Journal Reviews
Can laryngopharyngeal reflux initiate middle ear dysfunction?
The prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux disorder (LPRD) varies widely and can affect a third of the population, especially in middle ages and, more commonly, females are involved. There is not much in the literature about the association of this condition...
Bevacizumab, NF2, hearing and age
Introduction NF2-related schwannomatosis (NF2-SWN) is an autosomal dominant disorder leading to the development of schwannomas, meningiomas and spinal cord ependymomas. Younger age is a negative prognostic factor. Treatment includes observation, surgery, radiotherapy and medical therapy with bevacizumab (VEGF monoclonal antibody)....
The hidden enemy of microtia reconstruction: cholesteatoma
Although ear reconstruction for concha-type microtia is generally successful, its frequent association with congenital aural stenosis introduces a hidden risk of cholesteatoma due to disruption of epithelial migration. This negatively affects hearing and reconstructive outcomes. This single-centre retrospective case series...
Determinants influencing ageing within the vestibular system
The observation that ageing affects vestibular function is not new. However, using a whole population survey, the authors set out to evaluate quantitatively factors responsible for the age-related changes in vestibular function. As part of a national survey on health...
How are clinicians assessing suitability for voice feminisation surgery?
Voice is a key aspect of gender transition for many gender diverse individuals. Transfeminine people are offered hormone therapies, such as oestrogen to support their transition, however these do not impact laryngeal anatomy. This means that specific voice interventions are...
Conductive hearing loss – when and why to scan
Ossicular fixation or discontinuity can occur at any point along the ossicular chain and is estimated to cause conductive hearing loss (CHL) in approximately 55% of patients. Computed tomography (CT) imaging of the temporal bone identifies bony pathologies that contribute...
How to feel happier: kindness, gratitude and self-care
The number of students experiencing mental health difficulties has risen dramatically, sometimes attributed to the widespread intrusion of social media in our lives, increasing social pressures on performance, and recent other societal factors. This article describes a study undertaken with...
Swallowing assessments of the future: the role of artificial intelligence
The future’s bright, the future’s Orange AI… If you Google ‘how much is AI worth?’, the AI overview tells you “The global artificial intelligence (AI) market size is estimated at approximately $244 billion to $391 billion in 2025 and is...
Artificial intelligence and OSA
The future’s bright, the future’s Orange AI… If you Google ‘how much is AI worth?’, the AI overview tells you “The global artificial intelligence (AI) market size is estimated at approximately $244 billion to $391 billion in 2025 and is...
Management of peritonsillar abscesses – should we be offering a hot tonsillectomy?
Peritonsillar abscesses (PTAs) are one of the most common reasons for patients being referred to ENT services on an emergent basis worldwide. The conventional treatment for adult patients with a PTA in the UK involves needle aspiration or incision and...
You’re under arrest, you damned post-tonsillectomy bleed!
Tonsillectomy is a common, well-tolerated procedure most commonly performed in children for recurrent tonsilitis and sleep apnoea. Post-tonsillectomy bleeding (PTB) is a relatively uncommon complication that poses significant risks to patients and high rates of readmission and reintervention. Institutional guidance...
Migraine medication and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is a very common form of dizziness (lifetime prevalence 2.4%) and has been noted to have an association with migraine. The cause of otoconia displacement in BPPV is often unclear. A vascular mechanism theory has been postulated in varying...
