This paper looked at 257 patients undergoing the procedure in a tertiary otolaryngology department. In light of the morbidity of upper GI endoscopy associated with the sedation required, the safety profile of transnasal oesophagoscopy is a clear advantage. This cohort...
It has been hypothesised that cricopharyngeal muscle hypertrophy develops as a response to chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. The cricopharyngeus muscle is an important component and contributor to the upper oesophageal sphincter that creates a barrier between the pharynx and oesophagus....
Whether the person with the swallowing difficulty has an acquired or progressive neurological condition, understanding the aetiology will allow the speech and language therapist assessing the swallow to have a better understanding of the likely implications for future swallow management...
Timely detection and effective management of this potentially fatal condition cannot be overemphasised. This study presents 16 cases over 12 months in a tertiary referral centre. Most patients had diabetes and others were immunocompromised due to radiotherapy, immunosuppressive medication or...
A videofluroscopic swallow study (VFSS), also known as modified barium swallow (MBS) offers a dynamic view of swallow biomechanics and associated swallowing physiology. The authors of this paper investigated whether quantitative timing and displacement measures of key structures involved in...
Swallowing difficulties are a common comorbidity in just over a quarter of people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Given the associated risks of aspiration and exacerbation of COPD symptoms, speech and language therapists (SLTs) can offer valuable guidance...
Dr Steven Zeitels is widely recognised as the foremost laryngologist of his generation. He has been at the forefront of innovation for 25 years, and has treated innumerable high-profile singers, most recently Sam Smith and Adele. Here, he gives us...
This is a softcover volume, broken down into six sections over 406 pages printed in greyscale. The book is edited by AK Deshpande and JW Hall III, written by a large number of international experts in the field, and reviewed...
An initial glance at the table of contents and layout of Jean Abitbol’s book, The Power of the Voice, might lead one to assume that it is heavy on style but light on substance. A closer reading proves this to...
Many of us were told as children that we would get square eyes from watching too much television. But spare a thought for those late Victorian ladies, embracing their first taste of liberty on a bicycle, who were threatened with...
Laryngeal paralysis remains very difficult to treat, but reinnervation offers many attractions. Laryngeal paralysis presents a unique and varied problem that requires a patient centred approach and a range of treatment options depending on laryngeal and patient factors. There is...
Laryngeal papillomatosis remains one of the most frustrating conditions seen by laryngologists. Sam Majumdar gives us an overview of the current science and clinical practice. Human papilloma virus is a small (> 8kb) double stranded DNA virus with approximately 200...