You searched for "wellbeing"
Thyroid cancer: to dissect the neck or not?
This is a good review of the much-debated management of the neck in thyroid cancer. It discusses oncological goals that must be achieved whilst maintaining voice, swallowing and parathyroid function. A clear description is made of the common nodal basins...
Deglutition in pharyngolaryngectomy patients
Circular defects after total pharyngolaryngectomy present a reconstructive challenge. In this study, the authors compared the swallowing results after three reconstructive techniques: free forearm flap, free jejunal loop and folded pectoralis major flap. Forty-six patients were included and were evaluated...
Functional considerations in reconstruction after laryngectomy
With a plethora of different reconstructive options and techniques available after laryngectomy, it can be difficult to clearly see which give the lowest complication rates and best functional outcomes. This article aims to summarise the current evidence in swallowing and...
Hemilaryngopharyngeal Spasm (HeLPS)
The authors report an unusual case of hemilaryngopharyngeal spasm (HeLPS) with glossopharyngeal neuralgia with otalgia in a middle-aged female patient. Her symptoms included left-sided sharp, electric sensation like pain radiating from her left ear to the left side of her...
Association between dysphagia and sarcopenia: implications for assessment of older people
The onset of swallowing difficulties with progressive age is reported to occur in 13-35% of the elderly population. Sarcopenia is characterised by a decrease in muscle mass, strength and function. Sarcopenic dysphagia is a relatively new term. Its prevalence is...
Strengthen your communication: better conversations can reduce the risk of frailty
Our population is ageing and, with this, the incidence of frailty is increasing. Frailty is defined as increased vulnerability to stressors resulting in adverse outcomes. Stressors can include communication and swallowing difficulties, yet these are poorly recognised. Management of communication...
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...
Medicine and Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney grew up in the 1940s. Infectious diseases – diphtheria, poliomyelitis, mumps, measles and rubella – were rife. Stepping Stones recalled talk among older neighbours of ‘a-waiting on’ when they were close to death. Aunts and uncles succumbed to...
