Aspirated foreign bodies in children: 10-Years experience in a single tertiary centre in New Zealand.

Objective: Aspirated foreign bodies (FB) are potentially life-threatening conditions which can be challenging to diagnose in children. The previous similar study from our hospital, published in 2014, created a guideline suggesting when to proceed to laryngobronchoscopy (LB) in suspected FB aspiration with over 99 % sensitivity. The grading system included the presence or absence of acute history, positive examination, and/or radiological findings, including witnessed choking, dysphonia, stridor, wheezing, or reduced air entry on examination or abnormal radiological findings.

Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: The Great Masquerader.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) has been regarded as the rarest form of thyroid malignancy, which entails around 2% of thyroid malignancies. It traditionally presents with rapidly enlarging anterior neck swelling with obstructive symptoms. Due to its rich blood supply and lymphatic drainage, the thyroid gland is resistant to infection.

Drooling in developmentally normal children: a review.

Objective: Drooling or saliva spillage has been explored widely among children with neurodevelopmental conditions. Yet, the approach to drooling in an otherwise developmentally normal child remains unexplored, as it is regarded as self-limiting. Nonetheless, drooling beyond age 4 in the awake stage should raise concern.

Paediatric Laryngeal Ultrasound: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Aotearoa New Zealand and an International Survey.

Objective: Vocal fold immobility (VFI) is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in the paediatric population. Laryngoscopy is the current first-line investigation for patients with suspected VFI. Laryngeal ultrasound (LUS) has recently emerged as an alternative method of identifying VFI.

Modification of McGill Oximetry Score in Improving the Diagnostic Capability of Paediatric OSA.

Objectives: This study aimed to devise a modified oximetry scoring system and calculate its diagnostic accuracy in detecting paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS).

Study Design: This prospective diagnostic accuracy study was divided into two phases.

Setting: The study was conducted at a quaternary teaching hospital.

Vestibular Dysfunction Among Children with Otitis Media and Effusion in a Multiracial Setting.

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common presentation to the Otorhinolaryngology clinic. Besides hearing impairment, recent evidence shows that approximately 30% of these children have some degree of vestibular and balance impairment. To assess the presence of vestibular dysfunction among children with OME.

Outcome of kinesio taping in drooling children: A systematic review.

Introduction: Drooling is a troublesome condition, especially in children with neuromuscular and intellectual disability. Over the past decade, novel interventions have been trialled to alleviate drooling in the affected children. Kinesio tape (KT) application has shown promising results in controlling drooling in children.

Experience from the First Paediatric Vestibular and Balance Clinic in a Multiracial Asian Setting.

Objective: Paediatric vestibular and balance services have recently gained attention across the globe. We present our one-year experience exploring the aetiology of paediatric vestibular disorders in a recently established Paediatric vestibular and balance clinic.

Methods: Children and adolescents under 18 referred to the Paediatric Vestibular and Balance Clinic for evaluation were included.

An Unusual Presentation of Midline Lethal Granuloma.

Extranodal natural killer T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTCL), is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that is strongly related to Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection and commonly presents as "midline lethal granuloma." Herein, we report a middle-aged lady who presented with a two-week history of fever, sore throat and constitutional symptoms. Intraoral examination revealed a lacerated soft palate with an ulcerated uvula.

Role of Video Head Impulse Test to Assess Noise Exposure.

Noise exposure has been reported to exert numerous detrimental effects on the human population, although most research has centred around hearing damage. Vestibular and balance loss have been demonstrated among industrial workers, although reports on this are still scarce. Vestibular loss increases the risk of falls, especially among industrial workers who are at constant risk.

Familial congenital laryngotracheal stenosis: A systematic review.

Background: Congenital laryngotracheal stenosis (CLS) is a rare cause of stridor among newborns. Evidence has shown that several family members can be affected by CLS. Knowledge of the pathophysiology of familial congenital laryngotracheal stenosis (FCLS) will enable more effective therapeutic strategies.

Acute labyrinthitis: a manifestation of COVID-19 in a teenager.

