Journal Reviews
Management of peritonsillar abscesses – should we be offering a hot tonsillectomy?
Peritonsillar abscesses (PTAs) are one of the most common reasons for patients being referred to ENT services on an emergent basis worldwide. The conventional treatment for adult patients with a PTA in the UK involves needle aspiration or incision and...
You’re under arrest, you damned post-tonsillectomy bleed!
Tonsillectomy is a common, well-tolerated procedure most commonly performed in children for recurrent tonsilitis and sleep apnoea. Post-tonsillectomy bleeding (PTB) is a relatively uncommon complication that poses significant risks to patients and high rates of readmission and reintervention. Institutional guidance...
Endolymphatic sac surgery (ESS) revisited
Ever since the destructive articles by Toss and coworkers, ESS was considered a taboo. However more and more centres are reviving it and report favourable results in properly selected patients. In this article the authors conducted a retrospective, single-centre observational...
Risk factors for postop ventilation following free flap reconstruction
This study, conducted in the United States, analysed 144 patients undergoing free flap surgery. Of these, 51 patients were extubated within 48 hours postoperatively, while 93 remained intubated for more than 48 hours. The mean duration of ventilation was 36...
3D planning of soft-to-hard tissue ratios in orthognathic surgery
This multinational systematic review examined publications over a six-year period up to December 2023, focusing on orthognathic surgery. It follows an earlier review by the same group, which had reported low validity in the use of 3D software for soft-to-hard...
Laryngocele: a rare but complex disease associated with laryngeal cancer
The incidence of laryngocele is very low – 2.5 per million but its occurrence can be associated with cancer of the larynx. In this retrospective study of 14 cases over 10 years, the authors have elaborated on aetio-pathology, which is...
An otological cure for globus?
Globus pharyngeus is a common benign condition frequently encountered in ENT practice. Laryngopharyngeal reflux and psychological stressors are often considered to be contributory factors, but globus symptoms do not always respond to antacid medications. Such medications can also be limited...
Is pan-endoscopy necessary to detect synchronous primary in upper aerodigestive tract cancer?
Diagnosis of head and neck cancer requires speed. It has also to be comprehensive in view of the possibility of synchronous primary cancer (SPC) associated with upper aerodigestive tract cancer (UADTC). Some centres still consider pan-endoscopy essential in the diagnostic...
Which patients are suitable for surgery in recurrent head and neck cancer?
Currently, radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the most common modality used in the management of primary head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Unfortunately, around 50% of patients experience disease recurrence (rHNSCC). Surgery is therefore often used as a salvage treatment....
Extranodal extension following surgical resection of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer – is adjuvant radiotherapy alone sufficient?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a known aetiological factor in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). HPV-positive OPSCC is recognised to have a more favourable prognosis than HPV-negative disease. Treatment deintensification for HPV+ OPSCC has therefore been an area of research focus...
Facial paralysis revisited
Facial paralysis grading is a confusing issue. Lots of classifications have been proposed but all are subjective. The authors attempted to automate the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (SFGS) by training a convoluted neural network (CNN) deep learning system. They used...
What are the consequences of facial palsy on working life?
Facial palsy (FP) has multiple causes, including iatrogenic or idiopathic paralysis, trauma and tumours. Whilst for certain aetiologies, such as Bell’s palsy, recovery of function is expected, many patients will experience permanent symptoms due to incomplete recovery of the facial...
