Training in Endoscopic Ear Surgery: A Scoping Review.

Objective: Despite the increasing popularity of Endoscopic Ear Surgery (EES), there is a lack of evidence to guide trainees as they introduce EES into practice. This review aims to evaluate training in EES including the optimal introductory procedures, methods of training, the learning curve, and the determination of competency in EES. In addition, this review seeks to identify any areas falling within these themes requiring further clarification.

High-flow nasal oxygen as an adjunct for the safe removal of impacted metallic upper airway foreign bodies.

Foreign body airway obstruction is considered an airway emergency and is a challenging clinical scenario for both the otolaryngologist and the anaesthetist. We present three cases of impacted upper airway metallic foreign bodies. Supra-glottic airways were obstructed and precarious.

Measuring the Angular Accuracy of a Clinician-Performed Epley Maneuver Used to Treat Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

Introduction: Particle repositioning maneuvers have become the criterion standard for managing benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The Epley canalolith repositioning maneuver is used to treat posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and is successful in up to 90% of cases. However, when performed, there are many clinician variabilities, and angles are approximate.

Clinical decision making in paediatric otitis media: A pilot quality improvement study.

Objectives: This study aimed to improve local management of paediatric otitis media using the 2022 American-Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Clinical Practice Guideline for Tympanostomy Tubes in Children.

Methods: A SQUIRE 2.0 compliant quality improvement study was carried out within the outpatient department of our otolaryngology tertiary referral centre.

Endoscopic Versus Microscopic Type-1 Tympanoplasty: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

Objectives: Totally endoscopic ear surgery is becoming increasingly utilized in otologic practice. Although the well-established microscope-assisted tympanoplasty remains the most common technique to repair a tympanic membrane defect, the merits of endoscopic approaches have been well-documented. This systematic review and meta-analysis compares the outcomes of endoscopic to microscopic tympanoplasty incorporating only randomized trials.

Barriers to accessing psycho-oncological support in head and neck cancer: A qualitative exploration of healthcare professionals' perspectives.

Purpose: Disease- and treatment-related consequences in Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) can result in psychological issues for which specialist psychological support, dubbed psycho-oncology, is recommended. Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs) function as a crucial link between survivors and these services, through onward referral pathways. However, little is known about these HSCPs' perspectives on barriers to accessing psycho-oncology in HNC.

Trans-canal tragal cartilage myringoplasty; a comparative analysis of endoscopic and microscopic approaches.

Background: The advent of Endoscopic Ear Surgery (EES) has allowed otologists an improved view of the surgical field compared with conventional Microscopic Ear Surgery (MES). EES presents different challenges for surgeons and a learning curve is necessary.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of EES and MES for trans-canal tragal cartilage myringoplasty, an entry level EES.

Instrumentation failure during microlaryngoscopy.

Equipment failure can be a cause of morbidity during surgical procedures. We present two cases where a broken surgical instrument, a heart-shaped curved micro-grasper, colloquially termed 'sweetheart' micro-forceps, compromised patient safety during microlaryngoscopy. We discuss the importance of thorough safety protocols and communication between team members to mitigate this risk.

Radiomic Detection of Malignancy within Thyroid Nodules Using Ultrasonography-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Despite investigation, 95% of thyroid nodules are ultimately benign. Radiomics is a field that uses radiological features to inform individualized patient care. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of radiomics in classifying undetermined thyroid nodules into benign and malignant using ultrasonography (US).

'A Down and Out Eye': Case Report of a Primary Ethmoid Mucocele.

Paranasal sinus mucoceles are benign, locally expansile masses of the paranasal sinuses that are lined by epithelial cells. They result from obstruction of sinus ostia. The close proximity of paranasal sinus mucoceles to the orbit and skull base predisposing the patient to significant morbidity.

The psychological impact of COVID-19 on ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists.

Introduction: Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists are a high-risk group for COVID-19. Although the implications of SARS-CoV-2 infection on physical health are well-documented, the psychological impact is frequently overlooked.

Aims: The aim of this study was to gauge the psychological impact of COVID-19 on ENT specialists in Ireland.

Identifying and reducing risks in functional endoscopic sinus surgery through a hierarchical task analysis.

Objective: To develop a hierarchical task listing of steps required to perform successful Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS). To complete a technical and human factor analysis of tasks resulting in the identification of errors, frequency of occurrence, severity, and reduction through remediation.

Methods: A triangulation of methods was used in order to derive the steps required to complete a FESS: 1) a literature review was carried out of published descriptions of FESS techniques; 2) observations of three FESS; 3) interviews with surgeons on FESS techniques.

Integrating self-management into daily life following primary treatment: head and neck cancer survivors' perspectives.

Background: Self-management may help cancer survivors to better deal with challenges to their physical, functional, social and psychological well-being presented by cancer and its treatment. Nonetheless, little is known about how people integrate cancer self-management practices into their daily lives. The aim of this study was to describe and characterise the processes through which head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors attempt to integrate self-management into their daily lives following primary treatment.

