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Non-autologous graft material in paediatric tympanoplasty – is it as good as temporalis fascia and is it cost-effective?

This retrospective case review looks at the experience of a single unit using a variety of autologous (temporalis fascia, n=292) and non-autologous graft material, n=241 (alloderm (human dermis), biodesign (porcine submucosa, $170-$255) and tutoplast (human pericardium, $350). The average patient...

How reliable are PTH levels for the prediction of hypocalcaemia after thyroid surgery?

Hypoparathyroidism is one of the most common complications of thyroid surgery. There is significant controversy in calcium management practices post thyroid surgery. The drop in PTH levels has been used to predict the likelihood of hypocalcaemia after thyroid surgery. But...

How are swallowing and voice affected following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)?

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) requires an anterior transcervical approach (ACA) to allow decompression of the cervical spine and nerve roots. This approach is also occasionally used for corpectomy and osteophyte removal. Key neurovascular structures related to swallowing and...

Is clinical HIT as good as vHIT in the emergency room?

Establishing the cause of acute vestibular syndrome (AVS) is critical in the first few hours of presentation in the emergency department. The first question to ask is, “is it due to a peripheral vestibular pathology or a stroke?” This is...

Validating a new international cholesteatoma classification – a necessary but challenging task

A European and Japanese joint consensus statement was published in 2017 which proposed a new cholesteatoma staging classification (EJS), with four stages. This follow-up publication aims to assess the internal and external validity of the staging system using existing prospectively...

Is wine blocking your nose?

Salicylates are commonly found in a wide variety of foods, such as unripe fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and spices. They play a role in growth and development of plants, photosynthesis, transpiration, ion uptake and transport. Non-steroidal exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD)...

Predicting outcomes in rhinology using fluid dynamic models

This article discusses the rhinological applications of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) – a method derived from engineering applications, such as aerodynamics. Its appeal is that it can provide simulated data on airflow velocity, pressure, resistance, temperature, humidity, heat flux and...

A viable solution for isolated post-nasal drip?

This retrospective, single-centre case series looked at a cohort of patients with postnasal drip as their primary symptom. Exclusions were patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. The interventions offered were temperature-controlled radio frequency (TCRF) ablation of the posterior nasal nerve delivered by...