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A drug to prevent hearing loss caused by ototoxic therapeutics

This editorial briefly highlights the progress made in discovering a compound named ORC-13661, which shows the potential to alter the response of hair cells to ototoxic medication. In the late 1980s, inner hair cells that were lost secondary to noise...

Assessment of the incidence of LPR in the Greek population using the Reflux Symptom Index

Using the self-administered nine-item Belafsky Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) questionnaire, the authors of this article assessed the prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in the general adult Greek population as well as predisposing and associated factors for developing LPR. They found...

An overview of microsurgical reconstruction of the head and neck worldwide

Microsurgical reconstruction is an integral part of the treatment following ablation for malignancy or trauma. Currently there are no clear treatment guidelines following tumour resection. This was recognised a few years ago and in 2008 various collaborative groups were founded...

Nasal decongestants don’t improve Eustachian tube function

Prescribing nasal steroids and decongestants. It’s something most of us do routinely, in an effort to reduce chronic middle ear effusion in an adult by trying to improve eustachian tube (ET) patency. This study used clever devices (tube manometry and...

Location, location, location: How to get the steroid where you need it, in chronic rhinosinusitis

What almost all current guidelines on chronic rhinosinusitis have in common is the importance of intranasal steroid (INCS) use. However, it is increasingly understood that the efficacy of INCS depends on their efficient delivery to the point of need, i.e....

All you need to know about childhood hearing loss - an update

This is an excellent update on childhood hearing loss. It is a comprehensive collection of five chapters, providing a summary of a broad range of practice guidelines to inform screening, diagnosis, and management of hearing loss in children. It has...

Drooling: what is it like to be unable to manage your own saliva?

Drooling in Parkinson’s is associated with less frequent and inefficient swallowing, resulting in a build-up of saliva in the mouth that then moves beyond the lips. It often causes discomfort as the skin becomes sore, and results in embarrassment. The...

Endoscopic Ear Surgery: Principles, Indications and Techniques

I was delighted to be asked to review this book. It’s big and shiny, and has 400 pages, many of which bear beautiful colour images including endoscopic photographs, radiological images and clear illustrations of middle ear anatomy. The preface to...

Surgical voice restoration after laryngopharyngectomy

Voice restoration is one of the key rehabilitative steps after laryngectomy or total laryngopharyngectomy (TLP). Patients who undergo TLP require reconstruction – increasingly commonly with microvascular free flaps. Despite their advantages in terms of fistula rates and swallowing outcomes, these...

Infant mental health and hearing loss

This interesting editorial explores an aspect in the field of research dedicated to promoting healthy social and emotional development and the prevention and treatment of mental health problems in very young children. Since babies learn through primary attachment relationships with...

Say what you don’t mean: cognitive difficulties in Parkinson’s can worsen intelligibility

Hypokinetic dysarthria, seen in 70–90% of people with Parkinson’s, causes reduced range of movement during speech production, reduced volume, rate, pitch and intelligibility. This study aimed to explore the role of higher cognitive function in speech production by asking 20...