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Scary Cases in Otolaryngology

When I was first presented with the Halloween-like graphic that is displayed on the cover of this 230-page book, I wondered what scary stories may lie ahead. To my delight, by the time I’d turned over the first few pages,...

Facial pain and headaches

This paper reviews the present knowledge and the recent publications on the cause, characteristics, course and treatment of chronic and recurring facial pain and headaches. Facial pain should be defined in terms of frequency, duration and severity, and also in...

Age is not an issue in sinus surgery

We have an increasingly aged population, and hence older and older patients are presenting with sinonasal issues and the potential need for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The authors sought to identify if older patients (age >70) have more complications post...

Nasal polyps, does size matter?

This study from Germany investigates the correlation between nasal polyp size and return of olfactory function following endoscopic sinus surgery. Olfaction is affected more in patients with CRSwNP than with CRSsNP and the best chance of smell recovery occurs in...

Does pollution worsen inflammatory nasal problems?

This ambitious study, conducted over a period of four years, assessed 27,863 patients and compared levels of allergic rhinitis (AR) or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with the levels of air pollution recorded, as assessed by levels of particulate matter (PM10). They...

Diagnostic features of acute invasive fungal sinusitis

Acute invasive fungal sinusitis (AIFS) is a rare but frequently lethal condition, commonly associated with a high morbidity among those that survive. It has gained recent media attention on account of its increased incidence following infection with (and treatment for)...

Simple preoperative tests predicting outcomes for ESS patients?

We are all familiar with patients suffering extensive nasal polyps who relapse all to soon after careful and thorough endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). This paper looks to answer whether we can predict which patients will do well, and which less...

The polyp shrinker

Inflammatory markers, including T2 cells beta common (βc) cytokines IL-3, IL5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), are known to play an important role in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). CSL311, a monoclonal antibody (mAb), was developed to target human...

How best can we manage Samter’s Triad/AERD?

The classic ‘Samter’s Triad’ of asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), and aspirin sensitivity is now referred to as aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory-exacerbated respiratory disease. We often come across in our rhinology setting, patients with recalcitrant...

Stem cells in nasal polyposis

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is common and is multifactorial with increased T-helper 2 response and active role of interleukin 5. It can be associated with asthma and control of CRSwNP improves lower airway disease. Due to constant cellular...

Sinonasal Complications of Dental Disease and Treatment: Prevention - Diagnosis - Management

As otorhinolaryngologists, we are trained to examine the computed tomography (CT) scans of all patients with maxillary chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) for potential dental disease. The mainstay of managing this is generally limited to referring the patient to their dentist or...