ENT features
The pioneer of precision: Wolfgang Steiner and the evolution of transoral laser surgery
It is rare that a single clinician entirely changes the course of the management of a particular condition. Steiner was one such clinician. Wolfgang Steiner was to transoral laser microsurgery what Grandmaster Flash was to hip-hop or James Brown was...
On the shoulders of giants: a reflection on Wolfgang Steiner
Professor Wolfgang Steiner. Wolfgang Steiner inspired a whole generation of head and neck surgeons. Terry Jones gives us his own personal perspective. “We are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and...
In conversation with Reza Rahbar
Reza Rahbar is professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School and associate otolaryngologist-in-chief at Boston Children’s Hospital. He initiated and leads IPOG, the International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group. I met up with him to ask more about it. Reza Rahbar DMD,...
ENT in the Balkans
Shining a light on ENT in the Balkans, Metin Önerci explains the population and challenges in this part of the world. There is no universal agreement on what constitutes the Balkans. However, the following countries are usually included: Albania, Bosnia...
Developmental stuttering: a speech-motor impairment with sensory aspects
In treating patients who stutter, understanding the effects of sensory input (i.e. auditory input) can help to direct therapeutic approaches. Sensory processing has been identified as a contributory factor in several diagnoses, notably autism and ADHD [1], however it has...
What has NAIROS taught us about septoplasty?
Septoplasty is a commonly performed procedure worldwide for nasal obstruction associated with a deviated nasal septum. In the UK, with long waiting lists for septoplasty, there is a large and unexplained variation in the incidence of this procedure between individual...
Upper airway endoscopy: achieving a balanced service whilst minimising the conflict of sustainability
Nasal endoscopes present a unique challenge in balancing sustainability and practicality. Both disposable and reusable scopes may have distinct roles in modern practice. Flexible endoscopy of the upper aerodigestive tract is an essential technique that facilitates detailed assessment of the...
Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy / parathyroidectomy – a new approach
Historically, scarless surgery has been popular in certain cultures. But is it gaining traction around the world? A UK team tell us more. Background Alternative, remote access approaches to thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy are increasing in popularity, the newest of these...
Per-Ingvar Brånemark: father of osseointegration
The application of osseointegration has been central to the development of both bone-anchored hearing aids and dental implants. But how did it all come about? Per-Ingvar Brånemark (1929–2014). Image Johan Wingborg. Many hearing-impaired patients owe a great debt of gratitude...
Developing principles of swallow rehabilitation using novel animal modelling
Never let it be said that we don’t cover a wide range of topics. Camilla Dawson tells us about the crossover between swallowing in seals and in humans. Rehabilitation of swallow is complex, informed by anatomical and physiological systems and...
Monstrous craws and horrid butchery: a concise history of thyroid surgery
Prior to the foundation of our speciality, thyroid surgery had a dubious reputation and universally dismal outcomes. Jenny Walton casts a critical eye over this dark chapter. Diseases of the thyroid gland have been referenced in historic texts for well...
Pharma chameleon
One morning in September ’95, about a month into my first house job on the South Coast of England, I emerged from the ridiculously early ward round on the coronary care unit feeling a bit dazed and therefore headed off...
