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Risk factors in free flap failure

This is a retrospective analysis from China of 881 free flaps over nearly four years, 49 of which were ‘taken back’, 26 of which were lost, giving a 97% success rate. The commonest cause of flap failure was venous thrombosis....

An overview of cranioplasty

This article provides a summary of the indications, materials and current techniques available in cranioplasty. Cranioplasty is performed to restore the normal architecture of the skull following craniectomy for many reasons including intracranial infection, trauma and neoplasm. The timing of...

Awareness of alternative techniques in cochlear implantation

The use of alternative techniques for cochlear implantation is indicated in unusual cases where the standard procedure would not be suitable. The authors of this study highlight the various reasons as to why an alternative technique might be sought, and...

Safety of outpatient thyroid and parathyroid surgery

This study examined the safety and outcomes of matched groups of patients, undergoing either inpatient thyroid / parathyroid surgery or being discharged within eight hours of surgery. There were 2,362 patients in each group who were matched by a ‘propensity...

Are elective facelifts a good idea after head and neck cancer radiotherapy?

The aim of this study was to assess the safety of elective cervicofacial rhytidectomy following radiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). A greater proportion of HNSCC patients are infected with certain strains of the human papillomavirus, which...

For how long is post-pinnaplasty head bandage really necessary?

It is customary to put on a head bandage after pinnaplasty and the general consensus is that it should remain on for about a week to prevent haematoma and splint the reshaped pinna in place. In this review article, the...

Experience of the Sophono transcutaneous bone conduction system

This article is a frank discussion of the authors’ experience implanting these devices. The principle of the device is surgical implantation of a bilobed magnet within a bony well in the cranium (similar position to BAHA). The implant is a...

Intraoperative MRI use during pituitary tumour resection

This article provides an overview of intraoperative MRI (iMRI) use in transphenoidal surgery (TSS) for pituitary tumours. Traditionally imaging of the surgical field during surgery involves intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging or neuronavigation which help to avoid injury to critical structures but...

Surgical approach to trigeminal neuralgia

This article provides a summary of the operative techniques available for treating patients with trigeminal neuralgia who have medication resistant pain or medication intolerance. Microvascular decompression is performed via suboccipital craniotomy to find and resolve the underlying nerve compression. The...

The push towards scarless parotid surgery

When dealing with benign parotid pathology, high expectations are placed on the operating surgeon to preserve key neurovascular structures, especially the animating facial nerve, through meticulous dissection. With time, there has been a greater emphasis on improving cosmesis in parotid...