Capsaicin nasal spray can offer moderate to significant symptomatic relief to 70-80% of patients with idiopathic rhinitis (IR). Efficacy was also shown in lab studies. Nasal hyper reactivity (NHR), absence of allergy / infective rhinosinusitis, age limits (18-60), no anatomical...
Studies on grommet materials and sizes are not exactly new but this was a well-designed randomized study in Sweden with some useful findings. The extrusion rate and complications associated with four different ventilation tubes (grommets) were assessed prospectively in 400...
The ideal time to start postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) in head and neck cancer patients has been an issue of debate. In the USA, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends initiating radiotherapy within six weeks from surgery. The six-week...
Surgery for acquired cholesteatoma is varied amongst surgeons with some only performing combined approach tympanoplasty. The change in lifestyle for patients with canal wall down surgery is significant and hence this group in Japan looked at 118 adult patients with...
This is a prospective study from the UK looking at Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) undergoing surgery. Fifty-seven consecutive patients who had failed medical therapy and were scheduled for endoscopic sinus surgery completed SNOT-22 and...
There is recognised variation between ENT departments in exact imaging protocols for the workup of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) but a routine MRI to exclude retrocochlear pathology is standard, usually following immediate treatment with oral +/- intratympanic steroids....
The UK has an ageing population. Seven percent of the over 80s population have bilateral severe to profound hearing loss which can lead to associated negative outcomes (social isolation, depression and reduced quality of life). Cochlear implantation (CI) can successfully...
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in adults can be a result of multiple factors such as age, noise exposure and autoimmune pathology. In a group of patients, no cause is identified and the SNHL is treated as idiopathic. Authors evaluate the...
An estimated 750 million people worldwide were affected by Covid-19. A significant proportion have been left with long-term symptoms for which the World Health Organization has proposed the term ‘post-Covid condition’ (PCC). Dizziness is but one of the symptoms. Dizziness...
Globus pharyngeus is a common benign condition frequently encountered in ENT practice. Laryngopharyngeal reflux and psychological stressors are often considered to be contributory factors, but globus symptoms do not always respond to antacid medications. Such medications can also be limited...
In the World Report on Hearing, launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 3 March 2021, the use of person-centred care is highly recommended. In this article, we learn about the history of person-centred healthcare and hearing care. But...
In the field of hearing care, there is increasing focus on ensuring patient autonomy and choice. Greater participation in decision making is supposed to result in better patient satisfaction. A study conducted in ENT and audiology clinics paradoxically suggests that...