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Use of topical steroids and antibiotics, compared to systemic antibiotics in the treatment of acute rhinusinusitis

Acute rhinusinusitis is mainly initiated by viral infections. Bacterial infection is usually superadded. The inflammatory cascade upregulates the pro-inflammatory mediators resulting in pain, nasal obstruction and nasal discharge. Local application of steroids and antibiotics could provide a higher concentration of...

Intraoperative MRI use during pituitary tumour resection

This article provides an overview of intraoperative MRI (iMRI) use in transphenoidal surgery (TSS) for pituitary tumours. Traditionally imaging of the surgical field during surgery involves intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging or neuronavigation which help to avoid injury to critical structures but...

Medialisation laryngoplasty can relieve pain related to voice use

Odynophonia, or pain associated with voice use, is a relatively uncommon manifestation of glottal insufficiency related to vocal fold motion impairment (VFMI). Its incidence is approximately 15% in patients with vocal fold paresis. Medialisation laryngoplasty (ML) was popularised by Isshiki...

Importance of the time interval between surgery and postoperative radiation therapy in head and neck cancer

The ideal time to start postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) in head and neck cancer patients has been an issue of debate. In the USA, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends initiating radiotherapy within six weeks from surgery. The six-week...

Pomegranate juice as an otoprotective agent

Chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin, given alongside irradiation, offer a survival advantage in head and neck cancer. Some patients often complain bitterly about side-effects of their treatment, one of which is ototoxicity. In this paper, the authors propose the use...

Monitoring the mouth in ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; or motor neurone disease) is characterised by gradual loss of function in the speech muscles resulting in a progressive deterioration in a person’s ability to communicate. The aim of this study was to investigate the use...

Recurrent ENT infections in children – is it a sign of primary immunodeficiency disease?

ENT clinicians often come across children with recurrent ear, sinus and pulmonary infections. These recurrent infections, albeit common in childhood, can represent an early sign of primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDD). PIDD is an underdiagnosed group of genetic disorders involving absent...

Cochlear implantation in children with congenital long QT syndrome

Jervell and Lange-Neilsen syndrome is a condition where sensorineural deafness coincides with inherited abnormalities of the heart, resulting in prolonged ventricular repolarisation, frequently shown on an ECG with a prolonged QT interval. These children can present at implant centres for...

Socially appropriate part 1: assessing people with TBI

Social communication disorders are one of the most common and yet most under-addressed sequelae of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Yet speech and language therapists report a lack of assessment tools and a lack of time to fully assess these...

Spread the therapy thick and quick to make sure it works

Speech sound disorders, such as apraxia, can negatively impact a child’s wellbeing - both their social wellbeing and their academic achievement. Traditionally speech and language therapy has attempted to remediate these difficulties using auditory feedback. More recently, advances in technology...