Journal Reviews
Revision stapedectomy with bone cement works well!
Revision stapes surgery is notoriously difficult and results are worse than in primary surgery. This group in Utah have described the use of hydroxyapatite bone cement to stabilise the nitinol prosthesis they use in revision surgery due to incus necrosis...
Nasal decongestants don’t improve Eustachian tube function
Prescribing nasal steroids and decongestants. It’s something most of us do routinely, in an effort to reduce chronic middle ear effusion in an adult by trying to improve eustachian tube (ET) patency. This study used clever devices (tube manometry and...
Vascular loops found on MRI IAM for tinnitus
This group from the Netherlands looks at the finding of vascular loops found on MRI IAMs requested for tinnitus. It is a common finding for all who request such imaging. This work adds to the body of evidence that such...
BAHA loading two weeks after implant insertion
The time thought necessary for sufficient osseointegration to occur to enable use of a BAHA has reduced from months to a few weeks. This paper further reduces this timescale to two weeks in patients with healthy bone and soft tissue...
Earplugs fit for purpose
The aim of occupational audiology is to prevent hearing loss caused by occupational sound exposure which can exacerbate the long-term effects of central presbyacusis as employees age. To provide the best noise protection over time, research suggests that best practice...
Possibility of noise induced hearing loss during middle ear suction for secretory otitis media
Emission of high intensity sound is dangerous to the cochlea and can result in noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Removal of middle ear fluid is common in everyday practice and the possibility of inducing NIHL is seldom considered and not...
Use of tranexamic acid in ENT surgery
Postoperative bleeding in otolaryngologic procedures causes delayed discharge, requires re-admission and adds considerably to the cost of patient care. Whether the anti-fibrinolytic activity of tranexamic acid should be used routinely to prevent haemorrhagic complications after ENT operations is speculation but...
Anatomic guidelines to endolymphatic sac in transmastoid approach – a cadaveric study
This study involved cadaveric dissection using transmastoid approach in cadaveric embalmed five half heads and posterior fossa approach in fourteen. The sac was identified by electron microscopy. The relatively consistent measurements were the relationship of the operculum to the internal...
Endolymphatic sac surgery for Ménière’s disease
This is a very useful meta-analysis for those that perform surgery for Ménière’s disease. It specifically looked at differences in various forms of endolymphatic sac surgery (ESS). A total of 36 papers were included. The results: ESS controls vertigo in...
Cochlear implants in Ménière’s disease
This retrospective review firstly reminds us that a cochlear implant (CI) is possible with Ménière’s disease (MD) and provides a good account of what can be expected with a CI in patients with MD. Twenty MD patients who underwent cochlear...
The anatomy and actual number of branches of the sphenopalatine artery: surgical implications
Endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation or cauterisation is nowadays the main treatment for epistaxis unresponsive to medical therapy. However, on review of the literature, there appears to be confusion relating to the anatomical nomenclature of the sphenopalatine artery branches and more...
Swallowing outcomes following partial laryngectomy: objective assessment and pre-operative predictive factors
Partial laryngectomy constitutes one of the treatments for early stage glottic carcinoma (i.e. T1N0 and T2N0) in specialised centres. Over the years, several partial laryngectomy and reconstruction techniques have been described in the literature. The choice of technique depends on...
