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Infectious Diseases

Assessment of Available Online Information About Nasopharyngeal Swab Testing in Patient Instructions for Sinus and Pituitary Surgery

Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article

1 Credit CME

JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery

Published Online: March 4, 2021

Research Letter

Article Information and Disclosures

Taylor Fish, BS¹;

Khalil Issa, MD²;

Corinna G. Levine, MD, MPH³;

David W. Jang, MD²;

Philip G. Chen, MD¹

Author Affiliations

¹Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio
²Division of Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery, Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina
³Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a rapidly evolving scenario that is changing the medical landscape. Real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction of nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) specimens is the preferred method of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing.¹ However, blind NPS testing poses risk to patients with sinus pathology. Sinus and skull-base surgery frequently removes bony partitions between the nasal cavity and skull base, resulting in the exposure of critical neurovascular structures. After surgery, patients are theoretically at higher risk of cerebrospinal fluid leak and neurovascular damage during NPS insertion.² In fact, recent reports illustrate the risk of cerebrospinal fluid leak caused by NPS insertion during SARS-CoV-2 testing.³

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Article Information

Accepted for Publication: December 17, 2020.

Published Online: March 4, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2020.5663

Corresponding Author: Philip G. Chen, MD, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, MC 7777, San Antonio, TX 78229 (p_g_chen@hotmail.com).

Author Contributions: Mr Fish and Dr Issa had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Concept and design: All authors.

Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors.

Drafting of the manuscript: Fish, Issa, Jang.

Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors.

Administrative, technical, or material support: All authors.

Supervision: All authors.

Other—supplied references and helped develop figures: Levine.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Levine reported receiving grants from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication outside the submitted work. Dr Chen reported receiving consulting fees from Medtronic, Stryker, and Integra outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

AMA CME Accreditation Information

Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
1.00 credit toward the CME [and Self-Assessment requirements] of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.