Journal Reviews
AM and the neck
Infections with atypical mycobacteria (AM) are increasing, especially with the decline in BCG immunisation. The most frequent presentation is a lymphadenopathy in an immunocompetent child. This poses a difficult diagnostic challenge if the clinician is not aware of this entity....
Paediatric hearing following chemotherapy
This study examined the effect of platinum compounds on hearing in 104 children with solid tumours. As would be expected, this group was heterogeneous and included a range of ages, tumour types, chemotherapeutic agents and dosing regimens. Age-appropriate audiometry was...
Identifying clinically useful salivary substitutes
This in vitro study analysed the efficacy of salivary substitutes used in the treatment of xerostomia following head neck irradiation. The researchers applied the products under evaluation onto a synthetic surface and onto cellular gingival models. The products were then...
Managing high flow head and neck arteriovenous malformations (AVM)
Vascular malformations are lesions where the traditional network of capillaries linking arteries and veins are lacking. Patients usually present with bleeding, pain, disfigurement and tissue expansion and destruction. High flow lesions can be challenging to manage in the head and...
What can we tell about swallow physiology from a bedside clinical assessment?
Knowledge about swallowing physiology has greatly increased with the use of instrumental assessments such as videofluoroscopy (VFS). The authors of this paper performed an analysis of data obtained from 60 stroke patients who were assessed via a clinical swallow examination...
Airway first in patients with facial trauma
Anyone that has ever been on an ATLS or indeed any other trauma course will be well indoctrinated with the principles of ABC. Securing the airway is of paramount importance; but what to do if the anatomy is altered or...
Contemporary UK experience of oropharyngeal transoral laser microsurgery
It is well recognised that the current emergence of HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) as a distinct disease entity requires a fresh look at standard treatment modalities that are based on chemoradiotherapy for stage III/IVa OPSCC. The Newcastle experience...
Hearing aids in children for language development
This article summarises the current evidence and a recent study examining the factors influencing language development in children fitted with hearing aids in order to aid clinical decision making. The aims were to examine amplification factors that could be targeted...
Antiseptics to combat otorrhea in the era of antibiotic resistance
This nice scientific paper pits various antiseptic solutions against each other to determine which has the most bactericidal properties. Five different antiseptics were applied to MRSA and quinolone-resistant pseudomonas species, which are both difficult to treat with conventional ototoxic medications....
Preoperative imaging for thyroid cancer according to 2015 ATA guidelines
The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) management guidelines for adult patients with thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer suggest that thyroid sonography with survey of the cervical lymph nodes should be performed in all patients with known or suspected thyroid...
CAD/CAM assisted mandibular reconstruction or freestyle?
The gold standard for the reconstruction of the mandible is a free bone flap and the fibula is commonly used. The fibula is a straight bone and presents considerations and difficulties in the formation of a U-shaped neo-mandible. Computer aided...
Can junior doctors provide immediate help in airway and other ENT emergencies?
In the present trends for centralisation of ENT emergency services, availability of immediate middle grade or senior help in acute ENT emergencies does not always exist on site and hence the role of junior doctors in handling this is enhanced...
