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Head and neck ultrasonography with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists (BAHNO) for investigating neck masses. Finite specialist radiologists and increased demands on services have increased waiting lists and breached targets. Many patients are on a two-week cancer pathway and accurate investigation cannot be delayed. The implementation of a sonographer trained in neck ultrasound-guided FNAC was analysed together with its impact on the service. Over a 21-month period we have demonstrated a fall in waiting lists from 310 to 28 patients, without compromise to diagnostic accuracy. Additionally, a cost-saving of £60,000 was made. Improvements in efficiency and waiting lists can be achieved through targeted specialist training for allied health professionals, liberating specialists for other duties.

Females remain under-represented in surgery in the United Kingdom and around the globe. Gender representation on journal editorial boards is one of the key metrics of gender representation within academic surgery. The aim of this study was to quantify gender representation within the editorial leadership of journals affiliated with UK surgical specialties. A web-based search for each of the UK surgical specialty associations was conducted, followed by identification of the endorsed journals for each one. As of August 2022, data on the gender of the editor-in-chief and other journal leadership positions, including associate, section, and deputy editors, were collated. Gender classification was completed using first-name recognition, verified by a web search using the name and institution provided. Managing editors without clinical backgrounds were excluded. Ten journals were identified for the following surgical specialties: General Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Neurosurgery, Cardiothoracic, Urology, Paediatric Surgery, Ear Nose and Throat, Oral and Maxillofacial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Vascular Surgery. In total, 242 editorial positions were identified: 207 were held by males (82.8%) and 35 by females (17.2%). There were no female editors-in-chief. The average female proportion of editorial leadership per journal was 18.8%. One journal had no female editorial leadership representation. Overall, the number of females in editorial leadership positions is comparable to the current proportion of UK female consultant surgeons (13.7%). Journals with an under-representation of females in senior editorial leadership positions compared with the parent specialty should consider initiatives that will encourage diversity, promote greater gender parity, and champion female representation.

Project Wingman is a novel initiative conceived early in the COVID-19 pandemic by two airline captains and a psychologist, which brings airline style lounges, staffed by volunteer air crew to NHS Trusts. The aim was to boost morale by providing airline style customer service for staff while on breaks. Over 50 lounges were opened across the NHS, staffed by up to 5000 volunteers. In this pilot study of one large Trust, we surveyed staff who visited the Wingman lounge. 100 completed questionnaires were used as an end point. All staff felt that the lounge was beneficial during COVID. 62% reported that they would visit the lounge even it was not attended by aircrew. 57% felt their wellbeing had suffered during the pandemic. A national study would be useful to assess the impact of the Wingman Lounges, but our pilot study highlights the importance of staff wellbeing and the value of taking breaks while at work. Many of the lessons learned in supporting colleagues during the pandemic could be used and adapted to help future wellbeing initiatives and aid retention of staff across the NHS.

Anatomy is a pillar of medical knowledge and essential for safe medical and surgical practice. The literature highlights concerns regarding anatomy knowledge, and knowledge of the head and neck in particular, in medical students and newly qualified doctors. We investigated medical students' confidence to be assessed on head and neck anatomy, the amount of teaching they received, and its mode of delivery, through an online survey completed by 185 medical students across two English Universities (122 (66%) students from University A and 63 (34%) from University B). Students were in their third to fifth year of medical school. A total of 126 (68%) had received two to four sessions on head and neck anatomy, and 56 (30%) had received one or two sessions. A total of 113 (61%) had received prosection teaching, and 44 (24%) had received computer/virtual anatomy teaching. In total, 140 (76%) did not feel confident to be assessed on head and neck anatomy, and 137 (74%) did not feel they had received an adequate amount of head and neck anatomy teaching. Despite formal head and neck anatomy teaching most of our cohort did not feel confident to be assessed on the topic. Further work is required to integrate anatomy into the clinical years and to devise a national undergraduate curriculum to enhance an interest in head and surgery as a career.

