This study measured the effectiveness of an in-house designed, cast silicone airway model in addressing the lack of easily accessible, validated transoral laser microsurgery simulation models.

Participants performed resection of two marked vocal fold lesions on the model. The model underwent face, content and construct validation assessment using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire measuring the mean resection time for each lesion and the completeness of lesion excision. Comparative analyses were performed for these measures.

Thirteen otolaryngologists participated in this study. The model achieved validation threshold on all face and content measures (median, ≥4). Construct validation was demonstrated by the improvement in mean resection time between lesions one and two (86 vs 54 seconds, W = 11, p = 0.017). The mean resection time was lower amongst more senior otolaryngologists (61.5 vs 107.1 seconds, W = 11, p = 0.017).

This synthetic silicone model is a low-cost, easily reproducible, high-fidelity synthetic airway model, demonstrating face, content and construct validity.

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.

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis is a rare disease characterised by growth of papilloma within the respiratory tract. The disease course is variable but can require frequent surgical interventions alongside adjuvant medical treatments. There is no definitive curative treatment or gold-standard guidelines for management. We aimed to evaluate current and potential future adjuvant treatments and propose a management guideline for adult patients.

Relevant articles were identified through searching databases, reference lists and grey literature.

Systemic bevacizumab appears to be the most effective adjuvant treatment currently available. However, intralesional cidofovir also achieves a high complete-response rate in adults and the Gardasil vaccine demonstrates preventative and therapeutic value. The INO-3107 DNA vaccine is a promising potential future adjuvant treatment.

This review provides a detailed examination of current and potential future adjuvant treatments. Based on the literature, we have developed a management guideline for adult patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

This observational study investigates migratory foreign bodies in the upper aerodigestive tract, emphasising clinical presentation, assessment and factors contributing to extraluminal migration.

Conducted across multiple medical centres in India, the study included 15 patients aged 11 to 70 years. Detailed observations, demographic information, clinical history, radiological findings and intra-operative outcomes were compiled.

Fifteen patients presented with varied symptoms. Fish and chicken bones, along with metal wires, were common foreign bodies. Computed tomography scans played a crucial role in diagnosis, confirming extraluminal migration. Neck exploration successfully retrieved foreign bodies in most cases, with varied sites of impaction.

Migratory foreign bodies, although rare, pose significant challenges for otolaryngologists. Early recognition, thorough diagnosis and meticulous neck exploration, is crucial for effective management, preventing severe complications. This study adds valuable insights to the understanding of migratory foreign bodies, contributing to the existing literature in otolaryngology practice.

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of angled otoendoscopy with pure tone audiometry in predicting ossicular discontinuity in patients of mucosal chronic otitis media.

Ninety-four patients were included in this prospective study. A 2.7-mm 30° otoendoscope was used to examine ossicular status preoperatively. Hearing thresholds were recorded by pure tone audiometry. Intraoperative ossicular status was recorded as the gold standard. Otoendoscopic findings were recorded as per the criteria has been devised by the authors of this manuscript.

Otoendoscopy was conclusive in 56 (59.6 per cent) patients, with 100 per cent sensitivity, 95.56 per cent specificity, 84.62 per cent positive predictive value, and 100 per cent negative predictive value in the conclusive group. Overall (in 94 patients), diagnostic test values of otoendoscopy were 73.33 per cent sensitivity, 97.47 per cent specificity, 84.62 per cent positive predictive value, and 95.06 per cent negative predictive value. As per the ROC curve, air–bone gap > 38.12dB had the optimal diagnostic test values, with 73 per cent sensitivity, 72 per cent specificity, 33.3 per cent positive predictive value, and 93.4 per cent negative predictive value.

Angled otoendoscopy has better diagnostic accuracy (93.6 per cent) than pure tone audiometry (72.3 per cent; p < 0.001) for preoperative ossicular discontinuity prediction in patients of mucosal chronic otitis media.

Oesophageal soft food bolus obstruction is a common presentation to emergency departments. Often these patients are given medication with little evidence of efficacy. Although many cases self-resolve, some require removal of the obstruction. Delay in removal can lead to complications such as oesophageal perforation and mediastinitis. Traditionally, removal was performed by ENT surgeons using rigid oesophagoscopy, but oesophago-gastro duodenoscopy offers a safer alternative that does not require a general anaesthetic.

The current performance, pathways and outcomes of patients attending emergency departments across three health boards in Scotland were reviewed.

In total, 313 patients admitted for oesophageal soft food bolus obstruction were identified. Mixed practice for a single common presentation was observed. In addition, it was found that the majority of patients are already managed by surgery and gastroenterology services with good outcomes and low morbidity.

Patients presenting with soft food bolus obstruction should be referred to local surgery and gastroenterology services in the first instance.

