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Medicine in the Mountains

This is an easy-to-read paperback with interesting accompanying photographs. Its focus is one of the UK-based teams who have done considerable healthcare work in Nepal. Written by David Hawker, a British anaesthetist, we see the story unfold through his eyes....

Outcomes following endoscopic vs. microscopic ossiculoplasty

Endoscopic ear surgery continues to increase in popularity with an expanding range of applications in otology. The variety of angled scopes allow for superior visualisation of the surgical field and difficult to reach areas. However, use of endoscopes reduce the...

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...

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...

BAHAs in single-sided deafness doesn’t improve sound localisation

This systematic review from South Korea nicely summarises what we know about SSD (single-sided deafness) and hearing rehabilitation with BAHAs (Bone Anchored Hearing Aids). SSD was defined as a PTA greater than 90 dB and a normal hearing opposite ear...

Management of the ear in cleft lip and palate

The management of patients with cleft lip and palate includes a focus on effective speech and language function. Poor eustachian tube function and middle ear dysfunction mean over 90% of children suffer from otitis media with effusion. This article provides...

Mondini dysplasia and cochlear implantation

Approximately 20-28% of sensorineural hearing loss in children arises due to a cochlear malformation. Mondini dysplasia includes a cochlear with one and a half turns and an incomplete interscalar septum. Cochlear implantation is a common treatment protocol for children with...

Antiseptics to combat otorrhea in the era of antibiotic resistance

This nice scientific paper pits various antiseptic solutions against each other to determine which has the most bactericidal properties. Five different antiseptics were applied to MRSA and quinolone-resistant pseudomonas species, which are both difficult to treat with conventional ototoxic medications....

Open hearing-aid fittings or closed

There is always a balance between different types of hearing aids and their advantages and disadvantages that influence choice of device and ultimately user preference. Personal choice also plays a role when deciding on behind the ear or in ear...

Implantable devices and large magnets – do they mix well?

Although all brands are MRI safe at 1.5 T, the active middle ear implant system Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB), is special since it houses two magnets. These include a magnetic floating mass transducer (FMT) and an audioprocessor fixing receiver magnet which...

Is major ear surgery financially viable?

It is difficult to ignore the present reality in the NHS that understanding clinical coding is perhaps of more relevance to the practising clinician than the human genome! Clinician engagement is becoming more essential to protect patient care and maximise...