Drilling a temporal bone may seem like torture to some trainee surgeons. To others it is but a stepping stone to something altogether grander... I took Art A-level a year early so as not to interfere with the ‘important subjects’,...
There are seemingly hundreds of hearing test apps available, designed to be a screening tool for those interested in learning more about their hearing while doing so in the comfort of their home and without needing to wait for an...
Falls are a major global health burden. According to the World Health Organization, they are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, with adults older than 65 at the greatest risk of a fatal fall. For every death...
Recent advances in endoscopic technology allow the ENT surgeon to access the salivary gland ductal system for both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. In this article the authors share their experiences with using this technology, both as a standalone procedure and...
Newborn hearing screening has ensured that deaf infants are identified soon after birth so that habilitation can begin as early as possible. Cochlear implantation is a key component of early intervention for some children, but it is often not performed...
There are a variety of ways to reduce the bulk of hypertrophied turbinates. Kimberley Lau and Showkat Mirza describe their technique which can be used in difficult cases and with minimal morbidity. As ever, one aim should be to avoid...
The traditional biological graft materials for providing a scaffold for tympanic membrane reconstruction include temporalis fascia as well as conchal and tragal perichondrium/cartilage. This group from Taiwan present a novel graft option using the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system (SMAS) layer. They...
Adel Hutchinson is one of those calm and controlled anaesthetists for whom nothing seems too difficult. In this article, she describes the key perioperative factors for one of the highest complexity operations in ENT; free-flap surgery. It makes good reading...
When can an aided cortical assessment help decision making in a child’s hearing journey? In this article, the author demonstrates the application using an enlightening case study approach. A device, be it a conventional hearing aid or hearing implant, ideally,...
Cochlear implants have become the state-of-the-art treatment for profound to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Since its popularisation, many aspects of this technology have constantly been optimised. Processors have become smaller, are worn behind the ear and are even water resistant....
Otitis media with effusion (OME) is common in children but has a low prevalence in adults. There is some evidence to advocate middle ear inflation as a successful treatment for children with OME. This form of treatment is also recommended...
A detailed look at the pathogenesis of acquired hearing loss due to exposure to ototoxicity during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Insights from genomic medicine have shown that, along with environmental factors causing epigenetic alterations, hearing loss may be caused...