Journal Reviews
Tonsillectomies are a pain in the neck!
You thought tonsilitis was bad? Having your tonsils removed, now that’s a hard pill to swallow. Very well, you’ll no longer have to fear the CENTOR, but how do we make recovery as pain-free as possible? Pantabtim and colleagues set...
Poking the bear: learning to drain quinsy on a mannequin head
Simulation in medicine has gained significant traction in both undergraduate and postgraduate training over the last couple of decades or so – the benefits to all involved are clear. The airline industry models for human factors and crew resource management...
Volume changes in hemiglossectomy reconstruction
This paper analyses the volume changes in 10 patients, five of whom had hemiglossectomy reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap, whilst the other five patients had reconstruction with an anterolateral thigh flap. Both groups underwent postoperative radiotherapy. The volume...
Biopsy sites with a diagnosis of pemphigusand mucous membrane pemphigoid
This is a systemic review and met-analysis to critically evaluate optimal biopsy site for patients presenting with pemphigus or mucous membrane pemphigoid. Historically, diagnosis is made if H&E staining direct immunofluorescence and serological testing of auto-antibodies. Direct immunofluorescence has been...
A safe management pathway for low-risk head and neck cancer suspected referrals
Head and neck cancer is the eighth most common malignancy and numbers are increasing. This has led to increasing number of suspected cancer referrals which, with imposition of the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard implemented in 2020, has further burdened the...
Adenoid cystic carcinoma – insights from a national database
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is a rare cancer of the salivary glands that accounts for approximately 1% of all head and neck malignancies. Hallmarks of this cancer type include a predilection for perineural infiltration, a prolonged clinical course with late...
Pharyngoplasty for palatal snoring
This prospective Belgian study looked at the benefits of barbed reposition pharyngoplasty in the management of patients with isolated unilevel palatal snoring. This technique involves using a barbed suture and repositioning the palatopharyngeal muscle in a more lateral and anterior...
Postoperative ultrasound surveillance in patients undergoing hemithyroidectomy
Hemithyroidectomy, as opposed to total thyroidectomy with radioiodine remnant ablation, is now increasingly undertaken for low-risk, differentiated thyroid cancer. If on histology, this proves ‘high risk’, completion thyroidectomy is done fairly soon. In this retrospective study, a total of 105...
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...
THRIVE: redefining airway management in endoscopic oesophageal surgery
Transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) is no longer just a tool to help anaesthetists secure a difficult airway. Thanks to the work of authors like Yang and colleagues, it is being revolutionised to provide apnoeic oxygenation during endoscopic...
Surgical variations in maxillomandibular surgery treating sleep apnoea
This is a scoping review further highlighting the success in curing sleep apnoea with a maxillomandibular complex advancement. The variations outlined are on East and Southeast Asian patients to reduce the aesthetic concern of bi-maxillary protrusion when large advancements are...
Thyroidectomy - a pictorial walk through the surgical steps
We as ENT surgeons work closely with the endocrinologist to provide MDT care for patients with a variety of pathologic conditions of the thyroid gland, including benign, malignant and hormonal disease processes. Surgery plays a central role for a variety...
