This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for Eustachian tube dysfunction leading to middle-ear pathology in patients on chronic mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy tube.

A total of 40 patients on chronic ventilation were included in a prospective cohort study. Middle-ear status was determined by tympanometry. Tympanograms were categorised as types A, B or C; types B and C were defined as middle-ear pathology.

In all, 57 ears of 40 patients were examined. Disease was found in at least 1 ear in 26 out of 40 patients. Middle-ear pathology was found in 25 out of 34 patients who were tube fed (via nasogastric tube or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) vs 1 patient out of the 6 fed orally (p = 0.014), and in 23 out of 31 with conscious or cognitive impairment vs 3 out of 9 cognitively intact patients (p = 0.044).

Middle-ear pathology is common in patients on chronic mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy tube. The highest prevalence was in those with impaired consciousness or cognition, and oral feeding appeared protective.

Laryngeal injury after blunt trauma is uncommon, but can cause catastrophic airway obstruction and significant morbidity in voice and airway function. This paper aims to discuss a case series of sports-related blunt laryngeal trauma patients and describe the results of a thorough literature review.

Retrospective case-based analysis of laryngeal trauma referrals over six years to a tertiary laryngology centre.

Twenty-eight patients were identified; 13 (46 per cent) sustained sports-related trauma. Most were young males, presenting with dysphonia, some with airway compromise (62 per cent). Nine patients were diagnosed with a laryngeal fracture. Four patients were managed conservatively and nine underwent surgery. Post-treatment, the majority of patients achieved good voice outcomes (83 per cent) and all had normal airway function.

Sports-related neck trauma can cause significant injury to the laryngeal framework and endolaryngeal soft tissues, and most cases require surgical intervention. Clinical presentation may be subtle; a systematic approach along with a high index of suspicion is essential, as early diagnosis and treatment have been reported to improve airway and voice outcome.

To determine whether pre-operative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D has an impact on post-operative parathyroid hormone and serum calcium levels in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for benign goitre.

This single-centre, retrospective study comprised 246 unselected surgical patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy for bilateral, benign, multinodular goitre. The correlation between pre-operative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and post-operative serum parathyroid hormone and serum calcium was studied to determine whether low pre-operative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was predictive of post-operative hypocalcaemia.

Seventy-nine patients (32 per cent) had post-operative hypocalcaemia. Eighteen patients (7.32 per cent) experienced unintentional parathyroidectomy (1 parathyroid gland in 15 patients, 2 parathyroid glands in 3 patients). In univariate analysis, pre-operative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was not correlated with post-operative serum calcium (p = 0.69) or post-operative serum parathyroid hormone (p = 0.5804). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis, which took into account unintentional parathyroidectomy, no correlation was found (p = 0.33). Bilateral unintentional parathyroidectomy was statistically associated with post-operative hypocalcaemia (p = 0.032).

Pre-operative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D did not appear to have any impact on post-operative serum calcium in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for benign goitre.

To describe our experience and provide guidelines for maximum safe balloon sizes according to age in children undergoing balloon dilatation.

A retrospective review was conducted of children undergoing balloon dilatation for subglottic stenosis in a paediatric tertiary unit between May 2006 and February 2016.

A total of 166 patients underwent balloon dilatation. Mean ( ± standard deviation) patient age was 4.5 ± 3.99 years. The median balloon size was 8 mm, the median balloon inflation pressure was 10 atm, and the mean balloon inflation time was 65.1 ± 18.6 seconds. No significant unexpected events occurred. The Pearson correlation co-efficient for the relationship between patient age and balloon size was 0.85 (p = 0.001), suggesting a strongly positive correlation.

This study demonstrated that balloon dilatation is a safe procedure for airway stenosis. The results suggest using a balloon diameter that is equal to the outer diameter of the age-appropriate endotracheal tube +1 mm for the larynx and subglottis and +2 mm for the trachea.

To compare the effectiveness of non-surgical versus surgical therapy in elderly patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

The study cohort included 2323 elderly patients (aged 65 years and over) diagnosed with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma between 1988 and 2009, identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 database of the National Cancer Institute.

