The present study aimed to measure an association between the caloric test and vestibulo-ocular reflex gain and refixation saccades in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorders.

Twenty individuals (9 males and 11 females), in the age range of 17 to 38 years, diagnosed with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorders, and 20 normal-hearing individuals (age and gender matched) participated in the study. All the individuals underwent case history, pure tone audiometry, immittance evaluation, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response, caloric tests and video head impulse tests.

All the patients with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorders in the present study had hypoactive caloric responses, which suggested peripheral vestibular lesions. The mean vestibulo-ocular reflex gain was reduced in few patients with auditory neuropathy, whereas few patients had normal vestibulo-ocular reflex gain.

The present study revealed a discrepancy between the caloric and video head impulse test results in auditory neuropathy spectrum disorders. The vestibular evaluation should be done for all patients with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorders to understand the various types of vestibular nerve lesions.

The healthcare industry is estimated to contribute 4.4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This pilot study aimed to investigate the impact of rationalising surgical instruments in tonsillectomy trays on greenhouse gas emissions and costs.

We conducted a prospective observational study over a six-month period. All patients who underwent tonsillectomy were included. The instruments used during the procedure and their frequency of use were counted, with the operating surgeon being unaware of the study.

During the 6-month timeframe, 46 tonsillectomies were performed. From the standard tonsillectomy tray containing 38 pieces, 9 pieces were never used. The removal of unused reusable instruments resulted in an estimated total reduction of 594 g of carbon dioxide equivalents and a saving of €9.63 per operation.

Rationalising the contents of the surgical instrument tray can have a positive environmental impact by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There are also pecuniary benefits for the National Health Service because of the potential for cost savings.

This study aimed to assess the impact of the scutum on oval window accessibility during stapedotomy surgery. Radio-clinical correlation was applied to determine the impact.

This was a prospective observational case-series study that included 127 candidates for stapedotomy surgery. The oval fossa was classified into two types according to the accessibility of the stapes footplate.

Both study groups showed a statistically significant difference in pre-operative radiological length as the p value was less than 0.001. The Spearman correlation coefficient revealed that the intra-operative oval window fossa was only significantly related to the radiological scutum length because the p value was less than 0.001.

Our results revealed that the pre-operative radiological length can predict the intra-operative oval fossa type with high sensitivity and specificity. Patients with a pre-operative scutum length of less than 2.35 mm were predicted to have an easily accessible oval window without requiring intra-operative scutum curettage.

Paediatric ear and hearing services in the UK are currently facing significant challenges leading to increased waiting times for patients. This letter aims to explore teleotology, focusing on ear health care delivered via telemedicine, as a potential solution to alleviate service pressures and improve care delivery.

The current state of paediatric ear and hearing services in the UK was reviewed and the potential for teleotology to improve service delivery by reducing face-to-face consultations and improving triage processes was explored.

Evidence from studies conducted in adults in the UK suggests that teleotology can optimise the allocation of resources, ensure timely treatment, and enhance the quality of care, aligning with the NHS Long Term Plan and recommendations from the GIRFT report.

The findings from adult teleotology are encouraging, but further research is required to demonstrate the efficacy of teleotology for children and young people in NHS settings.

This study aims to outline Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) trends and outcomes in Mexican healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Observational study of case series.

Sixteen public hospitals and private academic healthcare institutions across eight states in Mexico from January 2016 to December 2022.

CDI patients.

Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of CDI patients were obtained from clinical records. Cases were classified as community or healthcare-associated infections, with incidence rates calculated as cases per 10,000 patient days. Risk factors for 30-day all-cause mortality were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.

We identified 2,356 CDI cases: 2,118 (90%) were healthcare-associated, and 232 (10%) were community-associated. Common comorbidities included hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Previous high use of proton-pump inhibitors, steroids, and antibiotics was observed. Recurrent infection occurred in 112 (5%) patients, and 30-day mortality in 371 (16%). Risk factors associated with death were a high Charlson score, prior use of steroids, concomitant use of antibiotics, leukopenia, leukocytosis, elevated serum creatine, hypoalbuminemia, septic shock or abdominal sepsis, and SARS-CoV-2 coinfection. The healthcare-associated CDI incidence remained stable at 4.78 cases per 10,000 patient days during the pre-and pandemic periods. However, the incidence was higher in public hospitals.

Our study underscores the need for routine epidemiology surveillance and standardized CDI classification protocols in Mexican institutions. Though CDI rates in our country align with those in some European countries, disparities between public and private healthcare sectors emphasize the importance of targeted interventions.

The objective of the study is to examine the current state of research and technology related to objective olfactory assessment, highlighting the merits and demerits of the techniques. It aims to specifically explore olfactory event-related potentials, discussing their potential applications, benefits, drawbacks, and prospects in the field.

A five-month narrative review examined English-language articles from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, critically summarising titles, abstracts, and full texts, while excluding non-English and methodologically weak studies.

This study provides a detailed investigation into various objective methods utilised and the applicability of olfactory event-related potentials for assessing olfaction. We reviewed key elements, such as techniques, stimulus delivery methods, optimal electrode placement, and waveform analysis.

Olfactory event-related potentials offers substantial promise in enhancing the diagnostic accuracy of olfactory dysfunction across various clinical contexts. This thorough review highlights the utility and potential of olfactory event-related potentials in improving the precision and efficacy of olfactory assessments.

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.

Head and neck cancer has a 5 per cent incidence of synchronous primary cancer. Synchronous primary cancers are commonly detected with imaging and flexible nasoendoscopy. Routine panendoscopy is still being used to screen for synchronous primary cancers. The aim was to establish the method of detection of synchronous primary cancer.

A retrospective cohort study of newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients with a synchronous primary cancer, presented at the West of Scotland Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team from December 2020 to August 2022. This study is Level 3 evidence.

A total of 2325 patients were presented to the Multi-Disciplinary Team with head and neck cancer and 54 (2.3 per cent) had SPC; 63.8 per cent (30) of patients had a panendoscopy. All patients with comprehensive out-patient assessment had their synchronous primary cancer detected on examination or imaging, without the need for panendoscopy.

Panendoscopy did not detect any new synchronous primary cancer in patients assessed with flexible nasoendoscopy and imaging. With modern high-resolution imaging and fibreoptics, panendoscopy does not play a role in the detection of synchronous primary cancers.