Completion of the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination is a prerequisite for completion of specialty surgical training in UK. The aim of this study was to compare MRCS performance of OMFS trainees to trainees in other specialities over the past 13 years. Differential attainment (DA) was noted in MRCS Part A (MCQ) pass rates. There was no statistically significant difference in MRCS Part B pass rates. The reasons for this DA are currently unknown and require further investigation. It has been suggested that this may be due at least in part to competing time, family and financial obligations, which increase over time.

Background Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) has been increasing in popularity amongst medicine first trainees. Despite this, there is still limited exposure at the undergraduate level. This study aimed to: evaluate the experience of medical students in the field of OMFS, the awareness of medical students to OMFS resources/societies and to determine the greatest motivators and deterrents for students in pursuing a career in OMFS. Methodology An online survey was distributed to 198 students spread across two English universities. 131 students (66.2%) were from University A and 67 (33.8%) students were from University B. Results A total of 61.1% of undergraduate medical students had no exposure to OMFS up until their current stage of training with no statistically significant differences in OMFS exposure between the year groups (p>0.05) . 37% of students considered OMFS as a potential career path with dual qualification being the deterrent in 44% of cases. 97.0% of students were not able to state any organisations/resources available to support them in pursuing a career in OMFS. Conclusion within our cohort exposure to OMFS was greater than earlier reports, however; undergraduate exposure to OMFS is still very limited in UK medical schools.. Conducting a dental degree following the primary medical qualification appears to be the greatest obstacle to students considering OMFS training. OMFS remains unknown to medical students and healthcare professionals. We need grass root changes at undergraduate level to improve the future of OMFS training.

Unicystic ameloblastoma is a distinct pathological variant with varying evidence published about its behaviour and surgical management. Due to a paucity of large studies in the literature with long-term follow up, the aim of this study was to analyse its surgical management and identify clinicopathological features associated with recurrences. All histopathologically confirmed lesions diagnosed at two referral centres between 1995 and 2020 were retrospectively analysed. Demographic, clinical, radiological, and histopathological features were analysed along with surgical methods and follow-up data. Univariate regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for recurrence. Sixty-three patients were included in the study with mean age of 26.3 years and a male to female ratio of 1:0.75. The majority of lesions occurred in the posterior mandible (57.1%) and were unilocular (88.9%). Most lesions were managed with enucleation followed by application of Carnoy's solution (ferric chloride: 1g; chloroform: 3 mL; glacial acetic acid: 1 mL; ethyl alcohol 96%: 6 mL) and burring of the peripheral bone margin which resulted in the lowest recurrences (9.1%) besides resection. Significantly associated clinicopathological features with recurrences included patients who were male, large lesions (90 mm), presence of root resorption, cortical perforation, mural subtype, and retention of associated teeth. In conclusion, decision making in the management of unicystic ameloblastoma should be based on the clinicopathological features and not be solely based on the histopathological subtype. Enucleation followed by application of Carnoy's solution and burring of the peripheral bone margin was demonstrated to be the least invasive method with an acceptable low recurrence rate.

An area critical to safety in an organisation is the perceived and actual culture. National Air Traffic Services (NATS) work closely with large safety-critical industries including various aviation companies to enable them to identify strengths and vulnerabilities with the aim of improving safe practice. NATS have developed a simple free downloadable self-assessment App that individuals can use to assess their own culture perception in their organisation. The App has 16 questions arranged in four domains but to our knowledge it has not been used to date in healthcare. As part of the initiatives to improve staff culture, we evaluated operating theatre colleagues’ safety perception in our large acute NHS Trust in a pilot study using the NATS safety App. Staff downloaded the App to their smart device before completing it. Responses were sent anonymously through the App and collated by NATS. A total of 146 colleagues downloaded and completed the questionnaire. One hundred and seventeen staff (80%) felt encouraged to report safety concerns, but 86% (n = 126) confirmed a lack of available support from healthcare managers. Only 43% of respondents (n = 63) would find it easy to challenge colleagues if they observed unsafe behaviour. This pilot study has identified positive indicators of an evolving NHS safety culture, and some concerns about speaking up, support, and challenging colleagues without fear. These issues are known to occur across healthcare. Further work is needed in the NHS to provide a supportive environment to improve patient safety, and lower hierarchy in surgical teams.

