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Are vascular loops at the CPA of any clinical significance?

Neurotologists have grappled with this question for many years. The aim of the study was to determine the clinical relationship of vertigo symptoms with vascular loop compression syndrome using 3D T2WI turbo spin echo high-resolution MRI. The study included 417...

Neck dissection in adenoid cystic carcinoma is a risk worth taking?

This paper from Stanford University presents impressive figures to guide the debate on the extent of surgical management in adenoid cystic disease. Adenoid cystic carcinomas present a particular problem in that they can recur even after 20 years. They have...

Objective testing for Eustachian tube dysfunction

Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is typically diagnosed based on subjective symptoms and examination leading to wide variation in its diagnosis and management. The search for an objective test has looked at ways of measuring the passage of air through the...

Removing nasal polyps assists with sleep

This small Scandinavian study looked at sleep quality in patients with CRS and nasal polyposis and whether this is improved by surgery, rated by questionnaires. A cohort of 42 Swedish patients in 2013-14 filled out four different validated sleep and...

Reduce medical errors by improving communication: supporting vulnerable people

This article starts by emphasising that communication failures are a fairly common cause of medical errors. They highlight that people with dysarthria can experience significant communication difficulties and are at particular risk of this type of breakdown in care. People...

Revising pinna embryology and anatomy

This forms an introductory article for a group of papers discussing the reconstruction of the pinna. It is a succinct yet adequately detailed article that all of us, at whatever stage of our careers should endeavour to read, as it...

Poor allergic rhinitis control increases the overall costs

Allergic rhinitis and asthma are common and can have significant effects on quality of life. However, not many studies have focused on the economic effects. The authors of this study performed a large-scale (over 60,000 patients) observational study to analyse...

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...

Novel wax solvent

This paper describes an open label, prospective study undertaken by the authors to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a novel topical wax solvent. This new product has a dual action using a bicarbonate system to disrupt the esters and...

Managing spontaneous CSF leaks secondary to benign intracranial hypertension

Spontaneous CSF leaks are a rare entity. In this paper, a Spanish group report their experience managing the condition using endoscopic surgery in 35 patients over an eight year period. Leak locations included the cribriform plate (18/35), ethmoid roof (15/35)...

Single sided deafness and cochlear implants

Cochlear implants (CI) can restore hearing in the profoundly deaf ear. Risk/ benefit and cost considerations dictate strict criteria that must be met for patients to be eligible. People with single-sided deafness are not eligible to receive a cochlear implant...

Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea hypopneoa syndrome (OSAHS) without sleep studies

Polysomnography is considered the ‘gold standard’ in the diagnosis of sleep apnoea but it is expensive and difficult to perform in children. Diagnosis based on subjective judgement is often inaccurate. An accurate diagnostic scale based on clinical parameters could obviate...