Whitehead's varnish is a little known but excellent nasal packing agent. We review available literature on the historical aspects and clinical use of Whitehead's varnish. Our personal experience with Whitehead's varnish is described, and we strongly recommend its use.

Introduction: The organisms that cause many device-related and other chronic infections actually grow in biofilms in or on these devices. We sought to examine the role of biofilm formation in chronic middle-ear ventilation tube infection.

Case report: Scanning electron micrograph images are presented which demonstrate biofilm on a middle-ear ventilation tube removed from a five-year-old child's chronically discharging ear. A review of the relevant international literature explores the role of biofilms in chronic infection and discusses potential intervention strategies.

Conclusion: Biofilms may be responsible for chronic middle-ear ventilation tube infection that resists treatment with conventional antibiotics.

Positional and positioning vertigo and nystagmus syndromes are usually due to peripheral vestibular dysfunction. The most common form is benign paroxysmal positioning. In this paper, we discuss more serious aetiologies in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with a history suggestive of benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo. We draw attention to the diagnosis of cerebellar vermis lesions and tumours of the fourth ventricle by presenting two cases of patients with positional nystagmus of so called benign paroxysmal type. We review the literature on positional nystagmus, highlighting key findings on history and physical examination to aid in the correct diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo, and to differentiate it from the rare yet sinister central aetiologies that can present with positional vertigo of the benign positional type. This is with the aim to avoid over-investigating a common presentation without missing a serious diagnosis.

Chronic throat clearing or a feeling of ‘something’ at the back of the oropharynx or nasopharynx is a common cause for referral to otorhinolaryngology services. While treatment of an underlying causative condition might be expected to improve these symptoms, in many cases a clear underlying cause is not found. Currently, there is no recognized treatment which is effective against these troublesome symptoms. This observational study investigated the effectiveness of a regime of sipping ice cold carbonated water to try to break the vicious cycle of throat clearing. Seventy-two patients with these symptoms who had previously been advised to use the regime were contacted with a postal questionnaire. Sixty-three per cent of patients documented an improvement in their symptom severity score. The most severely and most frequently affected patients had the greatest benefit. We conclude that the suggested regime can be effective in breaking the vicious cycle of persistent throat-clearing.

Basal cell adenocarcinoma is a rare and relatively recently characterised malignant salivary gland tumour. It accounts for 5 per cent of parotid gland tumours and 1 per cent of salivary gland malignancies. It is very rarely documented in anatomical sites other than the major salivary glands. Basal cell adenocarcinoma has only been described once before in the ethmoid sinus.

We report a case of basal cell adenocarcinoma in the ethmoid sinus, extending into the right orbit and anterior cranial fossa. We describe the clinical aspects of the patient's management and detail the histopathological features of this very rare diagnosis.

Ameloblastoma is an odontogenic neoplasm of enamel organ type tissue which does not undergo transformation to the point of enamel formation. We present the second case in the English literature of maxillary ameloblastoma that presented with nasal obstruction and rhinorrhoea, and the first to be excised using a combined maxillotomy and endoscopic ethmoidectomy. The patient had no previous dental history. The unusual presenting symptoms, as well as the highly destructive nature of these lesions when arising in the maxilla, make them worthy of consideration in the differential diagnosis of nasal and maxillary masses. We discuss the clinical features, pathology and management of these lesions and review the literature.

Nasal foreign bodies are common in young children and are typically the result of intranasal placement by the child. The authors report a case of an extranasal foreign body in an adult, which presented as a nasal fracture following trauma to the nose. This uncommon presentation, previously unreported in the literature, highlights the importance of careful history taking in cases of nasal trauma and of thorough wound exploration if any penetrative injury is found.

We introduce here an easy but effective method for detailed observation of the larynx and hypopharynx. During the endoscopic observation, the patient's head is turned to one side. Anatomical structures on the same side of the endolarynx, such as the laryngeal ventricle and inferior surface of the vocal fold, are easily observed. In addition, observation of the opposite side of the hypopharynx also becomes easier. Such head turning is also useful in patients with an oblique larynx, in whom the epiglottis obstructs insertion of the endoscope. This is a simple but very effective technique for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal observation.

