Too Late to Ignore — book cover
Surgical case book100 chapters · 9 parts

Too Late to Ignore

One hundred case journeys in head, neck, skull base and ear surgery

Most surgical atlases show the textbook case. This book shows the other one: the cancer that was ignored or deferred, the disease left behind after chemoradiation, the child whose nose was blocked, the ear that kept discharging, and the operation that followed. Every chapter is one patient, or a small group treated by the same operation, documented in the author’s own operative videos and photographs, with reconstructions available to a surgeon working in a district or regional centre.

Author: Dr Bhushan Kathuria
For: ENT and head and neck residents, surgeons and trainers

A4 edition · 437 pages · 100 chapters · 9 parts
Free to read online · no registration or payment.

← Back to the Library

How each chapter is arranged

  1. Clinical presentation: how the patient came, as recorded.
  2. Author’s perspective: why this operation was chosen.
  3. Approach: the access and the plan.
  4. Operative steps, numbered, with the operative sequence shown as a diagram.
  5. Operative record: the frames and photographs in surgical order.
  6. Schematic: the anatomy or geometry on which the operation depends.
  7. Challenges and how they were addressed.
  8. Teaching points, each explained.
  9. Case summary and references, retrieved from PubMed with DOIs.

Read online

Browse the 100 chapters

Part I · Larynx and pharynx

  1. The dry field Total laryngectomy with stepwise vascular control ▶ Video
  2. Taking the cartilage, keeping the voice Supracricoid laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy and bilateral selective neck dissection ▶ Video
  3. Very little pharynx left Total laryngectomy with near-total pharyngectomy ▶ Video
  4. Closing the tube Primary neopharyngeal closure with the Connell inverting suture ▶ Video
  5. The muscle that fills the gap Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap as onlay cover and as a tubed neopharynx ▶ Video
  6. The fourth opinion Total laryngopharyngo-oesophagectomy, total thyroidectomy, bilateral neck dissection and gastric pull-up ▶ Video
  7. Through the side door Wide excision through a lateral pharyngotomy, primary closure, bilateral selective neck dissection (II–IV) ▶ Video
  8. The apron flap Apron incision, total laryngectomy and neck dissection ▶ Video
  9. Two layers to a watertight pharynx Multilayer vertical pharyngeal closure ▶ Video
  10. The stoma that breathes Total laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy and formation of the tracheostome ▶ Video
  11. A patch for the pharynx Total laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy, neck dissection and myocutaneous flap patch ▶ Video
  12. Out from the prevertebral plane Laryngopharyngectomy with primary pharyngeal closure ▶ Video
  13. Both necks and the larynx Total laryngectomy with bilateral neck dissection ▶ Video
  14. The pharynx opened wide Laryngopharyngectomy with bilateral neck dissection ▶ Video
  15. Larynx and mouth together Composite laryngopharyngeal and oral resection through a lip split ▶ Video

Part II · Oral cavity

  1. The jaw that had to go Composite bite resection with segmental mandibulectomy, near-total glossectomy, radical tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection and PMMC reconstruction ▶ Video
  2. No cut on the face Wide excision with segmental mandibulectomy through a combined transoral and transcervical approach, neck dissection and submental artery island flap ▶ Video
  3. The gland that became a lining Wide excision with marginal mandibulectomy and upper alveolectomy, selective neck dissection (I–III) and submandibular gland flap ▶ Video
  4. Skin from under the chin Wide excision, selective neck dissection and submental artery island flap ▶ Video
  5. Five mouths, one flap Nasolabial flap reconstruction: bilateral, unilateral, staged and island ▶ Video
  6. The lateral tongue Partial glossectomy with orientation of the specimen and neck dissection ▶ Video
  7. The mass in level Ib Composite oral resection with neck dissection including the submandibular gland ▶ Video
  8. Through the mouth Transoral wide excision with neck dissection ▶ Video
  9. Floor of mouth to mandible Composite floor-of-mouth and mandibular resection ▶ Video
  10. The cheek flap Segmental mandibulectomy through a cheek flap ▶ Video
  11. The fungating cheek Composite cheek, maxillary and mandibular resection ▶ Video
  12. Two nasolabial flaps for one floor of mouth Anterior segmental mandibulectomy with bilateral nasolabial flaps ▶ Video
  13. The mandibular swing Lip-split paramedian mandibulotomy
  14. Pulled through Pull-through composite resection
  15. A forearm for the cheek Radial forearm free flap reconstruction

