Dey, Jacob K

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate visual gaze patterns and the ability to correctly identify cancer among participants of different experience levels when viewing benign and malignant vocal cord lesions. Methods: Thirty-one participants were divided into groups based on level of experience. These included novice (medical students, PGY1-2 otolaryngology residents), intermediate (PGY3-5 otolaryngology residents, gastroenterology fellow), advanced practice providers (physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and speech language pathologists), and experts (board-certified otolaryngologists). Each participant was shown 7 images of vocal cord pathology including glottic cancer, infectious laryngitis, and granuloma and asked to determine the likelihood of cancer on a scale of certain, probable, possible, and unlikely. Eye tracking data were collected and used to identify the area of interest (AOI) that each participant fixated on first, fixated on the longest, and had the greatest number of fixations. Results: No significant differences were seen among groups when comparing AOI with first fixation, AOI with longest fixation, or AOI with most fixations. Novices were significantly more likely to rate a low likelihood of cancer when viewing infectious laryngitis compared to more experienced groups ( P < .001). There was no difference in likelihood of cancer rating among groups for the remaining images. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in gaze targets among participants of different experience levels evaluating vocal cord pathology. Symmetric appearance of vocal cord lesions may explain differences seen in likelihood of cancer rating among groups. Future studies with larger sample sizes will better elucidate gaze targets that lead to accurate diagnosis of vocal cord pathology.

Objectives/HypothesisUse validated eye‐tracking technology to objectively measure 1) the attentional distraction of facial contour defects after superficial and total parotidectomy and 2) changes in attentional distraction with abdominal dermal fat graft reconstruction.MethodsStandardized frontal and oblique facial images of 16 patients who had undergone superficial or total parotidectomy with or without fat graft reconstruction; four normal controls were obtained. One hundred casual observers were recruited to view these images, and gaze data were collected using a Tobii Pro eye‐tracking system. Gaze durations for predefined facial areas of interest were analyzed using mixed‐effects linear regression to test study hypotheses.ResultsFor frontal images, total parotidectomy increased gaze to the operated parotid area compared to the contralateral nonoperated parotid area (92 milliseconds, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 48‐138 milliseconds, P < .001). Fat grafting normalized the attentional distraction, with no difference in gaze time on the operated parotid region compared to normal control faces (P = .414). For oblique images, total parotidectomy increased gaze to the operated parotid area compared to the contralateral nonoperated parotid area (658 milliseconds, 95% CI: 463‐854 milliseconds, P < .001). Fat grafting normalized this attentional distraction, with no difference in gaze time on the operated parotid region compared to normal control faces (P = .504). In both views, superficial parotidectomy demonstrated no significant attentional distractions, with or without fat grafting.ConclusionsThis eye‐tracking study objectively demonstrates that total parotidectomy results in a facial contour deformity that is distracting to observers, whereas superficial parotidectomy does not. For total parotidectomy, this attentional distraction can be normalized with dermal fat graft reconstruction.Level of Evidence3b Laryngoscope, 131:E124–E131, 2021

Importance: Predicting nasal soft tissue envelope (STE) thickness is an important component of the preoperative evaluation for rhinoplasty that presently lacks validated tools. Objective: Assess for patient facial features and factors that can help predict nasal STE thickness. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective review and prospective assessment conducted at an academic tertiary referral center. This study included 190 adult patients and four expert raters. The patients had high-resolution maxillofacial CT scans and standardized facial photographs on file and did not have a history of nasal fracture, septal perforation, rhinoplasty, or other surgery or medical conditions altering nasal form. Main Outcomes and Measures: Assess each face for features that could help predict nasal STE thickness: sebaceous quality of skin, visibility of nasal tip cartilages, presence of freckles, presence of telangiectasias, Fitzpatrick skin type, patient age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Measure actual nasal STE thickness using high-resolution CT scans. Analyze which facial features and patient factors help predict nasal STE thickness. Results: Pearson correlations were calculated between actual nasal STE thickness and patient facial features and factors. These showed that more sebaceous skin, telangiectasias, higher Fitzpatrick skin type, male sex, and higher BMI were associated with a thicker nasal STE. Increased visibility of nasal tip cartilages, freckles, lower Fitzpatrick skin type, female sex, and lower BMI were associated with a thinner nasal STE. Conclusions and Relevance: There are patient facial features and factors that can help surgeons predict nasal STE thickness before rhinoplasty. An accurate prediction of nasal STE thickness can improve preoperative planning for rhinoplasty, allowing implementation of pre-, intra-, and post-operative treatments to optimize the nasal STE, which may ultimately improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.