The novel Coronavirus, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)1 has recently created a worldwide pandemic. With a death rate that is climbing rapidly, the disease has been declared a global emergency.2 A substantial number of healthcare workers tested positive for the disease in Italy, the epicentre of the European outbreak, particularly in its early stages. The number of positive healthcare workers was 10,627 with 34 deaths to date, representing a mortality rate of 0.3%,3 but the Italian authorities acknowledged that healthcare workers were over tested which may account for a lower mortality rate. The most worrying statistic is the rising number of deaths amongst healthcare professionals.4 There have already been seven healthcare staff deaths in the UK5 as of 5 April 2020. This has been postulated to be for a number of reasons and may be multifactorial.

In healthcare, mistakes that are potentially harmful or fatal to patients are often the result of poor communication between members of a team. This is particularly important in high-risk areas such as operating theatres or during any intervention, and the ability to challenge colleagues who are in authority when something does not seem right or is clearly wrong, is crucial. Colleagues in oral and maxillofacial surgery recognised the importance of this as early as 2004, and it is now well known that failure or reluctance to challenge others who might be wrong can severely compromise a patient's safety. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh runs popular regular courses (Non-technical Skills for Surgeons, NOTSS) that teach how to ensure safety through good communication and teamwork. In this paper we introduce the concept of hierarchical challenge, and discuss models and approaches to address situations when problems arise within a team.

We present a rare, and to the best of our knowledge, previously unreported complication of the spontaneous rupture of an internal laryngocele after a routine neck dissection for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. While this caused some diagnostic confusion, the patient was managed conservatively with no further complications.

Improvements in quality are commonly used to measure outcome in modern medicine. The drive to improve services nationally and to reduce the financial burden, which is at the forefront of NHS policy, attracts political debate and is constantly the focus of media attention. However, before this can be done in surgery, we need to learn from ongoing work and recognised systems for quality review and implementation, and develop national processes for sustained improvement. As a specialty, Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a good example.

This review summarises recently published papers on maxillofacial trauma in 2 widely read journals: the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS) and the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (IJOMS). Since a large proportion of the injuries seen in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) departments are fractures of the facial skeleton, we primarily focus on their assessment and treatment, but also cover problems that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) (including ankylosis), military injuries, polytrauma, and the use of perioperative drugs. Between 2012 and 2013, 121 articles were published in the 2 journals. Most of the research concerned mandibular fractures, particularly those involving the condyle, but epidemiological studies and midfacial fractures were also well represented. Even though the incidence of facial injury is high, it is difficult to collect data particularly when long-term evaluation is required, as rates of compliance and attendance at follow up tend to be low. The number of large-scale studies was therefore small. A concerted effort to collaborate nationally and across specialties to undertake larger studies will help to improve outcomes.

Horner syndrome, a combination of pupillary miosis, ptosis and facial anhidrosis, results from damage to the oculosympathetic nerve pathways. It can occur anywhere from the hypothalamus to the eye, but to our knowledge, metastatic disease to a node in the neck from a mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck has not previously been reported as a primary cause in humans. It is surprising that it does not present more often given the frequency of metastatic disease in the neck. We discuss how it may have occurred, and highlight the importance of a thorough examination and investigation of the head and neck in patients who present with unusual neurological signs.

Human error is as old as humanity itself and is an appreciable cause of mistakes by both organisations and people. Much of the work related to human factors in causing error has originated from aviation where mistakes can be catastrophic not only for those who contribute to the error, but for passengers as well. The role of human error in medical and surgical incidents, which are often multifactorial, is becoming better understood, and includes both organisational issues (by the employer) and potential human factors (at a personal level). Mistakes as a result of individual human factors and surgical teams should be better recognised and emphasised. Attitudes and acceptance of preoperative briefing has improved since the introduction of the World Health Organization (WHO) surgical checklist. However, this does not address limitations or other safety concerns that are related to performance, such as stress and fatigue, emotional state, hunger, awareness of what is going on situational awareness, and other factors that could potentially lead to error. Here we attempt to raise awareness of these human factors, and highlight how they can lead to error, and how they can be minimised in our day-to-day practice. Can hospitals move from being “high risk industries” to “high reliability organisations”?

