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The newest robot from da Vinci – what can it offer for hypopharyngeal cancer surgery?

The standard existing da Vinci surgical robot (the Si model) has been much maligned for not being optimally designed for transoral access and endoscopic manoeuvrability in head and neck surgery. This preclinical work from Holsinger and his team looks at...

Changes in swallowing function after thyroidectomy

Evaluation of functional impact following thyroidectomy tends to be focused on voice quality. The aim of this study was to document early (seven days postoperatively) and late changes (60 days postop) in swallowing function after thyroidectomy. A preoperative naso-endoscopic evaluation...

Endoscopic stapes surgery - pearls and pitfalls

Endoscopic ear surgery has gained popularity in recent years with wide panoramic visualisation of the operative field one of its key strengths. This article summarises the approach, set-up and outcomes of patients undergoing endoscopic stapes surgery. A key step during...

Robotic insertion of electrode array in cochlear implantation

Cochlear implants (CIs) are commonly used for profound bilateral hearing loss. They have specific national guidance for their insertion, however patients with a substantial residual acoustic hearing are potential CI candidates. Preservation of this residual hearing can be sought with...

Is endoscopic stapes surgery safe and are outcomes comparable to microscopic stapes surgery

Endoscopic techniques for visualisation of the middle ear were described in 1967 by Mer and colleagues, and the use of transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) has since expanded to a wider range of otologic applications including tympanoplasty and excision of...

Parapharyngeal space tumours – is the transoral approach effective?

Several approaches are described to the parapharyngeal space to permit resection of tumours in this region, with the most commonly employed approach being the transcervical route. The transoral approach remains somewhat controversial as it is felt that this approach can...

Does transoral robotic surgery improve outcomes among patients with head and neck cancer of unknown primary?

A tonsillectomy and tongue base mucosectomy is becoming increasingly accepted as the optimal surgical intervention to aid in identifying the primary source of a p16+ / HPV-related squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of unknown origin, given that this disease almost exclusively...

Ménière’s disease in today’s social media sphere

Social media is increasingly becoming the source of medical information for many. The authors analysed 1108 posts on Ménière’s disease on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to determine the accuracy of content, authorship, depiction of Ménière’s disease and types of media...

Impact of lingual pumping in Parkinson’s patients with dysphagia

Dysphagia in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most important causes of mortality in these patients. Swallowing difficulty in Parkinson’s disease is associated with lingual pumping or festination, anterior escape, premature loss of bolus, oral and pharyngeal retention, multiple...

A new treatment for chronic rhinitis

The review paper looks at the efficacy of cryoablation of the posterior nasal nerve (PNN) to treat chronic rhinitis, an increasingly popular method of treating a highly prevalent and morbidity-inducing disease. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis, all dating...