Journal Reviews
Endoscopic stapes surgery - pearls and pitfalls
Endoscopic ear surgery has gained popularity in recent years with wide panoramic visualisation of the operative field one of its key strengths. This article summarises the approach, set-up and outcomes of patients undergoing endoscopic stapes surgery. A key step during...
Facial nerve anatomy in the temporal bone
Knowledge of the facial nerve anatomy during otological surgery is crucial in avoiding an iatrogenic injury to the facial nerve. In this study, the authors investigated the anatomical relationship between the tympanic portion of the facial canal (FC) and the...
Performing ethnic aesthetic rhinoplasty
This article reviews principles of performing rhinoplasty in non-Caucasian patients, exploring patient expectations based on differences in race, ethnicity and culture. One of the main challenges is a lack of well-established ideal facial measurements for different non-Caucasian groups. The authors...
Is canal wall down with obliteration a useful compromise between canal wall up procedure and open mastoid cavities?
Controversy has raged for many years between open mastoid cavity procedures and canal wall up techniques in terms of postoperative recidivism and ear discharge. It is generally believed that canal wall up procedures can miss hidden cholesteatoma but preserve useful...
Single surgery for repair of tegmen defects and superior semicircular canal dehiscence
This retrospective review of 34 patients undergoing repair of the temporal bone defect via the middle cranial fossa approach provides the author’s management strategy for two problems: superior semicircular canal dehiscence and tegmen defects. The incidence of both these pathologies...
Multisystem pathology in refractory otitis media with effusion
Recurrent middle ear effusion is a common problem and so is rhinosinusitis with polyposis. It is not often thought that the problem could be linked to multisystem pathology, such as eosinophilic granulomatous with polyposis. Therefore, repeated grommet insertions and surgical...
A lateralised middle turbinate post pituitary surgery and incidence of sinusitis
A common belief amongst pituitary surgeons is that lateralising the middle turbinate to access the sphenoid can result in an iatrogenic sinusitis. This paper attempts to find out whether this is in fact true. Thirty-eight patients fitted the inclusion criteria...
Titanium bobbins are prone to water penetration
There is limited evidence that swimming with grommets increases ear infections and most clinicians advise swimming with ventilation tubes is acceptable. Concerns may persist especially among parents. This paper evaluates the amount of different liquids (soapy water, sea water, chlorinated...
Management of the ear in cleft lip and palate
The management of patients with cleft lip and palate includes a focus on effective speech and language function. Poor eustachian tube function and middle ear dysfunction mean over 90% of children suffer from otitis media with effusion. This article provides...
