Comparison of clinical estimations and radiological measurements in the context of paediatric cervical masses: How accurate are we?

Objectives: Cervical masses represent a common presentation to the paediatric ENT outpatient clinic. Despite their high prevalence, few represent an underlying malignant pathology. Currently, there is no universally accepted algorithm for management of such cases in the United Kingdom.

Academic ability and teamworking in medical students.

Background: Teamworking is an essential skill for a doctor to develop in order to work effectively, and is required in the UK as part of the General Medical Council (GMC) Good Medical Practice guidance. Assessment of teamwork may be difficult, however, with medical school assessments being more commonly focused on knowledge and individual skills. We aim to explore the link between academic ability as measured at final medical examinations and teamworking.

A hairy situation.

A 2-day-old neonate was transferred to a specialist paediatric otolaryngology centre with stridor at rest, feeding difficulties and an apparent mass in the oropharynx. The newborn displayed evidence of respiratory distress, however, she remained self-ventilating. MRI highlighted a fat-containing lesion in the postnasal space with no intracranial extension.

An unusual cause of stridor in an adult: mediastinal foregut duplication cyst.

We present a case of unusual presentation of stridor in an adult man who was identified to have a sudden expansion of a foregut duplication cyst in the mediastinum. This resulted in superior vena caval obstruction and subsequent airway compromise. Following resuscitation, the cyst was surgically removed via a thoracotomy which confirmed the diagnosis and provided definitive management.

Laryngotracheal anomalies in children with syndromic craniosynostosis undergoing tracheostomy.

Children with syndromic craniosynostosis may present with airway anomalies. We reviewed a cohort of such individuals who underwent tracheostomy at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (London, UK) between 1999 and 2012 from a prospectively collated database. A case note review was undertaken in 11 patients.

Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis presenting with auditory symptoms.

We present an unusual case of a 54-year-old Chinese lady presenting to the ears, nose and throat clinic after family members noticed that her hearing had progressively deteriorated over the preceding weeks. She also complained of tinnitus. Examination of the ears, nose and throat was unremarkable.

Refractory choanal atresia: what makes a child susceptible? The great Ormond Street Hospital experience.

Objective: An outcome analysis of factors that predispose patients to require multiple surgical procedures for choanal atresia repair.

Design: Retrospective case note review of choanal atresia patients identified from a prospectively collected database at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, between 1992 and 2005.

Setting: Specialist centre in pediatric otolaryngology.

A strategy to overcome the radiology lottery in the staging of head and neck cancer: an aid to attaining the 30-day rule.

Introduction: Rapid access to radiological services is essential, if the British Association of Otolaryngologists - Head and Neck Surgeons Minimum Temporal Standards are to be met in the management of head and neck cancer patients. This study assesses a new initiative whereby the multidisciplinary team prioritises allocated imaging appointments rather than using the traditional radiological triage system.

Patients And Methods: This study was a prospective audit of all patients referred over a 3-month period with suspected head and neck cancer.

Foreign body inhalation: a case of mistaken identity?

Inhalation and ingestion of foreign bodies is most common in pre-school children. In recent years, children have been increasingly exposed to electronic technology containing button batteries. These may be potentially inhaled or ingested.

Tracheal cartilaginous sleeve with cricoid cartilage involvement in Pfeiffer syndrome.

Pfeiffer syndrome is one of a group of craniosynostosis syndromes in which rare tracheal anomalies have been described. This group of patients have a poor prognosis, and mortality can be related to airway complications and respiratory distress. We report a case of type II Pfeiffer syndrome with tracheal cartilaginous sleeve and cricoid cartilage involvement.