Search

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...

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...

Using cVEMPs to distinguish between vestibular migraine and from Ménière’s

Vestibular migraine (VM) and Ménière’s disease (MD) could overlap or mimic each other. Since the use of cVEMPs became routine, attempts have been made by researchers to explore its clinical utility in these two conditions. In this prospective study, the...

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...

Effectiveness of oral pressure therapy in obstructive sleep apnoea: a systematic analysis

Oral pressure therapy (OPT) is a relatively new form of therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Paradoxically it seems to work even though it creates a vacuum in the oral cavity as opposed to the gold standard of continuous positive...

Botulinum toxin injection for bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis

All traditional surgical treatments for bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) paralysis are essentially a balance between maximising airway patency and ensuring adequate phonation / airway protection. This paper highlights the potential role of botulinum toxin (Botox) injection into the cricothyroid...

Surgical voice restoration after laryngopharyngectomy

Voice restoration is one of the key rehabilitative steps after laryngectomy or total laryngopharyngectomy (TLP). Patients who undergo TLP require reconstruction – increasingly commonly with microvascular free flaps. Despite their advantages in terms of fistula rates and swallowing outcomes, these...

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...

Mitomycin in adjuvant treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis

Laryngotracheal stenosis (LTR) is a difficult condition to manage, and the effectiveness of surgical treatment is limited by the tendency of scar tissue to reform. Mitomycin has been used as a controversial adjuvant to surgical treatment for many years. Drawbacks...

Adenoid cystic carcinoma – insights from a national database

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is a rare cancer of the salivary glands that accounts for approximately 1% of all head and neck malignancies. Hallmarks of this cancer type include a predilection for perineural infiltration, a prolonged clinical course with late...