‘Physician heal thyself’: this biblical proverb has an increasing importance in modern healthcare systems, especially when we consider the rising incidence of physical and mental burnout amongst all staff. Musculoskeletal disorders are increasing – according to the Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Britain Report 2022/23, published by the Health and Safety Executive, 473,000 workers suffer from musculoskeletal symptoms. This represents an increase of 3000 cases from the previous reporting period. The Editors’ Choice article for this issue reviews work-related musculoskeletal disorders in otolaryngology head and neck surgery. It highlights the types of conditions experienced by ORL-HNS surgeons, with resultant pain, disability and shortened career spans. Interestingly, the article finds the incidence is higher amongst female otolaryngologists but under-reported. Literal interpretation of physician heal thyself is a reminder that healthcare professionals, like anyone else, are susceptible to illness and injury and we should all practice self-care to maintain our own health. This in turn allows us to better care for patients and is crucial for maintaining a healthy and sustainable career. The article reminds us that we should all be encouraged to seek help with physical and mental health concerns and that we should do this early on in training, rather than trying to ‘heal ourselves’ in isolation when it’s too late. As always, the editors would like to thank the reviewers for their fantastic contributions.
Hannah and Nazia
Obtaining an MRI without general anaesthesia in children can be challenging. Using anaesthesia has its downsides, but inadequate MRI images are not helpful. The authors retrospectively analysed data of 87 children under the age of six months who received an MRI of the head or cerebellopontine angle without general anaesthesia. First, the infants were fed by their parents or caregivers. Next, the infants were swaddled tightly in thin blankets before scanning and pieces of cloth were placed between their legs and arms to prevent skin from touching. Earplugs, headphones or cushions were optionally used to protect them from loud scanning noises, although noise is unlikely to influence infants with profound hearing loss. The study showed that obtaining an MRI without general anaesthesia for infants under six months of age was feasible. The time of day and hearing loss did not affect the success of the MRI. Interestingly, success rates for MRI brain were higher than for MRI of the cerebellopontine angle, as well as in female versus male infants.
