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Can laryngeal sensitivity testing predict aspiration and pneumonia in dysphagic patients?
The laryngeal adductor reflex (LAR) is characterised by brief vocal cord closure in response to laryngeal stimulation. It is important in swallowing physiology as it represents a mechanism for airway protection. The authors of this study examined whether the absence...
Help or hinder: how and why do SLTs make clinical decisions around swallowing?
Dysphagia is a relatively common consequence of stroke, with estimates between 50% and 60% of people presenting with swallowing dysfunction following stroke. It is associated with pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration which in turn lead to increased length of hospital admission,...
The right kit matters… How important is video recording in FEES?
As a portable alternative to videofluoroscopy, fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is often carried out at the patient’s bedside. The authors of this paper have chosen to examine the reliability of the penetration-aspiration ratings (Rosenbek scale) of FEES examinations...
Role of potassium channel opener in salicylate induced tinnitus
The exact mechanism in the origin of tinnitus is not known. Many pharmacological agents have been tried to to treat tinnitus without great success. Aspirin is a commonly used medicine in the elderly population to reduce the risk of stroke...
Hearing loss and QOL
This article evaluates the impact of hearing loss and its rehabilitation on the quality of life (QoL) of adults. The authors suggest that the currently used scale, Aphab, is long, complicated and does not take into account minor changes. The...
Measuring the ‘impact’ of preoperative immunonutrition
Using preoperative nutritional supplements as part of ‘enhanced recovery’ in surgical patients is not a new concept. This interesting paper looks at the latest development in optimising patients undergoing head and neck oncological surgery. Immunonutrition (Nestle’s ‘Oral Impact’ in this...
Stimulation for tinnitus
Tinnitus is known to be inhibited by stimulation of the auditory system by stimuli such as acoustical, electrical and magnetic. Residual inhibition (RI) is when tinnitus is temporarily eliminated for a period of time lasting seconds, minutes, up to hours...
Treating benign positional paroxysmal vertigo
Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of dizziness. Its treatment is the repositioning of displaced otoliths by the canalith repositioning manoeuvre (CRM). Post manoeuvre restrictions are commonly given to the patient. Their benefit has...
Gardasil vaccination – an effective adjuvant therapy for RRP?
The clinical manifestations of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) can vary hugely from individual to individual. Whilst some affected children will outgrow the disease, a subset of patients will experience frequent recurrences and require multiple surgical procedures over the course of...
The effect of sleep deprivation on auditory processing
This article caught my eye for personal and professional reasons. As a full time ENT trainee working 24-hour on-calls, I also have young children who have never slept through the night and don’t respect weekends or days off. My FRCS...
Full Vs tapered dose of oral prednisolone for sudden sensorineural hearing loss
I was drawn in by the title of this article, in the expectation that it might be a randomised controlled trial, but it was not. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is an uncommon condition, which has a potentially disastrous outcome, so...
