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Everyone has the right to say no

Despite the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act in 2005, healthcare professionals remain uncomfortable with individuals who choose not to follow medical advice - who make informed decisions to decline a treatment or management plans. This paper highlights that speech...

Cochlear implantation in enlarged vestibular aqueduct patients

In this systematic review, the authors describe the complications and outcomes of cochlear implantation in patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA). The authors reviewed five major databases and included 4035 patients from 34 studies. Of these, 853 patients (21.14%) had...

Videofluoroscopic swallowing studies: balancing risks and benefits

Videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) are an important part of the diagnostic toolkit and arguably the current gold-standard for assessing swallow biomechanics and diagnosing dysphagia. However, the procedure does involve exposure to radiation, and any clinician requesting this should be able...

Dr. Gyl’s Guide to a Successful Hearing Care Practice

This book covers a much-needed area in audiology to help support independent/small businesses set up their own clinics. The book covers a range of topics and talks through the rationale behind decisions vital in business. The author states that a...

Successful laser treatment of a laryngeal cause of dizziness

Dizziness is often considered to be a condition that is best managed by physicians or otologists. This case report describes an unusual cause of presyncope successfully treated by a laryngologist. The patient in question was a 45-year-old member of the...

Manual Therapy for Voice and Swallowing

This 300-page practical book on Manual Therapy for Voice and Swallowing is written by a single author, Walt Fritz, who is a US-based manual therapist. The first 150 pages include an overly detailed introduction, including his personal view and journey...

Are we all in the matrix?

In the entirety of training and in further practice, we are instilled with the premise of patient-centred care and individualised management plans based on informed consent. The question in the new age of telehealth/e-health is how to mimic that personalisation...

Day case orthognathic surgery

This paper analyses whether patient safety is maintained when orthognathic surgery is performed as an outpatient. This Swedish paper reviewed 165 patients, 107 of whom were to have what was termed outpatient care, and of which 101 (94%) were able...

Cinch suture: Does it work?

Flaring of the nostrils is a common side-effect of a maxillary osteotomy. At times flaring is minimal or of no significance. In some instances, it can be a significant postoperative concern to the patient, even to the extent of declining...

Rhinology and 3D printing

3D printing has increasing applications in rhinology, for instance to create patient-specific preoperative models for procedure planning, including designing a template for reconstruction planning following tumour resection, patient consultation and customised prostheses. The authors focused their review on the role...

Objective testing for Eustachian tube dysfunction

Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is typically diagnosed based on subjective symptoms and examination leading to wide variation in its diagnosis and management. The search for an objective test has looked at ways of measuring the passage of air through the...

Reduce medical errors by improving communication: supporting vulnerable people

This article starts by emphasising that communication failures are a fairly common cause of medical errors. They highlight that people with dysarthria can experience significant communication difficulties and are at particular risk of this type of breakdown in care. People...