The association between smoking and postoperative complications is compounded in patients who have oral and maxillofacial operations by an additional local effect, and patients often continue to smoke after operation despite advice to stop. Recent studies have suggested that nicotine may reduce inflammation and improve angiogenesis, so topical application may be beneficial for smokers. The electronic cigarette is increasing in popularity and more patients ask whether they can vape after operation. We investigated the effect of electronic cigarettes (of which half contained nicotine and half did not) on blood flow in the buccal mucosa in 10 volunteers immediately after vaping. Smokers were excluded as this was considered an additional variable in a small pilot study and our Trust has a no-smoking policy. After vaping for 5 minutes, capillary blood flow was measured in the buccal mucosa at 5-minute intervals using a laser Doppler probe, and the results were expressed as arbitrary perfusion units. There was a wide variation in results and a small but significant rise (p=0.008) as a result of nicotine vaping, but these fell to the same levels as before within 30 minutes. Electronic cigarettes may have an effect on blood flow to the oral mucosa, although further studies are needed to show whether they improve healing time after operation. Additional work is also needed to compare them with cigarettes.

Neck dissection, which is an important method of treatment for metastases from mucosal (and other) squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the head and neck, is also useful for staging disease. Since its inception it has changed from a radical to a more conservative procedure, and vital structures are preserved wherever possible. Refinements in methods of imaging to assess involvement in the neck have encouraged alternative approaches that can improve outcomes and reduce morbidity. We look at the reported evidence for the surgical management of metastases in the neck from mucosal SCC.

Optical biopsy systems are a potential adjunct to the histopathological assessment of tissue specimens; they are not invasive and can give an immediate result. We review the most common optical biopsy techniques used to detect lesions of the head and neck: elastic scattering spectroscopy, microendoscopy, narrow band imaging, fluorescence, and optical coherence tomography, and discuss their clinical use. © 2014 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive skin cancer of neuroendocrine origin. As a result, few large studies have been published, and we know of even fewer on disease of the head and neck alone. The most appropriate way to manage patients with early local disease and no sign of metastases neck is controversial. We reviewed management of early cutaneous MCC of the head and neck in 8 hospitals in the United Kingdom over 12 years between 1999 and 2011 (the largest head and neck series in Europe to date), and identified 39 patients (19 men and 20 women) with early disease according to a well recognised classification. A total of 24 patients had stage Ia disease, 11 had stage Ib disease, and 4 were unclassified. Five of those with stage Ia disease developed regional metastases and 7 with stage Ib disease developed regional recurrence. The 2-year overall survival for stage Ia and Ib disease was 62% and 27%, respectively. Our study shows that prognosis is poor after conservative surgical management of stage I disease. Management of the neck is still controversial, and a meta-analysis of all the published data is needed to establish best practice statistically.

Paralysis of the hypoglossal nerve, the twelfth (XII) cranial nerve, leads to atrophy, deviation of the tongue to the affected side, and varying degrees of fasciculation. The injury to the nerve can occur from its origin to the tongue itself. The causes of hypoglossal nerve palsy are well documented, but idiopathic, isolated nerve palsy that does not recover, is rare. To our knowledge we describe the first case that failed to resolve, and discuss the importance of meticulous investigation to make a diagnosis and rule out sinister disease.

Bell’s palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis) is caused by the acute onset of lower motor neurone weakness of the facial nerve with no detectable cause. With a lifetime risk of 1 in 60 and an annual incidence of 11–40/100,000 population, the condition resolves completely in around 71% of untreated cases. In the remainder facial nerve function will be impaired in the long term. We summarise current published articles regarding early management strategies to maximise recovery of facial nerve function and minimise long-term sequelae in the condition. © 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Branchial cleft cysts typically present as a persistent mass in the anterior triangle of the neck. Diagnosis is made by imaging and fine needle aspiration cytology and is confirmed histologically after excision. We report a branchial cleft cyst in a 27-year-old woman that resolved spontaneously over several weeks without surgical intervention. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of such a case.

