Search

Simulation and otologic surgery

Ensuring adequate exposure and developing surgical skills for trainees has been an ongoing challenge. In this article, the authors reviewed the role of simulation and its role in developing skills in otologic surgery for trainees. Virtual-reality (VR) simulation models have...

Advances in diagnosis and management of allergic rhinitis

This article reviews advances in the diagnosis and management of allergic rhinitis. Recent advances in the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis include testing of local immunoglobulin E (IgE), urinary test to diagnose aspirin hypersensitivity and optical rhinometry to assess degree of...

Omalizumab for CRSwNP: a monoclonal antibody

A prospective study from London, evaluating the response of chronic rhinosinusitis patients with nasal polyposis who were being treated with monoclonal antibody against IgE for severe allergic asthma. Thirteen patients were treated with Omalizumab, according to UK guidelines for their...

We all need to support the human rights of people with communication difficulties

This article starts by reminding us of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, 1948) of which article 19 stated: ‘‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference...

New MRI technique assesses treatment response in skull base osteomyelitis

This paper describes another useful imaging technique to monitor Necrotising Otitis Externa (NOE). Echoplanar diffusion weighted magnetic resonance (DW MR) shows high signal on the ‘ADC map’ with active disease and this reduces in signal intensity as symptoms improve. This...

In-office KTP laser excision of a vocal process granuloma

The KTP laser is increasingly being used in an outpatient setting – particularly in North America – to treat various laryngeal pathologies including papillomas, leukoplakia, dysplasia and vascular lesions. This article reports the use of the KTP laser in the...

Cochlear implantation in SSD

There are currently several trials for cochlear implantation (CI) in single-sided deafness (SSD) being undertaken to answer some of the questions this paper from New York raises. Who is best suited to receive one? What are their outcomes and how...

Darn it! It’s going to take longer to get good at stapes surgery!

Traditionally, it has been said the learning curve for a particular operation lies between 20 and 30 cases. In stapedotomy, a surgeon is deemed successful and perhaps competent if closure of the air-bone gap (ABG) is reached to within 10dB...

Changes in swallowing function after thyroidectomy

Evaluation of functional impact following thyroidectomy tends to be focused on voice quality. The aim of this study was to document early (seven days postoperatively) and late changes (60 days postop) in swallowing function after thyroidectomy. A preoperative naso-endoscopic evaluation...

Patient reported outcomes improve if antibiotic choice is directed from endoscopic culture results in chronic rhinosinusitis

The use of antibiotics in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has been established as part of the EPOS guidelines, as has the role of taking swabs for microbiology culture. There has not been much literature however on whether tailoring antibiotics in response...

Clinical assessment in OSA

This paper divides the assessment up into anatomical (nasal and oropharyngeal), endoscopic and imaging. It points out the salient features to look out for in OSA patients with regards the nasal valve and also oropharyngeal anatomy, with tonsil hypertrophy grading...

Smaller gauge voice prosthesis is effective in secondary trans-oesophageal puncture

Placement of voice prosthesis at the time of trachea-oesophageal puncture is well described using 20-French prostheses. There is debate about the optimal size of the prosthesis with work in the 1980s and 1990s supporting larger prostheses. The rationale was that...