Indianapolis, Indiana – October 13, 2025 – The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO continued its mission to advance evidence-based medicine with Monday's presentation of over 175 scientific studies addressing critical challenges in ear, nose, throat, and head and neck care. Spanning pediatric through adult populations, these investigations reveal promising new tools for early intervention, refined surgical techniques, and expanded understanding of systemic health connections.
"The research showcased today reflects our specialty's commitment to advancing care through rigorous scientific inquiry," said Cecelia Damask, DO, Annual Meeting Program Coordinator. "These findings will directly influence how we prevent disease, select optimal treatments, and improve quality of life for our patients."
Pioneering Machine Learning Applications in Hearing Health
In a comprehensive analysis of nearly 8,000 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2012-2018), researchers in "Analyzing Cardiovascular Risk Factors Using Machine Learning and Their Associations with Hearing Loss" demonstrated that advanced algorithms can predict hearing outcomes with remarkable accuracy using cardiovascular health indicators. The LightGBM model achieved 80.1% accuracy for detecting mild hearing impairment, while neural networks predicted pure-tone averages within 3.05 decibels. Age, blood pressure, and waist circumference emerged as key predictors, offering clinicians a potential pathway for earlier identification of at-risk individuals and personalized intervention strategies.
Investigators also uncovered a significant mental health connection in "Conductive Hearing Loss Pathologies are Related to Depression in the All of Us Research Program." Analyzing data from over 396,000 participants, the study revealed that patients with cholesteatoma face 3.1 times higher odds of major depressive disorder and 4.5 times higher odds of dysthymia compared to those without the condition. Similar elevated depression risks were observed with otosclerosis and tympanic membrane perforation, underscoring how even peripheral sensory deficits may profoundly affect mental wellbeing and reinforcing the importance of timely surgical correction.
Advancing Pediatric Emergency Care and Early Intervention
Pediatric researchers introduced a standardized treatment protocol for post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage in "Nebulized Tranexamic Acid in Post-tonsillectomy Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Study of a Novel Treatment Algorithm." Among 94 patients treated with nebulized tranexamic acid in the emergency department, the approach reduced operative interventions from 95.2% to 81.9% overall, with particularly striking results for less severe bleeding—only 30% of patients with small clots required surgery compared to 85.7% of historical controls. No adverse events were reported, suggesting this simple intervention can safely spare children from return to the operating room while optimizing resource utilization.
In a groundbreaking preventive approach, "A Novel Orthotropic Pacifier to Reduce Nasal Obstruction in Neonates: A Pilot Study" demonstrated that regular use of a specially designed silicone pacifier can safely modify palatal anatomy during the first six months of life. Compliant infants showed significantly lower palatal indices at six months compared to non-compliant infants, with daily exposure inversely correlating with palatal height. This non-invasive early intervention may offer otolaryngologists a new tool to address nasal obstruction and sleep-disordered breathing before invasive procedures become necessary.
Progressing Surgical Safety and Technique
Concerns about transoral robotic surgery safety were addressed in "A National Database Analysis of Safety Outcomes in Transoral Robotic Surgery," which analyzed 410 cases from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. The 30-day mortality rate was 0.73%, comparable to other major head and neck operations and consistent with prospective trial data showing 1.08% cumulative mortality. Overall complication rates remained low at 15.4%, providing robust evidence for the safety profile of this minimally invasive approach.
For patients with challenging airway conditions, "A Novel Implementation of Placentally-Derived Connective Tissue Matrix in Laryngotracheal Stenosis" introduced a promising new adjuvant therapy. The placenta-derived connective tissue matrix contains multiple anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic proteins identified through cytokine analysis. Early clinical experience showed average dilation intervals of 503 days in patients treated with this adjuvant compared to 368 days for other therapies during the same period, suggesting potential to extend treatment-free intervals where traditional adjuvant approaches have demonstrated limited benefit.
Optimizing Care for Complex Pediatric Populations
A systematic review and meta-analysis presented in "DISE-Directed Surgery Outcomes for Pediatric Trisomy 21 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" provided compelling evidence that drug-induced sleep endoscopy improves surgical outcomes for children with obstructive sleep apnea. Across 1,340 patients in 29 studies, DISE-directed surgery achieved greater AHI reductions than adenotonsillectomy alone, with particularly pronounced benefits in children with Trisomy 21. Preoperative AHI averaged 21.5 in Trisomy 21 patients compared to 11.8 in all pediatric patients, yet mean AHI reduction was 14.8 versus 8.8, demonstrating the critical importance of this diagnostic tool in complex cases.
Understanding Hormonal Influences and Surgical Decision-Making
Research examining "Hormone Replacement Therapy and Disease Outcomes in Post-Menopausal Patients with Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis" revealed that patients using systemic hormone replacement therapy at initial diagnosis were 2.85 times more likely to experience disease recurrence compared to those not using HRT. While no differences emerged in total recurrence numbers or time to first recurrence, these findings provide important guidance for counseling peri- and post-menopausal women with this predominantly female condition about timing of hormone therapy initiation.
In evaluating aggressive approaches to scalp malignancies, "Calvarial Burring in Management of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp Without Calvarial Involvement" found no significant difference in local recurrence rates between patients who underwent calvarial burring (31% recurrence), outer table resection (33%), or periosteal resection alone (28%). This evidence questions the oncologic benefit of more extensive bony resection in cases without gross calvarial involvement, potentially sparing patients additional surgical morbidity.
Expanding Research Across All Subspecialties
Monday's robust scientific program encompassed numerous additional advances including:
- Comparative analyses of surgical techniques in sleep surgery, including hyoid suspension approaches and maxillomandibular advancement outcomes
- Investigations of social determinants of health and care equity across otolaryngology conditions
- Studies addressing antimicrobial stewardship in pediatric tracheostomy patients
- Evaluation of opioid prescribing patterns and complications in facial plastic surgery
- Analysis of vestibular schwannoma management across diverse patient populations
- Novel approaches to airway management and communication in surgical settings
Advancing the Specialty Through Science
Monday's presentations exemplify the breadth of investigation driving progress in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. From machine learning applications that may reshape screening protocols to innovative materials for difficult-to-treat conditions, these discoveries reflect a specialty embracing both technological innovation and fundamental clinical investigation to serve patients better.
The scientific program continues throughout the 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, with additional Scientific Oral presentations advancing knowledge across all domains of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck surgery on Tuesday, October 14.
>> Access all AAO-HNSF 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO press releases by scrolling to the bottom of the page at https://www.entnet.org/about-us/newsroom/.
About the AAO-HNS/F
The AAO-HNS/F is one of the world's largest organizations representing specialists who treat the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons diagnose and treat medical disorders that are among the most common affecting patients of all ages in the United States and around the world. Those medical conditions include chronic ear disease, hearing and balance disorders, hearing loss, sinusitis, snoring and sleep apnea, allergies, swallowing disorders, nosebleeds, hoarseness, dizziness, and tumors of the head and neck as well as aesthetic and reconstructive surgery and intricate micro-surgical procedures of the head and neck. The Academy has approximately 13,000 members. The AAO-HNS Foundation works to advance the art, science, and ethical practice of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery through education, research, and quality measurement.