The five-year overall survival rate was 23 per cent for non-surgical patients compared with 91 per cent for surgical patients (p < 0.0001). Unadjusted analysis revealed significantly improved survival in surgical patients compared with non-surgical patients (hazard ratio = 0.06; p < 0.0001). Propensity score analysis also revealed significantly improved survival in surgical patients compared with non-surgical patients (hazard ratio = 0.11; p < 0.0001).

Thyroidectomy appears to provide a survival benefit for elderly patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. High-quality prospective studies are needed to better evaluate the comparative effectiveness of immediate thyroidectomy versus observation for elderly patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

This study evaluated the prognosis of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss when treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy and intravenous steroids.

The clinical data for 334 patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss treated by hyperbaric oxygen therapy and intravenous steroids at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. These data included the initial averaged five-frequency hearing level, patient age, interval between onset of symptoms and treatment, vertigo as a complication, and co-existence of diabetes mellitus.

The overall improvement rate was 69.2 per cent, including better improvement (25.5 per cent), good improvement (21.0 per cent) and fair improvement (22.7 per cent).

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy appears to confer a significant additional therapeutic benefit when used in combination with steroid therapy for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. If performed early, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may bring about hearing improvement in many patients who are unresponsive to initial therapy.

Despite advances in endoscopic sinus surgery, frontal sinus obliteration is still indicated in some cases. Current options for obliteration include autologous and synthetic materials. The use of ß-tricalcium phosphate as a resorbable bone graft substitute is a good alternative for frontal sinus obliteration. This study aimed to report our experience with this material.

A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent frontal sinus obliteration at our clinic between 2008 and 2013 was performed. Demographic data, indications, previous surgery, and immediate and late complications were examined. Information on persisting symptoms and patient outcomes was collected using a telephone questionnaire in February 2016.

None of the patients underwent further surgery for frontal sinus disease. All of them reported a good cosmetic result and symptom improvement.

ß-tricalcium phosphate is a good, safe and cost-effective material for frontal sinus obliteration.

Adult laryngeal haemangiomas are rare vascular tumours that have been managed by a variety of surgical techniques.

This paper describes a case of near-fatal acute airway obstruction secondary to such a lesion, followed by our approach to surgical resection using a laparoscopic bipolar tissue-sealing device.

This technique resulted in successful excision of the lesion, with no evidence of recurrence at one year of follow up.

Laparoscopic bipolar instruments can be used for the resection of moderate to large laryngeal haemangiomas as an alternative to laser excision.

Supraglottoplasty for the treatment of laryngomalacia has little current evidence regarding post-operative care. Our study aimed to: (1) retrospectively assess what proportion of patients required paediatric intensive care unit level of care; (2) identify pre-operative predictive factors common to these cases; and (3) report patient outcomes at six weeks’ follow up.

A 10-year retrospective case series analysis was conducted of all patients diagnosed with laryngomalacia and subsequently treated with supraglottoplasty. Paediatric intensive care unit level of care was defined as the need for intubation or tracheostomy, positive pressure ventilation, multiple doses of nebulised adrenaline, and oxygen dependency beyond 12 hours.

Forty-two patients (19 males, 23 females) were identified; 28.5 per cent of cases met our criteria for paediatric intensive care unit level of care. A low pre-operative oxygen saturation was the only significant risk factor that predicted a future need for paediatric intensive care unit level of care (p = 0.0008).

This is the first study published in the UK to suggest the importance of pre-operative oxygen saturation as a predictor of a future need for paediatric intensive care unit level of care.

The provision of healthcare education in developing countries is a complex problem that simulation has the potential to help. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a low-cost ear surgery simulator, the Ear Trainer.

The Ear Trainer was assessed in two low-resource environments in Cambodia and Uganda. Participants were video-recorded performing four specific middle-ear procedures, and blindly scored using a validated measurement tool. Face validity, construct validity and objective learning were assessed.

