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Videofluoroscopic swallowing studies: balancing risks and benefits

Videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) are an important part of the diagnostic toolkit and arguably the current gold-standard for assessing swallow biomechanics and diagnosing dysphagia. However, the procedure does involve exposure to radiation, and any clinician requesting this should be able...

Effect of swallowing exercises following free flap for oral cancer reconstruction

This paper from Beijing looked at 68 patients, 34 in a control group and 34 in an intervention group. Oral exercise training was performed by a specialist swallowing nurse in the intervention group. They found that personalised oral exercises had...

Predicting the nature of swallowing deficits caused by surgical resection of the tongue?

Patients treated surgically for cancer of the tongue are expected to have difficulty in eating, drinking and swallowing. The authors of this paper report on a cohort of 106 patients in their practice who had surgical resection as primary treatment....

What are the airway, voice and swallowing outcomes of a mucosal-sparing surgical approach to improving the glottic airway in bilateral vocal fold immobility?

Bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) causes significant breathing problems as well as voice and swallowing difficulties. Surgical interventions aim to enlarge the glottic outlet by altering or removing glottic structures which improve breathing but often lead to worsening dysphonia and...

Airway intervention for epiglottitis

This Japanese study was a retrospective review of 83 patients admitted with epiglottitis over a 9.5-year period. The authors found that the factors that were significantly more likely to be present in patients who received airway intervention were: odynophagia; drooling;...

A new modified double-flap technique for cochlear implant surgery

The authors retrospectively assessed 342 implantees with a minimum of five years’ follow-up who had been implanted using a lazy S-shaped post auricular incision with a modified double-flap technique. From the notes, postoperative wound complications and any other adverse events...

Managing the most common branchial arch anomaly

This article is a well written, helpful summary of the management of the most common branchial anomaly in children – the second. These are characterised as cysts, sinuses or tracts between the anterior border of sternocleidomastoid, coursing between the internal...

Paediatric nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Between 11 and 18% of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) occur in the paediatric age group but there are no specific management guidelines for this age group. Tunisia is a region with an intermediate incidence of NPC, the authors studied 40 cases...

Predicting life-threatening complications in deep neck space infections

Deep neck space infections, arising usually from tonsils and lymph nodes in children and dental source and salivary glands in adults can be life threatening. It is therefore important to recognise the variables which indicate immediate intervention to prevent fatalities....

Diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the jaw

Although the management of osteonecrosis of the jaw is usually provided by colleagues in maxillofacial surgery, it is essential for ENT surgeons to effectively diagnose the various presentations of this condition. Affected bone that is exposed and necrotic may remain...