Journal Reviews archive for March 2016
Leisure listening does not affect the hearing of young people
The existing literature highlights concerns regarding the possibility of leisure activities involving listening to music on portable music players causing hearing loss. However, there is much speculation regarding actual effect. This article outlines a project involving young persons aged between...
“Rhinosweetometry”
An article that elicits a wry smile from the reader is worth drawing attention to particularly in the winter months. This account of brave self-experimentation is unlikely to lead to a future Nobel prize but nonetheless reinforces the important principle...
Does a labyrinthine fistula in cholesteatoma surgery lead to hearing loss?
Thirty-five patients with labyrinthine fistula related to cholesteatoma were studied retrospectively. All patients underwent CT scans and preoperative hearing tests 1-2 weeks prior to surgery (averaged at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 kHz). All 35 patients underwent mastoid surgery,...
A spoonful of sugar… helps the operated sinuses calm down?
Ottoviano et al. present a prospective double-blinded RCT to assess the effect of a nasal gel containing silver sucrose octasulfate (Silsos Gel) on wound healing after endoscopic sinus surgery. The placebo used was a glycol gel. Thirty-four consecutive patients were...
Salivary gland blues…
Intravenous methylene blue is a well-described method to assist in intraoperative localisation of parathyroid glands. The technique does come with challenges as anybody will know who has had to run adjacent to a theatre-bound trolley to ensure that the infusion...
Adenotonsillectomy can improve ADHD and nocturnal enuresis
The link between chronic adenotonsillar hypertrophy (CAH) and behavioural disturbance is well recognised. Several studies have found that CAH has been associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treatment of CAH may diminish symptoms of ADHD in a subset...
The middle way: treating idiopathic facial nerve palsy
Whilst the causes of recurrent facial nerve palsy are numerous, in many cases it may be idiopathic. There is no clear consensus on treatment of this condition and conservative management alone may condemn patients to gradually worsening facial nerve function...
Prognostic factors for myringoplasty
This retrospective study looked at the factors that were associated with a higher success rate for tympanic membrane perforation closure. The authors looked at 247 procedures. They compared the results of temporalis fascia versus tragal cartilage. The cartilage grafts had...
Risk factors for post laryngectomy fistula
This is a meta-analysis looking at the postoperative pharyngocutaneous fistula rates following total laryngectomy. The authors ended up with 34 studies with about 2500 patients. The most striking finding was that preoperative radiotherapy was a significant risk factor as well...
BPPV duration as a predictor for therapy
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common vestibuar disorders encountered in the neurotology clinic. The majority of cases of BPPV are due to vestibuar lithiasis in the posterior semicircular canal, but there are reports of cases...
Assessment of the incidence of LPR in the Greek population using the Reflux Symptom Index
Using the self-administered nine-item Belafsky Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) questionnaire, the authors of this article assessed the prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in the general adult Greek population as well as predisposing and associated factors for developing LPR. They found...
CSOM in Mwanza, Tanzania
This is a prospective, cross-sectional study involving 301 patients consisting of farmers, students and employed professionals attending an ENT clinic in Mwanza, Tanzania. Of the 301 patients, 13 were HIV positive; 37.9% had some degree of conductive / sensorineural /...
