Septoplasty is a surgical procedure whereby the septum, which is the wall that separates the right and left nasal cavities, is straightened out. Read more details of the surgery here.During this surgical procedure, it is not uncommon for ENT surgeons to place splints and/or packing to bring the septum back together after the procedure is performed. Other surgeons avoid placing splints/packing by suturing the septum together.A relatively new device called the ENTact Septal Stapler is yet another way to get the septum back together after straightening....
Monday, 28 February 2011
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Yes... It's absolutely true! There's even research on this (limited).The mixture ratio is 1/2 teaspoon of Johnsons No-Tears Baby Shampoo in 8 ounces of saltwater rinsed into the nose using a sinus rinse bottle can help with chronic sinusitis, especially when there's a lot of crusting present and to which all other therapies have failed to resolve.The shampoo appears to work via several mechanisms theoretically:1) It is directly toxic to germs2)...
I know... I know... I'm an ENT, so why am I doing a post on miscarriages? Well, I could not help myself given how outlandish this is... And I did put a picture of a pregnant woman who is smoking and smoking is an ENT problem!In any case...So most people in the United States would not bat an eye regarding how abortion can potentially be considered murder.Most people also would agree with the idea of involuntary manslaughter if a person died due to...
With all the recent news about increased glucose metabolism in the area of the brain in proximity to cell phone antennas (study abstract here), I thought it worth re-printing this blog article I wrote back in November 2010 regarding the possibility that cell phone makers may know more about health risks associated with cell phone use than they may be letting on. There's another blog article I wrote regarding what studies ARE already out there...
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
This article is reprinted with kind permission from Dr. Robert Henkin of the Smell and Taste Clinic located in Washington DC.Answers to the Four Questions Required to Determine Cause of Smell and Taste Disorders: Question 1. DETECTION THRESHOLD – Can you detect the least concentrated stimulus from among three presented stimuli – two of which are either water (tastants) or neutral (odorants) and one of which is different?This answer tells us...
In this video, the patient suffered from a severe phlegmy throat after suffering from a stroke. His secretions did not pass down to his stomach, but rather collected in his throat causing constant throat-clearing and coughing up clear phlegm.As you can see in the video, there is a tremendous amount of mucus pooling present.Treatment was geared toward improving his swallowing function so that his secretions would not collect in his throat.If you are...
Monday, 21 February 2011
HPV may now be overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of oral cancers in America in people under age 50.And HPV, otherwise known as Human Papilloma Virus responsible for gential warts and cervical cancer, finds it way into the mouth via oral sex.The latest data suggest that 64% of oral cancers are caused by HPV, which is more than tobacco causes. Furthermore, as the number of partners on whom you have performed oral sex goes up, the risk of oral...
Sunday, 20 February 2011
The film "The King's Speech," nominated for Oscars in 12 categories for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards hits home for many who suffer from stuttering. However, I am sure this story also has empathetically affected those patients who suffer from spasmodic dysphonia.What is spasmodic dysphonia?Think of it as stuttering of the voicebox where the words get stuck in the throat level rather than the mouth level.Both conditions result in patients severely...
Scientists recently figured out exactly what happens to a bear when they hibernate... For SIX to SEVEN MONTHS...- Their metabolism decreases by 75%. The breathing and heart-rate also decreases- Their body temperature stays the same- They do not produce urine or feces- They do not eat or drink- Bone strength remains the same- Their muscle mass and strength remains the sameNow, lets take a look at humans, especially those who are bedridden in a hospital...
Saturday, 19 February 2011
First off... the cerebellum and pons are part of the brain that is responsible for some very important things like balance, breathing, regulating blood pressure, heartbeat, etc. So one would think that without a cerebellum or pons, life would not be possible.Well... it seems that may not be quite true.You see, there's a young boy missing those parts of the brain who not only is living without mechanical assistance, but eventually managed to sit up...
I watched this touching video of what it is like to fall in love... that very moment when you see the love of your life for the first time... and the world falls away. Time slows down. That feeling of elation, passion, love overwhelms. Time stands still. Everything else blurs out except for him/her...Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.Now from a medical perspective, how can we test this? If "love" is considered a disease, how can we positively...
Friday, 18 February 2011
At least it was for one patient who suffered stabbing headaches for 4 years after being mugged... and another due to a nailgun accident who complained mainly of a toothache...As unbelievable as it sounds, neither patients realized they had a knife/nail in their head until an x-ray was done showing the culprit.Read more in the LA Times story here.Read the MSNBC story he...
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Auralgan Otic Solution, a prescription drug used to treat pain and inflammation associated with ear infections, was being distributed in violation of federal law because the product does not have FDA approval and its labeling does not include adequate directions for use.On Feb. 5, 2010, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Deston, the maker of Auralgan, citing the company for distributing unapproved new drugs and misbranded drugs.As such, on Feb 15,...
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
The Daily Mail published a story about a patient who suffered from right ear pain since the age of 14 that ultimately was found to be due to a tooth in the ear at the age of 47 years!Removal of the tooth resolved his long-standing ear pain. It was also the last tooth to get removed as he had all his teeth inside his mouth removed years ago.Based on the size, it is conjectured to be a baby mandibular front incisor.My theory? Either he or some other...
