Journal Reviews
Blindness after orthognathic surgery
This is a case report and review of the literature of this rare, but well recognised alarming complication. The authors discuss the possible mechanisms, suggesting that it does not arise from a direct injury to the optic nerve and is...
Obstructive sleep apnoea: Does maxillomandibular advancement work?
This is a paper from the Netherlands reviewing 62 patients who underwent maxillomandibular advancement for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea. The authors observed a 71% success rate with mean apnoea hypopnea index (AHI) reduction of 69%. There was no...
Intracranial complications of otitis media – the difference between kids and adults
Despite a decrease in intracranial complications from otogenic infections since the introduction of antibiotics, there is still morbidity and mortality associated with this. This group from the Netherlands conducted a retrospective review of all the patients treated for intracranial complications...
Predicting postoperative respiratory complications following paediatric adenotonsillectomy
This systematic review aimed to compare the presence of clinical features versus the polysomnography results in predicting major postoperative respiratory complications in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for OSA. The study was prepared according to the PRISMA checklist. Overall 22 studies met...
Which patients are more likely to have postoperative pulmonary complications after major head and neck?
Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) following major head and neck surgery are frequently encountered. Indeed, surgery in the head and neck area itself has been identified as a risk factor for these complications. Microvascular reconstruction is a widely accepted and proven...
Anterolateral thigh cutaneous flap or radial forearm free flap for tongue defect reconstruction?
Free flap reconstruction is the gold standard in tongue reconstruction, aiming to restore function such as swallowing, cosmesis and speech. The anterolateral thigh cutaneous flap and the radial forearm free flap are among the most popular free flaps used for...
A new modified double-flap technique for cochlear implant surgery
The authors retrospectively assessed 342 implantees with a minimum of five years’ follow-up who had been implanted using a lazy S-shaped post auricular incision with a modified double-flap technique. From the notes, postoperative wound complications and any other adverse events...
Bad splits
This is a meta-analysis of reported risk factors of a ‘bad split’ in a sagittal split mandibular osteotomy. They identified 30 observational articles and therefore acknowledged it is based on low quality studies. It is compounded by the definition of...
Risk factors for pharyngocutaneous fistula after laryngectomy
Pharyngocutaneous or salivary fistula is a feared complication following laryngectomy, causing significant morbidity, prolonged hospital inpatient stay / cost and mortality. Previous radiotherapy / chemoradiotherapy is a well recognised risk factor and leads many surgeons to recommend onlay pectoralis major...
Update on orbital complication of acute sinusitus
This study aims to illustrate the Graz experience. The study is retrospective, 53 patients with orbital complication of sinusitis were examined / confirmed by a University Hospital from 2000 to 2011. Thirty-seven underwent surgery, seven of which experienced a recurrence....
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and flap reconstruction: does it help?
This is a multicentresite retrospective review from four clinics in the USA on patients who received radical debridement and free flap reconstruction for osteoradionecrosis (ORN) between 1 Jan 1995 and 30 June 2011. Patients were stratified divided based on having...
Bone anchored hearing devices in very young children
This paper presents results of BC devices in very young children and helps inform an honest discussion of risks / benefit with prospective parents. The authors of this article from Starship Children’s Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand have a series of...
