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International classification of bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP)

In the past few years the Bárány Society have been standardising the diagnostic criteria for various vestibular disorders – International Classification of Vestibular Disorders (ICVD). Diagnosis of BVP relies on history, bedside clinical assessment and objective vestibular tests. The authors...

Acute peripheral vestibulopathy: is it really neuritis?

The pathophysiology of acute vestibular dysfunction has been debated for decades. By seeking to clarify the underlying aetiology, this study muddies the waters further by advocating systemic and intratympanic steroids as first line treatment if the aetiology is uncertain. The...

Chronic rhinosinusitis and sleep

This is an interesting article from the Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan. One-hundred-and-thirty-nine patients were enrolled into this five-year study. They all had chronic rhinosinusitis with or without polyposis and underwent sinus surgery. The aim was to investigate a...

Is there a cause-and-effect relationship between allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis?

This review examines the possible causative relationship between allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) that has long been proposed. Many observational and experimental studies exist, however no clear and definitive connection has been established. This is mainly due to...

Post-total laryngectomy constipation

This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of chronic constipation post total laryngectomy (TL) and after total pharyngolaryngectomy (TPL). For the study, the authors used a self-completed patient questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence and factors related to it. Patients using opioids,...

Zinc and rhinosinusitis

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in general, and those with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in particular, have been shown to have down-regulation of tight junction genes. Zinc, on the other hand, is well-known for its role in immune regulation and deficiency...

A new treatment for chronic rhinitis

The review paper looks at the efficacy of cryoablation of the posterior nasal nerve (PNN) to treat chronic rhinitis, an increasingly popular method of treating a highly prevalent and morbidity-inducing disease. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis, all dating...

Time to endoscopic sinus surgery and outcomes

A well written prospective study, which demonstrates that patients who require endoscopic sinus surgery, should be operated on without long delay since this achieves better and more sustained outcomes. There were 1493 patients undergoing primary nasal surgery who had completed...

The vestibular system is not immune to chronic otitis media

It is well recognised that chronic otitis media (COM) is a risk factor for sensorineural hearing loss. Studies on the effect of COM on vestibular function have been beset by design biases. The authors designed a case control study to...

Chronic rhinosinusitis – a pre-malignant condition?

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a relatively uncommon diagnosis in the West but is prevalent in Southeast Asia. Several factors have been established to be associated with a higher risk of developing NPC, including salted fish consumption, smoking, alcohol, and Epstein...