Abstracts of the 14 th British Academic Conference in Otolaryngology Posters – Clinical Audit and Practice F001 The use of acupuncture point P6 stimulation in the prevention of post-operative nausea and vomiting in tonsillectomy/adenotonsillectomy patients – an audit based on recommendations from SIGN clinical guideline 117 Fu, B., Hili, S. & Davis, J. Objectives: In the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) clinical guideline 117: ‘Management of sore throat and indications for tonsillectomy – A national clinical guideline’ published in April 2010 (http://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign117.pdf), stimulation of acupuncture point P6 was given a Grade B recommendation for the prevention of Post-operative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing tonsillectomy/adenotonsillectomy where anti-emetic drug prophylaxis is not suitable. We are interested in finding out whether this is a common practice in our local hospitals. Methods: All anaesthetic practitioners of a district general hospital (DGH) in Kent, UK were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding the practice of acupuncture in preventing PONV in tonsillectomy/ade- notonsillectomy patients. Results: There were 53 participants, with a 100% response rate: 17% trainees <ST3, 13% trainees ST3-8, 21% Staff Grade, and 49% Consul- tants. Although 58% of participants had been practising anaesthesia for over 10 years, only 25% were aware of this guideline. Three consultants (6% of the cohort) were acupuncture practitioners, although only one participant (2% of the cohort) practiced acupuncture as per the SIGN clinical guideline 117. Conclusions: If our hospital is representative of DGH’s in the UK, we thus concluded that there is a general lack of awareness about the possi- ble benefits of acupuncture related to ENT procedures in anaesthetic practice. Combined with lack of training and limited resources, this is preventing a practice which might be beneficial in patients not tolerating pharmacological methods, who are at high risk of developing PONV, or likely to suffer complications related to PONV. F002 Assessing satisfaction of ISCP users in Otorhinolaryn- gology Fu, B., Amin, K., Hili, S. & Davis, J. Objectives: Using the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Project (ISCP) is compulsory for all surgical trainees, as set out in the Gold Guide – A Guide to Postgraduate Specialty Training in UK. We were interested in ENT trainees’/trainers’ experience with its usage. Methods: A Survey Monkey electronic questionnaire was distributed to Association of Otolaryngologists in Training (AOT) members and ENT consultants in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Results: There were 86 respondents, of which 91% used ISCP. This included 55% trainees and 45% trainers. Eighty-seven per cent felt the £125 trainee fee to be too high. On average during a month, 51% did 1–2 Work Based Assessments (WBA’s). Fifty-three per cent used <10 min for completing one WBA and 41% used 10–20 min. There were mixed responses to users’ feeling of usefulness and satisfaction for each type of WBA’s. Forty-seven per cent encountered problems with ISCP usage. Sixty-five per cent have contacted ISCP in the past: 57% by telephone, 37% by email and 12% by online feedback. Fifty-eight per cent gave an overall satisfaction in using ISCP of five or less out of 10. Conclusions: Our survey, although small, is the first one conducted amongst Otolaryngologists. This showed the overall user satisfaction to be sub-optimal. Possible solutions may include the introduction of spe- cialty-specific WBA’s, fewer ‘tick boxes’ when completing WBA’s, better integration with other surgical logbooks and websites, and a reduction of the JCST trainee fee. We are aware that the ISCP website is constantly changing, and that some of the suggestions made here may already be being built into the future system upgrades. F003 An audit on timing of postoperative radioiodine remnant ablation administration in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomas in East and West Kent Fu, B., Black, M. & Davis, J. Objectives: To look at existing guidelines/evidence in the optimal timing of postoperative Radioiodine Remnant Ablation (RRA) administration in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas (DTC) patients and to compare our current practice against this. Methods: Retrospective study. Results: No recommendation was found in the medical literature, the British Thyroid Association guideline (2007), and the American Thyroid Association guideline (2009). A consensus of a 12-week-standard (84 days) was made by the local Thyroid Disease Orientated Group. There were a total of 82 patients identified in the period of January 2008–December 2009. The Female : Male ratio was 3.3 : 1. Age ranged from 17 to 88, with a mean of 53. Histological cell types included: Papil- lary (38%), Follicular (29%), Papillary with Follicular variant (20%), and Hurtle Cell (10%). Operations performed included: 46% Hemithy- roidectomy followed by Completion Thyroidectomy,33% Total Thyroid- ectomy, 9% Hemithyroidectomy followed by Completion Thyroidectomy/Level VI Dissection, 7% Total Thyroidectomy/Level VI Dissection, 4% Total Thyroidectomy/Unilateral Modified Radical Neck Dissection, and 1% Isthmusectomy followed by Completion Left/Right Hemithyroidectomy. Timing between completion of surgical treatment and commencement of RRA ranged from 3 to 278 days, with a mean of 66 days. Sixty-eight per cent of RRA was administered within the 12- week-standard. Twenty-two per cent of RRA was administered between 12 and 16 weeks. Ten per cent of RRA was administered after 16 weeks. Conclusions: It can be extrapolated that a significant delay in RRA in DTC patients would have a negative impact on outcome as is observed in the case of postoperative radiotherapy in other head and neck cancers. This audit has formed the baseline for auditing DTC patient outcome in the future. ABSTRACTS Ó 2012 The Authors Ó 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd • Clinical Otolaryngology 37 (Suppl. 1), 17–72 17