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I saw it on the internet: gathering evidence for clinical decision making

Evidence-based practice is often described as the integration of three sources of information to inform clinical practice, namely: 1) research evidence/practice guidelines; 2) client preferences/needs, and: 3) clinical experience. Speech and language therapists have reported a lack of time and...

Pediatric Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery

Published in 2020, this book, edited by professors of neurosurgery and otolaryngology, approaches the narrow field of paediatric endoscopic skull base surgery with a wealth of knowledge and expertise that the authors have achieved practising in adult and paediatric joint...

The middle way: treating idiopathic facial nerve palsy

Whilst the causes of recurrent facial nerve palsy are numerous, in many cases it may be idiopathic. There is no clear consensus on treatment of this condition and conservative management alone may condemn patients to gradually worsening facial nerve function...

Is medical therapy without surgical treatment sufficient in treating peritonsillar abscess?

Standard treatment of peritonsillar abscess (PTA) has typically involved both medical therapy and surgical drainage either in the form of needle aspiration, or incision and drainage. However, is medical without surgical treatment sufficient? The authors suggest that medical therapy without...

Scalp reconstruction a new algorithm

Reconstruction of the scalp after acquired defects remains a common challenge for the reconstructive surgeon, especially in light of a history of radiation to the area. Wound healing by secondary intention or with a wound vacuum assisted closure are viable...

Measuring the ‘impact’ of preoperative immunonutrition

Using preoperative nutritional supplements as part of ‘enhanced recovery’ in surgical patients is not a new concept. This interesting paper looks at the latest development in optimising patients undergoing head and neck oncological surgery. Immunonutrition (Nestle’s ‘Oral Impact’ in this...

Factors affecting the occurrence of salivary fistula after total laryngectomy

It is generally believed that patients should be fed by nasogastric tube for 7-10 days after undergoing total laryngectomy or laryngopharyngectomy to avoid the occurrence of post-operative salivary fistula. This study challenges this belief and looks into various factors that...

Cerebrospinal fluid leaks after vestibular schwannoma surgery

This study analyses 30-day readmission data after vestibular schwannoma surgery using a multicentre longitudinal State of California dataset. The authors studied risk factors, and timing of readmission in 6820 patients over 15 years. Of these, 490 readmissions were reported for...

Vascularised tissue in salvage total laryngectomy

Chemoradiation (CRT) has become the mainstay for locally advanced laryngeal cancer since the RTOG 91-11 trial. Unfortunately there is still a substantial demand for salvage laryngectomies, which have a higher complication rate, the most notable being pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF). Several...

Reducing the risk of Frey’s syndrome after parotidectomy – which methods are best?

Gustatory sweating or Frey’s syndrome is a well-recognised complication of parotid surgery. The reported incidence is highly variable, from 4% to 96%, with around 30% of patients reporting symptoms. A number of intraoperative techniques can be used to reduce the...