Journal Reviews
Reduction in recurrent cholesteatoma rates with bony obliteration tympanoplasty technique
This large retrospective study from the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam compares outcomes in traditional canal wall up (CWU) and canal wall down (CWD +/- partial obliteration of mastoid bowl) mastoid surgery for cholesteatoma with bony obliteration tympanoplasty (BOT, which...
Can amplification preserve auditory function?
Hearing loss is a noted modifiable risk factor for dementia, and is also associated with depression, decreased quality of life and isolation. Hearing aids are the main intervention for presbycusis and a 2017 Cochrane Review showed that they have a...
Surgery safety checklists
The time-outs were based on pre-flight checklists adopted by airline pilots and were instituted in all accredited hospitals and ambulatory care centres in the United States in 2003. The guidelines originate from general surgery and are not specific for the...
Semicircular canal dehiscence and cochlear implantation
Semicircular canal dehiscence (SCD) is thought to occur in 3% of the population, it is mostly asymptomatic, but patients may present with sound-induced vestibular symptoms, low-frequency conductive hearing loss, autophony, hyperacusis and aural fulness. With the increasing utilisation of cochlear...
Diagnostic criteria for superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome
The latest Bárány Society’s consensus document on diagnostic criteria for vestibular disorders is one for superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS). There are three major categories: (A) Symptoms consistent with a third mobile labyrinthine window; (B) Physiologic tests – clinical...
Hydrogen peroxide and its uses in healthcare
This is an interesting review about the origin and uses of hydrogen peroxide, especially in neurosurgery. However, its uses are ubiquitous and applicable to several medical specialties. When hydrogen peroxide was first discovered in 1818 by Louis Thenard, it had...
Does Koos classification predict facial nerve dysfunction?
The Koos classification is a grading system used often for preoperative evaluation of acoustic tumours on imaging studies. It indirectly correlates to the size of the tumour. Size of the vestibular schwannoma is often considered the main determinant for hearing...
Canal wall up mastoid defects - can they be usefully reconstructed with hydroxyapatite cranioplastic cement?
Standard canal wall up (CWU) mastoid surgery leaves a mastoid defect of varying size, commonly covered by soft tissue. Rarely, this bony defect can cause discomfort, cosmetic issues or other problems. To mitigate these, the defect can be filled either...
Quality of life after cochlear implantation in the older population
Cochlear implants (CI) have been increasingly adopted in older adults with severe to profound hearing loss as a result of the growing and ageing world population. There is much interest in the cost-effectiveness and quality of life in CI users....
PPPD - the problem with the label
The recently described diagnostic entity of persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD) has its merits regarding guiding intervention and treatment, but the label itself can be problematic for patients. This study was designed to determine the views of patients of the...
Long-term curative effects of microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm
This article describes results of a multicentre prospective trial performed to evaluate long- and short-term outcomes and complications of patients who underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS). The surgeries were performed by surgeons with more than 15 years...
Well drilling vs. subperiosteal pocket for cochlear implants – comparison of operative time, complications and cost-effectiveness
The choice of method for securing the receiver/stimulator (R/S) package during cochlear implant surgery is usually dependant on several factors, but primarily surgeon preference. The initial recommendation from manufacturers was to drill a bony well (WD technique) and use bony...
