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Which surgical procedure is more effective in treating OSA? Tonsillectomy or modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty?

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a recognised condition that is increasing in prevalence, affecting the quality of life in certain individuals. Although the first line management is non-surgical, this paper highlights the two different surgical procedures offered to patients. The...

Removing nasal polyps assists with sleep

This small Scandinavian study looked at sleep quality in patients with CRS and nasal polyposis and whether this is improved by surgery, rated by questionnaires. A cohort of 42 Swedish patients in 2013-14 filled out four different validated sleep and...

Long-term outcomes after (adeno) tonsillectomy

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used increasingly to fill an ‘evidence gap’ where healthcare rationing threatens particular treatments. Tonsillectomy is a long-established and effective treatment for recurrent tonsillitis and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in children. The T-14 outcome measure examines...

Nursing care for ENT patients

Increasingly within the UK, issues related to bed availability can lead to ENT patients receiving care away from previously well-established specialist wards. This is a cause for concern in many institutions and the authors looked to assess this. They demonstrated...

How much does CRS affect Eustachian tube dysfunction symptoms?

We know that chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) are both very common, and that the two often co-exist but this paper looks to establish the prevalence and severity of ETD in CRS patients, and how much treatment...

Preoperative unaided maximum monosyllabic word recognition score as a predictor of CI outcomes

This retrospective study supports early intervention and hearing rehabilitation with hearing amplification for adults. The authors included 103 patients (128 ears), who had undergone cochlear implantation over a seven-year period, in this study. All patients had been assessed for their...

FESS for recurrent acute rhinosinusitis: at last, some data

As noted in both the EPOS 2012 and in the (more recent) ICARS 2016, there is a paucity of evidence on the effectiveness of surgery for recurrent acute rhinosinusitis (RARS). The authors used a control group of patients with CRSsNP,...

Quality of life after FESS or balloon sinuplasty

This randomised control trial compared the SNOT-22 questionnaires both pre-operatively and three months post-operatively in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis undergoing either FESS or balloon sinuplasty to the maxillary sinus. Forty two patients participated in the study, 21 in each treatment...

The ORL App: I challenge you to duel!

'Every day is a school day’ – an age-old saying that is as much a proverb as it is an instruction for allied health professionals. These days, it is hard to keep up with any sort of news - whether...