or NH pHPT to classic pHPT. Comparative laboratory values are presented.This analysis compares NCpHPT and NHpHPT to classic pHPT. Nephrolithiasis was 21.7% (NCpHPT), 15.9% (classic pHPT), and 25.4% (NHpHPT). Decreased bone mineral density was 49.7% (NCpHPT), 39.7% (classic pHPT), and 40.3% (NHpHPT). Fractures in the NCpHPT group were not significantly different from the classic pHPT. Hypertension in the NCpHPT group was significantly less than classic pHPT (odds ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.40-0.88).This information may serve to inform clinicians of the laboratory subtleties of these variants that are being seen with greater frequency in contemporary practice.

Reoperative parathyroidectomy can often be performed successfully, particularly if imaging directs the surgeon to a specific target. However, surgeons need to approach these cases with caution and carefully weigh the risk-benefit ratio of proceeding with patients and their physicians. Although a range of techniques can be employed to address the challenges encountered in reoperative surgery, select cases can be particularly precarious even for the most experience surgeon.

OBJECTIVE. FDG-PET/CT (fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography/computed tomography) is effective to assess for occult neck nodal disease. We report risks and patterns of nodal disease based on primary site and nodal level from data on the dissected cN0 per the results from ACRIN 6685. STUDY DESIGN. Prospective nonrandomized enrollment included participants with first-time head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and at least 1 cN0 neck side to be dissected. SETTING. Twenty-four ACRIN-certified centers internationally (American College of Radiology Imaging Network). METHODS. A total of 287 participants were enrolled. Preoperative FDG-PET/CT findings were centrally reviewed and compared with pathology. Incidence, relative risk, pattern of lymph node involvement, and impact upon neck dissection were reported. RESULTS. An overall 983 nodal levels were dissected (n = 261 necks, n = 203 participants). The highest percentages of ipsilateral positive nodes by primary location and nodal level were oral cavity (level I, 17/110, 15.5%), pharynx (level II, 6/30, 20.0%), and larynx (level VI, 1/3, 33.3%). CONCLUSION. Levels at greatest risk for nodal disease in cN0 in terms of ipsilateral neck dissection are level I (oral cavity), II (pharynx), and VI (larynx). These data should be considered when treating patients presenting with cN0. This is the first study to comprehensively report the incidence, location, and risk of metastases in cN0 in the FDG-PET/CT era.

Background Laryngeal dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery requires early recognition and a standardized approach for patients that present with voice, swallowing, and breathing issues. The Endocrine Committee of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) convened a panel to define the terms "immediate vocal fold paralysis" and "partial neural dysfunction" and to provide clinical consensus statements based on review of the literature, integrated with expert opinion of the group. Methods A multidisciplinary expert panel constructed the manuscript and recommendations for laryngeal dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. A meta-analysis was performed using the literature and published guidelines. Consensus was achieved using polling and a modified Delphi approach. Results Twenty-two panelists achieved consensus on five statements regarding the role of early identification and standardization of evaluation for patients with "immediate vocal fold paralysis" and "partial neural dysfunction" after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Conclusion After endorsement by the AHNS Endocrine Section and Quality of Care Committee, it received final approval from the AHNS Council.

To determine the significance and impact of additional chloride testing as part of a diagnostic laboratory test battery for borderline primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT).Retrospective database review of parathyroidectomy patients.A tertiary care, academic health sciences center.Patients referred to a head and neck endocrine clinic for evaluation and treatment for pHPT.After exclusions, there were a total of 226 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism with the requisite preoperative and postoperative labs. Seventy-seven additional patients who had a thyroid operation for a nonmalignant cause were included as controls. Of the 303 total patients, 166 had normal calcium levels (10.4 mg/dL), and 54 (32.5%) also exhibited hyperchloremia (106 mmol/L). Of the 47 patients with normal calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (88 pg/mL), 6 (12.8%) had hyperchloremia, and of the 118 patients with normocalcemic pHPT, 48 (40.7%) were hyperchloremic. The area under the curve for the Cl:PO4 was 0.712. When using a cutoff of 33, the reported sensitivity and specificity of the curve were 58.4% and 28.6%, respectively.The Cl:PO4 ratio was a moderately sensitive test for the diagnosis of the borderline variants of primary hyperparathyroidism. The Ca:PO4 ratio was superior to the Cl:PO4 ratio. Our data also showed the superiority of preoperative calcium and ionized calcium over PTH when predicting the presence of pHPT.

BACKGROUND Postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) administration is widely utilized in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. While beneficial in select patients, it is critical to recognize the potential negative sequelae of this treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and management of the salivary and lacrimal complications of RAI exposure are addressed in this consensus statement. METHODS A multidisciplinary panel of experts was convened under the auspices of the American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Surgery and Salivary Gland Sections. Following a comprehensive literature review to assess the current best evidence, this group developed six relevant consensus recommendations. RESULTS Consensus recommendations on RAI were made in the areas of patient assessment, optimal utilization, complication prevention, and complication management. CONCLUSION Salivary and lacrimal complications secondary to RAI exposure are common and need to be weighed when considering its use. The recommendations included in this statement provide direction for approaches to minimize and manage these complications.