To evaluate four dimensions of fatigue, including subjective fatigue severity, concentration problems, reduced motivation, and activity in patients with single-sided deafness.

Following audiological assessment, the Checklist Individual Strength scale and Montreal Cognitive Assessment were performed on 41 adults with single-sided deafness and 41 sex-matched adults with normal bilateral hearing in the study group and control group, respectively. Subjective fatigue severity, concentration, motivation, activity level and cognitive performance were analysed between and within groups.

Individuals with single-sided deafness exhibited reduced concentration and motivation; however, their activity level was average. Subjective fatigue symptoms were more prevalent in individuals with single-sided deafness than in control participants. The concentration problem was related to decreased cognitive performance.

This study revealed negative somatic consequences of single-sided deafness. Self-perceived fatigue is likely underestimated in this population due to the limited studies reported in the literature. Further studies should focus on counselling, follow up and hearing rehabilitation concerning ameliorating fatigue.

The aim of this study was to compare the internet and social media use of teenagers with hearing loss with that of their normal hearing peers.

The study included 27 hearing-impaired and 27 normal-hearing peers (12–18 years). The Social Media Attitude Scale, the Internet Use Purposes Scale, University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and the Problematic Internet Use Scale were used to compare hearing-loss and normal-hearing groups.

The social isolation subscale and Social Media Attitude Scale total score differed between groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.048, respectively). Internet Use Purposes Scale education subscale differences were statistically significant (p = 0.042). Negative consequences (p = 0.007), excessive use (p = 0.021) and Problematic Internet Use Scale total score (p = 0.005) differed significantly. The University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale had a moderate negative connection with the Problematic Internet Use Scale's social benefit/comfort subscale and total score (r = 0.369, p = 0.006 and r = −0.309, p = 0.023, respectively).

While adolescents with hearing loss have limited online educational resources, problematic internet use is a concern. When overused, the internet can reduce loneliness, but it can also have harmful consequences.

To compare perioperative and oncological outcomes between stapler and manual closure in patients undergoing total laryngectomy for advanced endolaryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Patients with advanced endolaryngeal tumours operated between July 2017 and July 2023 were retrospectively dichotomised into stapler closure and manual closure cohorts and compared.

Seventy-one patients with a median age of 57 years were included in our study. The median surgical duration was 270 minutes for the manual closure cohort and 245 minutes for the stapler closure cohort. The pharyngo-cutaneous salivary fistula rate was 6 per cent less in the stapler closure cohort. The estimated mean survival was not significantly different 54.5 months (95 per cent, confidence interval 46.3–62.71) in the manual closure cohort versus 28.12 months (95 per cent, confidence interval 23.6–32.63) in the stapler closure cohort (p = 0.79).

Stapler closure can be used in endolaryngeal tumours, and it reduces operating time, thus facilitating efficient utilisation of operation time with non-inferior oncological outcomes as compared to traditional manual closure.

Sublingual ranulas present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to their heterogenous clinical presentations. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesise treatment outcomes and proposes a new classification for this condition.

Following PRISMA guidelines, a thorough literature search identified studies on patients with sublingual ranulas receiving medical or surgical treatment. Proportion meta-analysis compared success rates among studies using a random-effects model.

Forty-two studies were included, covering 686 endoral ranulas, 429 plunging ranulas, and 16 ranulas extending into the parapharyngeal space. Sublingual sialoadenectomy with or without pseudocyst wall excision showed low heterogeneity and the highest success rates. Consequently, a new classification system is proposed categorising ranulas by intraoral (Type 1), cervical (Type 2) or parapharyngeal space (Type 3) extension.

This study confirms the role of sublingual gland resection as standard of care and highlights the need for a revised classification to improve patient outcomes.

Surgical resection for pterygopalatine fossa schwannomas can be challenging due to the complex anatomy and potential morbidity. Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) offers a minimally invasive alternative with precise targeting and minimal damage to surrounding structures.

A 21-year-old female patient who had a history of progressive left-sided facial numbness over the past year and was diagnosed with progressive pterygopalatine fossa schwannoma underwent gamma knife radiosurgery. The radiological and clinical outcomes of the patient were evaluated over a period of 15 years, with the patient remaining symptom-free and experiencing no adverse effects from the treatment.

The patient’s positive outcome, with significant tumour reduction and symptom relief, underscores the potential of this non-invasive technique as a primary treatment modality for schwannomas in challenging anatomical locations.

Deafness is a leading cause of disability worldwide. This prospective cohort study investigates the impact of cochlear implants on self-reported quality of life in post-lingually deaf adults.

The self-administered 36-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 and the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale questionnaires were prospectively used to investigate the impact of cochlear implants in 98 post-lingually deaf adults aged more than or equal to 50 years.

Quality of life improved post-cochlear implant in the cumulative scores and scores for all domains of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (p < 0.05). QoL improved post-cochlear implant in the sub-domains related to cognition and participation in society of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the cumulative score. Subgroup analysis showed improvement in the participation in society domain only and only in males and participants aged younger than 75 years (p < 0.05).

