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Down with the nose, down with it flat

In Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens, Timon urges prostitutes to spread syphilis throughout Athens. He implores the whores, Phrynia and Timandra, to: Consumptions* sow In hollow bones of man; strike their sharp shins,And mar men’s spurring*. Crack the lawyer’s voice**, That...

The artificial eardrum: how an eggshell membrane fed a German ENT family

In the pre-antibiotic era, purulent otitis media often resulted in a permanent eardrum perforation with hearing loss. In addition to pig or fish bladders, eggshell membranes and cigarette paper were used as eardrum prostheses. I have vivid personal boyhood memories...

The Indian method: Sushruta’s influence on modern nasal reconstruction

Ancient Indian medicine, as documented in the Sushruta Samhita, contains one of the earliest known references to nasal reconstruction, including surgical techniques still resembling modern practices. (The Sanskrit word ‘Samhita’ is used to define a collection of written work, similar...

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...

Confederation of European ORL Societies - your society!

Per Cayé-Thomasen is a professor of otology and skull base surgery in Copenhagen. In Milan, he succeeded Cem Meco as the president of the CEORL-HNS. Under his presidency, the confederation has continued to develop its educational activities and encourage professional...

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...

OBITUARY: Professor Wolfgang Steiner (1942–2024)

It is with great sadness that we must inform all our readers of the passing of the wonderful Professor Dr Wolfgang Steiner, the truly indomitable, passionate Professor of Otolaryngology of the Medical Faculty of Gottingen, Germany, from 1986–2007. Wolfgang died...

Young ESPO’s thoughts about ESPO and the future of paediatric ORL

ESPO, and paediatric ORL in general, has a long tradition of encouraging our younger colleagues. This has led to innovative developments in clinical work, in research endeavours and in how paediatric ORL educational events are run. This article outlines some...

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,...

Patient experience of necrotising otitis externa

Necrotising otitis externa is increasing in incidence in the UK and becoming a rising burden to patients and health services. Despite a growing body of literature on this condition, we know very little about patient experience of necrotising otitis externa....

Mastoid surgery for cholesteatoma

Landmark Paper: Toner JG, Smyth GDL. Surgical Treatment of Cholesteatoma: a comparison of three techniques. Am J Otol 1990;11(4):247-9. Canal wall up or canal wall down? Chris Aldren discusses the landmark paper that attempted to provide a definitive answer for...