Tuesday 9th October, 2012 started like any other ordinary day in the life of a 15-year-old girl in Swat, Northern Pakistan. A trip to school and back with an exam in the morning. But this was not a normal day,...
Introduction Over the past 150 years, military personnel wounded in action had a survival rate of approximately 80% [1]. During the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, those servicemen wounded in action have a 90.4% survival rate [2]. During the...
Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) is a familiar and colourful figure in the history of science. The immense quantity of data he collected during his lifetime would enable the work of Johannes Kepler and has gained him admission to the astronomical pantheon....
Following Professor Cheney’s first popular publication in 1995 on flaps and reconstruction and subsequent second edition, he has now co-edited with Tessa Hadlock a comprehensive two-volume production. They have put together an extensive range of plastic and reconstructive surgery in...
This article describes results of a multicentre prospective trial performed to evaluate long- and short-term outcomes and complications of patients who underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS). The surgeries were performed by surgeons with more than 15 years...
Traumatic brain injuries are most common amongst young people and can have long term consequences. The authors of this article provide an approach to management of cognitive and communication difficulties which starts with a detailed assessment using the model of...
Autologous nerve grafts are the current gold standard for peripheral nerve reconstruction. This systematic review analyses the role of cell-enhanced acellular nerve (ANA) grafts on the regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries. Several studies have been published to examine alternatives to...
A comparison between ultrasonography-guided drainage with open surgical drainage of deep neck space abscesses Neck space abscesses are common; conventional drainage involves intra-oral or extra-oral approaches. The former can compromise the airway and the latter can cause neurovascular injuries, scarring...
Many surgical procedures that otolaryngologists perform put the facial nerve at risk of injury, a complication that the surgeon and patient fear alike. Unfortunately, injuries to the nerve can and do happen despite adequate precautions, and facial paralysis may be...
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) is commonly used as a non-invasive alternative to endotracheal intubation and tracheotomy to provide respiratory support to very low birth weight (VLBW) (<1500 g) neonates. Nasal injury is a well recognised complication and figures...
Reconstructive surgery for facial nerve palsies is not recommended beyond two to three years after a degenerative facial nerve lesion. Since the time course of muscle atrophy is variable, this timeline is a rough guideline. The only assessment method currently...
The aim of speech and language therapy interventions is to impact communication skills in everyday interactions. In order to measure this, rating scales (both self-rating and consultee-rating) are commonly employed in clinical practice settings. Many rating scales have been shown...