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Indication and timing of electrodiagnostic tests in facial palsy

This excellent review describes the benefits and limitations of electrodiagnostic testing for patients with facial paralysis. Tests such as Schirmer, stapedial reflex and electrogustometry have been largely replaced by neurophysiologic tests like nerve excitability test (NET), electroneuronography (ENoG), surface electromyography...

Day care or admission for aesthetic nasal surgery?

Day-care surgery is gaining in popularity throughout the surgical specialities due to economical constraints and patient convenience. However this is not without risk and a careful procedure by procedure evaluation should be performed to prove the suitability of this type...

Subannular T-tubes for adhesive otitis

This Italian study looked at the success rates of a novel method to manage adhesive otitis media (chronic otitis media with adhesion of the tympanic membrane to the promontory). The authors looked at 22 patients with unilateral chronic adhesive otitis...

Benefit of prolonged voice rest following phonosurgery

The recommendation for voice rest following surgery is not agreed amongst surgeons, regarding either the type of voice rest (absolute or relative) or the optimal duration. In this ongoing study, 31 elective patients operated on for benign laryngeal lesions were...

Radiofrequency for tonsillectomy

This Turkish study compared the use of radiofrequency (RF) tonsillectomy to the more traditional cold steel dissection (CD) technique. The authors enrolled 114 patients undergoing tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis and tonsil hypertrophy (causing upper airway obstruction) over a 4-month period....

Secondary Rhinoplasty by the Global Masters

This well-written, beautifully illustrated two-volume book, along with its accompanying ebook version and videos, provides a comprehensive guide to the approach and techniques in secondary rhinoplasty. It builds on the knowledge and concepts in the world-renowned Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery...

Lymph node ratio in tongue cancer

This is an analysis of 88 patients treated in Switzerland between 2003 and 2012. All patients had a selective neck dissection and recurrence occurred in 25 patients. Overall and disease specific survival were 72% and 80%. They specifically looked at...

Are imaging studies necessary in uncomplicated headaches?

Over-imaging is one of the banes of modern medicine. One may argue that in this litigious atmosphere it is safer to get an MRI done rather than not. Despite the recommendations of the American Headache Society and the American College...

Swallowing outcomes following partial laryngectomy: objective assessment and pre-operative predictive factors

Partial laryngectomy constitutes one of the treatments for early stage glottic carcinoma (i.e. T1N0 and T2N0) in specialised centres. Over the years, several partial laryngectomy and reconstruction techniques have been described in the literature. The choice of technique depends on...

Video-relay services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities

Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities experience many barriers when trying to communicate online or on the phone. Individuals encounter limitations communicating virtually with family members, booking crucial appointments and speaking to friends, to name a few. However, video relay service (VRS)...

Talking through technology – keeping up with the mainstream

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system development has often made early use of innovative technology. Touch screens have been a part of this technology for some time. In fact, touch screens were invented in 1965 but it wasn’t until the...