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Genomic testing for deafness and its implications

Gene therapies for hearing loss are rapidly advancing and will be transitioning to clinical practice. Here, the authors explain why clinicians involved in managing these disorders need to be aware of these advances. Genomic testing in England was significantly reconfigured...

Sustainability guidelines to reduce single-use items in ENT outpatients

ENT surgery generates significant waste, with single-use instruments and packaging as key contributors. This article outlines recommendations on sustainable practice that can be adopted into ENT departments. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human health in the...

A new approach to workplace hearing conservation

The traditional approach to managing workplace noise has failed - how can we better protect our nation’s hearing using smart hearing protection? Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is the most common occupational health condition in the world and the most...

The pioneers of endoscopy and the sword swallowers

Adolf Kussmaul drew inspiration from an unlikely source to further the development of endoscopy… The early pioneers of airway endoscopy and oesophagoscopy were bedevilled by two major and seemingly insurmountable problems. One was the paucity of light sources, with reliance...

The pong of poverty: George Orwell on the problem of olfactory classism

Throughout his fiction and non-fiction, George Orwell incorporated references to olfaction to invoke strong reactions in his readers. For example, in Nineteen Eighty-Four the protagonist Winston describes “the pleasant smell of [Julia’s] hair”. Orwell emphasises the invasiveness and emotional force...

General overview of endoscopic ear surgery: advantages and principles

The philosophy of endoscopic ear surgery presents surgeons with a tricky concept – does the magnificent view make up for the fact I need to operate with one hand? In this article, Jane Lea discusses the advantages of operating transcanal...

Hearing, tinnitus and hyperacusis in the arts

Hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis are discussed by David Baguley from the unique perspective of their depictions in literature, music, film and paintings. This article provides unusual and invaluable reflective opportunities for the patient-centred clinician! Audiologists and otologists understand hearing...

RNID’s campaign to restore NHS earwax removal services in the UK

Wax removal in the UK has become a topic of intense discussion. Here, Crystal Rolfe discusses the RNID’s findings and approach to tackling the issue. Earwax build-up can cause painful and distressing symptoms – a 2022 RNID survey found people...