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5-cm incision for neck dissection and free flap reconstruction

Patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) will commonly require neck dissection as it is associated with a higher rate of overall and disease free survival. Free flap reconstruction of the defect following surgical resection is considered the gold...

Finding the elusive parathyroid glands

While reading in the literature about new advances in knowledge and surgical techniques, it is often easy to lose track of the longstanding knowledge that we all acquired during our training. This is why this article on the anatomy and...

Cystic fibrosis – sinus surgery delays chronic Gram-negative lung infection

This prospective clinical follow-up study is of 106 patients with cystic fibrosis in Copenhagen. Morbidity and mortality in CF are significantly associated with pulmonary colonisation and infection, usually with Gram-negative bacteria. Initially this can be well treated with antibiotics until...

“It’s paediatric resus calling…”

This article is one of many within this issue that addresses a variety of ENT emergencies. The article outlined the stepwise process of assessing and managing a child with a suspected foreign body (FB) inhalation. Nuts, seeds and vegetable matter...

Allergen immunotherapy and allergic rhinitis – EAACI guideline 2017

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic childhood disease with considerable social burden and impact on quality of life, frequently necessitating treatment with various combinations of antihistamines and corticosteroids. The allergen immunotherapy (AIT), sometimes known as desensitisation therapy, can modify...

Fingernail for orbital floor reconstruction

Orbital damage is common in maxillofacial injuries and about half of them result in damage to the orbital floor. Suitable material that could be used for repairing the orbital floor includes autografts, allografts and alloplastic materials. The disadvantage of using...

What is the evidence for duration of antibiotic prophylaxis in head and neck free-flap cases?

The topic of this systematic review is one which is commonly heard in discussions between microbiologists and head and neck surgeons – what is the evidence for antibiotic prophylaxis in clean-contaminated free-flap cases, and crucially, how long should antibiotics be...

Reactive lesions of the contralateral vocal cord – excise or leave?

It is well recognised that benign lesions of one vocal cord can give rise to reactive lesions of the contralateral vocal cord directly opposite to the primary lesion. These contralateral reactive lesions (CRLs) are thought to arise due to impact...

Cochlear implantation in SSD

There are currently several trials for cochlear implantation (CI) in single-sided deafness (SSD) being undertaken to answer some of the questions this paper from New York raises. Who is best suited to receive one? What are their outcomes and how...

Treating keloid scarring with pressure clips following excision: does it work?

Keloid scars can pose a difficult management problem. Whilst not harmful in themselves they can be cosmetically unappealing and lead to social embarrassment and resulting isolation, and following surgical excision they often reoccur. Mechanical pressure is an adjuvant to surgical...

Impact of the updated cancer staging system on HPV-positive disease

The AJCC cancer staging manual was updated in 2017 (8th edition). It is used in the MDT setting for planning treatment and assessing prognosis for individual patients, and is also widely used internationally in clinical trials. Unlike previous iterations of...

Method of delivery: all topical nasal corticosteroids are not made equal

There is an increasing body of evidence that the role of surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis is to facilitate the delivery of topical medical treatment – most notably, topical corticosteroids. Two recent studies, one using flow dynamics and another one examining...