To verify the prevalence of cervical lymph node metastasis in adenoid cystic carcinoma of major salivary glands, and to establish recommendations for elective neck treatment.

A search was conducted of the US National Library of Medicine database. Appropriate articles were selected from the abstracts, and the original publications were obtained to extract data.

Among 483 cases of major salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma, a total of 90 (18.6 per cent) had cervical metastasis. The prevalence of positive nodes from adenoid cystic carcinoma was 14.5 per cent for parotid gland, 22.5 per cent for submandibular gland and 24.7 per cent for sublingual gland. Cervical lymph node metastasis occurred more frequently in patients with primary tumour stage T3–4 adenoid cystic carcinoma, and was usually located in levels II and III in the neck.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the major salivary glands is associated with a significant prevalence of cervical node metastasis, and elective neck treatment is indicated for T3 and T4 primary tumours, as well as tumours with other histological risk factors.

First-on-call ENT cover is often provided by junior doctors with limited ENT experience; yet, they may have to manage life-threatening emergencies. An intensive 1-day simulation course was developed to teach required skills to junior doctors.

A prospective, single-blinded design was used. Thirty-seven participants rated their confidence before the course, immediately following the course and after a two-month interval. Blinded assessors scored participant performance in two video-recorded simulated scenarios before and after the course.

Participant self-rated confidence was increased in the end-of-course survey (score of 27.5 vs 53.0; p < 0.0001), and this was maintained two to four months after the course (score of 50.5; p < 0.0001). Patient assessment and management in video-recorded emergency scenarios was significantly improved following course completion (score of 9.75 vs 18.75; p = 0.0093).

This course represents an effective method of teaching ENT emergency management to junior doctors. ENT induction programmes benefit from the incorporation of a simulation component.

To investigate the presenting symptoms, intra-operative findings and long-term facial nerve function in patients treated for cholesteatoma with associated facial paralysis.

Fifteen patients with facial paralysis due to middle-ear cholesteatoma who underwent tympanomastoidectomy surgery from February 2000 to February 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. After removal of the cholesteatoma, a limited area of the fallopian canal, in which facial nerve oedema or redness was evident, was opened. Incision of the epineural sheath for nerve decompression was not performed.

Pre-operative House–Brackmann grade was grade II in two patients, grade III in four, grade IV in seven, grade V in one and grade VI in one. Facial nerve perineurium damage was observed in two patients with poor prognoses. All patients treated within the first 15 days after paralysis onset showed normal facial function at long-term follow up. Post-operative House–Brackmann grade was grade I in 11 patients, grade II in 1, grade III in 2 and grade VI in 1.

Early surgical treatment is more likely to give good results, and poor outcomes are observed in patients with facial nerve perineurium damage.

To summarise published research investigating maximal temperatures associated with endoscopes used in otology. Possible thermal issues surrounding the use of endoscopes in middle-ear surgery are discussed, and recommendations regarding the safest ways to use endoscopes in endoscopic ear surgery are made.

A non-systematic review of the relevant literature was conducted, with descriptive analysis and presentation of the results.

There are currently no reports of any temperature-related deleterious effects in patients having undergone endoscopic ear surgery. There is debate regarding heat issues in endoscopic ear surgery, with a limited body of work documenting potential negative impacts of middle-ear heat exposure from endoscopes. The diameter of endoscope, type of light source used, distance from endoscope tip and duration of exposure are highlighted potential factors for high temperatures in endoscopic ear surgery.

There is a trend towards endoscopes being used routinely in ear surgery. Simple practice points are recommended to minimise potential thermal risks.

This study aimed to evaluate the surgical success of a modified inlay tympanoplasty technique, known as circumferential subannular tympanoplasty, for anterior and subtotal perforations.

