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Monitored safe medical practice: minimising patient harm will reduce medical negligence bill for the NHS

Patrick Bradley ruminates on a celebrated career in ENT head and neck surgery and suggests that increasing the possibility of positive outcomes to contemporary patient safety initiatives by the NHS must involve efforts to develop an enthusiastic contented workforce willing...

Shifting paradigms – how a visionary can change a specialty

The Tarabichi-Stammberger Ear and Sinus Institute came about because of a close working relationship and friendship between two senior figures in the specialty. Professor Muaaz Tarabichi tells us the story. My first meeting with Heinz Stammberger was in 1988 in...

Ossicular reconstruction

Ossicular reconstruction often yields disappointing results, even for the most experienced and skilled of otologists. John Dornhoffer and David Walker explain that the most important determinant of outcome is the patient’s middle ear environment, and offer some valuable words of...

The multidisciplinary voice clinic

In his inimitable way, Nick Gibbins tells us why the voice clinic is the highlight of his week – and his very own field of dreams. The voice clinic has come a long way in the last 40 years. The...

OBITUARY: David Moffat (1948-2020)

David Moffat, one of the leading Otologists of his generation, died on 18 March in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, the hospital to which he had devoted his professional life. Having survived cancer of the prostate, he succumbed to a second...

The use of a tactical throat mic guitar amp system to improve communication in theatre in the COVID era

During the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV2) pandemic, current guidelines dictate that surgical teams wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in theatre. Currently this is, at a minimum, an FFP3 respirator, a visor, fluid repellent gown and gloves [1]. Many surgeons, particularly in...

How can we be SMART with virtual consultations?

At the beginning of 2020, video conferencing and phone consultations accounted for less than 1% of all consultations. Now it is probably 70%. Whilst there are many remote consultation solutions available, Tina Marshall describes what the ideal solution should look...

History of innovation in ENT

Innovation seems to have been in the strapline of every meeting, conference and course for the last few years. You would be forgiven for thinking it is a new a concept, but as Neil Weir beautifully details, innovation has been...

Treating voice disorders in singers

There are few ENT surgeons who have as much insight into singers’ problems as Nick Gibbins. A good knowledge of working patterns, repertoire and the physiology of ‘vocal athletes’ is essential. He shares a few thoughts with us. When deciding...

Prednisolone and/or acyclovir for Bell’s palsy

Landmark Paper: Sullivan FM, Swan IRC, Donnan PT, et al. Early treatment with prednisolone or acyclovir in Bell’s Palsy. N Engl J Med 2007;357(16):1598-607. Facial nerve paralysis as a consequence of Bell’s palsy can result in devastating long-term effects on...

Hearing implant devices: new expectations during IFOS 2023 ENT World Congress, Dubai

We hear from one of the senior members of the IFOS Executive Board about the aspects of IFOS that he is looking forward to – and, in particular, his focus on implantable hearing devices. From 17 to 21 January 2023,...

From patient to performer

Peter Cawrey lives in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, with his wife Dorothy. He had a salvage laryngectomy for squamous cell carcinoma in 2015, three years following his initial radiotherapy. Due to complications and a complex recovery, he has elected not to have...