Barriers to active self-management following treatment for head and neck cancer: Survivors' perspectives.

Objective: Active self-management practices may help head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors to deal with challenges to their physical, functional, social, and psychological well-being presented by HNC and its treatment. This study investigates the factors perceived by HNC survivors to act as barriers to their active self-management following primary treatment.

Methods: In this qualitative study, 27 HNC survivors identified through 4 designated cancer centres in Ireland participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews.

Innovation for the future of Irish MedTech industry: retrospective qualitative review of impact of BioInnovate Ireland's clinical fellows.

Clinicians have historically been integral in innovating and developing technology in medicine and surgery. In recent years, however, in an increasingly complex healthcare system, a doctor with innovative ideas is often left behind. Transition from idea to bedside now entails significant hurdles, which often go unrecognised at the outset, particularly for first-time innovators.

Self-management strategies used by head and neck cancer survivors following completion of primary treatment: A directed content analysis.

Objective: Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors encounter unique challenges following treatment. This study aimed to identify self-management strategies that HNC survivors use to overcome these posttreatment challenges.

Methods: Twenty-seven individuals from 4 designated cancer centres in Ireland were interviewed about self-management strategies that helped them overcome challenges following HNC treatment.

Eosinophilic Angiocentric Fibrosis as a Stenosing Lesion in the Subglottis.

Subglottic Eosinophilic Angiocentric Fibrosis (EAF) is an extremely rare disease of an elusive aetiology. It is chronically progressive benign condition that causes narrowing of the subglottic region leading to dysphonia and airway compromise. The diagnosis is historical and imaging is nonspecific.

Dual plasmonic gold nanostars for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy.

Aim: To fabricate multimodal nanoconstruct that act as a single node for photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and photothermal therapy (PTT) in the fight against cancer.

Materials & Methods: Dual plasmonic gold nanostars (DPGNS) were chemically synthesized by reducing gold precursor using ascorbic acid and silver ions as shape directing agent. PAI and PTT were performed using commonly available 1064 nm laser source on DPGNS embedded tumor xenografts on mice.

Non-invasive and label-free detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma using saliva surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and multivariate analysis.

Reported here is the application of silver nanoparticle-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a label-free, non-invasive technique for detection of oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) using saliva and desquamated oral cells. A total of 180 SERS spectra were acquired from saliva and 120 SERS spectra from oral cells collected from normal healthy individuals and from confirmed oropharyngeal cancer patients. Notable biochemical peaks in the SERS spectra were tentatively assigned to various components.

Controllable synthesis of tetrapod gold nanocrystals with precisely tunable near-infrared plasmon resonance towards highly efficient surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy bioimaging.

Tetrapod gold nanocrystals, to be the core of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) nanoprobes, with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) from 650 nm to 785 nm in the Vis-NIR region have been successfully prepared by a facile seeded growth approach. The local electromagnetic field distribution and the huge extinction cross section of the tetrapod gold nanocrystals were simulated by a finite-difference time-domain method. Both the calculated and experimental results reveal that the LSPR property of the tetrapod gold nanocrystals is closely dependent on the morphology features of their tips, where a strong field enhancement appears.

Pleomorphic Adenoma of the External Auditory Canal: A Rare Presentation.

A 55-year-old male presented with a nine-month history of gradually enlarging, painless mass in the right external auditory canal associated with hearing loss and occasional bleeding. Examination demonstrated complete obstruction of the outer 1/3 of the external auditory canal by a firm, pink, rubbery mass. CT scan of the temporal bone showed tumor mass with no evidence of bone destruction.

A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of crew resource management training in acute care domains.

The healthcare industry has seen an increase in the adoption of team training, such as crew resource management (CRM), to improve teamwork and coordination within acute care medical teams. A meta-analysis was carried out in order to quantify the effects of CRM training on reactions, learning, behaviour and clinical care outcomes. Biases in the research evidence are identified and recommendations for training development and evaluation are presented.

Pediatric epistaxis: epidemiology, management & impact on quality of life.

Objective: Epistaxis in the pediatric population is a common problem for both primary care physicians (PCPs) and otolaryngologists. Although a frequent reason for referral to ENT clinics, data is lacking regarding causes, effects on quality of life and common treatment modalities.

Methods: Prospective, clinical and questionnaire based study, with ethical approval.

Surgical checklists: the human factor.

Background: Surgical checklists has been shown to improve patient safety and teamwork in the operating theatre. However, despite the known benefits of the use of checklists in surgery, in some cases the practical implementation has been found to be less than universal. A questionnaire methodology was used to quantitatively evaluate the attitudes of theatre staff towards a modified version of the World Health Organisation (WHO) surgical checklist with relation to: beliefs about levels of compliance and support, impact on patient safety and teamwork, and barriers to the use of the checklist.