You searched for "evidence"
Nasal steroids do not cause ocular problems
This excellent, high quality and detailed systematic review from Australia dispels the myth propagated recently by some poorly designed studies that intranasal corticosteroids cause intraocular problems. A 40 year review of the usual databases found 665 articles and 19 were...
Surgical voice restoration after laryngopharyngectomy
Voice restoration is one of the key rehabilitative steps after laryngectomy or total laryngopharyngectomy (TLP). Patients who undergo TLP require reconstruction – increasingly commonly with microvascular free flaps. Despite their advantages in terms of fistula rates and swallowing outcomes, these...
Can laryngeal sensitivity testing predict aspiration and pneumonia in dysphagic patients?
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...
Suspect the unsuspecting in thyroid cancer
This article reminds readers of how often invasive thyroid disease can appear, as the symptomatology is minimal. Noticeable airway symptoms appear after 50% of the airway is involved and surgeons can often fall in the unsuspecting trap of discovering locally...
Allergy testing in children with beta-lactam hypersensitivity
The beta-lactam antibiotic is commonly used in treating ENT infections in childhood. However, its use can be limited by reported hypersensitivity or allergy to the antibiotic. This is largely attributed to the previous development of skin rashes while being on...
NSC- HHT – a systematic review of intranasal Bevacizumab
This systematic review of 13 studies concerning the use of an anti-angiogenic nasal treatment in the management of epistaxis in HHT patients finds no significant effect. This paper looked at four RCTs, three prospective studies, three retrospective, one case series...
Cochlear implants for tinnitus
This study from Belgium is the first to look at the long term reduction in tinnitus for a cohort of 23 patients with unilateral profound hearing loss and incapacitating tinnitus implanted with cochlear implants (CI). The authors were able to...
Spasmodic dysphonia – is greater awareness needed?
Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a focal dystonia of the laryngeal musculature. Previously considered to be a rare disorder, it has more recently been suggested that SD is in fact not rare but is frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. This paper would...
The benefits of early voice therapy for unilateral vocal cord paralysis
This retrospective review of voice outcomes following a diagnosis of unilateral vocal fold paralysis divided patients into three groups according to the time of initiation of voice therapy following the onset of paralysis. The ‘early’ group started voice therapy within...
Transnasal oesophagoscopy in head and neck cancer: an update
The role of transnasal oesophagoscopy (TNE) in the management of head and neck cancer patients is evolving. Until 1990, oesphagoscopy required specialist endoscopists, general anaesthesia or sedation. This review succinctly summarises updates in the evidence for TNE in: i) Screening...
Factors affecting hearing aid recommendations
There is a wide variety of hearing instruments available to the hearing impaired. Hearing care professionals are often confronted with making decisions on which to recommend based on audiometric and non-audiometric parameters (e.g. vision, manual dexterity and vanity). The factors...