Flexible upper aerodigestive endoscopy is often performed in the emergency setting. To prevent nosocomial infection on-call clinicians must have access to decontaminated endoscopes.

A telephone survey of 104 ENT units in England replicated previous cycles conducted 10 and 20 years ago. The on-call clinician was asked about decontamination practices, training and cross-cover.

Seventy-one clinicians participated of which 68 had an endoscope available out-of-hours. Twenty-five (36.8 per cent) used single-use endoscopes. Twenty-three (51.1 per cent) of the 45 clinicians using re-usable endoscopes decontaminated them themselves, an increase from 43.3 per cent in 2013 and from 35.1 per cent in 2002. Overall 91.2 per cent had safe practices, up from 68.7 per cent in 2013 and 48 per cent in 2002. One hundred per cent had been trained in decontamination, compared to 37.3 per cent in 2013 and 12.1 per cent in 2002. On-call clinicians from the ENT department increased to 91.5 per cent, compared to 63 per cent in 2013.

There has been a dramatic increase in patient safety, underpinned by the introduction of single-use endoscopes, increased training and reduced cross-cover.

Developing skills in rigid endoscopy poses challenges to the surgical trainee. This study investigates whether a modified manikin can improve the technical skill of junior operators by providing direct quantitative feedback.

A force-sensing pad was incorporated into the oral cavity of a life support manikin. Junior trainees and senior otolaryngologists were invited to perform rigid endoscopy and received real-time feedback from the force sensor during the procedure.

There was a significant inverse correlation between operator seniority and the weight applied to the oral cavity (p < 0.0001). All junior trainee operators applied less weight after five attempts (346 ± 90.95 g) compared to their first attempt (464 ± 85.79 g). This gave a statistically significant decrease of 118 g (standard deviation = 107.27 g, p = 0.007) when quantitative feedback was provided to learning operators.

This low-cost, simple model allows trainees to rehearse a high-risk procedure in a safe environment and adjust their operative technique.

Ingested foreign bodies pose a unique challenge in medical practice, especially when lodged in the oesophagus. While endoscopic retrieval is the standard treatment, certain cases require more innovative approaches.

This paper reports the case of a patient who intentionally ingested a butter knife that lodged in the thoracic oesophagus. After multiple endoscopic attempts, a lateral neck oesophagotomy, aided using a Hopkins rod camera and an improvised trochar as a protective port, was performed.

The foreign body was successfully extracted without causing oesophageal perforation. The patient was made nil by mouth, with nasogastric feeding only until a swallow assessment after one week. The patient was discharged and recovered well.

This case illustrates a successful, innovative approach to removing a foreign body in a high-risk patient, highlighting the significance of adaptability in surgical practice. It emphasises the need for individualised approaches based on the patient's history, the nature and location of the foreign body, and associated risks.

Retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy is challenging. This study investigated a minimally invasive approach to salvage retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

An anatomical study of four fresh cadaveric heads was conducted to demonstrate the relevant details of retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy using the endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold approach. Six patients with nasopharyngeal cancer with retropharyngeal lymph node recurrence, who underwent retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy with the endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold technique at the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University from July to December 2021, were included in this study.

The anatomical study demonstrated that the endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold approach offers a short path and minimally invasive approach to the retropharyngeal space. The surgical procedure was well tolerated by all patients, with no significant post-operative complications.

The endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold approach is safe and efficient for retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy.

Non-fatal strangulation as a consequence of a sexual assault attack or domestic violence represents serious bodily harm. Otolaryngologists have an important role in documenting physical findings and managing airway symptoms. This study aimed to describe our otolaryngology department's experience managing patients referred from the sexual assault referral centre who suffered non-fatal strangulation.

A retrospective analysis of patients suffering non-fatal strangulation referred to the Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Otolaryngology Department from Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019 was carried out.

A total of 86 patients were referred from Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre. Of these patients, 56 were given telephone advice and the remaining 30 were seen by the on-call otolaryngology team. In addition, 20 out of 30 (66.6 per cent) patients underwent fibre-optic nasal endoscopy. Common presenting symptoms were neck pain (81.4 per cent), dyspnoea (80.2 per cent) and dizziness (72.1 per cent). Five patients had identifiable laryngeal injury on endoscopy.

Meticulous documentation is recommended when managing patients who suffer non-fatal strangulation because medical records may be used as evidence in criminal investigations.

This study evaluated the relationship between frontal pain as a symptom in chronic frontal sinusitis and radiological and endoscopic findings, quality of life and disease severity. The aim was to determine its utility as a marker in chronic frontal sinusitis and in surgical decision-making.

This was a prospective study of 51 consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis. Patients ranked their frontal pain score on a numerical rating scale from 0 to 10. Facial pain or pressure, Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22, Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation score, Lund–Mackay score and modified Lund–Kennedy score were also collated. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance and Pearson correlation coefficient.

