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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...

Persistent dysphonia due to cricothyroid muscle dystonia – should we be requesting laryngeal EMGs for non-resolving ‘functional’ dysphonia?

This article is an interesting report of a case of persistent voice problems affecting a 43-year-old physician that significantly compromised her ability to converse and communicate at work. Specifically, she had a fluctuating voice quality that would ‘choke off’, combined...

Hypoglossal stimulation for OSA

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a highly effective treatment for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but suffers significantly from poor patient adherence. This paper reports the three-year outcomes of a prospective multicentre cohort study examining the effect of hypoglossal...

Changes in swallowing function after thyroidectomy

Evaluation of functional impact following thyroidectomy tends to be focused on voice quality. The aim of this study was to document early (seven days postoperatively) and late changes (60 days postop) in swallowing function after thyroidectomy. A preoperative naso-endoscopic evaluation...

Otolith dysfunction in congenitally deaf adults

This paper helps to further define the profile of ocular and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (o and c VEMPs) in patients with congenital profound sensorineural hearing loss (PSHL). It highlights the prevalence of otolith (saccular and utricular) dysfunction that exists...

Identifying CN IX and X using endotracheal tube electrodes

This clinical study describes the possible usefulness of endotracheal tube electrodes in monitoring vocal cord function during cerebellopontine angle surgery in 20 patients. Lower cranial nerves, especially IX and X are at risk of injury during skull base surgery although...

Effect of peripheral and central vestibular dysfunction on sense of direction

Sense of direction (SOD) is the ability to orientate ourselves and to determine the locus of objects in our environment. The vestibular system plays a key role in spatial orientation by encoding angular acceleration in the absence of visual cues...

The benefits of early voice therapy for unilateral vocal cord paralysis

This retrospective review of voice outcomes following a diagnosis of unilateral vocal fold paralysis divided patients into three groups according to the time of initiation of voice therapy following the onset of paralysis. The ‘early’ group started voice therapy within...

How would you like your cartilage served – diced, crushed or shaved?

Harvested cartilage can be used to enhance the structural, functional and aesthetic properties of the nose in rhinoplasty. The practice of mechanical fragmentation of harvested cartilage in rhinoplasty is varied with no clear consensus with respect to its indication. This...

A future for unilateral deafness

Every year, we see several patients struggling with irreversible unilateral hearing loss that is non-responsive to sound amplification. This article emphasises that clinicians should not underestimate the functional and psychological impairment single-sided deafness can have on an individual, even though...