Smoking has long been implicated in the development and progression of numerous postoperative complications. The cause is largely thought to be the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cigarette smoke, which attenuates inflammation and affects neutrophil function. Wound healing is further compromised by deficiencies in vitamins C and E, which result from a higher vitamin turnover secondary to the oxidative stress produced by smoking. However, studies recently have found that the effects of nicotine may benefit healing if used in isolation. We summarise the effects that smoking and abstaining from smoking can have on inflammation and wound healing, and describe the possible benefits that nicotine replacement and antioxidant supplements can give.

Paralysis of the facial nerve is a cause of considerable functional and aesthetic disfigurement. Damage to the upper trunk can result in eye complications with the risk of exposure keratitis. Numerous factors influence the therapeutic strategy: the cause of the injury, the time elapsed since injury, functional impairment, and the likelihood of recovery. We discuss the management of an acute injury to the facial nerve and focus on the surgical options.

Over the decades parotid surgery for benign tumours has developed into a reproducible, conservative operation with low morbidity. Despite the advances tumour spillage can still occur, and its management remains controversial. Since no universal consensus exists the aim of this article is to review the approach to tumour spillage and derive a protocol for its management based on existing evidence.

Multiple Individual Audit Outcome Web (MIAOW) is a pictorial representation of outcomes, which is used widely in industry, finance, and sports, but not, to the best of our knowledge, in our specialty. It was developed to display multiple audit outcomes for patients in cleft surgery and we show its use in that area, but equally it could be applied to other areas such as orthognathic surgery, and head and neck oncology. We report how it can be used to display surgical outcomes.

This review summarises all trauma and related papers published in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS) from January 2010 to December 2011. In total 45 articles were published, of which 42% (19) were full-length articles. These articles primarily focused on the management of mandibular condyle and orbital fractures, with several papers discussing maxillofacial surgery by the British military. There were no articles discussing midfacial fractures or massive facial trauma. The remaining papers included short communications, technical notes, and letters; and provided discussion of interesting cases, new surgical techniques and fracture classifications. The number of trauma papers published in BJOMS appears to be less than other sub-specialties such as head and neck oncology. The number of prospective and randomised studies remains low, highlighting a need to foster further research within maxillofacial trauma.

We describe a previously unreported anatomical variant of the posterior auricular nerve found during parotidectomy, and discuss its clinical implications.

Adenomatoid hyperplasia of minor salivary glands is rare, idiopathic, and benign, and typically presents as a tumour-like mass in the hard or soft palate. Its exact nature is not clear and histological examination usually shows an excess of normal-appearing minor salivary glands. To our knowledge, cytogenetic analysis of it in a minor salivary gland of the palate has not previously been reported. We present the cytogenetic analysis of adenomatoid hyperplasia in the hard palate of a 52-year-old woman.

P n their invited editorial on the development of oral surgery OS) services, Batchelor and Ladwa1 highlight some of the ssues that arose from the Medical Education England (MEE) eview.2 The cost arguments in particular are worthy of disussion. The bizarre and contradictory suggestions from the eport included that the development of a new primary care ervice and new training pathway were the financial solution o a tariff that artificially elevated the price of secondary care ork, where facilities and skills already existed. It also sugested that any financial savings made by these suggestions hould be reinvested in the primary care service in any case o ensure that it remains attractive to patients. One suggestion is that general dental practitioners (GDPs) ould provide much of the service if required, although s pointed out undergraduate dental education leaves many ewly qualified dentists ill-prepared. For example a recent tudy of the undergraduate curriculum found that only 23% f students were able to demonstrate competency in denoalveolar surgery.3 Some dental schools have no formal ssessment at all.4 In addition, when the GDP contract proided sufficient remuneration to make a specialist practice n primary care viable5 up to a third of GDPs continued to efer patients to secondary care purely on financial grounds.6 he required re-structuring of undergraduate dental trainng and additional reform of the NHS contract that would rovide sufficient incentives for GDPs to carry out significant