Part III · The neck

  1. Finding the carotid first Radical neck dissection with early delineation of the carotid artery ▶ Video
  2. Keeping the vein open Neck dissection with sleeve resection and reconstruction of the internal jugular vein ▶ Video
  3. Milk in the wound Intraoperative recognition and repair of chyle leak ▶ Video
  4. A neck, slowly Anatomical selective neck dissection ▶ Video
  5. Skeletonising the carotid Neck dissection with skeletonisation of the carotid and internal jugular vein ▶ Video
  6. Peeling the fascia Fascial neck dissection off the sternocleidomastoid
  7. The node that broke through the skin Excision of the node with overlying skin, neck dissection and pectoralis major flap ▶ Video
  8. The lobulated neck mass En bloc excision
  9. The parapharyngeal mass Transcervical excision
  10. Nerves of the upper neck Deep lateral neck dissection with preservation of the lower cranial nerves

Part IV · Thyroid, parathyroid and airway

  1. The amyloid in the needle Total thyroidectomy, central neck dissection (VI/VII) and bilateral neck dissection ▶ Video
  2. Three centimetres of scar Resection of the stenosed segment with primary crico-tracheal end-to-end anastomosis ▶ Video 📄 Case report
  3. Below the cords Partial cricotracheal resection with thyrotracheal anastomosis, single stage ▶ Video
  4. Two circles Tracheostomaplasty by the two-circular-incision technique with radial incisions and advancement flaps ▶ Video
  5. The gland behind the blood pressure Focused excision with preservation of the thyroid ▶ Video
  6. On the capsule Hemithyroidectomy by capsular dissection ▶ Video
  7. A voice at eighty Type 1 (medialisation) thyroplasty with a silicone block ▶ Video 📄 Case report
  8. A single lobe Thyroid lobectomy through a collar incision
  9. The nodular goitre Total thyroidectomy ▶ Video 📄 Case report

Part V · Salivary glands and skin

  1. Grade 6 Total radical parotidectomy, extended radical neck dissection, external carotid ligation and PMMC reconstruction ▶ Video 📄 Case report
  2. The facial nerve fan Superficial parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation ▶ Video
  3. The nerve in its full course Parotidectomy with mapping of the facial nerve from the skull base ▶ Video
  4. The pigmented cheek Wide excision with a through-and-through midface defect
  5. Around the pinna Excision around the pinna with flap closure ▶ Video
  6. The upper lip Wedge excision with local flap reconstruction
  7. A nose from the forehead Excision and paramedian forehead flap reconstruction
  8. The lower lip and chin Excision through a lip split with neck dissection and cervicofacial flap closure
  9. The temple and the forehead Excision with forehead and scalp flap reconstruction ▶ Video
  10. The preauricular ulcer Excision and transposition flap reconstruction
  11. Beside the orbit Resection through a large facial flap with preservation of the eye ▶ Video

