First Branchial Cleft Anomalies: Awareness Is Key.

Two patients presented with fluctuant areas inferior to the pinna. The first required numerous procedures and investigations before a correct diagnosis was obtained. However, with awareness of this condition, the subsequent patient was quickly identified and managed appropriately. First branchial cleft abnormalities are uncommon, however, present with common symptoms. Their location and characteristics in paediatric patients is key to having it in the differential diagnosis. Consideration of this condition by ENT surgeons is key to prevent multiple invasive and futile operations in our paediatric cohort.

Localized Sinonasal Amyloidosis.

Localized amyloidosis involving the nasal mucosa is rare, with only 38 published cases reported to date. We report a case of amyloidosis localized to the sinonasal tract. A 61-year-old man presented with a 1-year history of left-sided nasal obstruction. Endoscopic examination and computed tomography revealed the presence of a nasal mass originating from the left inferior turbinate. The patient subsequently underwent an examination under anesthesia and an excision biopsy of the nasal mass. Histology confirmed amyloidosis with no immunospecific stains. Systemic amyloidosis testing was negative, leading to a diagnosis of localized sinonasal amyloidosis of nonamyloid A (AA) subtype. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of non-AA subtype of the sinonasal tract. The patient was managed conservatively and is currently under close follow-up.

Primary laryngeal actinomycosis in an immunosuppressed woman: a case report.

We report a rare case of primary laryngeal actinomycosis, which occurred in a 35-year-old woman with end-stage renal failure secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus with membranous glomerulonephritis. The patient, who had been on long-term immunosuppression therapy, presented with hoarseness. Flexible laryngoscopy detected the presence of a granular glottic mass at the anterior commissure of the larynx. Histology revealed actinomycotic organisms associated with an abscess. The patient was treated with a prolonged course of oral penicillin V and speech therapy, and her dysphonia resolved almost completely. Although actinomycotic infection of the larynx is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hoarseness in an immunocompromised patient.

Massively enlarged styloid process presenting as a submandibular mass.

A 47-year-old man is investigated in the ear, nose and throat department for a 6-month history of left submandibular swelling and pain. He underwent several investigations, before a large styloid process was found on CT imaging of the neck. The patient underwent surgical excision of the enlarged styloid process and stylohyoid ligament. He recovered well with no long-term complications and his symptoms were fully resolved.

Does dictating the letter to the GP in front of a follow-up patient improve satisfaction with the consult? A randomised controlled trial.

Various studies have shown that receiving a copy of the letter to the General Practitioner (GP) improves patient satisfaction with the consult. We aimed to establish whether dictating the letter to the GP in front of a listening patient does likewise. Follow-up patients have shorter allotted consultation times. This may contribute to dissatisfaction, hence the choice of our target group. One hundred consecutive follow-up patients who met the eligibility criteria were randomised to listen to the GP letter or not. Immediately after the consult, they were asked to fill in a questionnaire which, in addition to enquiring about various aspects of the consult asked them to quantify their overall satisfaction by means of a ten-point graded visual analogue score. Forty-nine patients received dictation. The mean age and sex distribution of the two groups were matched. The median overall satisfaction in the dictation and non-dictation groups were ten and eight, respectively, this was statistically significant. There was no significant difference between patients' rating of whether the consult had addressed their ailment adequately, explanation(s) given or the length of consult. Sixty-one percent of patients in the non-dictation group would like to have listened to the dictation, whilst all patients in the dictation group found it useful. This study is the first of its kind in the ENT population. Dictating a letter to the GP in front of a listening patient led to a statistically significant improvement in satisfaction independent of possible confounding aspects of the consult.