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Patient reported outcomes following total laryngectomy using the Swallowing Outcomes After Laryngectomy (SOAL) questionnaire

Following a total laryngectomy, alterations in the pharyngeal musculature and changes in the pharyngo-oesophageal segment due to reconstruction, results in altered bolus transit. Swallowing dysfunction after total laryngectomy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma can vary from 10%-90%. There...

Your voice and your personality

Variations of vocal effort are a normal adaptation to difficult communication situations. However, persistence of these abnormal strategies can lead to various functional dysphonias. In this experiment, the authors tested 41 females aged 18-52. The subjects were asked to instruct...

Electrodes and the stapedial reflex

This study had two main objectives: testing the efficiency of the sequential stimulation of four different electrodes versus a single electrode on the threshold of the stapedial reflex; and correlating the values with the minimum comfort level (MCL). The study...

Parathyroid surgery in day care

Targeted parathyroid adenoma excision via preoperative ultrasound and radionuclide scanning techniques allow accurate localisation of the affected gland, allowing a minimally invasive surgical approach. The authors reviewed 144 cases undergoing surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. Of these 67 were eligible for...

Paediatric nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Between 11 and 18% of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) occur in the paediatric age group but there are no specific management guidelines for this age group. Tunisia is a region with an intermediate incidence of NPC, the authors studied 40 cases...

EMG and unilateral vocal fold palsy

The authors studied the diagnostic and prognostic value of laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) in adults with unilateral vocal fold palsy. The study included 61 patients who were tested on average seven months after their palsy (4-11 months). In most cases the...

eNOS and OME

The pathophysiology of otitis media with effusion (OME) is multifaceted. The authors tackled the nitrous oxide (NO) and platelet activating factor (PAF) pathways and the genetic polymorphism of endothelial nitrous oxide synthetase (eNOS). DNA analysis by PCR and restriction fragment...

Minimal or not so minimal?

Parathyroidectomy is usually a straightforward technique when the target gland has been accurately determined. Surgical excision is usually through a small midline incision. With the advent of video assisted surgery, trials have been made to use this technique in parathyroidectomy....

CI and CP

Quality of life improvement is one of the main goals of cochlear implantation. Mobile phones are now a standard daily tool. For many implanted patients, a mobile phone is used for sending short messages rather than for voice calls. This...