Neuralgic amyotrophy is a polyneuropathy that classically involves the brachial plexus. This paper reports an unusual clinical manifestation associated with vocal fold paralysis.

A 36-year-old male presented with hoarseness and progressive weakness of the right shoulder and upper arm muscles. Laryngoscopy revealed a limited adduction of the right vocal fold.

Subsequent speech therapy did not improve the symptoms. Therefore, vocal fold augmentation by application of hyaluronic acid in the right vocal fold was performed.

Vocal fold augmentation with resorbable material seems to be a more effective transient treatment than speech therapy alone for patients with neuralgic amyotrophy and laryngeal involvement.

Chronic suppurative otitis media is a major cause of long-standing hearing impairment in many Sub-Saharan African countries.

Attempts were made to optimise the pre-treatment process before mobile ear surgery for chronic suppurative otitis media in Wolisso, a semi-urban community in the Oromia region, and in Attat, a rural community in the Gurage region, both in the south-west of Ethiopia, between 2008 and 2010. This included special training for ENT nurses, and the use of a strict scheduling regime and improved topical treatment.

This strategy allowed effective middle-ear surgery to be carried out using simple means and with a mobile ear surgery team, the latter of which is only transiently but regularly on site.