We report a case of a 79-year-old woman with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue with metastasis to the greater trochanter.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common malignant soft tissue tumour of childhood and has two main subtypes: embryonal and alveolar. The embryonal subtype accounts for most cases in the genitourinary tract and head and neck. Oral presentations are rare, and mainly in the tongue, palate, or cheek. Cytogenetically, alveolar RMS is characterised by the translocation t(2;13)(q35;q14), which plays an important part in diagnosis, but no consistent and unique genetic alterations have been identified in embryonal RMS. It is currently not known whether oral embryonal RMS is similar to those that arise from other sites, as only one cytogenetic report has been published to date. We present the case of a 9-year-old boy with embryonal RMS of the cheek, and discuss the cytogenetic alterations in his case.

Lymphatic malformations of the head and neck, also known as lymphangiomas or cystic hygromas, are a diverse group of lesions. They can be small and superficial or large and extensive, and management can be a challenge. Surgically they can be difficult to remove completely because of their poorly defined borders and the potential for damaging neighbouring structures. We review the dilemmas posed in diagnosis and treatment, and discuss the contemporary management of these interesting entities including sclerotherapy, which is gaining popularity.

There are many similarities between flying commercial aircraft and surgery, particularly in relation to minimising risk, and managing potentially fatal or catastrophic complications, or both. Since 1979, the development of Crew Resource Management (CRM) has improved air safety significantly by reducing human factors that are responsible for error. Similar developments in the operating theatre have, to a certain extent, lagged behind aviation, and it is well recognised that we can learn much from the industry. An increasing number of publications on aviation factors relate to surgery but to our knowledge there is a lack of research in our own specialty. We discuss how aviation principles related to human factors can be translated to the operating theatre to improve teamwork and safety for patients. Clinical research is clearly needed to develop this fascinating area more fully.

Ewing sarcoma is a malignant tumour of bone that is seen most often in children and young adults. The usual primary sites are the extremities, trunk, pelvis, and skull, and presentation in the mandible is rare. Cytogenetically it is characterised mainly by the translocation t(11;22)(q24;q12), which has an important role in the establishment of the clinical diagnosis. We report a 4-year-old boy with Ewing sarcoma of the mandible and the cytogenetic alterations that we found.

Appropriate fluid balance is an important factor in the survival of free flaps, and recently there has been a shift towards more conservative fluid regimens. Several surgical specialties have made extensive use of the relatively non-invasive method of measuring cardiac output (CO) to optimise fluid balance during and after surgery, which has resulted in a shorter hospital stay, but little has been published in head and neck surgery. To ascertain its use in the head and neck we sent a postal questionnaire to the anaesthetic departments of 40 major head and neck units identified from the 2010 database of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS). Questions were asked about the number of free flaps done in the unit each year, the monitoring of central venous and arterial blood pressure (and inotrope protocols), optimal target variables, and whether CO was monitored (with type of device). Thirty-two units responded (80%). While 26 units (81%) routinely monitored central venous pressure (CVP), CO was monitored in only 3 units (9%). There was a wide range of responses in relation to optimal variables and use of inotropes. As with other specialties, it is likely that CO monitoring will become widely used in head and neck reconstructive surgery. Not only does it enhance fluid optimisation, but it may also reduce hospital stay and morbidity. Appropriate clinical studies are urgently needed to evaluate its use in our specialty.