The Ear Trainer provides a realistic representation of the ear. Construct validity assessment confirmed that experts performed better than novices. Participants displayed improvement in all tasks except foreign body removal, likely because of a ceiling effect.

This study validates the Ear Trainer as a useful training tool for otological microsurgical skills in developing world settings.

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, mainly affecting motor functions including the voice. The aetiology of dysphonia changes throughout the course of disease progression.

This study aimed to determine the laryngeal changes seen in early-, mid- and late-stage Parkinson's disease. Thirteen patients with Parkinson's disease are presented, representing the largest series of voice patients with Parkinson's disease seen in a voice clinic in the literature.

Age, gender, severity of handicap caused by voice disorder and possible associated reflux symptoms were examined.

Laryngeal function appeared to change gradually with progression of the disease, and may have been affected by the presence of pre-existing laryngeal pathology.

Laryngeal function in Parkinson's disease appears to go through a series of changes that may be helped by both therapeutic and surgical interventions. These patients should be treated within the confines of a voice clinic multidisciplinary model.

This study aimed to evaluate serum cytokine concentrations in healthy individuals and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

A total of 59 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients and 44 healthy controls were included. Multiplex analysis of interleukins 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13 and 17 and interferon-gamma with respect to the presence of laryngeal carcinoma, tumour–node–metastasis T stage, nodal involvement and larynx subsite was performed.

Statistical analysis revealed no difference in serum cytokine levels between patients and healthy controls. The serum interleukin-12 concentration was significantly higher in patients with early (T1–2) than in those with late (T3–4) stage disease and without nodal involvement (p < 0.05). Serum interleukin-10 levels were significantly higher in T3–4 stage than in T1–2 stage patients (p < 0.05). Additionally, serum interleukin 10, 12 and 13 concentrations (p < 0.05) and interleukin-6 concentration (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in patients with T1–2 stage supraglottic vs glottic tumours.

Serum cytokines level cannot be used as laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma markers. Progression from T1–2 to T3–4 stage is followed by decreased serum interleukin-12 levels and increased interleukin-10 levels. Nodal involvement is associated with lower serum interleukin-12 levels. In patients with early stage tumours, serum interleukin 6, 10, 12 and 13 concentrations are significantly higher in those with supraglottic vs glottic tumours.

To evaluate the impact of race on survival in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

The study cohort included 17 668 patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma between 1988 and 2009, identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 database of the National Cancer Institute.

Black patients had lower overall survival than other racial groups (p < 0.001). Black patients had significantly worse overall survival (hazard ratio = 2.59) after adjusting for sex, marital status, age, year of diagnosis, multifocal disease and type of surgery. A subset analysis of Black patients revealed no significant difference in overall survival for total thyroidectomy versus lobectomy (p = 0.15).

Black race is a negative prognostic factor in thyroid cancer, which cannot be explained by advanced disease stage. Further research on mechanisms by which race affects survival is needed to reveal areas of opportunity for interventions aimed at reducing health disparities in cancer care.

The middle ear and mastoid are complex three-dimensional structures and therefore tympanomastoid procedures require detailed documentation. Traditional written accounts can be inaccurate and difficult to interpret.

This audit of 95 patients compares the completion of essential operative details using: an all-electronic version of a standardised proforma with a diagrammatic template, a non-electronic version with a diagrammatic template, and a traditional handwritten template.

The electronic template resulted in 81 per cent of essential operative items being recorded, compared to 78 per cent (p = 0.3) with a previous non-electronic template and 50 per cent (p = 0.0004) when using simple handwritten recording.

An electronic proforma with a diagrammatic template improves the documentation and interpretation of tympanomastoid procedures compared to traditional handwritten records.

A public health campaign on laryngeal cancer was conducted in 2011 in the Humber and Yorkshire Coast Cancer Network. This study evaluated its subsequent impact (if any) upon the stage of laryngeal cancer at presentation.