Part VI · Skull base

  1. The roof of the nose Transnasal endoscopic anterior craniofacial resection: transcribriform approach ▶ Video
  2. The open way Extended maxillectomy through a modified Weber–Fergusson approach with subciliary and vestibular extension ▶ Video
  3. The boy who bled Endoscopic transnasal excision ▶ Video
  4. One frontal sinus from two Transfrontal approach: Draf III / endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure ▶ Video
  5. Plugging the cribriform Endoscopic transnasal repair with fat plug, middle turbinate flap and glue ▶ Video
  6. Second time through the sphenoid Revision endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal excision with multilayer reconstruction ▶ Video
  7. Draining the apex Endoscopic transnasal drainage ▶ Video
  8. Pinna to petrous Total pinna excision, lateral temporal bone resection, parotidectomy, posterior marginal mandibulectomy, neck dissection and PMMC reconstruction ▶ Video
  9. The nerve that was given back Lateral skull base excision with facial nerve grafting ▶ Video 📄 Case report
  10. The humming that never stopped Lateral skull base and neck exploration with jugular foramen dissection and carotid skeletonisation ▶ Video 📄 Case report
  11. Control at C1 Intraoperative internal carotid artery management at the C1 level ▶ Video
  12. The jaw swung open Maxillectomy through a Weber–Fergusson approach with mandibulotomy
  13. The cheek that had to go Total maxillectomy with resection of the overlying cheek skin and neck dissection
  14. The palate from below Infrastructure maxillectomy ▶ Video
  15. The temporal bone from outside Lateral temporal bone resection with upper neck dissection ▶ Video

Part VII · The ear

  1. Through the round window Cochlear implant (Nucleus CI632, slim modiolar electrode) through the extended round window approach ▶ Video
  2. Square off the edges Cochlear implant through cortical mastoidectomy, posterior tympanotomy and round window ▶ Video
  3. It came back Endoscopic clearance with PORP and fascia graft ▶ Video
  4. Two ears to reshape Excision with helical advancement; cup-ear correction with a cartilage frame ▶ Video
  5. A cartilage cap on the stapes Endoscopic tympanoplasty with tragal cartilage ossiculoplasty ▶ Video
  6. Tucked in front Endoscopic tympanoplasty with anterior tucking ▶ Video
  7. The missing long process Endoscopic ossiculo-tympanoplasty with cartilage over the stapes head ▶ Video
  8. What was left behind Removal of the foreign body and endoscopic tympanoplasty with anterior tucking
  9. A piston through the footplate Endoscopic stapedotomy with a piston prosthesis ▶ Video
  10. Moving the malleus Tympanoplasty with malleus relocation and PORP ossiculoplasty ▶ Video
  11. Freeing the nerve Canal wall down mastoidectomy and facial nerve decompression ▶ Video
  12. A drum through the endoscope Transcanal endoscopic tympanoplasty ▶ Video

Part VIII · Nose, sinuses and the endonasal laboratory

  1. The polyps Functional endoscopic sinus surgery ▶ Video
  2. The map Anatomical landmarks of the anterior skull base ▶ Video
  3. Frontal sinus to clivus Draf III, transcribriform, transsellar, retrosellar and retroclival corridors ▶ Video
  4. Above the sella Transsellar, transtuberculum and transplanum corridors ▶ Video
  5. Learning on the dead Uncinectomy, bulla, posterior ethmoids, sphenoid, frontal recess and skull base ▶ Video
  6. The headache that came late Endoscopic sphenoidotomy and follow-up ▶ Video
  7. A boy who could not breathe Endoscopic transnasal excision ▶ Video
  8. Bone that kept growing Endoscopic skull base surgery with six-month follow-up ▶ Video
  9. The axillary flap Endoscopic frontal sinus surgery with axillary flap
  10. The fungal ball Endoscopic removal ▶ Video

Part IX · Reconstruction

  1. Raising the pectoralis Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap harvest ▶ Video
  2. A neopharynx from the shoulder Supraclavicular artery island flap neopharynx ▶ Video
  3. Behind the ear and down the neck Postauricular–transcervical approach with PMMC reconstruction
Page 1 of 437

Access and publication details

First edition, 2026 · A4 reading layout, 437 pages. The complete book is also available as a PDF (57 MB).

All patients gave consent for the use of their images in teaching and publication. Faces are excluded or the eyes are masked, and names, dates and hospital numbers have been removed. The book contains operative photographs and is intended for medical professionals and trainees.

Available for personal educational reading. Copyright © 2026 Bhushan Kathuria. Reproduction and redistribution require permission except as permitted by law. Dr Bhushan Kathuria · Reg. No. HN-017323, Haryana Medical Council.

This digital edition is intended for education and professional reference; it does not replace clinical judgement, supervised training or individual medical advice.