Cochlear implant improves quality of life in post-lingually deaf adults.

This study aimed to determine if a history of tinnitus is associated with the risk of developing dementia.

A nationwide population-based case–control study including all eligible adults in Taiwan.

A total of 15 686 patients were included in the study, with 7843 individuals making up each of the case and control groups. Patients with a history of tinnitus were associated with a statistically significant higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia before reaching 65 years old (50 years ≤ age <65 years) (adjusted odds ratio 2.68, 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 1.19–6.05, p = 0.017). No statistical significance was found among those 65 years and older (adjusted odds ratio 1.17, 95 per cent CI 0.90–1.51, p = 0.235).

A history of tinnitus was associated with a 168 per cent increased risk of being diagnosed with dementia in those aged 50–65 years old. This association was not significant in those older than 65 years.

The aim of this study is to investigate hearing outcomes in patients who have undergone cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak repair via a middle cranial fossa (MCF) approach and to identify any variables that influence post-operative hearing outcomes.

This is a multi-centre study. A total of 65 patients who underwent an MCF approach CSF leak repair were included. Retrospective case review was conducted to collect patient demographic and clinical data including pre- and post-operative audiometry.

A total of 65 patients were included: 9 patients (9.2per cent) had an encephalocele confirmed on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, whilst the remaining patients had biochemically confirmed, beta-trace protein positive CSF leaks. Post-operatively, there was a statistically significant improvement in both bone conduction (Z = -3.71, p < 0.001) and air conduction thresholds (Z = -5.82, p < 0.001). None of the studied variables were found to be associated with the degree of hearing improvement.

The MCF approach for CSF leak repair yields favorable audiological outcomes.

Our centre (Freeman Hospital, Newcatle Upon Tyne NHS Trust) has favoured primary surgery over chemoradiotherapy for specific advanced laryngeal cancer patients (e.g. large-volume tumours, airway compromise, significant dysphagia, T4 disease). This study reports the survival outcomes for a modern, high-volume head and neck centre favouring surgical management to determine whether this approach improves survival.

Retrospective analysis of patient data over a seven-year period from a tertiary cancer centre.

In total, 121 patients were identified with T3 (n = 76) or T4 (n = 45) laryngeal cancer (mean follow up 2.9 years). In the cohort treated with curative intent (n = 104, 86.0 per cent), the 2- and 5-year estimated disease-specific survival rates were 77.9 and 64.1 per cent. chemoradiotherapy had the highest 2-year disease-specific survival (92.5 per cent), followed by surgery with adjuvant therapy (81.8 per cent), radiotherapy alone (75 per cent) and surgery alone (72.4 per cent).

For a centre favouring primary surgery for certain advanced laryngeal cancers, the disease-specific survival appears no higher than that found in the published literature. To enhance survival, future research should focus on precision medicine to define treatment pathways in this disease.

Congenital hearing loss is a chronic condition which occurs worldwide. In the past, investigations focused on testing the most common genes associated with hearing loss (such as Connexin 26-related hearing loss). Targeted testing of specific genes was requested only when a particular syndrome was suspected. Recent advances have led to the development of a large gene panel which utilises next-generation sequencing to simultaneously test for pathogenic variants in many genes associated with hearing loss.

This review article aims to highlight the changes in the approach to congenital hearing loss in the context of the R67 gene panel, and how its use may increase the efficiency of the diagnosis and management of this condition.

The use of this large gene panel has revolutionised the approach to hearing loss. Uptake of this large gene panel has resulted in prompter diagnosis and therefore more appropriate clinical management.

To appraise clinical practice guidelines for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma treatment and management using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II tool.

A literature search was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. Four reviewers evaluated clinical practice guidelines utilising Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II, with domain scores requiring a threshold of greater than 60 per cent. Inter-reviewer agreement was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients.

Twelve clinical practice guidelines were evaluated after application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. There were two “high-”, four “average-”, and six “low-” quality clinical practice guidelines. The domains with the highest scores were “clarity of presentation” (69.44 ± 16.75) and “scope and purpose” (68.87 ± 20.88), while “applicability” (7.12 ± 6.17) and “rigor of development” (50.26 ± 20.77) had the lowest scores. Intraclass correlation coefficients showed a high level of inter-reviewer agreement (0.689–0.924; good–excellent).

These results showcased wide variability in quality amongst guidelines for the treatment and management of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. These findings necessitate greater standardisation among clinical practice guidelines and greater focus on the applicability of recommended practices.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether sex plays a role in donor-site dysfunction after head and neck reconstruction.

In this retrospective case series, 76 patients were assessed for donor-site morbidity using the Short Form 36, Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment, disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand, and lower-limb core scale. Differences by sex were compared using t-tests. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to adjust for potential confounders.

