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Did you ever meet Draffin on your travels?

Draffin’s rods or bipods are a well-known ENT instrument. Before their invention in 1951, the attendant anaesthetist or nurse was obliged to support the mouthgag during tonsillectomy. Their originator, David Alexander Draffin (born in 1917 in Ballybey, Co Monaghan), was...

Cognitive spare capacity: what is it and why does it matter?

Cognition refers to thinking and memory. So why would cognition be a useful concept for ENTs and audiologists? Audition provides our main channel of communication and when we speak to each other, we want to exchange thoughts and remember what...

Current considerations on neural development and hearing loss in young children

The young child’s brain has the ability to change in response to new stimuli, resulting in learning, the foundation of adaptive and intelligent behaviour. For children with hearing loss, a reduction or lack of auditory stimuli can have a ‘lifelong...

Destination unknown

We as doctors do not always know the answer. Associate Professor Jacqueline Allen guides us through the importance of acceptance of this uncertainty and its complex mental journey. She highlights that, as clinicians, we must embrace the unknown and be...

Audiological and psychological consequences of single-sided deafness

The loss of sound input from one ear has a significant impact on our perception of our acoustic environment. This impact is compounded in adverse listening conditions. Rachel Knappett’s article explores the audiological impact of this hearing loss and the...

Technological advances in hearing aids and their significance for people with hearing loss during a period of more than 100 years

Over a century of progress in hearing aid technology has transformed the lives of those with hearing impairments. From the bulky, conspicuous devices of the past, to today’s sleek, AI-powered solutions, this article explores the three key eras of development....

Ultramarathons, frostbite and running with wolves

“I could just keep going when most sane people would stop”- the secret to success in head and neck surgery? In August 2015 I crossed the finish line of La Ultra - The High. A small camp of tents and...

Access to and uptake of cochlear implants in the UK

Assessing demands on cochlear implant (CI) services is very important for both commissioners and clinicians in anticipating clinical need and funding requirements. Commercial CI’s were introduced in the late 1980s. Initial funding was from charitable sources. The first major advance...

Optimising hearing aid solutions for tinnitus sufferers: essential factors to consider

A tailored approach combining counselling, sensory management and perceptual training can improve the effectiveness of hearing aids in managing tinnitus for individual patients. Hearing aids are useful tinnitus therapy tools, according to tinnitus management guidelines. However, there are few published...

Ida Institute’s legacy and the future of person-centred care

Professor Kris English reflects on the IDA Institute’s closure, celebrating its legacy of advancing patient-centred care and reshaping audiological counselling worldwide. In September 2008, the Ida Institute’s Director, Lise Lotte Bundesen, and her team held its inaugural ‘Defining Hearing Seminar’...

Genetic research on hereditary hearing loss and clinical application in the Chinese population

Congenital deafness in China affects more people than the entire population of Australia. Prof Wang give us a comprehensive insight into one of the main congenital disabilities in China, looking into the causes of deafness and the benefits of genetic...