METHODS: A retrospective, single-centre cohort study was performed on all paediatric patients who had undergone laryngoscopy and LUS at Starship Children's Health in Auckland, NZ, between 2020 and 2023. An eight-question survey was also developed and distributed to better understand clinicians' use of LUS in their clinical practice to diagnose paediatric VFI globally.
RESULTS: Twenty-nine paediatric patients met the inclusion criteria. LUS demonstrated good sensitivity (80.95%) for detecting VFI and increased to 93.33% for the detection of unilateral VFI. Of the 87 respondents to the survey, 41.38% utilise LUS in their clinical practice in the paediatric population. The main barriers to implementation of LUS as identified by non-users were lack of equipment, expertise, and training.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of LUS as an accurate diagnostic tool for the detection of unilateral VFI. Further studies in non-surgical populations and in patients with bilateral VFI, as well as standardised guidelines for LUS technique and reporting, are required.