Perceptions of the Otolaryngologist’s Role within the Cleft MDT Among Medical Students and Foundation Doctors: the role that’s right under your nose
Theme: innovation / education Introduction Plastic, ENT and maxillofacial surgery receive little coverage in the UK medical school curriculum, and as a result, craniofacial conditions such as cleft lip and palate are poorly understood by junior trainees. Many trainees are aware of the role of plastic and maxillofacial surgeons in cleft care, however the role […]
A Hidden Airway Threat: Emergency Management of a Congenital Cervical Teratoma in the Neonatal Period
Introduction Congenital cervical teratomas are rare neonatal tumours, occurring in approximately 1 in 30,000 live births. They pose significant diagnostic and management challenges due to the risk of life-threatening airway obstruction. Antenatal polyhydramnios may be an early indicator of upper aerodigestive tract compression; however, prenatal diagnosis can be missed. Early recognition and surgical intervention are […]
Reducing Same-day Cancellations in Paediatric ENT Theatres
Main Theme: General Introduction: Same-day cancellations (SDCs) waste theatre capacity and compound elective surgery backlogs1. In Q4 2025/26, NHS England reported 23,056 last-minute non-clinical elective cancellations2. GIRFT recommendations emphasise timely pre-assessment and pathway review to reduce same-day surgery cancellations in ENT3. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed paediatric ENT theatre cancellations at the Royal London Hospital between […]
Sevoflurane-Induced False Sensorineural Hearing Loss Diagnosis on Auditory Brainstem Response Testing: A Paediatric Case Report”
Main Theme: Otology Objective: To report a case of sevoflurane-induced false-positive auditory brainstem response findings mimicking sensorineural hearing loss in a child with normal behavioural hearing. Methods: Serial auditory brainstem response assessments were performed over 18 months in a speech-delayed child aged 5 years and 9 months, using different anaesthetic techniques and natural sleep conditions. […]
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 […]