You searched for "obstruction"
How much does FESS improve the sense of smell?
We are all familiar with patients who undergo a seemingly successful FESS but, in spite of this, have persistent smell dysfunction postoperatively. This study compares a surgical group with a control group, measuring olfactory function pre and postoperatively using Sniffin...
Olfactory and gustatory recovery in coronavirus patients after six months
It remains unclear for how long olfactory and gustatory losses persevere in patients with COVID-19. This is a prospective study of 300 patients who lost taste and smell within seven days of contracting COVID-19. The patients were objectively assessed with...
All you need to know about childhood hearing loss - an update
This is an excellent update on childhood hearing loss. It is a comprehensive collection of five chapters, providing a summary of a broad range of practice guidelines to inform screening, diagnosis, and management of hearing loss in children. It has...
Endoscopic sinus surgery improves Eustachian tube dysfunction
This prospective, multicentre trial from China looked at the improvement in Eustachian tube function after endoscopic sinus surgery. Seventy patients from three tertiary units were included in the study. They all completed the Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETDQ-7) and SNOT-22 questionnaires...
To scan or not to scan?
This comprehensive review article seeks to establish how useful is MRI in the evaluation of patients with a history of smell loss or distortion. Interestingly, while some studies found the imaging unhelpful, one paper described found a 25% rate of...
A new idea for olfactory recovery, but not the evidence to support it
Smell training for olfactory loss of all types is a well-recognised treatment, and the typical regimen of rose, clove, lemon and eucalyptus is frequently used. This study looks to compare using eight essences rather than four to see if this...
Painful temporomandibular joints
This paper is a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials comparing arthrocentesis with conservative management in painful and restricted mouth opening temporomandibular joint symptoms. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction comprises a spectrum of disorders commonly involving facial pain and loss of oral function...
Still not smelling
Post-Covid anosmia/hyposmia is a troublesome persistent symptom for lots of patients. Management is still elusive. This was a nationwide survey of ENT practitioners. Of the 715 surveyed members, only 7.4% responded. Most performed a nasal endoscopy, 60% ordered an MRI...
Otolith malfunction can be a cause of orthostatic dizziness
This prospective study evaluated otolith function with vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) and subjective visual vertical / horizontal (SVH) tests in 50 adults with normal hearing between the ages of 18 and 50 years. The authors hypothesised that there are...
Are individuals with vestibular vertigo accessing healthcare more frequently?
Vestibular vertigo is estimated to have an adult lifetime prevalence of 7.4%. Vestibular dysfunction has been linked to physical, cognitive, and psychiatric impairments. There is, therefore, a large economic burden and healthcare usage. Patients with vestibular vertigo are more likely...
