Journal Reviews
A voice as smooth as silk?
A number of materials currently exist for vocal fold injection medialisation. Popular options include calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA), hyaluronic acid (HA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The authors of this paper state that there is an unmet need for an injectable material that...
Imaging of the parathyroid glands in primary hyperparathyroidism: where do we stand?
Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) refers to an intrinsic parathyroid gland abnormality that produces excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone. PHPT is diagnosed biochemically, and surgical excision of the abnormal parathyroid tissue represents the only definitive cure. Historically, the standard operative management of...
MRI in diagnosis Meniere’s disease: what is the evidence?
The utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of Meniere’s disease (MD) has attracted a lot of interest recently. It is well accepted that the saccule is the most common vestibular organ affected by endolymphatic hydrops (EH) and...
A novel scale for the assessment of tracheoesophageal voice quality – the SToPS
There is currently no assessment tool in widespread use that permits a valid and reliable perceptual assessment of voice quality following laryngectomy. Such a scale is needed to investigate the functional outcomes of surgical voice restoration and rehabilitation regimes. Existing...
Do steroids improve outcome in acute vestibular neuritis?
The role of steroids in short and long-term recovery from acute vestibular neuritis has been a subject of debate for several years. The authors reported findings of a prospective randomised trial in 60 adult patients. Inclusion criteria were acute vertigo...
The role of cVEMPs in the diagnosis of Meniere’s disease
This study sets out to determine the most useful metrics to use from cervical-vestibular evoked myogenic potential (c-VEMP) tests when the diagnosis of Meniere’s disease (MD) is unclear, or as a follow-up tool. It is known that cVEMPs can detect...
Tinnitus loudness and insomnia
Tinnitus may be very bothersome for its sufferers, in some cases leading to suicide. Therefore, it is extremely important to offer the best available treatment to people suffering from tinnitus. This study considered whether insomnia may be associated with the...
The degree of barbecue rotation matters in horizontal canal BPPV
Treatment of horizontal canal BPPV (Hc-BPPV) is not without controversy due to the several repositioning manoeuvres advocated for its treatment. Among the many, barbecue rotation (Br) is perhaps the most commonly used for canalithiasis of Hc-BPPV. Should the rotation be...
Is virtual reality the future of vestibular rehabilitation?
The use of virtual reality (VR) in vestibular rehabilitation is gaining some popularity but availability is hampered by cost. One VR system in use in some centres is the Hybrid VR unit which incorporates motion trackers and force platforms. This...
Peer-support group for people with a hearing loss
Peer-support groups’ (PSGs) involvement in rehabilitation of people with different health issues can have a very positive impact on the patients’ wellbeing as showed in a various literature on the subject. This study involves analysis of data from previous studies...
A trial of house dust mite sublingual tablet in children with allergic rhinitis
The house dust mite (HDM) is one of the commonest causative agents in allergic rhinitis (AR), affecting patients across all demographics. Recently, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been shown in clinical trials and meta-analysis to be effective compared to placebo in...
Consequences of Meniere’s Tumarkin crises
Many will be familiar with reports of frightening drop attacks without loss of consciousness experienced by some Meniere’s disease (MD) patients. This study analysed data from an electronic survey of over 600 members of a national Meniere’s society. The aim...
