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The debate: endoscopic vs microscopic ear surgery – meta-analysis of outcomes

Although the endoscopic approach to ear surgery has become more common in clinical practice, the debate about its role versus the traditional microscopic approach continues in many ENT units. This meta-analysis from the Mount Sinai ENT department in New York...

Surgically improving pharyngeal paralysis and associated dysphagia

This was an interesting article explaining the current methods used to try and improve dysphagia and in some cases associated problematic aspiration following vagal injury. These patients are often those with other associated cranial neuropathies, with skull base lesions, brain...

Myringoplasty in a bottle?

Management of large traumatic TM perforations can involve observation and water precautions or surgical repair. Closure rates for larger perforations can be 8-12 weeks and occurs for between 38-79%. Animal and human studies have shown that exogenous application of epidermal...

Impact of delaying otologic surgery

In this Belgian study, the authors looked at the impact of delaying otologic surgery by sending an online survey to 44 adult patients diagnosed with benign ear pathology whose surgery was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire was...

Cholesteatoma and Ear Surgery

The book Cholesteatoma and Ear Surgery is a selection of papers and presentations, including round tables and symposia, that constitute the proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Cholesteatoma and Ear surgery, a highly successful meeting that attracted over 1000...

Safety factors in use of balloon tuboplasty

Various medications used to restore eustachian tube function have unpredictable results and these are often disappointing. Balloon dilatation of eustachian tube came around 2010 but has not really gained momentum, mainly due to apprehended complications. In this review article, the...

Outpatient closure of CSF leaks: a good idea or a step too far?

After day-case septoplasty, day case thyroidectomy, now day case CSF leak repair – has the pendulum moved too far? The authors put forward a convincing case for what, only 10 years ago, would have sounded like a provocation. They quote...

Eustachian tube function before and after FESS

This is a prospective study from the UK looking at Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) undergoing surgery. Fifty-seven consecutive patients who had failed medical therapy and were scheduled for endoscopic sinus surgery completed SNOT-22 and...

Sinonasal Complications of Dental Disease and Treatment: Prevention - Diagnosis - Management

As otorhinolaryngologists, we are trained to examine the computed tomography (CT) scans of all patients with maxillary chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) for potential dental disease. The mainstay of managing this is generally limited to referring the patient to their dentist or...