Within the field of otorhinolaryngology, interest in facial plastic surgery has grown significantly in recent years. There is a lack of evidence in the literature documenting this interest in the British Isles.

572 questionnaires were mailed to all members of the British Association of Otolaryngologists, Head and Neck Surgeons and to members of the Irish Otolaryngological Society.

Our response rate was 68 per cent. One-third of respondents were performing facial plastic procedures regularly, most commonly otoplasty (80 per cent), rhinoplasty (74 per cent) and facial flaps (28 per cent). Two-thirds of respondents had attended supplementary courses in facial plastic surgery, and 65 per cent would like facial plastic surgery to compose one-third of their daily practice.

Facial plastic surgery has become a significant part of the otorhinolaryngologists' practice. They are now offering a wider variety of procedures in the area. This is the first paper to document this interest in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Tracheoesophageal puncture is recognised as an effective and reliable method for voice restoration following total laryngectomy. Several techniques have been described, ranging from rigid oesophagoscopy under general anaesthesia to more recent endoscopic techniques utilising intravenous sedation or local anaesthetic. We describe our technique for secondary tracheoesophageal puncture utilising unsedated transnasal oesophagoscopy in an office setting.

Retrospective review of all total laryngectomy patients undergoing in-office transnasal oesophagoscopy-assisted tracheoesophageal puncture between October 1 2004 and December 31 2006.

Eleven patients undergoing transnasal oesophagoscopy-guided tracheoesophageal puncture were identified. Successful tracheoesophageal puncture placement was achieved in 10 of 11 patients (91 per cent). In one patient tracheoesophageal puncture could not be performed due to anatomic constraints. One patient had bleeding from the puncture site requiring silver nitrate cautery. All patients tolerated the procedure well. Voice results were satisfactory in all cases.

Transnasal oesophagoscopy-guided tracheoesophageal puncture provides a simple, safe option for secondary voice rehabilitation in laryngectomy patients.

Preterm infants with respiratory distress are routinely treated by application of nasal mask continuous positive airway pressure. In preterm infants with cleft lip and palate, nasal mask attachment is not feasible due to air leakage through the cleft defect. Here, we describe a modified continuous positive airway pressure application method that overcomes this problem.

Observation study, university neonatal intensive care unit. The neonates (n = 4) were between 28 and 33 weeks' gestation and weighed 1160 to 1680 g at birth. Immediately after birth, infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate (n = 3) were respiratory stabilised by a Medijet™ generator using a nasal tube. To minimise the pressure cap, hydrocolloid bandages were adhered over the total cleft defect. Immediately after orthodontic passive palatal plates insertion (within 27 hours of life), the nasal tube was removed and continuous positive airway pressure was applied through a nasal mask covering the complete nose of the infant.

The system proved suitable for patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate for whom the generated nasal mask continuous positive airway pressure remained constant between 5 to 7 cm of water but failed in the patient with bilateral cleft lip and palate. None of the patients had to be ventilated due to respiratory failure, and all survived to discharge.

Preterm infants with unilateral, but not bilateral cleft lip and palate, can be successfully stabilised using the described nasal mask continuous positive airway pressure system, thereby avoiding primary intubation and its associated risk of complications.

Acute sinusitis is a relatively common condition, which usually responds to medical therapy. In most cases, there are no sequelae or complications subsequent to this infection. However, like many acute illnesses, there are well documented complications of acute sinusitis, and in particular these include peri-orbital and intracranial spread.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of vigilance regarding both peri-orbital involvement of sinusitis and the limitations of imaging techniques such as computed tomography. An illustrative case is presented to demonstrate this.

Magnetic resonance imaging is a valuable modality in assessing complex presentations of peri-orbital complications of acute sinusitis.

We discuss the case of a 73-year-old woman with a six-month history of hoarseness secondary to an aortic arch pseudoaneurysm.

We present the findings of an extensive review of the literature relating to cardiovascular disorders involving the recurrent laryngeal nerve (i.e. Ortner's syndrome).

Ortner's syndrome, also known as cardiovocal syndrome, is a rare condition, with few reports in the literature.

This is only the second documented case of Ortner's syndrome in Great Britain and Ireland, and the first demonstrating an aortic pseudoaneurysm.