Audiovestibular symptoms following COVID-19 have been long acknowledged, especially in adults. However, acute labyrinthitis presenting as an early manifestation of COVID-19 has not been reported in children. We report COVID-19-induced acute labyrinthitis in a teenager.

High-Riding Inominate Artery: Challenge During Tracheostomy.

An aberrant vessel presenting as a pulsatile neck mass poses a significant challenge intraoperatively if overlooked during the pre-operative period. We present a case of a high-riding innominate artery (HRIA) just above the suprasternal notch, with the right common carotid artery crossing the midline just inferior to the thyroid gland in a 72-year-old lady referred for tracheostomy. The surgeon operating on the anterior part of the neck must be aware of the HRIA and equipped with sufficient knowledge of interventions that may be adapted to prevent injury.

X-Linked Gusher Disease DFNX2 in Children, a Rare Inner Ear Dysplasia with Mixed Hearing and Vestibular Loss.

Conductive hearing losses are typically present in disorders of the external/middle ear. However, there is a rare group of inner ear conditions called third windows that can also generate a conductive hearing loss. This is due to an abnormal connection between the middle and the inner ear or between the inner ear and the cranial cavity.

Topical gentamicin-induced acute vestibulopathy: A case report.

Evidence suggests that otologic injury from ototopical aminoglycoside preparations is infrequent when used to treat ear infections with an intact tympanic membrane. Meanwhile, parenteral administration of aminoglycosides, is well known to be associated with a significant incidence of cochlear and vestibular damage. The discrepancy between topical and parenteral ototoxic effects is thought to result from a combination of factors, including the protective function of debris overlying the round window membrane, low antibiotic concentrations of topical antibiotic preparations, length of exposure and inability to detect subtle hearing or vestibular changes.

Laryngeal Suction tube: A Novel Technique for Tracheal Ventilation in an Obstructed Airway in a Child with Respiratory Papillomatosis.

Background: Airway obstruction in a child requires expedite management in addition to comprehensive discussion between the Otolaryngology and Anaesthesiology team to formulate a treatment plan to ensure safe airway. Juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (JORRP) is an exophytic benign laryngeal lesion which poses a great challenge when presented with respiratory distress.

Objective: This paper presents a novel, safe and cost-effective approach to temporary tracheal ventilation of the obstructed airway in a child with juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis using the laryngeal suction tube connected to general anaesthetic (GA) machine.

Suspension Microesophagoscopy: A Simple Diagnostic And Therapeutic Technique For Foreign Body In Esophagus.

Background: Foreign body ingestion involving the paediatric age group is a common emergency referral encountered by Otorhinolaryngologists. The cervical oesophagus has been noted as the most prevalent site of impaction. Traditionally, a rigid oesophagoscopy would be required for examination under anaesthesia and removal of the foreign body is found, but this method may miss foreign bodies that are embedded into the mucosa, and faulty technique may result in perforation of the esophagus.

Vestibular migraine: a manifestation of long COVID syndrome in children.

Long COVID-19 syndrome has been reported among children and adolescents following COVID-19 recovery. Among them, notable symptoms include myalgia, insomnia, loss of smell and headache. Yet, novel manifestations are being discovered daily.

Distraction Breathing Exercise in Managing Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction in a Female Patient.

Inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) describes as inappropriate, episodic, reversible laryngeal closure during inspiration, occurring at the glottic and/or supraglottic level, in response to external triggers causing exertional breathing difficulties. We describe a case of a female patient with an underlying major depressive disorder who presented with sudden onset of stridor and tachypnoea, whereby the external trigger was psychogenic in origin. Bedside flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy (FNPLS) showed characteristic findings of paradoxical adduction of vocal cords during inspiration.

The global prevalence of vestibular dysfunction in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Vestibular dysfunction has been extensively studied amongst the older population. Recently, conditions and management of vestibular dysfunction among children and adolescent has gained attention. Yet, a lack of awareness and expertise in managing children and adolescents with vestibular dysfunction has led to a delay in diagnosis as well as a trifling prevalence rate.