The pathogenesis of cysts that arise in the jaws is still not certain, and the underlying mechanisms of epithelial proliferation are not fully understood. Cysts of the jaw may involve a reactive, inflammatory, or neoplastic process. Cytogenetics, the study of the number and structure of chromosomes, has provided valuable information about the diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted treatment in many cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cytogenetics can also provide information about the possible aetiology or neoplastic potential of a lesion, though to our knowledge no studies of this technique have been used for cysts in the jaws. In this pilot study we used cytogenetics in a series of 10 cysts (3 radicular, 4 dentigerous, 2 of the nasopalatine duct, and 1 dermoid). In all cases we found normal karyotypes. Further work and larger numbers are needed for a definitive study, but we can hypothesise from this pilot study that these cysts do not have cytogenetic aberrations and so have no neoplastic potential.

A large number of papers related to oral and maxillofacial surgery are published in many specialist journals. With the ever-increasing use of the internet it is easy to download them as part of a journal subscription on a fee per paper basis, or in some cases for free. Online access to the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS) is free to British Association (BAOMS) members with a $30 fee per paper download for non-members. Many colleagues use the online version of the journal, and this provides valuable information about downloading trends. Other data on articles that have been cited in subsequent publications are also readily available, and they form the basis for the calculation of a journal's impact factor. We evaluated the top 50 downloaded papers from the BJOMS website in 2010 to ascertain which articles were being read online. We also obtained data on the number of citations for papers published in 2009-2010 to see whether these papers were similar to the articles being downloaded. In 2010 there were over 360000 downloaded articles. The most popular papers were leading articles, reviews, and full length articles; only one short communication featured in the top 50 downloads. The papers most cited in subsequent publications were full length articles and leading articles or reviews, which represent 80% of the total citations of the 50 papers. Ten papers were in both the top 50 downloaded and most cited lists. We discuss the implications of this study for the journal and our readers.

In this retrospective study we reviewed the distribution, characteristics, and treatment of 27 cystic jaw lesions in edentulous patients, and compared these with 242 cysts in dentate patients. The mean age was 60 years (range 46-74), and the male:female ratio 4.4:1. The maxilla was more affected than the mandible, with radicular/residual cysts being the most common. Patients were treated by marsupialisation, enucleation, or enucleation with bone grafting. Edentulous men were at higher risk than women of developing cystic lesions in the maxilla. Patients who are edentulous alert us to the possibility that their general health may be compromised, and this should be kept in mind when planning treatment.

Many factors have been implicated in the development of bony ankylosis following trauma to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or ankylosis that recurs after surgical treatment for the condition. Although many reports have been published, to our knowledge very little has been written about the pathogenesis of the process and there are few scientific studies. Over the last 70 years various treatments have been described. Different methods have been used with perceived favourable outcomes although recurrence remains a problem in many cases, and ankylosis presents a major therapeutic challenge. We present a critical review of published papers and discuss the various hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis of the condition.

This paper provides a summary of the 49 trauma and related papers published in British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery during the period January 2008 to December 2009. 16/49 (32%) of these publications were full length articles, which covered areas such as epidemiology, service provision, materials and operative surgery. In addition there were other articles including short communications, technical notes, letters to the editor and interesting cases. Whilst fewer full length articles were published compared to the other sub-specialties, it was reassuring to see that the studies represent all aspects of trauma. More basic science and randomized control studies relating to trauma need to be encouraged.

There has been an exponential rise in the literature of osteonecrosis and its complications in patients taking bisphosphonate drugs. Despite this increase, there is little evidence-based publications on how best to manage this complication. In this article (the first of two on bisphosphonate related jaw complications), we compare the guidelines produced by national specialist medical associations and expert panels on the prevention of bisphosphonate osteonecrosis of the jaws and review the evidence behind these guidelines.

Ultrasound is a relatively inexpensive, non-invasive, and readily available technique that is well tolerated by patients. It is particularly useful in the examination of superficial structures where the use of a high frequency linear probe (7.5-12 MHz) produces high definition multi-planar images. The spatial resolution achieved is superior to other methods of cross-sectional imaging and, when combined with tissue biopsying techniques such as fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) or core biopsy samples, it is rendered a highly specific diagnostic tool. This article provides an overview of the use of ultrasound for common head and neck conditions, including its use in salivary gland disease, and for the assessment of cervical lymphadenopathy.