Background The junior otolaryngologist is responsible for recognition and drainage of the peritonsillar abscess. Although other simulators have been proposed, there is still a need for an accessible, educationally useful, low-cost peritonsillar abscess simulator to build skills and confidence in the novice. Methods The peritonsillar abscess simulator was constructed from basic disposable healthcare equipment and a party balloon. Evaluation of this Newport Quinsy Simulator was performed by expert and novice clinicians, who provided feedback in the form of Likert scales and free-text qualitative responses. Results Overall, 24 clinicians evaluated the simulator. All felt the simulator was useful for the novice otolaryngologist, and represented the key anatomy and motor skills needed to drain a peritonsillar abscess. Qualitative evaluation highlighted the educational usefulness of the simulator as a peritonsillar abscess training device. Conclusion The Newport Quinsy Simulator is affordable, accessible, easy to use and educationally valuable to the novice otolaryngologist.
Background. This study aimed to establish whether histology tonsillectomy is justified for unilateral tonsil enlargement. Methods. A retrospective review was conducted of histology tonsillectomies in three health organisations over five years, with strict exclusion criteria, focusing on benign-appearing unilateral tonsil enlargement. Results. Ninety paediatric and 233 adult cases were included. No paediatric cases and five adult cases of malignancy were detected. All malignant cases presented with other symptoms. Using binary logistic regression, a history of rapid unilateral tonsil enlargement was the only factor found to be significantly associated with malignant outcome. Thirty-three per cent of subjectively larger tonsils were smaller on post-operative histological measurement. Of the cases, 12.1 per cent re-presented with post-tonsillectomy bleeding. Conclusion. The authors recommend avoiding histology tonsillectomy for unilateral tonsil enlargement unless 'red flag' signs of malignancy are present, with particular attention to rapid unilateral tonsil enlargement. This study demonstrated discrepancy between clinical examination findings and true tonsil asymmetry; there may be a role for cross-sectional imaging prior to histology tonsillectomy in high-risk patients.
Assessing a dizzy patient in primary care can be challenging. The richness of human vocabulary and use of terms such as ‘wobbly’, ‘woozy’ or ‘lightheaded’ often present the first challenge of identifying true vertigo. This can make eliciting which of a wide variety of disease processes may be causing symptoms a confusing process. True vertigo is considered a perception of movement in the absence of said movement – this is often, but not exclusively a rotating or swaying sensation. In this article we will cover how to approach a patient with suspected vertigo, including key discriminators in the history and examination that can help make a diagnosis. We will also cover treatment of the conditions causing vertigo, while considering other conditions that may cause other forms of dizziness.
Laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) is a rare cause of dyspnoea. It is associated with emergency or prolonged intubation and with tracheostomy. It is expected to increase in incidence following the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, due to the increased numbers of prolonged intensive care admissions. Presentation may be weeks or even years after the acute episode. A variety of symptoms may be present, and include dyspnoea, cough, dysphagia, stridor or voice change. LTS can be confused with commoner respiratory diseases such as asthma. Awareness of the condition is important to facilitate a timely referral to Otolaryngology for diagnosis and management.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.