Journal Reviews
Immunosuppresants and ototoxicity
There is a wide range of immunosuppressant drugs ranging from calcineurin inhibitors (e.g. cyclosporine), anti-folic agents (e.g. methotrexate) to anti-TNF and monoclonal antibodies, many of which could be ototoxic. The authors performed a systematic review assessing ototoxicity secondary to immunosuppressant...
Role of maxillary sinus irrigation as an adjuvant to current management of chronic rhinusitis without polyposis
Several decades have passed since irrigation of maxillary sinuses generally became a treatment of the past. A more recent concept of biofilms may have evoked new interest in this past procedure, fraught with its own issues. In this study, the...
Role of non-echo planar diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging in detection of cholesteatoma
Whilst the method of canal wall down and same-session reconstruction is emerging to be more popular, canal wall up procedures are still performed. In either, it is necessary to ensure eradication of cholesteatoma or detect its recurrence. The reliability of...
Effect of age-related changes in voice production and hearing on Voice Handicap Index and Geriatric Depression Scores
The ageing process affects hearing and production of voice. It is not unknown that impairment of these faculties can affect quality of life and also cause depression. The authors have presented an array of actual anatomical and functional changes that...
Exciting advances in facial reanimation
Despite several techniques for reanimation after facial paralysis, the management of these patients continues to challenge us. This paper reviews advances in facial reanimation surgery, provides updates on the timing of intervention, modifications to the traditional gracilis muscle transfer, other...
Biologics for deafness
Cochlear implants and hearing aids are inherently limited in their ability to restore ‘natural’ hearing. Biological therapy to treat inner ear pathology still is evolving rapidly with several ongoing clinical trials, though none are available for clinical practice to date....
Early results of the Cochlear Osia (active transcutaneous bone-conduction implant) in teenagers
This funded research trial involving 14 adolescents, aged 10 to 17 years, in the Toronto Hospital for Sick Kids was carried out just prior to the new Osia implant obtaining FDA approval for use in the USA. The majority had...
Take a breath between mouthfuls
Pulse oximetry provides a measure of the percentage of oxygen in the blood. The usual range of readings on pulse oximetry is 97-99%. Older people may have lower pulse oximetry readings than younger people, and young women have higher readings...
Doing it for yourself: self-management in speech and language therapy
People with stroke aphasia are traditionally discharged from speech and language therapy when they have plateaued; meaning they are making no further progress in language recovery. This service model has been problematic, leading to people being discharged when they are...
Complications associated with intra-tympanic steroid injections for sudden sensorineural hearing loss
Around 15,000 people in the UK experience a sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) each year, and in the majority of cases the cause is unknown. Treatment options for idiopathic SSNHL include various modalities of steroid treatments which have known limitations...
Age is not an issue in sinus surgery
We have an increasingly aged population, and hence older and older patients are presenting with sinonasal issues and the potential need for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The authors sought to identify if older patients (age >70) have more complications post...
Impact of delaying otologic surgery
In this Belgian study, the authors looked at the impact of delaying otologic surgery by sending an online survey to 44 adult patients diagnosed with benign ear pathology whose surgery was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire was...
