Journal Reviews
Where is that sound? Not every hot tub is a jacuzzi
Evidence suggests that the incidence of sound sensitivity and general noise intolerance is increasing. Studies have suggested that the incidence of hyperacusis is between 8% and 15.2% of the adult population. There is a correlation between the prevalence of hyperacusis...
A new tool to enhance smell recovery?
Vericiguat is a soluble guanylate cyclase activator which boosts intracellular cGMP and promotes smooth muscle relaxation. It is approved for use in heart failure, but the authors hypothesise that it may also enhance neuronal olfactory signalling via cGMP elevation. Eighty-eight...
Can PRP injections treat atrophic rhinitis?
As we all know, atrophic rhinitis is a thankfully rare but debilitating condition characterised by nasal obstruction, dryness, crusting and foul smell (ozaena). There are currently minimal treatment options available, none of which have proven particularly effective. The authors present...
Adjuvant radiotherapy for locally advanced (T3–4) major salivary gland cancer – survival benefits quantified
Complete surgical excision of major salivary gland cancers (MSGCs) is the current mainstay of curative treatment for this disease. Indications for postoperative radiotherapy according to current UK national guidelines include high-grade tumours, advanced-stage (stage 3–4) tumours, involved resection margins, perineural...
Why are we struggling to manage ear pain?
Ear pain can be consumptive. It gnaws like toothache, splits like a headache and can throw off one’s equilibrium. Despite this, we often treat the cause without treating the symptoms. Stoliar and colleagues compared how physicians assess and treat pain...
Profiling features of dysphagia in people with moderate to severe Covid-19
Dysphagia arose as a serious concern for many people affected by Covid-19, especially those who required intubation. The authors of this paper used data from an institutional database of 3660 patients (Jan 2020 – March 2022) who presented with moderate...
Challenging steps of virtual cortical mastoidectomy
This prospective study investigated which steps of cortical mastoidectomy were challenging for 10 medical students and 10 intermediate surgeons (surgical trainees) compared to 10 experienced expert surgeons. Each participant performed cortical mastoidectomy on eight different virtual temporal bone models. The...
Does topical dual steroid therapy improve vertigo in refractory Ménière’s disease?
This prospective study investigated the role of simultaneous application of methylprednisolone and dexamethasone-soaked gelatin sponge to the endolymphatic sac surface and dexamethasone sponge to the short process of incus in 20 patients with refractory Ménière’s disease (MD) undergoing endolymphatic sac...
Early hearing loss detection in low-resource school settings
This review summarises a narrative article examining why childhood hearing loss in low- and middle-income nations remains widely undiagnosed, and outlines strategies to improve detection. The authors highlight that although childhood hearing loss is highly prevalent and clinically significant, many...
Are you a man or a mouse?
Ok so the phrase is about bravery – however, this paper considers the differences in auditory cortex connectivity, cognition and emotion between humans and mice. The study began with 21 mice, but usable data were obtained from only 16. Notably,...
Can writing reveal the timeline for future dementia diagnoses?
Frontotemporal dementia is the term for a group of dementias affecting behaviour and language. Thirty percent of FTD cases are associated with autosomal dominant mutations. There are three main genes that account for the majority of these genetic FTD cases...
An analysis of laryngeal dysplasia cases in terms of progression to invasive cancer
In this retrospective study, authors assess the rate of dysplasia progression to invasive cancer in a cohort of 221 patients presenting with primary laryngeal dysplasia, followed over a period of over 13 years. Patient demographics and independent risk factors for...