This prospective study was performed in a tertiary care teaching hospital between October 2013 and April 2016. A total of 58 adult patients of both sexes with anterior or subtotal perforations underwent circumferential subannular tympanoplasty under local anaesthesia. In this technique, after tympanomeatal flap elevation, the temporalis fascia graft is placed directly onto the annulus instead of being tucked underneath the tympanic membrane remnant. Outcome data were graft uptake and hearing improvement.

This technique had a surgical success rate of 97 per cent and led to significant hearing improvement.

Circumferential subannular tympanoplasty has a definitive role in managing anterior and subtotal perforations.

Acute otitis media causes discomfort to children and inconvenience to their parents. This study evaluated the quality of life in children with recurrent acute otitis media aged less than 24 months.

Quality of life was evaluated in 149 children aged 10 to 24 months who were referred to the Oulu University Hospital on account of recurrent acute otitis media. The children were treated with or without surgery. Age-matched controls were selected randomly from the general child population. Parents completed the Child Health Questionnaire.

The children with recurrent acute otitis media had a significantly poorer quality of life than control children. The control children with a history of a few acute otitis media episodes had a significantly poorer quality of life than those without any such history. The quality of life of the children with recurrent acute otitis media improved during the one-year follow up, regardless of the treatment, but did not reach the same level as healthy children.

Acute otitis media detracted from quality of life when a generic measure was used. The mode of treatment used to prevent further recurrences of acute otitis media did not influence quality of life improvement.

This study aimed to evaluate the results of revision radical cavity surgery with mastoid obliteration using a standardised grading scheme.

A retrospective study was performed of 121 patients (122 ears) with chronically draining ears who underwent revision radical cavity surgery with mastoid obliteration between 2007 and 2013. Surgical indications, patient characteristics, pre- and post-operative Merchant grade, and surgical outcomes were recorded. The main outcome measures were presence of a dry ear, time for complete re-epithelialisation, presence of residual or recurrent disease, and need for revision surgery.

In the 5-year follow-up group (n = 31), dry ears were found in 97 per cent after 6 minor revisions and cholesteatoma-free ears were found in 97 per cent. In the total cohort, dry ears were found in 93 per cent after nine revisions and cholesteatoma-free ears were found in 98 per cent. The median time for complete re-epithelialisation was eight weeks. There were no major complications.

In terms of the dry ear rate, residual cholesteatoma and time to complete epithelialisation, revision radical cavity surgery with mastoid obliteration produces very good results in concordance with published results, despite most patients suffering from very troublesome cavities prior to surgery.

To describe the results obtained with endolymphatic sac drainage in patients with Ménière's disease.

A retrospective case review study was conducted of 95 Ménière's disease patients who underwent endolymphatic sac drainage in a tertiary care referral centre, after failing a long course of medical management. The main outcome measures were vertigo control and hearing preservation.

In patients with unilateral disease, vertigo control was obtained in 94.3 per cent of patients. A significant improvement in cochlear function was seen in 14 per cent of patients, and hearing was preserved or improved in 88 per cent. For the bilateral group, vertigo control was obtained in 85.7 per cent of patients and cochlear function improved in 28 per cent. Hearing preservation was attained in 71 per cent of these patients.

Endolymphatic sac drainage is a good surgical option for patients with incapacitating endolymphatic hydrops, providing a high percentage of vertigo control and hearing preservation.

This study aimed to test the expression of maspin in invasive fungal rhinosinusitis and explore its value in diagnosing invasive fungal rhinosinusitis.

Forty-two fungal rhinosinusitis cases (12 invasive and 30 non-invasive) were selected as the experimental group, and 30 chronic rhinosinusitis cases comprised the control group. Maspin expression was assessed in nasal mucous membrane specimens by immunohistochemical staining.

Compared with the control group, maspin expression was down-regulated in the fungal rhinosinusitis group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the staining score for maspin was lowest in the invasive fungal rhinosinusitis group, as compared with both the non-invasive fungal rhinosinusitis group and the control group (p < 0.05). A maspin staining score of 5.70 was the critical value for diagnosis of invasive fungal rhinosinusitis, with sensitivity and specificity of 91.7 per cent and 88.3 per cent, respectively.

