This paper examined the effect of cochlear implantation on balance function in 16 adult patients. The authors assessed balance pre- and (two weeks) post-operatively by timing how long each patient was able to stand on a foam pad with their...
The long-term histological effect on taste buds following cutting of the chorda tympani in humans is not clear. Confocal laser scanning allows in-vivo examination of the same group of taste buds and is aiding our understanding of why patients recover...
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used increasingly in surgical research to quantify the efficacy of surgical interventions. This can help to fill an ‘evidence gap’ where healthcare rationing threatens particular treatments. Procedures aimed at improving quality of life, especially with...
This well researched meta-analysis describes the various complications obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients may acquire after surgery. These American reviewers found that OSA patients after non-upper airway operations, were more like to suffer (compared to non-OSA patients), from the following...
Inner ear schwannomas (IES) are rare. Patients with IES tend to lose their hearing. Surgery is a treatment option, but it leads to complete loss of hearing. Other treatment options include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and watchful waiting (WW). The authors...
This paper from Germany describes an uncommon phenomenon of pedicle calcification in three cases. In patients from two centres that had fibula free flap reconstruction from January 2010 to January 2016, 68 cases had pedicle calcification and three cases were...
In the July/August edition of the magazine, we featured an article on humanitarian work in Ethiopia, focusing on head and neck surgery. Continuing this theme, Misha Verkerk tells us about an international collaboration providing otology care and training in that...
Once a taboo topic, stress and psychological illness in doctors is now much more widely discussed. This is probably partly due to changing societal attitudes (with more acceptance of the importance of acknowledging mental illness) and changes amongst medics themselves,...
The head and neck anatomy is a complex area and if one simply wanted to just learn and revise anatomy, it would be reasonable to pick up an anatomy book for reference. However, it can be helpful to have a...
Albert Rhoton was a renowned American neurosurgeon with an intense interest in anatomy. This book was published after his death in 2016 and aims to continue Rhoton’s philosophy of patients benefit deriving from surgeons’ knowledge and understanding of complex anatomy....
With advancing years come many benefits, but one drawback is the acquisition of parotid (or thyroid) neoplasms. Conventional teaching is that most are benign and slowly enlarge, and not infrequently are found bilaterally as in Warthin’s. Pleomorphic adenomas are also...