The Impact of Septal Deviation on Intranasal Schirmer Test Values

Objective:Intranasal Schirmer test serves as an objective measurement for evaluation of nasal secretion and humidity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of septal deviation on nasal secretion and humidity by measuring the intranasal Schirmer test values in patients who had septal deviation and compare it to the values of our healthy volunteers.Methods:The study included 52 patients with nasal septum deviation and 52 volunteers without any rhinologic complaints or deviated nasal septum. Intranasal Schirmer test was performed to all patients and volunteers for both nasal cavities.Results:The intranasal Schirmer test values of the convex (deviated) side were lower than that of the concave (non-deviated) side (20.71 and 23.35 respectively); although this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.054,). After excluding the four patients with equal Schirmer test results on both sides, 70% (34/48) of our patients had lower intranasal Schirmer test values on the deviated side. There was no statistically significant difference between the Schirmer test values of the patients with septal deviation and the volunteers without septal deviation (p>0.05).Conclusion:The Schirmer test values of the deviated sides were less than the values of the contralateral side in majority of our patients. This finding supports the negative effect of nasal septum deviation on nasal humidification, although the difference did not reach statistical significance

International registry of otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeons with COVID-19

Background: It has become clear that healthcare workers are at high risk, and otolaryngology has been theorized to be among the highest risk specialties for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this study was to detail the international impact of COVID-19 among otolaryngologists, and to identify instructional cases. Methods: Country representatives of the Young Otolaryngologists–International Federation of Otolaryngologic Societies (YO-IFOS) surveyed otolaryngologists through various channels. Nationwide surveys were distributed in 19 countries. The gray literature and social media channels were searched to identify reported deaths of otolaryngologists from COVID-19. Results: A total of 361 otolaryngologists were identified to have had COVID-19, and data for 325 surgeons was available for analysis. The age range was 25 to 84 years, with one-half under the age of 44 years. There were 24 deaths in the study period, with 83% over age 55 years. Source of infection was likely clinical activity in 175 (54%) cases. Prolonged exposure to a colleague was the source for 37 (11%) surgeons. Six instructional cases were identified where infections occurred during the performance of aerosol-generating operations (tracheostomy, mastoidectomy, epistaxis control, dacryocystorhinostomy, and translabyrinthine resection). In 3 of these cases, multiple operating room attendees were infected, and in 2, the surgeon succumbed to complications of COVID-19. Conclusion: The etiology of reported cases within the otolaryngology community appear to stem equally from clinical activity and community spread. Multiple procedures performed by otolaryngologists are aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) and great care should be taken to protect the surgical team before, during, and after these operations

International registry of otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeons with COVID‐19

Background: It has become clear that healthcare workers are at high risk, and otolaryngology has been theorized to be among the highest risk specialties for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this study was to detail the international impact of COVID-19 among otolaryngologists, and to identify instructional cases. Methods: Country representatives of the Young Otolaryngologists–International Federation of Otolaryngologic Societies (YO-IFOS) surveyed otolaryngologists through various channels. Nationwide surveys were distributed in 19 countries. The gray literature and social media channels were searched to identify reported deaths of otolaryngologists from COVID-19. Results: A total of 361 otolaryngologists were identified to have had COVID-19, and data for 325 surgeons was available for analysis. The age range was 25 to 84 years, with one-half under the age of 44 years. There were 24 deaths in the study period, with 83% over age 55 years. Source of infection was likely clinical activity in 175 (54%) cases. Prolonged exposure to a colleague was the source for 37 (11%) surgeons. Six instructional cases were identified where infections occurred during the performance of aerosol-generating operations (tracheostomy, mastoidectomy, epistaxis control, dacryocystorhinostomy, and translabyrinthine resection). In 3 of these cases, multiple operating room attendees were infected, and in 2, the surgeon succumbed to complications of COVID-19. Conclusion: The etiology of reported cases within the otolaryngology community appear to stem equally from clinical activity and community spread. Multiple procedures performed by otolaryngologists are aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) and great care should be taken to protect the surgical team before, during, and after these operations