The NHS Connecting for Health agency continues to implement the national programme for information technology within the National Health Service (NHS). In preparation, NHS employees are being encouraged to develop their information technology skills via the European computer driving licence training course.

A postal survey of British Association of Otorhinolaryngologists members was undertaken to evaluate their levels of information technology training, competency and knowledge. Three hundred and thirty-six surgeons responded.

Most respondents had received no formal information technology training. Only 3.9 per cent had taken the European computer driving licence course.

Most surgeons felt comfortable using word processing and presentation software but were less comfortable with other applications. Junior surgeons were more confident in all areas of information technology application than senior surgeons.

Seventy-two per cent of surgeons wanted more information technology training. Most felt that such training should be routine at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

With the national programme committed to improving information technology infrastructure within the NHS, more formal training should be provided to ensure a basic standard of information technology competency amongst ENT surgeons.

Hyoid suspension is a procedure to stabilise the retrolingual space in obstructive sleep apnoea. Using the Hörmann technique, a steel wire is slung around the body of the hyoid and fixed to the upper rim of the thyroid cartilage. It was observed, however, that the steel wire may lie very superficially to the pharyngeal mucosa. Evaluation of computed tomography (CT) scans showed a mean distance between the hyoid and the pharynx of only 3 mm. A modification is presented by threading a steel wire through a hole that is drilled through the hyoid bone. Thus pharyngeal exposure of the steel ligature and possible perforation of the mucosa is avoided.

An extremely rare case of a granular cell tumour arising from the right Kiesselbach's area (Little's area) of the nasal septum is reported. A 69-year-old Japanese woman consulted our clinic and her chief complaints were of continuous serous discharge, stuffiness and occasional slight bleeding from the right nasal cavity. Fibrescopy showed a multilocular mass, which was provisionally considered a nasal polyp. Surgical excision was attempted. During surgery, the tumour shrank markedly following local application of adrenaline, suggestive of hypervascularity. The tumour was successfully excised by careful dissection after cauterisation of the mucosa surrounding the tumour. Histopathological examination revealed morphological features of granular cell tumour immunopositive for S-100 protein. This is the first report of granular cell tumour arising from the Kiesselbach's area in the English literature. The eccentric behaviour of the tumour and the management of a granular cell tumour arising from this area are discussed, together with a literature review.

The translabyrinthine approach is one of the favoured access routes for removal of vestibular schwannomas; however, total hearing loss in the operated ear is a predictable consequence. Here, we report a case in which a patient maintained serviceable hearing almost six years after classic translabyrinthine surgery. Possible explanations for the hearing preservation are discussed, as well as the feasibility of a modified translabyrinthine approach in attempting preservation of hearing following vestibular schwannoma surgery.

An isolated polyp arising from the sphenoid sinus is rare. Due to the presence of important structures adjacent to the sphenoid sinus, a proper pre-operative radiological and nasal endoscopic evaluation is mandatory, along with a neurological and ophthalmological assessment. We report the case of a 23-year-old man with a sphenochoanal polyp with heterotopic glial tissue in the stroma. A Medline search did not reveal any previously reported cases of glial tissue in the sphenoid sinus presenting as a sphenochoanal polyp.

Lemierre's syndrome is a rare and sometimes life threatening condition that requires prompt management. A case is reported of a previously healthy young male with Lemierre's syndrome. He developed internal jugular vein and cavernous sinus thrombosis, metastatic abscesses in the temporal lobe and lungs, temporal lobe venous infarction and severe thrombocytopaenia. Discussed are aspects of clinical presentation, diagnosis and management issues.

The standard treatment of a pinna haematoma involves drainage and compression to prevent recurrence and subsequent disfigurement. Compressive methods can be non-invasive or invasive, utilising a head bandage or through and through sutures, respectively, to keep compression in place. Leonard buttons are effective alternative compressive devices. They are simple to use and easily available.