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Does use of pectoralis muscle myocutaneous flap (PMMCF) reduce postoperative pharyngocutaneous fistula complication after salvage laryngectomy?
Salvage laryngectomy for recurrent laryngeal carcinoma following failed radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is associated with high postoperative complication rate. The primary aim of this paper was to assess whether use of muscle myocutaneous flap (PMMCF) as an interposition graft reduces the...
Counting up discourse
Speech and language researchers and health professionals alike strive to measure communication abilities using relevant and psychometrically sound tools. Discourse measures are potential tools which reflect everyday communication more accurately than other more traditional measures. However, time has been a...
Genetic testing in congenital hearing loss
Advances in genetic testing over the last decade have reduced the cost and time such testing required and increased understanding of the genes involved in conditions like congenital hearing loss. This study from Atlanta looks at genetic testing from a...
The applicability and reliability of SHIMP, a new vestibular test, in adolescents
The video head impulse (now called the head impulse paradigm – HIMP) is now a routine test battery in neuro-otological practice. Few will be familiar with the new suppression head impulse paradigm (SHIMP) test. The key difference is that, in...
Is a chest x-ray necessary in making urgent referrals for suspected head and neck cancer?
The article presents an audit on urgent referrals for suspected head and neck cancer in 2144 patients. Only 8.6% of cases proved positive for head and neck cancer. The Scottish Referral Guidelines were adhered only in 55.1% of cases. Interestingly,...
SPECT scans not justified in growth of the mandibular condyle
This is a paper from Hong Kong of 200 patients between January 2011 and July 2013 who underwent SPECT bone scintigraphy for assessment of growth causing condylar hyperplasia and subsequent mandibular asymmetry. Thirty-four patients were found to have active growth...
The earlier the better: learning to work together
Working as part of a team can be the most challenging aspect of any health professional’s job role. The authors of this article acknowledge that this is frequently considered a skill that can only be learnt ‘on the job’. Yet...
Close monitoring of patients for delayed hyponatremia post-transsphenoidal surgery
he incidence of delayed hyponatremia is 16-28% and usually accounts for unplanned readmission of the patient within 30 days after transsphenoidal surgery. One of the surrogate measures of quality of care adopted by the government and regulatory agencies is 30-day...
Prioritisation of surgery for pituitary tumours
This study is based on the findings of internationally renowned skull base surgeons who convened to recommend this stratification scheme. The study authors report that incidental diagnosis of pituitary tumours during routine imaging as well as early identification of visual...
Which self-reported tinnitus and hyperacusis questionnaires are useful?
Tinnitus and hyperacusis may have very negative psychological side-effects. Due to their subjective nature it is important to have appropriate tools to assess them. In addition to the routine questionnaires such as THI, HQ, ISI, HADS or VAS, the authors...
Neck dissection in adenoid cystic carcinoma is a risk worth taking?
This paper from Stanford University presents impressive figures to guide the debate on the extent of surgical management in adenoid cystic disease. Adenoid cystic carcinomas present a particular problem in that they can recur even after 20 years. They have...
