Search

Middle ear reconstruction in children: why, when and how

Every ear in every child is different. Rob Nash discusses the rationale behind reconstructive ear surgery in children and his philosophy on timing and techniques of reconstruction. It is rare for middle ear pathologies to be life threatening. Indeed, it...

How trainees can make major contributions to practice

At a time when many of our trainees feel poorly supported and disheartened, the formation of a National ENT Trainee Research Network (Integrate) has been a major advance, enabling them to develop and execute research projects directly relevant to clinical...

The astronomer’s nose: Tycho Brahe’s controversial prosthesis

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) is a familiar and colourful figure in the history of science. The immense quantity of data he collected during his lifetime would enable the work of Johannes Kepler and has gained him admission to the astronomical pantheon....

'If music be the food of love, play on'

Christopher Aldren Consultant Otolaryngologist, Wexham Park Hospital, UK. Chris playing at Cambridge garden party 2003. Chris with wife and sons Tom and Alex in family quartet. Chris leading the Doctors Orchestra at the Cadogan Hall in London. Christopher Aldren, Consultant...

Pre-hospital care

For those of us that work within the acute hospital system, the sound of the trauma pager going off warning of an incoming casualty with as yet unknown injuries is often the sound of uncertainty and anxiety. When it becomes...

Changing behaviour with a human factors approach

The Francis Report (2013) identified multiple problems relating to the safety culture of Stafford Hospital in the period 2005 – 2009, as well as serious failings in the supervisory and regulatory systems of the NHS. Particular criticism was directed at...

Industry interaction with the ENT speciality

I was enormously grateful for the chance to articulate my personal thoughts on ‘the industry interaction with the ENT clinical community’. To set a context, the term ‘industry’ refers to medical technology manufacturers and suppliers, in addition to pharmaceutical companies....

BACO: The Master’s role

Ian Mackay is this year’s BACO Master, with Valerie Lund taking over for the next meeting. As the senior overseer of the conference, the role of Master is a crucial one, and Ian tells us how he has gone about...

Entrepreneurial aspirations for the otolaryngologist

Entrepreneurship is a process of identifying an idea and starting a business venture with this idea. It requires generation of a business model or plan that emphasises the value proposition for the customer. The model must identify the partners, resources,...

The role of training programmes in protecting patients

ENT trainees are fully registered doctors who have responsibilities to comply with the requirements of Good Medical Practice. This includes ensuring that they put the interests of their patients at the heart of their practice. This duty is complementary to...

What’s happened since the European position paper on nose and sinus tumours?

The management of malignant sinonasal tumours has gone through radical changes in recent years. Prof Valerie Lund gives us an update based on her upcoming talk at IFOS. In 2010 when we published the European position paper on ‘endoscopic management...

What does an Olympic medal and surgery have in common?

Competing against female Eastern Bloc athletes in the 1980s was a thankless task, demanding a mulish tenacity in an often futile cause. Ideal preparation for a career in surgery? My path to medicine was unusual, in that I left school...