Incidence of SVT is significantly underreported and may predispose patients to increase risk for CSF leak. Staged and translabyrinthine approaches demonstrate an increased trend toward thrombosis risk. Our findings suggest it may not be necessary to treat asymptomatic SVT.

Objectives/Hypothesis: The Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) is a validated quality-of-life instrument that quantifies symptoms associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Many dysphonic patients are managed empirically for reflux. In this study, we examine responses to the RSI in patients with dysphonia attributable to a variety of pathologies. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: This is an institutional review board-approved study. All patients presented to a tertiary care voice center January 2011 to June 2016 with the chief complaint of dysphonia. Patients were analyzed by 1) diagnosis and 2) treatment modality: surgery, medicine, or voice therapy (VT). Data collected included pre-and postintervention RSI and Voice Handicap Index, demographic, and clinical information. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: Five hundred forty-six dysphonic patients were included. One hundred forty required surgery, 155 were treated with VT alone, and 251 were medically managed (MM). Prior to therapy, 63.4% of surgery patients, 62.5% of VT patients, and 74.6% of MM patients had an abnormal RSI with a score greater than 13. The most common diagnosis for each group was vocal cord paresis/paralysis (surgery), vocal fold atrophy (VT), and LPR (MM). There was a statistically significant improvement in RSI after treatment for each group. Conclusions: In patients with dysphonia, pretreatment RSI scores were elevated for a variety of laryngeal pathologies. Scores often improved with directed treatment, regardless of etiology. This highlights the symptom overlap between reflux and nonreflux causes of dysphonia, and the importance of a comprehensive workup for patients with voice complaints.

4 Laryngoscope, 2018.

Use of artificial intelligence (AI) is a burgeoning field in otolaryngology and the communication sciences. A virtual symposium on the topic was convened from Duke University on 26 October 2020 and was attended by more than 170 participants worldwide. This review presents summaries of all but one of the talks presented during the symposium; recordings of all the talks, along with the discussions for the talks, are available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktfewrXvEFg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gQ5qX2v3rg. Each of the summaries is about 2500 words in length and each summary includes two figures. This level of detail far exceeds the brief summaries presented in traditional reviews and thus provides a more-informed glimpse into the power and diversity of current AI applications in otolaryngology and the communication sciences and how to harness that power for future applications.

Objective To compare presenting symptoms, etiology, and treatment outcomes among dysphonic adults <65 and ≥65 years of age. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary care voice center between January 2011 and June 2016. Methods A total of 755 patients presenting for dysphonia were included in the study: 513 adults <65 years of age and 242 adults ≥65. Data collected included demographics, referral information, prior diagnoses, prior treatments, clinical examination findings, diagnosis, coexisting symptoms, treatments, and pre- and postintervention Voice Handicap Index scores. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS to determine significant relationships between variables of interest. Results The most common etiologies of dysphonia were vocal cord atrophy (44.8%) in the ≥65 cohort and benign vocal cord lesions (17.8%) in the <65 cohort. When compared with adults <65 years old, patients ≥65 had a higher incidence of neurologic dysphonia ( P = .006) and vocal cord atrophy ( P < .001) but were less likely to have laryngopharyngeal reflux ( P = .001), benign vocal cord lesions ( P < .001), or muscle tension dysphonia ( P < .001). Overall, 139 patients had surgery, 251 received medical therapy, and 156 underwent voice therapy. The ≥65 cohort demonstrated improvement in Voice Handicap Index scores after surgery ( P = .001) and voice therapy ( P = .034), as did the <65 cohort (surgery, P < .001; voice therapy, P = .015). Adult surgical patients <65 reported greater improvements than patients ≥65 ( P = .021). Conclusions There are notable differences in the pathophysiology of dysphonia between patients aged ≥65 and <65 years. Although adults <65 reported slightly better outcomes with surgery, patients ≥65 obtained significant benefit from surgery and voice therapy.