ENT features
Imaging and management of head and neck vascular anomalies
Vascular anomalies are a diffuse spectrum of abnormalities which often involve the head, neck and oral cavity. They are frequently misnamed, often being generically labelled as haemangiomas. This lack of basic understanding can cause confusion leading to a cascade of...
Role of interventional neuroradiology in otorhinolarygological pathology – a brief review
Introduction Since its advent in 1964 when Dotter percutaneously dilated a stenosed femoral artery [1], interventional radiology has undergone tremendous advancement in both imaging and devices that have enabled the operator (interventional radiologist) to access very distal small vasculature and...
Philosophy and reality of entrepreneurship
Before you take the time to read this article, be informed that it is indeed hard to be an entrepreneur. It warrants passion, sacrifice, total commitment and willingness to spend day and night (even in your sleep) thinking and working...
Entrepreneurial aspirations for the otolaryngologist
Entrepreneurship is a process of identifying an idea and starting a business venture with this idea. It requires generation of a business model or plan that emphasises the value proposition for the customer. The model must identify the partners, resources,...
Developing a telemedical approach to tinnitus treatment for a worldwide market
Most of us have probably met at least one person in our lives who suffers from the notorious ringing in the ear, tinnitus. For many this ringing becomes a nightmare and debilitates them. Tinnitus is defined as the perception of...
Job Ahead: understanding the business and financial aspects of US practice
Dr Christiansen brings over 30 years of experience as a practising otolaryngologist both in private practice and in academic medicine as Associate Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Dr Christiansen started his career in...
Establishing a medical device company: an ENTrepreneur’s experience
In 2004, while I was suturing the mucopericondrial flaps for a septoplasty, I thought to myself, “there must be an easier and faster way of doing this”. Even though I had no formal training in business or medical device development,...
Pre-clinical development of magnetic delivery of therapy to middle and inner ears
Why are we developing this technology? A key problem in drug delivery is getting the therapy to the right place in the body, which is especially challenging for targets that are small, deep and are protected or surrounded by anatomical...
Developing medical devices for children: opportunities and challenges
The development of medical devices for infants and children lags significantly behind the development of devices for adults. While in the United States the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set up incentives for developing child age-specific pharmaceuticals, there is...
Developing an Innovation for ENT – from Idea to Market: how ‘e-i’ did it
Background endoscope-i (e-i) Ltd was incorporated into Companies House on December 3rd, 2012 following eight months of developing our first project, a simple iPhone adapter for endoscopes. Of the three founding shareholders, two are ENT surgeons and one a lecturer...
Development of the iAudiometer™
Why the iAudiometer™? We have developed six versions of a new software called iAudiometer™ that performs an array of different audiometric tests using an iPad with standard transducers (TDH-39 headphones, B-71 BC, aural domes, or inserts) (Figure 1; Table 1)....
Funding your otolaryngology / audiology idea by partnering with the US Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) has been an effective partner in many of our current medical technology advancements, from the surgical robot, to improved clotting wound dressings, to better blood products. For the otolaryngology and audiology entrepreneur looking...
