Odontogenic maxillary sinusitis (OMS) primarily results from a dental bacterial infection. Although OMS is a relatively common type of sinusitis, it is often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed by otorhinolaryngologists and dentists. The presence of periapical disease of the maxillary teeth should be carefully evaluated using computed tomography.

The treatment of OMS consists of eliminating dental infection and managing sinusitis. Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is widely performed to remove the inflamed sinus mucosa and improve sinus ventilation for the management of sinusitis. However, ESS alone is insufficient in the treatment of OMS because the source of infection has not been eliminated. Moreover, dental infection elimination alone is sometimes sufficient to resolve OMS; however, ESS may be required for complete resolution.

Improved communication and referral relationships between otorhinolaryngologists and dentists are important to provide appropriate patient care in the management of OMS.

The treatment is based on the antibody-photosensitive substance complex AKALUX® and light irradiation. The dye is activated by 690-nm light irradiation 20–28 h after administration of AKALUX®, and it is expected to induce a rapid cell-killing effect only to cells to which the complex has bound, where there is selective destruction of cancer cells only. Furthermore, it is expected to minimize damage to normal tissues surrounding tumor cells. In Japan, it has been approved for the treatment of unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer and has been covered by the National Health Insurance System since January 1, 2021.

Treatment is considered for unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer. When standard treatments such as chemoradiotherapy are available, these treatments are given priority.

Drugs are administered during the patient’s hospitalization. Light exposure protection is required during and after administration. Premedication should include intravenous corticosteroids and antihistamines followed by intravenous AKALUX® infusion over at least 2 h; 20–28 h after completion of AKALUX® administration, light irradiation is performed for 4–6 min under general anesthesia. Depending on the size of the lesion, multiple sessions may be performed.

Light exposure protection should be taken for 4 weeks, postoperatively. Moreover, bleeding, tongue swelling, laryngeal edema, and skin lesions, among others, should be observed. If a complete response is not achieved, the treatment may be repeated up to four times.

Genes are involved in most human diseases, and a certain understanding of genetic changes or variants is required for clinicians. Here, we have outlined the disease caused by a single gene variant as an example to deepen the understanding of gene variants. Previously, polymorphisms and mutations were distinguished from each other with a frequency of 1%; however, the boundary is not clear, and the term “variant” is now used. A variant is a concept that involves polymorphisms and mutations. Types of variants include substitutions or deletions at the DNA level, and missenses, nonsenses, or frameshifts at the protein level. Variants are written according to the Human Genome Variation Society (HGVS) nomenclature. Variants range from pathologic to non-pathologic depending on whether the protein function is altered, thus causing the disease. Websites such as GeneCards, MutationTaster, gnomAD, and ClinVar are useful in obtaining information on genes and variants. Familiarity in browsing and using these sites, obtaining the required information, and gaining a better understanding of variants will help us better understand the many hereditary disorders found in otolaryngology clinical practice.

More than 2 years into the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, this infection has negatively affected patient’s motivation and behavior with regard to seeking medical care and has also led to significant changes in medical institutions and systems. It is known that COVID-19 affects the upper and lower respiratory tracts and that infection is transmitted through droplets and aerosols; therefore, procedures and nebulizer therapy that may generate droplets and aerosols are considered a predominant source of infection in otolaryngeal clinics. Consequently, nebulizer therapy was temporarily discontinued in clinical practice during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, nebulizer therapy has gradually resumed following better understanding of the evolution of the infection.

This paper describes changing trends in nebulizer therapy administered during the COVID-19 pandemic, the current status of this treatment, and infection control measures adopted at a local clinic in Tokyo.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 became a global pandemic in the spring of 2020 and remains a major threat to public health worldwide, including in Japan. In otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, aerosol-generating procedures are performed; thus, caution was alerted from an early stage. Since April 2020, our department has been conducting universal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening tests before surgery or admission. Here, we assessed the SARS-CoV-2-PCR screening tests in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

Methods: We investigated cases of SARS-CoV-2-PCR screening tests that were performed at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Hospital, from April 2020 to October 2021.

Results: The total number of screening test subjects in our department was 1,123, and the purpose of the test was (1) surgery in 807 cases (71.9%) and (2) hospitalization other than surgery in 298 cases (26.5%). (3) Fifteen cases (1.3%) were judged to be necessary by the physician on the questionnaire and three cases (0.3%) were others. Some patients had upper respiratory tract symptoms or fever, but the screening tests in our department showed negative results, including these cases.

Discussion: Although all screening test cases showed negative results in our study, there are reports of asymptomatic positive cases in Japan and other countries. Screening tests are useful to prevent secondary infections and outbreaks of in-hospital clusters, and it is necessary to further consider sustainable test formats for the early detection of asymptomatic individuals.

[Background and Objective] The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes in lifestyles, and preventative measures against infections (for example, the use of face masks) are widely recommended globally. In this retrospective study, we focused on peritonsillar abscesses and investigated the changes in clinical features associated with otolaryngological infectious disorders before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Materials] We investigated 80 patients diagnosed with a peritonsillar abscess at our hospital between 2018 and 2020 and categorized patients into pre- and post-COVID-19 groups. Clinical characteristics, as well as blood test and bacterial culture test results were evaluated.

[Result] The pre-COVID-19 group included 65 patients, and the post-COVID-19 group included 15 patients who were diagnosed peritonsillar abscess at their initial visit. We observed statistically significant intergroup differences in white blood cell counts and the distribution of white blood cells; however, other parameters including days of hospitalization did not show any statistically significant differences. Bacterial culture test results showed reduced numbers of aerobic bacteria.

[Conclusion] This study highlights that the clinical features of peritonsillar abscess did not change significantly between the pre- and post-COVID-19 period. However, results of culture tests may indicate a decrease in the number of peritonsillar abscess cases caused by aerobic bacteria.