Females observed significantly greater disability for the SF-36 mental component summary score with a mean of 45.9 (standard deviation 10.5) compared to males, with a mean of 51.8 (standard deviation 10.2), p = 0.02. Sex is significantly related to SF-36 mental component summary score after controlling for neuropsychiatric disease and tracheostomy status.

Females reported significantly worse mental component scores compared to males undergoing free flap reconstruction of the head and neck.

This study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics, treatments and outcomes of paediatric temporal bone fractures at our institute.

A retrospective study of paediatric skull fractures confirmed by imaging from January 2010 to December 2022. Data on demographics, clinical presentations, injury mechanisms and complications were analysed, and fractures were categorised into otic capsule sparing (OCS) and violating (OCV).

Of 369 skull fracture cases, 88 (24 per cent) involved temporal bones, predominantly caused by falls and vehicle accidents. Common symptoms were loss of consciousness, hematoma, and hemotympanum, with complications like facial nerve injury and cerebrospinal fluid leaks in 3.4 per cent of cases. OCV fractures led to more severe complications, including hearing loss. Audiology showed 65 per cent without hearing impairment, while others had various degrees of loss.

Paediatric temporal bone fractures, particularly OCV types, pose significant challenges. Early detection and thorough management are vital, underscoring the need for consistent data collection and regular audiometric monitoring.

For 50 years, the Thomas Wickham-Jones (TWJ) Foundation has promoted the advancement of otology and audiology in the UK and Republic of Ireland through a series of overseas Fellowships and other grants.

The paper examines the history of the Foundation since its establishment in 1974, drawing upon the Foundation's archives and personal recollections. The analysis is located within a framework concerning the factors that shape the success or failure of a foundation including vision, strategy, information, leadership and finance.

The activities of the TWJ Foundation are charted over five decades, and the governance of the Foundation is detailed. Particular attention is given to the Major Fellowships offered, at first in North America, and to their subsequent development into the Foundation's current rotation.

The paper offers an assessment of the TWJ Foundation's impact on the training of otologists in the British Isles and concludes with a brief self-reflective analysis.

This pilot study aimed to evaluate a training programme for primary care physiotherapists focused on the assessment and management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

A six-month training programme and toolkit utilising the revised Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (‘SQUIRE 2.0’) guidelines was developed to facilitate the learning of new knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo following Gagne's model of instructional design. A pre- and post-training knowledge and confidence questionnaire evaluated the impact of the training programme.

Eleven participants started the training programme and five completed it. On average, knowledge increased by 54 per cent (range, 41–95 per cent) and confidence increased by 45 per cent (range, 31–76 per cent). A 73 per cent improvement in practical skills acquisition was demonstrated after the initial training session.

A structured approach to learning demonstrates improvements in knowledge, skills and confidence of physiotherapists in the evidence-based management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Driving capacity is affected by vestibular disorders and the medications used to treat them. Driving is not considered during medical consultations, with 92 per cent of patients attending a centre for dizziness not discussing it with the doctor.

To investigate if medical record prompts facilitate dizziness and driving conversations in ENT balance clinics.

A questionnaire was designed to reflect the current standards of practice and advice given regarding driving and dizziness during balance clinic consultations.

Medical record prompts facilitated the improved frequency and recording of shared decision-making conversations about driving and dizziness in 98 per cent of consultations.

This study highlights the benefits of medical record prompts for documented and accurate shared decision-making conversations surrounding dizziness, vertigo, vestibular conditions and driving. This potentially improves safety for all road users, and protects the patient and clinician in the event of road traffic accidents and medico-legal investigations.

Balance dysfunction and vestibular conditions are major problems requiring significant resources. There is significant national and international variation in management pathways for such patients.

This paper outlines a collaborative project run by the ENT department and two vestibular rehabilitation trained physiotherapists to establish a clinic to manage patients referred to ENT with vestibular and/or balance complaints. As part of a six-month pilot, two physiotherapy-led balance clinics were provided per week.

A total of 159 new patients were seen, with only 15 needing ENT consultant input. This led to the successful creation of substantive posts; the clinic has seen 698 patients in its first two years.

Patient outcomes and experience have been positive, and accompanied by reduced waiting and in-service times. The authors discuss some of the pitfalls, challenges and opportunities of developing this type of clinic.

To examine the newly established role of a primary contact physiotherapist in an ENT clinic, in an Australian cohort and context, over two phases of development.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with data collected from a medical record audit. Over the study duration, the primary contact physiotherapist completed initial appointments with patients; follow-up appointments were subsequently conducted by medical staff.

There was a 46 per cent reduction in patients with suggested vestibulopathy requiring an ENT medical review. This reduction could hypothetically increase to 71 per cent with follow-up primary contact physiotherapist appointments. Improvements in the service delivery model and a primary contact physiotherapist arranging diagnostic assessments could improve waitlist times and facilitate better utilisation of medical staff time.

The primary contact physiotherapist can help in the management of patients with suspected vestibulopathy on an ENT waitlist. This is achieved through: a reduction of patients requiring ENT review, improvements to waitlist time and improved utilisation of medical specialists’ time.