title: Standardized outcome and reporting measures in pediatric head and neck lymphatic malformations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop general and site-specific treatment effect and outcome measures to standardize the reporting of head and neck lymphatic malformation (HNLM) treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consensus statement/expert opinion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple tertiary academic institutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The modified Delphi method is an iterative process of collecting expert opinions, refining opinions through discussion and feedback, statistically aggregating opinions, and using these aggregates to generate consensus opinion in the absence of other data. The modified Delphi method was used by a multi-institutional group of otolaryngology and interventional radiology experts in the field of vascular anomalies to formulate a list of recommended reporting outcomes for the study and treatment of head and neck lymphatic malformations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Through 3 rounds of iteration, 10 expert panelists refined 98 proposed outcome measures and 9 outcome categories to a final consensus set of 50 recommended outcome measures in 3 global categories (general, demographics, and treatment complications) and 5 site-specific categories (orbit, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and neck).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We propose the first consensus set of standardized reporting measures for clinical and treatment outcomes in studies of HNLMs. Consistent outcome measures across future studies will facilitate comparison of treatment options and allow systematic review. We hope that these guidelines facilitate the design and reporting of subsequent HNLM studies.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Karthik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.affiliation: Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bauman
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Darrow
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: J Fredrik
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Grimmer
authors.affiliation: Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors.forename: Gresham T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Giridhar M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Shivaram
authors.affiliation: Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sidell
authors.affiliation: Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, Ohio, USA ellurur@childrensdayton.org.
authors.forename: Ravindhra G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Elluru
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003697:Delphi Technique; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D044148:Lymphatic Abnormalities / Q000628:therapy*; D009333:Neck; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years
keywords: Delphi technique; consensus; head and neck; lymphangioma; lymphatic malformation of face and neck; otolaryngology; outcome measures; pediatrics