Journal Reviews
EMG and unilateral vocal fold palsy
The authors studied the diagnostic and prognostic value of laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) in adults with unilateral vocal fold palsy. The study included 61 patients who were tested on average seven months after their palsy (4-11 months). In most cases the...
Novel wax solvent
This paper describes an open label, prospective study undertaken by the authors to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a novel topical wax solvent. This new product has a dual action using a bicarbonate system to disrupt the esters and...
Managing spontaneous CSF leaks secondary to benign intracranial hypertension
Spontaneous CSF leaks are a rare entity. In this paper, a Spanish group report their experience managing the condition using endoscopic surgery in 35 patients over an eight year period. Leak locations included the cribriform plate (18/35), ethmoid roof (15/35)...
Do ENT surgical patients need VTE prophylaxis?
In the UK, current NICE guidance for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention does not give specific advice about patients undergoing otolaryngology/head and neck surgery (OHNS). This systematic review provides up-to-date information based on available, although limited, evidence about the incidence of...
Single sided deafness and cochlear implants
Cochlear implants (CI) can restore hearing in the profoundly deaf ear. Risk/ benefit and cost considerations dictate strict criteria that must be met for patients to be eligible. People with single-sided deafness are not eligible to receive a cochlear implant...
Post-operative tonsillectomy bleeding with a normal clinical exam
Tonsillectomy is amongst the most common surgical procedures performed across the western world. For patients who report bleeding post-tonsillectomy, but have no clinical findings on examination, the management can be unclear. The accepted current management in most centres would be...
Paranasal sinus osteoma management
The authors aimed to determine the best approach to paranasal osteoma excision. They conducted a retrospective study of 41 patients with paranasal sinus osteoma (PNSO) at a tertiary centre in Turkey. PNSO was present in: the frontal sinus in 26...
Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea hypopneoa syndrome (OSAHS) without sleep studies
Polysomnography is considered the ‘gold standard’ in the diagnosis of sleep apnoea but it is expensive and difficult to perform in children. Diagnosis based on subjective judgement is often inaccurate. An accurate diagnostic scale based on clinical parameters could obviate...
Does endoscopic tympanoplasty give better results than a conventional approach?
This is a retrospective review looking at two groups of patients who had undergone middle ear surgery for chronic otitis media (perforation, retraction pocket/cholesteatoma) either open or endoscopic. Four hundred and five patients underwent open ear surgery and 501 endoscopic,...
Don’t smoke after a septoplasty!
This is a retrospective review of 281 patients, all of whom underwent elective septoplasty. Simply put, those who smoked displayed a much higher postoperative septal perforation rate than those who did not. So, some cautionary advice for patients undergoing this...
A bittersweet finding
This is an elegant study, documenting the role of, and activation of, nitrous oxide in chronic sinusitis. Bitter taste receptors (TR2) have recently been identified as novel ‘players’ in sinonasal innate immunity and in chronic rhinosinusitis. The receptors are triggered...
Power tools dance off
The use of the harmonic scalpel is popular with some head and neck surgeons. This study looked at selective neck dissections for 40 patients with oral cavity carcinoma. They were randomised into harmonic scalpel (HS) use and monopolar electrocautery. The...
