The long-term histological effect on taste buds following cutting of the chorda tympani in humans is not clear. Confocal laser scanning allows in-vivo examination of the same group of taste buds and is aiding our understanding of why patients recover...
Landmark Paper: Toner JG, Smyth GDL. Surgical Treatment of Cholesteatoma: a comparison of three techniques. Am J Otol 1990;11(4):247-9. Canal wall up or canal wall down? Chris Aldren discusses the landmark paper that attempted to provide a definitive answer for...
“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” LP Hartley’s immortal words could have been written for these fascinating reflections on the practice of ear, nose and throat surgery during the second half of the 20th century....
After having read a variety of books that focus on otology, the Atlas of Otologic Surgery and Magic Otology provides a complete and holistic perspective on the field of otology, including a wide range of topics such as structure and...
Endoscopic techniques for visualisation of the middle ear were described in 1967 by Mer and colleagues, and the use of transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) has since expanded to a wider range of otologic applications including tympanoplasty and excision of...
Tympanic membrane (TM) perforations can affect people’s quality of life due to recurrent infections. Management is often by surgical repair. In this study, the authors investigated the outcomes of a minimally invasive approach of patch myringoplasty using an atelocollagen sponge...
An otology textbook dedicated to Howard House, William House and James Sheehy, and in memory of Harold Schucknecht, Mendell Robinson and Antonio De la Cruz, has an awful lot to live up to. I am very glad to say that...
With 20 sizes and shapes, including single and multiple flanges and colours, the Summit ENT® Ventilation Tubes will meet most myringotomy & tympanoplasty needs.
In the pre-antibiotic era, purulent otitis media often resulted in a permanent eardrum perforation with hearing loss. In addition to pig or fish bladders, eggshell membranes and cigarette paper were used as eardrum prostheses. I have vivid personal boyhood memories...
Learning how to interpret a CT scan of the temporal bones can be a daunting task, especially for a head and neck surgeon like me! However, to make life easier, the authors have devised a useful system to help cover...
The cause of a single sided sensorineural hearing loss has a wide variety of aetiologies. This review, by Edwin Halliday, looks specifically at the differential diagnostic causes of a sudden sensorineural hearing loss, the relevant investigations and the management should...
Surely the only outcome needed for post-surgical ears is a better PTA? Marcus Neudert argues there should be more to it than that. To draw a comprehensive picture of the disease-associated restrictions in patients with chronic otitis media, audiometric outcome...