The results of this study suggest that the maspin staining score may be a biomarker for effective and rapid diagnosis of invasive fungal rhinosinusitis.

To analyse risk factors associated with secondary post-operative bleeding when only one technique, namely bipolar scissors, is used.

The medical records of all consecutive patients aged six years or older who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy between 1 December 2010 and 30 November 2014 were retrospectively analysed.

A total of 1734 patients were included in the study. A secondary haemorrhage occurred in 208 patients (12 per cent). Patients aged 15 years or older were 4.5 times (95 per cent confidence interval = 2.6–7.9; p < 0.001) more likely to experience secondary haemorrhage. In cases of acute quinsy, patients aged 15 years or older had an 8.1-fold (95 per cent confidence interval = 1.1–59.6; p = 0.02) increased likelihood of experiencing secondary haemorrhage.

Patients aged 15 years or older have a higher risk for bleeding regardless of the primary indication for the tonsillectomy. The risk for secondary haemorrhage does not seem to depend on the primary indication itself.

Saliva composition may affect sialolithiasis formation; thus, this study compared the salivary inorganic composition of sialolithiasis patients with that of healthy controls, and determined whether salivary inorganic composition changes after sialolithiasis surgery.

The study included 40 patients with sialolithiasis and 40 matched healthy controls. Patients were examined before and after sialolithiasis surgery; controls were examined once. Flow rate and the inorganic saliva composition in unstimulated whole saliva were assessed.

Patients’ salivary flow prior to surgery was significantly lower compared to that of healthy controls, but equalised after surgery. Prior to surgery, patients’ saliva exhibited higher concentrations of calcium, magnesium, phosphorous compared to that of healthy controls. The concentration of most ions remained high after sialolithiasis surgery.

Sialolithiasis patients had increased salivary concentrations of the ions that constitute the main inorganic phase of most sialoliths, and this may confer a risk for developing sialolithiasis.

The optimal management of glottic carcinoma involving the anterior commissure is controversial.

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 76 patients with glottic squamous cell carcinoma treated by transoral carbon dioxide laser resection by a single surgeon.

Sixty-three patients (with tumour stage Tis–T3) were eligible for inclusion. Thirty patients had involvement of the anterior commissure; these patients were significantly more likely to have either uncertain or positive margins (63.3 vs 30.3 per cent, p = 0.012), and were also more likely to receive adjuvant radiotherapy (40 vs 3.2 per cent, p = 0.0005). The overall laryngeal preservation rate was 96.8 per cent; there was no statistically significant difference between those with and without anterior commissure involvement (96.7 and 96.9 per cent respectively).

Transoral laser resection with the use of adjuvant radiotherapy in a minority of patients with adverse pathological findings can be recommended for the primary treatment of anterior commissure glottic cancer from an oncological perspective; excellent local control and laryngeal preservation rates can be achieved.

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.

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 pneumocele occurs when an aerated cranial cavity pathologically expands; a pneumatocele occurs when air extends from an aerated cavity into adjacent soft tissues forming a secondary cavity. Both pathologies are extremely rare with relation to the mastoid. This paper describes a case of a mastoid pneumocele that caused hypoglossal nerve palsy and an intracranial pneumatocele.

A 46-year-old man presented, following minor head trauma, with hypoglossal nerve palsy secondary to a fracture through the hypoglossal canal. The fracture occurred as a result of a diffuse temporal bone pneumocele involving bone on both sides of the hypoglossal canal. Further slow expansion of the mastoid pneumocele led to a secondary middle fossa pneumatocele. The patient refused treatment and so has been managed conservatively for more than five years, and he remains well.

While most patients with otogenic pneumatoceles have presented acutely in extremis secondary to tension pneumocephalus, our patient has remained largely asymptomatic. Aetiology, clinical features and management options of temporal bone pneumoceles and otogenic pneumatoceles are reviewed.