ObjectivesTo assess the outcomes of abdominal dermal‐fat grafting following superficial and total parotidectomy.MethodsA retrospective chart review of parotidectomy patients was performed. Patients were divided into four groups based on surgical extent and grafting status: superficial parotidectomy (SP), superficial parotidectomy with grafting (SPg), total parotidectomy (TP), and total parotidectomy with grafting (TPg). Complication rates and operative times were then compared between surgically matched groups (SP vs. SPg, TP vs. TPg). Complications included graft necrosis, gustatory sweating, first‐bite syndrome, infection, hematoma, sialocele, and seroma. Data was analyzed via chi‐square and two‐sample t testing, logistic regression, and one‐way analysis of variance.ResultsThe cohort consisted of 330 patients: 106 SP (32.12%), 61 SPg (18.48%), 82 TP (24.85%), and 81 TPg (24.55%). No donor site complications occurred. TPg resulted in seven graft necroses (8.64%), and 22 reported gustatory sweating (27.20% vs. 10 TP patients (12.2%), P = 0.016); SPg resulted in two necroses (3.28%). There were no other statistically significant differences in complication rates. Graft recipients receiving adjuvant radiation were more likely to develop necrosis (odds ratio [OR] 4.60, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16–18.27, P = .0194). Patients who developed gustatory sweating were 8.38 years younger (95% CI 2.66–14.10, P = 0.002, follow‐up time > 48 days). Grafting did not increase operative times (TP/TPg: mean = 275.91/263.65 minutes, standard error of the mean = 41.96/33.75, P = 0.822).ConclusionAn abdominal dermal‐fat graft is an excellent reconstructive choice for a parotidectomy defect and is not associated with increased complication rates or prolonged operative time.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 130:2144–2147, 2020

Importance Objectively measuring how Mohs defect reconstruction changes casual observer attention has important implications for patients and facial plastic surgeons. Objective To use eye-tracking technology to objectively measure the ability of Mohs facial defect reconstruction to normalize facial attention. Design, Setting, and Participants This observational outcomes study was conducted at an academic tertiary referral center from January to June 2016. An eye-tracking system was used to record how 82 casual observers directed attention to photographs of 32 patients with Mohs facial defects of varying sizes and locations before and after reconstruction as well as 16 control faces with no facial defects. Statistical analysis was performed from November 2018 to January 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures First, the attentional distraction caused by facial defects was quantified in milliseconds of gaze time using eye tracking. Second, the eye-tracking data were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression to assess the association of facial defect reconstruction with normalized facial attention. Results The 82 casual observers (63 women and 19 men; mean [SD] age, 34 [12] years) viewed control faces in a similar and consistent fashion, with most attention (65%; 95% CI, 62%-69%) directed at the central triangle, which includes the eyes, nose, and mouth. The eyes were the most visually important feature, capturing a mean of 60% (95% CI, 57%-64%) of fixation time within the central triangle and 39% (95% CI, 36%-43%) of total observer attention. The presence of Mohs defects was associated with statistically significant alterations in this pattern of normal facial attention. The larger the defect and the more centrally a defect was located, the more attentional distraction was observed, as measured by increased attention on the defect and decreased attention on the eyes, ranging from 729 (95% CI, 526-931) milliseconds for small peripheral defects to 3693 (95% CI, 3490-3896) milliseconds for large central defects. Reconstructive surgery was associated with improved gaze deviations for all faces and with normalized attention directed to the eyes for all faces except for those with large central defects. Conclusions and Relevance Mohs defects are associated with altered facial perception, diverting attention from valuable features such as the eyes. Reconstructive surgery was associated with normalized attentional distraction for many patients with cutaneous Mohs defects. These data are important to patients who want to know how reconstructive surgery could change the way people look at their face. The data also point to the possibility of outcomes prediction based on facial defect size and location before reconstruction. Eye tracking is a valuable research tool for outcomes assessment that lays the foundation for understanding how reconstructive surgery may change perception and normalize facial deformity.

Importance Preoperative assessment of nasal soft-tissue envelope (STE) thickness is an important component of rhinoplasty that presently lacks validated tools. Objective To measure and assess the distribution of nasal STE thickness in a large patient population and to determine if facial plastic surgery clinicians can predict nasal STE thickness based on visual examination of the nose. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective review and prospective assessment of 190 adult patients by 4 expert raters was conducted at an academic tertiary referral center. The patients had high-resolution maxillofacial computed tomography (CT) scans and standardized facial photographs on file and did not have a history of nasal fracture, septal perforation, rhinoplasty, or other surgery or medical conditions altering nasal form. Data were analyzed in March 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Measure nasal STE thickness at defined anatomic subsites using high-resolution CT scans. Measure expert-predicted nasal STE thickness based on visual examination of the nose using a scale from 0 (thinnest) to 100 (thickest). Results Of the 190 patients, 78 were women and the mean (SD) age was 45 (17) years. The nasal STE was thickest at the sellion (mean [SD]) (6.7 [1.7] mm), thinnest at the rhinion (2.1 [0.7] mm), thickened over the supratip (4.8 [1.0] mm) and nasal tip (3.1 [0.6] mm), and thinned over the columella (2.6 [0.4] mm). In the study population, nasal STE thickness followed a nearly normal distribution for each measured subsite, with the majority of patients in a medium thickness range. Comparison of predicted and actual nasal STE thickness showed that experts could accurately predict nasal STE thickness, with the highest accuracy at the nasal tip ( r , 0.73; prediction accuracy, 91%). A strong positive correlation was noted among the experts’ STE estimates ( r , 0.83-0.89), suggesting a high level of agreement between individual raters. Conclusions and Relevance There is variable thickness of the nasal STE, which influences the external nasal contour and rhinoplasty outcomes. With visual analysis of the nose, experts can agree on and predict nasal STE thickness, with the highest accuracy at the nasal tip. These data can aid in preoperative planning for rhinoplasty, allowing implementation of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative strategies to optimize the nasal STE, which may ultimately improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. Level of Evidence NA .