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Tell me like it is: advice for relatives of people with aphasia

More than a quarter of people who have a stroke present with aphasia immediately post-stroke (approx. 30%) and of these, around 60% experience chronic communication difficulties. Provision of information is seen as one of the top 10 best practice recommendations...

Perception of verticality during attacks of Ménière’s

Ménière’s disease (MD) affects the cochlea and all peripheral vestibular receptors. The perception of verticality, a function of the utricle, is evaluated by the subjective visual vertical (SVV) test. The authors studied SVV in two groups of MD patients: a)...

Is there hope of hearing for postmeningitic patients deemed unsuitable for a cochlear implant?

Rehabilitation of patients with profound hearing loss deemed unsuitable for cochlear implants is challenging. An auditory brainstem implant (ABI) is a viable option for these patients. This paper evaluates auditory and speech perception outcome measures following ABI in 10 postmeningitic...

Is the greater auricular nerve important in parotid surgery?

The greater auricular nerve (GAN) is often partially or totally sacrificed during parotidectomy procedures. This was a retrospective study comparing auricular sensation and quality of life in patients that either had their GAN preserved or sacrificed. In the shortterm, patients...

Using SNOT-22 to predict revision sinus cases

A simple way of predicting which patients will require revision endoscopic surgery does not yet exist. This study, which is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study, part of the UK national audit, aims to predict this by using a relatively simple,...

Voice therapy is an effective treatment for presbyphonia

The quality of an individual’s voice often declines with age. This deterioration occurs firstly as a result of vocal fold atrophy secondary to histologic alteration of the vocal fold mucosa as well as atrophy of the laryngeal musculature. Phonatory efficiency...

Long-term results of incus vibroplasty in patients with moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss

The Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) middle ear implant is now a well-accepted and widely utilised treatment option for patients with sensorineural hearing loss unable to use standard hearing aids. However, as a relatively recent addition to the portfolio of implants available...

Consider PCR testing in culture negative necrotising otitis externa

Necrotising otitis externa (NOE) often does not yield identification of a causative organism to treat although in 90% of cases it is a member of the pseudomonas species. The incidence of fungal NOE is not to be forgotten and this...

Choosing our tools: assessing language in dementia

Language led dementia, also known as primary progressive aphasia (PPA), is an emerging area of practice in speech and language therapy. Given that the diagnosis centres around the key diagnostic feature of language, whereby language impairment is the most prominent...

The medially-invasive cholesteatoma: a case series

In this small case series, Casazza et al describe their management of seven cases of complex cholesteatoma presenting during a 16-year period. Patients were included if imaging confirmed restricted diffusion and an endophytic, medially-destructive disease involving the otic capsule, petrous...