Search

Neurological complications associated with managing degenerative cervical myelopathy

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a common neuropathologic status due to degenerative changes to the cervical spine. There are multiple operative techniques available, including anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, anterior cervical corpectomy, laminoplasty, laminectomy and laminectomy with fusion. C5 palsy...

Beware of GPA as a cause of subglottic stenosis

Up to 92% of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) have concurrent ENT manifestations of the disease. Whilst we are familiar with sinonasal and middle ear presentations of GPA, subglottic stenosis (SGS) is another important and potentially life threatening manifestation....

CT and intraoperative nerve monitoring to identify non-recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery

A non-recurrent laryngeal nerve (NRLN) is a rare (incidence 0.3% to 1.3%) anatomical variant that results in a higher rate of vocal cord palsy following thyroid surgery. This team from China examined the utility of preoperative CT and intraoperative nerve...

Assessment and management of dysphagia in the elderly

This article covers dysphagia in older patients, which is an important topic due to an ageing population, and a relatively common symptom that we see in clinic. Dysphagia could be due to presbyphagia secondary to changes in head and neck...

Button batteries – how can we reduce harm to children?

This article explores the history of button batteries and how clinicians and industries alike could reduce the harm to children following ingestion. Following ingestion, if lodged, button batteries cause an alkaline reaction leading to necrosis of mucosa. Significant oesophageal injury...

How common is dysphonia and dysphagia after cardiac surgery?

Patients undergoing cardiac surgeries, such as coronary artery bypass (CABG) and valve operations, are usually informed that there may be some risk of laryngeal complications that could result in a dysphonia or dysphagia. This may be due to factors including...

Introduction to Sound: Acoustics for the Hearing and Speech Sciences

The fifth edition of Charles E Speaks’ Introduction to Sound Acoustics for the Hearing and Speech Sciences is a comprehensive, teaching-first textbook spanning 11 chapters. It begins with the nature of soundwaves presented in concise, well-structured sections on transmitting mediums,...

Is there hope of hearing for postmeningitic patients deemed unsuitable for a cochlear implant?

Rehabilitation of patients with profound hearing loss deemed unsuitable for cochlear implants is challenging. An auditory brainstem implant (ABI) is a viable option for these patients. This paper evaluates auditory and speech perception outcome measures following ABI in 10 postmeningitic...