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Does stress and anxiety worsen idiopathic sudden hearing loss outcomes?

There have been suggestions that the natural course of the idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is not affected by intensive therapy. There is speculation as to whether unknown factors affect the treatment prognosis. This is a retrospective study of...

SPECT-CT imaging improves surgical efficiency in sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is used in clinically lymph node negative, primary cutaneous melanoma. A combination of planer lymposcintigraphy using a radiolabelled colloid detected intra-op by gamma probe, and cutaneous injection of blue dye is used. However, with lymphoscintigraphy spillage...

Parathyroid pearls

This article serves to deliver some pearls of wisdom in parathyroid surgery for the ‘low volume parathyroid surgeon’. They have been divided into those relating to the preoperative diagnosis, imaging and localisation techniques and surgical difficulties. Recognised sources of error...

Cochlear implant electrode insertion technique

Atraumatic cochlear implant insertion techniques (so-called ‘soft surgery’) are now standard practice in most centres for all cases (no longer just for attempted hearing preservation cases). This has led to several studies examining cochlear trauma and electrode insertion force. In...

OTO-104 in noise-induced and cisplatin-induced hearing loss

These two animal studies report on potential new applications for intra-tympanic OTO-104, a slow-release hydrogel formulation of dexamethasone that is currently being used in a Europe-wide randomised trial for Ménière’s disease. In the first paper, guinea pigs were given a...

Analysing videofluroscopy: does it matter how it’s done?

Videofluoroscopy, as a tool that assesses the process of swallowing, has transformed our understanding of dysphagia. Clinicians can observe the biomechanics of a bolus moving from the oral cavity through the pharynx and oesophagus and into the stomach. Over the...

Identifying CN IX and X using endotracheal tube electrodes

This clinical study describes the possible usefulness of endotracheal tube electrodes in monitoring vocal cord function during cerebellopontine angle surgery in 20 patients. Lower cranial nerves, especially IX and X are at risk of injury during skull base surgery although...

CSF leak – endoscopic or open repair?

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea is well known to the ENT surgeon. It commonly occurs secondary to a predisposing event such as accidental or iatrogenic trauma. When it occurs spontaneously, it can be associated with benign intracranial hypertension. The commonest CSF...

The right kit matters… How important is video recording in FEES?

As a portable alternative to videofluoroscopy, fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is often carried out at the patient’s bedside. The authors of this paper have chosen to examine the reliability of the penetration-aspiration ratings (Rosenbek scale) of FEES examinations...

Practical Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery

The introduction describes this text as being useful for a wide readership including the medical student, physician assistant, nurse practitioner and physical therapist dealing with dizziness. I would be of the opinion as indicated in the preface that this is...

Ontogenies of Otology – Vol 1: Anatomy

Whilst there are few who are actively involved in the historical aspects of otology, there always seems to be great interest whenever I introduce the quirks of history into any of my talks. This book, I suspect, will very much...