Seven things ENT surgeons can learn from the hairdressers

In a nod to our origins as barber surgeons, Australian ENT surgeon and blogger Eric Levi gives us an entertaining insight into what he has learned from his hairdresser that makes him a better doctor. I’ve been to the hairdressers...

Rhinology: what does the future hold?

David Kennedy surveys the past, the present and the future of rhinology practice and research. An evolution of understanding in rhinology The dramatic growth of clinical and translational research within the field of rhinology in recent years is illustrated by...

ENT clinics – 50 years of progress…?

Cocaine in abundance, eustachian tube catheterisation, and the ever-present threat of a fire in the clinic… How have things changed in the last few decades? Retired ENT surgeon, Douglas MacMillan, tells us of his experiences starting out in the late...

The drive for success: from the hockey pitch to the surgical field

A hockey ball is rock hard and can travel at 100 mph. Stopping it with your most vulnerable body parts seems an excellent metaphor for higher surgical training... Four years on from the 2012 Olympics presents an ideal time to...

ENT and evidence-based medicine: How do they benefit each other?

How do we assess evidence, and how should ENT surgeons use EBM? Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the practice of medicine based upon high quality scientific research. There are several formal definitions of EBM, the most widely quoted being that of...

'If music be the food of love, play on'

Christopher Aldren Consultant Otolaryngologist, Wexham Park Hospital, UK. Chris playing at Cambridge garden party 2003. Chris with wife and sons Tom and Alex in family quartet. Chris leading the Doctors Orchestra at the Cadogan Hall in London. Christopher Aldren, Consultant...

Absorbing the hurt

In this article, taken from his blog, ENT surgeon John McGarva reminds us that while we can’t fix everything, we may still be able to help. It was a long time ago. I was a scarily young Houseman, barely 22,...

Patient and public involvement in research

One step further from involving patients in setting research priorities is to involve them in the planning and recruitment stages of the subsequent trials and studies. Here, Carl Philpott and Aneeka Degun explain the concept of Patient and Public Involvement...

This surgeon learned the power of Twitter / Twitter: an ENT surgeon’s perspective

This surgeon learned the power of Twitter I was once Australia’s most followed surgeon on Twitter, according to my dear wife. She was probably right, as always. I had more than 3,700 followers on my account, but very few people...

Why and how I enjoy the history of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS)

In the first article of this History of ENT edition, Albert Mudry explains why history is so intrinsically relevant to the practice of medicine and tells us how to use history as a foundation for the discovery of new ideas,...

History of photography in otorhinolaryngology in the 19th Century

In this final article of the History of ENT edition, João Clode introduces us to the history of medical photography in the 19th century, giving us some fascinating early examples of otorhinolaryngology photographs. Medical photography – the early years The...

BACO 2015: Meet the Key Brits

The triennial BACO is always a feast of academic and social activity – and BACO 2015 promises to be as busy as ever. We hear from three of the key British speakers who are making big contributions to this year’s...