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Deep space neck infections and their management

This article explores the approach to managing patients with deep space neck infections. Clearly, an understanding of the fascial planes within the neck is required which then provides an understanding of the route of spread in these cases. The authors...

A viable solution for isolated post-nasal drip?

This retrospective, single-centre case series looked at a cohort of patients with postnasal drip as their primary symptom. Exclusions were patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. The interventions offered were temperature-controlled radio frequency (TCRF) ablation of the posterior nasal nerve delivered by...

Pediatric Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery

Published in 2020, this book, edited by professors of neurosurgery and otolaryngology, approaches the narrow field of paediatric endoscopic skull base surgery with a wealth of knowledge and expertise that the authors have achieved practising in adult and paediatric joint...

Which patients are more likely to have postoperative pulmonary complications after major head and neck?

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) following major head and neck surgery are frequently encountered. Indeed, surgery in the head and neck area itself has been identified as a risk factor for these complications. Microvascular reconstruction is a widely accepted and proven...

Approach to the orbital floor: which is better?

During skeletal surgery sufficient exposure is key – often a direct approach through the overlying tissues is the easiest route. In the face, however, as the scar would be readily visible, approaches are designed to hide this. Surgical access to...

The middle way: treating idiopathic facial nerve palsy

Whilst the causes of recurrent facial nerve palsy are numerous, in many cases it may be idiopathic. There is no clear consensus on treatment of this condition and conservative management alone may condemn patients to gradually worsening facial nerve function...

Measuring the ‘impact’ of preoperative immunonutrition

Using preoperative nutritional supplements as part of ‘enhanced recovery’ in surgical patients is not a new concept. This interesting paper looks at the latest development in optimising patients undergoing head and neck oncological surgery. Immunonutrition (Nestle’s ‘Oral Impact’ in this...

Factors affecting the occurrence of salivary fistula after total laryngectomy

It is generally believed that patients should be fed by nasogastric tube for 7-10 days after undergoing total laryngectomy or laryngopharyngectomy to avoid the occurrence of post-operative salivary fistula. This study challenges this belief and looks into various factors that...

Cerebrospinal fluid leaks after vestibular schwannoma surgery

This study analyses 30-day readmission data after vestibular schwannoma surgery using a multicentre longitudinal State of California dataset. The authors studied risk factors, and timing of readmission in 6820 patients over 15 years. Of these, 490 readmissions were reported for...

Reducing the risk of Frey’s syndrome after parotidectomy – which methods are best?

Gustatory sweating or Frey’s syndrome is a well-recognised complication of parotid surgery. The reported incidence is highly variable, from 4% to 96%, with around 30% of patients reporting symptoms. A number of intraoperative techniques can be used to reduce the...