Social deprivation and secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage in children: a retrospective cohort study
Introduction: Post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage is a common cause of unplanned representation. Whether socioeconomic deprivation is associated with bleeding is unclear. This study assessed the association between IMD decile and secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage in the paediatric population. Methods: A retrospective cohort study included paediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy between September 2023 and February 2026. The primary outcome was […]
Long Laryngeal Cleft Repair: A 22-Year Single-Centre Experience
Airway IntroductionLong laryngeal clefts (Benjamin-Inglis Grades 3 and 4) are rare congenital anomalies with significant morbidity. At Great Ormond Street Hospital, we repair these using an open approach. We present outcomes of our single-centre series over two decades. MethodsRetrospective review of patients with Grade 3 or 4 laryngeal clefts repaired 2001–2023. Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney […]
Small Airways, Big Distances: Logistics and Outcomes of Paediatric Inhaled Foreign Body Removal across Queensland, Australia
Main Theme: Airway Introduction Inhaled foreign body (IFB) is a serious condition for which bronchoscopy is the diagnostic and therapeutic gold standard. Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) is the tertiary referral service for paediatric bronchoscopy in Queensland, an area seven times larger than the United Kingdom. We describe the methods of retrieval to QCH and compare […]
Long Term Outcomes of Paediatric Epistaxis Management – Follow up from a 4 year prospective cohort study
Main Theme: General Introduction: Recurrent paediatric epistaxis is a common condition that is often distressing for children and their caregivers. Although treatments such as Naseptin or silver nitrate cautery are widely used, a recurrence of epistaxis after an initial symptom free period is frequent. Yet, there is a lack of robust, long-term studies comparing treatment […]
Reliability and accuracy of artificial intelligence models in supporting primary care referral decisions for paediatric ENT presentations: a blinded comparative study
Introduction AI tools are increasingly accessed by primary care clinicians and parents for clinical guidance. Performance in urgent paediatric ENT referral decision-making remains largely untested, despite safety implications of mis-triage. Methods Ten standardised paediatric ENT primary care scenarios were developed across three urgency tiers: cannot-miss emergencies, urgent presentations, and over-triage-prone cases. Five paediatric ENT consultants […]
Primary Surgical Repair of Paediatric Unilateral Choanal Atresia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Introduction Unilateral choanal atresia (UCA) is a congenital posterior nasal obstruction with an incidence of 1 in 5,000–8,000 live births. Despite being twice as common as bilateral disease, optimal surgical technique and outcomes remain poorly defined. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness and safety of surgical repair for UCA. Methods A PRISMA-compliant systematic […]
Ultra-low dose CT for suspected paediatric foreign body aspiration: comparison with conventional radiograph
Main Theme: Innovation Introduction: An aspirated foreign body in a child can represent a potentially life-threatening emergency. Methods: This retrospective study, carried out from 2014 to 2024, compares the estimated effective radiation dose children received during ultra-low dose computed tomography (CT) scans with that received with traditional cumulative radiographic investigations. Results: Of the 44 patients […]
A systematic review of the impact of material design and reprocessing on biofilm formation on tracheostomy tubes
Theme. Airway. Introduction. Tracheostomy is a common surgical procedure associated with increased respiratory tract infections, contributing to significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilisation. Biofilm formation on tracheostomy tube surfaces is a likely contributor, as biofilms detach and seed into the airway. There is limited consensus in the literature and clinical guidelines regarding how material design […]
The Paediatric Trojan Horse: Head and neck rhabdomyosarcomas presenting as inconspicuous diagnoses in the paediatric population
Main theme: Head and Neck Background: Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are the most common sarcoma subtype found in the paediatric population; most commonly occurring within the head and neck region. They account for approximately 5% of paediatric malignancies and are found most often in children under five. Prognosis is dependent on the subtype, with embryonal RMS being […]
Systemic Corticosteroid Use in Paediatric Orbital Cellulitis: A Two-Cycle Audit
Main Theme: General Introduction: Orbital cellulitis is an infection of tissues posterior to the orbital septum, most commonly arising from sinusitis in children. If untreated, it can lead to complications including cavernous sinus thrombosis, visual loss, and death. Although intravenous antibiotics remain the mainstay of treatment, the role of systemic corticosteroids is less well established. […]