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Demonstrating unobservable effects of therapy through PROMS: a review

Ultimately, healthcare should meet the needs of the people it is designed for. One way of measuring this is using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS). These tools capture the patient’s perspective and have been described as demonstrating the unobservable effects of...

Anatomic guidelines to endolymphatic sac in transmastoid approach – a cadaveric study

This study involved cadaveric dissection using transmastoid approach in cadaveric embalmed five half heads and posterior fossa approach in fourteen. The sac was identified by electron microscopy. The relatively consistent measurements were the relationship of the operculum to the internal...

Do adhesions actually cause nasal blockage?

All of us who perform nasal surgery are familiar with the disappointing presence of nasal adhesions (NA) or synechiae in our postop patients. These can often lead to patients deriving less perceived benefit from their surgery than that which they...

How safe is sinonasal surgery for the operating surgeon in times of COVID-19?

I’m sure we have all wondered how safe we are in the operating theatre from virus circulating in the room and therefore the risk of subsequent COVID-19 infection. The authors addressed this by measuring the airborne particle concentrations in the...

Recovery of vestibular function after vestibular neuritis

It is well known that recovery from vestibular neuritis (VN) is not solely mediated through central vestibular compensation, but also at the peripheral level. The authors conducted a prospective study to track the dynamic changes in recovery from vestibular neuritis...

Results of hypoglossal-facial nerve anastamosis techniques for facial palsy

Preserving facial nerve function is of prime importance in acoustic neuroma surgery. A comprehensive knowledge of anatomy, experience and surgical precautions can reduce the incidence significantly. Important considerations are when and how to repair if injury occurs. Several options include:...

Is it worth paying for group therapy?

Group therapy for post-stroke communication difficulties has been described in the research literature for more than 50 years and is generally considered an efficacious approach. Yet these authors express concern that the American Medicare system is less willing to fund...

Sublingual immunotherapy

This paper reviews the recent European studies on sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). SLIT is currently widely used in Europe and is gaining popularity in the United States. It is known that longer treatment is needed with SLIT compared with subcutaneous immunotherapy...

Is GERD linked to CRS?

We are all well aware that both chronic rhinosinusitis and reflux are prevalent in our populations. This meta-analysis looked at 25 studies investigating the association between GERD, LPR and CRS, therefore evaluating more than 117,000 patients. The results are fascinating...

Cuff up or cuff down; to occlude or not to occlude? What effect does tracheostomy tube modification have on swallowing outcomes?

Dysphagia is commonly seen in patients with tracheostomy. The current global pandemic has increased interest in the impact of a tracheostomy on swallowing outcomes. This systematic review is therefore a timely addition to the literature and a useful read for...

Style. Strength. Storz. Sybill Storz

This is an extraordinary book. When it arrived in my postbox, I certainly didn’t like it. When I opened the packet, it was big, heavy and very glitzy. My first thought was ‘coffee table book’, so I took it through...