You searched for "tongue"

145 results found

How do you solve a problem like Dysphagia?

When a patient is referred to a speech and language therapist for the management of swallowing difficulties, multiple options are available to address these issues. The choice is based on a detailed assessment of the patient’s swallowing physiology and function....

Advances in surgical innovation for head and neck cancer

This article reviews current advances in surgical treatment of head and neck cancers such as sentinel node biopsy, stereolithic modelling, transoral robotic surgery and intra-operative imaging of tumour margins. Sentinel node biopsy has been found to be especially useful for...

Effectiveness of oral pressure therapy in obstructive sleep apnoea: a systematic analysis

Oral pressure therapy (OPT) is a relatively new form of therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Paradoxically it seems to work even though it creates a vacuum in the oral cavity as opposed to the gold standard of continuous positive...

Identifying CN IX and X using endotracheal tube electrodes

This clinical study describes the possible usefulness of endotracheal tube electrodes in monitoring vocal cord function during cerebellopontine angle surgery in 20 patients. Lower cranial nerves, especially IX and X are at risk of injury during skull base surgery although...

Clinical assessment in OSA

This paper divides the assessment up into anatomical (nasal and oropharyngeal), endoscopic and imaging. It points out the salient features to look out for in OSA patients with regards the nasal valve and also oropharyngeal anatomy, with tonsil hypertrophy grading...

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...

Risk of second primary cancer among patients with head and neck cancers

Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have an elevated risk of developing a second primary malignant neoplasm (SPMN). These are of increasing concern because the number of survivors of HNSCC has been growing owing to early detection...

The lateral neck cystic mass – diagnostic dilemma. Can HPV status help?

Solitary cystic masses in the lateral neck can present a significant diagnostic dilemma as they can be metastases from tumours of the oro or nasopharynx. This retrospective paper detailed all patients presenting to a university hospital in Germany, from September...

Surgical management of permanent facial paralysis

This article explores the management of flaccid facial palsy focusing on weakness less than one to two years’ duration. As a general rule, primary nerve repair produces the best outcome and should be performed where possible. For long-standing paralysis of...

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation for OSA

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation has been lauded as the great new surgical treatment panacea for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). This meta-analysis includes 12 studies with a total of 350 patients, including the five-year follow-up data from the STAR trial which was...

An alternative device for obstructive sleep apnoea

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...

What to do if adenotonsillectomy does not cure sleep apnoea in children?

This article reviews the management of children with persistent obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) following adenotonsillectomy (AT). Risk factors for patients to have persistent disease include obesity, being Afro-Caribbean and existing co-morbidities such as craniofacial and neuromuscular disorders. Initial assessment of...