A Review of Telemedicine Applications in Otorhinolaryngology: Considerations During the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective/Hypothesis Review the published literature of telemedicine's use within otorhinolaryngology (ORL), highlight its successful implementation, and document areas with need of future research. Study Design State of the Art Review. Methods Three independent, comprehensive searches for articles published on the subject of telemedicine in ORL were conducted of literature available from January 2000 to April 2020. Search terms were designed to identify studies which examined telemedicine use within ORL. Consensus among authors was used to include all relevant articles. Results While several, small reports document clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the cost of telemedicine, much of the literature on telemedicine in ORL is comprised of preliminary, proof‐of‐concept reports. Further research will be necessary to establish its strengths and limitations. Conclusions Particularly during the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic, telemedicine can, and should, be used within ORL practice. This review can assist in guiding providers in implementing telemedicine that has been demonstrated to be successful, and direct future research. Laryngoscope , 2020

Effect of coronavirus disease 2019 on recurrences and follow up of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

“…At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine was recommended instead of follow-up visits. 7 Otolaryngologists were at a high risk because of aerosolgenerating procedures, as in the SARS-CoV-1 pandemic in 2003. 8 Indeed, the first reported physician fatality in the Covid-19 pandemic was an otolaryngologist in Wuhan, China.…”

“…4-6 Singh et al published a review article on using telemedicine applications in otorhinolaryngology, and recommended telemedicine follow up for head and neck cancer. 7 In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, we modified the follow-up protocol in order to reduce the number of patients visiting our tertiary care academic centre (the Department of Otorhinolaryngology -Head and Neck Surgery, Turku University Hospital, Finland), and subsequently investigated the effects of the changed protocol. This prospective study aimed to evaluate possible diagnostic delays in head and neck SCC recurrences due to the changed follow-up protocol during the Covid-19 pandemic.…”

In Reference to Telemedicine in Otorhinolaryngology Practice in Developing Nations

“…However, most of their review is focused on technologies and healthcare facilities available in the western world, which may be difficult to implement universally. 1 We also believe TM could be an immaculate fit for ORL practice in the present pandemic, especially in developing counties. Pocket-sized smart mobile devices available today, do a lot more than what much larger devices of 30 to 40 years ago could do collectively.…”

Handheld Briefcase Optical Coherence Tomography with Real-Time Machine Learning Classifier for Middle Ear Infections

“…The adoption of telemedicine has gradually increased over the past decades in the United States [ 38 ] and particularly during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic [ 39 ]. In otolaryngology, telemedicine may involve low-cost, compact, diagnostic devices or smartphones, which enable remote examination and monitoring of various diseases [ 40 ].…”