Point-of-care ultrasound in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery: A prospective survey study

Purpose: The ultrasound applications, examination facilities and methods used by otolaryngology and head and neck surgeons may vary and be different. This study was conducted to assess the methods used for head-and-neck point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Methods: This prospective survey study was conducted from 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2019. The surgeons of otolaryngology and head neck surgery who used POCUS in their daily practice were recruited for analyses. Results: In total, 30 male and 14 female surgeons who used neck POCUS were recruited. Thirty-nine (89%) surgeons placed patients in a supine position with the head toward the operator. Forty (91%) surgeons performed US-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA), and 35 (80%) surgeons did not use local anesthesia during US-FNA. Thirty-nine (88%) surgeons used the long-axis method to harvest the specimen, and forty-one (93%) used a free-hand method. Most surgeons (25, 57%) used 22G needles for US-FNA, and 29 (66%) used 18G for US-guided core-needle biopsy (CNB). For the cost analysis, reimbursements for US-related procedures were relatively cheaper than those for computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Conclusion: POCUS can be performed by otolaryngology and head and neck specialists with a wide scope of applications and in a cost-effective manner.