Frontal pain scores were low and demonstrated no correlation with the extent of frontal sinus disease radiologically or the severity of overall sinus disease endoscopically. Higher frontal pain scores significantly correlated with poorer quality-of-life.

This study does not support the use of frontal pain as a sensitive or specific marker of chronic frontal sinus disease.

To investigate the risk of fibromyalgia in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia.

A retrospective review was conducted of patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia, diagnosed based on history of dysphonia with evidence of laryngeal muscle tension on examination. Fibromyalgia was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (‘FiRST’).

Fifty patients were enrolled: 25 with primary muscle tension dysphonia (study group) and 25 matched controls. The mean age of the study group was 50.7 ± 15.2 years versus 49.5 ± 18.6 years for the controls, with a male to female ratio of 3:2 for both groups. Fifty-six per cent tested positive for fibromyalgia in the study group versus 4 per cent in the controls (p < 0.001). The mean Voice Handicap Index 10 score in the study group was significantly higher for those who screened positive for fibromyalgia compared to those who screened negative. There was a positive, strong point-biserial correlation between Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool and Voice Handicap Index 10 scores (r = 0.39; p = 0.09).

These results suggest that fibromyalgia is a significant co-morbid condition in primary muscle tension dysphonia.

This study used the European Laryngeal Society (2016) and Ni (2011 and 2019) classifications for narrow-band imaging and correlated the findings with histopathology.

Retrospective analysis was conducted by retrieving data of patients who underwent micro-laryngoscopy for suspicious glottic lesions. The narrow-band imaging findings were classified using both classification systems. Retrieved histopathology report findings were correlated with narrow-band imaging data.

Using the European Laryngeal Society and Ni classifications, 37 (69.8 per cent) and 35 (66 per cent) patients, respectively, were suspected to have malignant lesions. Upon histopathology, 37 (69.8 per cent) lesions were malignant. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy using the European Laryngeal Society classification were 91.9 per cent, 81.3 per cent, 91.9 per cent, 81.3 per cent and 88.7 per cent, and using the Ni classification were 91.9 per cent, 93.8 per cent, 97.1 per cent, 83.3 per cent and 92.5 per cent, respectively.

The Ni classification had better specificity and accuracy. The European Laryngeal Society classification is simple to use and may serve as a useful screening tool. For optimum results, both European Laryngeal Society and Ni classifications may be used together, in that order.

Image enhancement systems are important diagnostic tools in the detection of laryngeal pathologies. This study aimed to compare three different image enhancement systems: professional image enhancement technology, Image1 S and narrow-band imaging.

Using the three systems, 100 patients with laryngeal lesions were investigated using a flexible and a 30° rigid endoscope. The lesions were diagnosed by three experts and classified using the Ni classification. The findings were compared.

Lesions classified as ‘benign’ were histopathologically confirmed in 50 per cent of patients, malignant lesions were confirmed in 41 per cent and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis were confirmed in 9 per cent. There was no significant difference between the experts’ assessments of each image enhancement system.

The three systems give comparable results in the detection of laryngeal lesions. With two additional systems, more users can perform image-enhanced endoscopy, resulting in a broadly available tool that can help to improve oncological assessment.

To evaluate risk factors for poor prognosis in vocal fold leukoplakia.

Clinical data were collected for 344 patients with vocal fold leukoplakia who received surgical treatment in our otolaryngology department from October 2010 to June 2019. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of the relevant factors were conducted.

Among the 344 patients, 98 exhibited recurrence and 30 underwent a malignant change. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that size of the lesion (p = 0.03, odds ratio = 2.14), form of the lesion under white light (p < 0.001), surgical method (p < 0.001, odds ratio = 0.28) and pathological type (p < 0.001) were independent factors that affected the recurrence of vocal fold leukoplakia. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, the sole independent risk factor for malignant transformation of vocal fold leukoplakia was pathological type (p < 0.001).

The outlook for vocal fold leukoplakia depends on several clinical factors, especially pathological type. The more severe the pathological type, the more likely it is to recur or become cancerous.

This study aimed to present experience with surgical treatment of laryngeal cleft cases through both open and endoscopic approaches.

A retrospective evaluation of all patients diagnosed as having a laryngeal cleft in a tertiary hospital over 10 years was performed. Pre-operative data, conservative and surgical management of cases, and outcomes were collected, tabulated and analysed.

This study included 43 patients aged from 2 to 44 months with a median of 9.19 months. Concerning management technique, 12 patients had conservative treatment and the remaining 31 underwent a surgical procedure (of them, 20 patients underwent endoscopic intervention and 11 had the open surgical technique). In the open group, we used either tibial periosteum (six cases) or harvested costal cartilage (five cases).

Surgical management in the form of endoscopic Coblation-assisted or an open approach is indicated in severe cases or mild cases not responding to conservative management.