One of the most inspiring stories in this issue comes from our very own Shahed Quraishi, OBE. His first mentor in the UK, Pat Bradley, spoke with him about his fascinating journey. Professor M Shahed Quraishi, OBE. Shahed, by way...
The laryngeal adductor reflex (LAR) is characterised by brief vocal cord closure in response to laryngeal stimulation. It is important in swallowing physiology as it represents a mechanism for airway protection. The authors of this study examined whether the absence...
The closure of the vocal folds during swallowing is known to contribute to airway protection along with epiglottic inversion and closure of the false vocal folds. It is therefore plausible to expect that unilateral vocal fold impairment without complete closure...
A high proportion of older adults hospitalised for pneumonia may have co-existing risk of aspiration due to dysphagia. The authors of this single-centre retrospective cohort study followed up patients over the age of 65 who were admitted to hospital with...
“The professional grade headset designed with screening in mind.” Interacoustics Luna – does it ‘eclipse’* the competition?* * (Although we are fans of moon-based puns, this is not to be confused with Interacoustics’ other stellar device, the Eclipse Evoked Potentials...
In the excitement of the festive season I am sure many of you will have omitted to commemorate the 60th anniversary of a highly significant world event. According to a small apocalyptic cult led by a Chicago housewife named Dorothy...
This paper reports on the largest cross-continent study to date, looking at the prevalence of swallowing problems reported by adults in the community aged 18-65 years old. The authors used the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) distributed via an online survey...
In this useful and practical article, the authors describe their use of transnasal oesophagoscopy, including the range of clinical scenarios in which it is used. What is TNO? Transnasal oesphagoscopy (TNO) is a technique that can be used in the...
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), primarily due to the vast amount of short-term evidence in the medical literature it has accrued. The enduring obstacle to CPAP from becoming a treatment option...
Within the NHS (and outside it), managers, commissioners and consumers will consider value for money as a key component in making a decision about whether to pay for speech and language therapy (or any other service for that matter). Yet...
Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) is a group of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal problems that affect the muscles and fascia related to chewing and jaw opening. Patients are often seen in ENT clinics because of symptoms such as trismus, pain and muscle tension,...
Airway stenosis has been an enormous challenge to laryngologists since the dawn of the sub-specialty. Careful evaluation is essential, as this will determine the best treatment. We hear more from one of the UK’s leading airway centres. Until the advent...