Cases of laryngeal cancer diagnosed in the Humber and Yorkshire Coast Cancer Network from January 2009 to July 2014 were identified from cancer registries and were dichotomised into early (tumour stage T1–2) and late (T3–4) disease. Statistical analysis using segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series data was performed.

There were no statistically significant changes in laryngeal cancer cases immediately after the intervention for both early (p = 0.191) and late (p = 0.680) stage disease. There were also no significant changes to monthly detection rates in both groups on follow up.

Findings of the first public health campaign on laryngeal cancer in the UK are described. Such processes are complex; the implications for future study are discussed.

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed worldwide. There are a handful of common complications, with bleeding being the most feared; however, rarer complications can present to a wide range of medical professionals.

A 12-year-old girl presented with cervicofacial emphysema following tonsillectomy. This paper discusses the case and the management adopted, and presents the findings of a comprehensive literature review.

The patient made a full recovery, and was discharged after 3 days following conservative management with intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics and supplemental low-flow oxygen.

This paper presents the first reported case of cervicofacial emphysema following Harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy. Although this is an exceptionally rare complication, it is potentially serious and warrants further description to improve awareness.

A significant percentage of children with cleft palate suffer from otitis media with effusion and its consequences, such as deafness, chronic adhesive otitis and cholesteatoma. This study aimed to determine whether these effects can be minimised by selecting pharyngofixation as the surgical technique for cleft palate correction.

A retrospective study was performed of 155 patients (308 ears) who underwent surgery from age 5 months to 8 years and were followed up for 36–84 months.

In all, 125 ears (41 per cent) had epitympanic retraction, 45 ears (14 per cent) had sinus tympani retraction and 5 patients (3 per cent) had cholesteatoma. Use of the pharyngofixation technique did not significantly correlate with (1) the severity of otological findings or (2) the incidence of retraction pockets in the epitympanum and sinus tympani (p = 0.53).

Pharyngofixation did not significantly alter the severity of long-term otological findings.

Chronic tinnitus is associated with reduced auditory input, which results in changes in the central auditory system. This study aimed to examine the relationship between tinnitus pitch and parameters of audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. For audiometry, the parameters represented the edge frequency of hearing loss, the frequency of maximum hearing loss and the frequency range of hearing loss. For distortion product otoacoustic emissions, the parameters were the frequency of lowest distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes and the frequency range of reduced distortion product otoacoustic emissions.

Sixty-seven patients (45 males, 22 females) with subjective chronic tinnitus, aged 18 to 73 years, were included.

No correlation was found between tinnitus pitch and parameters of audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. However, tinnitus pitch fell mostly within the frequency range of hearing loss.

The current study seems to confirm the relationship between tinnitus pitch and the frequency range of hearing loss, thus supporting the homeostatic plasticity model.

Direct extension of an intracranial meningioma to involve the temporal bone is rare. Recognised sites of origin and routes of access to the middle ear and labyrinthine apparatus have been described. Direct spread through the temporal bone to primarily involve the external auditory canal has not been widely reported in the literature.

This paper discusses clinical and radiological findings in three cases of temporal bone meningioma presenting as masses within the external auditory canal.

Diagnosing temporal meningioma can be challenging because of its rarity and the often non-specific clinical and histological findings. It is important for both the surgeon and radiologist to be aware of the diagnosis and its related imaging findings in order to facilitate a timely diagnosis.

Dysphagia is a relatively common symptom following laryngectomy. An anterior pharyngeal diverticulum is a rare cause of post-laryngectomy dysphagia. However, it is often an incidental finding on rigid telescopic examination.

This article describes two patients with a symptomatic anterior pharyngeal diverticulum. They were treated by transoral micro-endoscopic potassium titanyl phosphate 532 nm laser assisted resection. Both patients could take feeds orally after the procedure without any difficulty. One patient died one and a half years after the procedure because of secondary lung cancer. The other patient died after three years as a result of regional recurrence. The patients were able to swallow during their survival period post treatment.

Laser-assisted micro-endoscopic resection is a relatively safe, quick and effective procedure for the management of anterior pharyngeal diverticulum.