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Pharyngocutaneous fistula after total laryngectomy

Pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) after total laryngectomy is a serious complication post-surgery, and can lead to prolonged hospitalisation, adding delays in postoperative chemoradiotherapy. This Turkish retrospective study looked at 166 patients who underwent total laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer, although it is...

Managing the most common branchial arch anomaly

This article is a well written, helpful summary of the management of the most common branchial anomaly in children – the second. These are characterised as cysts, sinuses or tracts between the anterior border of sternocleidomastoid, coursing between the internal...

Recovery rates in sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is most commonly idiopathic, and is seen relatively frequently in ENT practice. Recovery spans a period of around 1-2 months, and ultimate outcomes are highly variable, from complete recovery to no detectable hearing. Although the...

The perils of poor postop blood pressure control

This retrospective case control study reviews 621 patients undergoing thyroid surgery over a 10-year period from 2002-2012 looking at postoperative haemorrhage rates. This potentially catastrophic complication warrants close analysis in order to best discern how it can be minimised. The...

Nasal dermoids

This article goes through the fairly specific and unique condition of paediatric midline nasal dermoids. It goes through the epidemiology and then the embryology, reminding the reader that a protrusion of dura extends from the anterior cranial fossa through the...

Cochlear implant use in young children

There are clear and well-established links between those identified and fitted with amplification early and good spoken language outcomes, but how much does the time an appropriately fitted hearing instrument is used each day contribute to this? During the first...

Bell’s palsy outcomes

Bell’s palsy is a common, idiopathic, unilateral facial paresis or paralysis of sudden onset. This retrospective study reviewed the records of 193 patients diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. The patient’s clinical data, House-Brackman (h-B) grade, and data from five electrophysiological tests...