I received in the mail today a new device called aveoTSD anti-snoring aid by Glidewell Laboratories.According to the literature, the way it works is by advancing the tongue forward thereby preventing the tongue from falling backward and vibrating against the throat's back wall causing snoring as well as obstructive sleep apnea.The way the device moves the tongue forward is by literally suctioning the tongue tip into the device and holding it in place...
According to a study published in 2011, more than 20 percent of young children with colds or other respiratory viral infections will develop middle ear infections of varying severity-including some mild infections.This finding is not really that surprising. Even adults have ear symptoms with a viral URI including ear fullness and difficulty popping the ear. Though adults do what they can to keep the ears clear by valsalva, swallowing, chewing...
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf suffered multiple nasal and sinus fractures when he took a puck to the forehead during a win over Phoenix on December 28, 2010.He visited a maxillofacial surgeon and had a CT scan which revealed those fractures were non-displaced and stable. A further evaluation determined that the bone breaks remained stable and that surgery was not be required.This case illustrates that most facial fractures do NOT require surgical...
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Even though our office has been offering hearing tests and hearing aid services in Fauquier County for over a decade, many people are still surprised when they learn they can get hearing tests, hearing aids, ear plugs, and other ear & hearing services in our office. The additional benefit is having a ENT specialist also present in the same office.Furthermore, we offer a comprehensive suite of other related services including non-sedated ABR (auditory...
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Our office has produced a new video on non-sedated ABR/OAE hearing testing. Such testing traditionally required sedation as the patient was required to be absolutely still and quiet in order to obtain accurate test results. However, new technology now enables such testing to be performed without sedation. Furthermore, given the testing can be performed wirelessly, the patient can stand and walk around. Absolute quiet is also no longer necessary and...
First, one needs to know what is causing the clog before proper treatment can be initiated. There's a few assumptions here before proceeding.• You have no ear problems typically• There is no "pain" per se other than perhaps a pressure type pain. If there's actual PAIN present, you most likely have an ear infection and this article does not apply to you.• You currently have no other symptoms (ie, sinus or nasal problems). An upper respiratory infection...
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Dr. Christopher Chang will be a guest lecturer at Shenandoah University for a course on Anatomy and Function of the Singing Voice (MUPP 533) on February 9, 2011. The lecture will be held during normally scheduled hours at 5:00 - 6:40PM in Ruebush R209. This particular lecture will focus on Video Laryngoscopy.The second lecture he will give for the same course will be held on March 23 at 5PM and will focus on Vocal Abuse and Misu...
Monday, 7 February 2011
For most people, the answer is yes according to research publicized in a New York Times article on Feb 7, 2011.In the mentioned study, out of a group of 100 patients, 69% exhibited increased supraglottic hyperfunction with whispered voice (ie, it was bad for the voice). 18% had no change and 13% had less severe hyperfunction. As such, though whispering is not bad for everybody, it is for most people and as such, the safest thing to do if the vocal...
Sunday, 6 February 2011
A story was published in December 2010 about Roger Daltrey's experience with losing his voice and requiring vocal cord surgery literally 6 weeks before he was to sing at the Superbowl February 2010.Fortunately, under the expert care of Dr. Zeitels at Massachusetts General Voice Center, he was successfully treated and recovered his voice in time to sing during the 2010 Superbowl half-time show in Miami.Read the story he...
I was recently made aware of this video Miley Cyrus made in January 2009 when she reported that she cut her uvula (according to a nurse) after swallowing a slippery piece of chicken causing her voice to sound quite hoarse. Watch the video here:However, based on how her voice sounds, I seriously doubt that her hoarseness is due to a cut uvula. When the uvula gets cut, or swollen, or gets injured one way or another, it would cause her voice to sound...
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Our office has created a new video on how a uvulectomy (or uvula excision) is performed to treat not only snoring, but chronic cough, throat-clearing, and even gagging due to an extremely long uvula.Though the procedure can be performed awake without sedation in adult patients without a severe gag reflex, for those with a bad gag reflex, it must be performed under general anesthesia as shown in this video.For more info on this procedure, click here.Check...
Friday, 4 February 2011
Xyzal and Clarinex are both anti-histamines used to treat allergies. Both medications are now available as generics by prescription since December 2010. The active ingredient for both xyzal and clarinex are the active stereoisomer of the over-the-counter zyrtec and claritin respectively.In other words, zyrtec and claritin available over-the-counter contain the same active ingredient found in xyzal and clarinex, but in an "un-purified" state. Still...
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
What is ABR/OAE? ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) as well as OAE (Oto-Acoustic Emission) are specialized hearing tests that can evaluate whether a child/infant/newborn can hear without requiring them to respond. These tests are completely non-invasive. Just like an EKG measures a heart's electrical activity using little stickers, ABR/OAE testing checks out the electrical activity from the ear to the brain. Special stickers on the head enable us...
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
MSNBC published a story on Feb 1, 2011 regarding a new study suggesting a link between childhood obesity and tonsillectomy.What they found was a greater than expected weight gain in both normal weight and overweight children after tonsillectomy over a 6-12 month period of time. In one study, the average body mass index of the kids increased by about 7 percent. In another analysis of 249 children, 50 to 75 percent of kids had weight gain after surgery....
The Doctors TV show at some point in the past (not sure when), did a segment on surgery used to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The surgery portrayed was UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty). Dr. Brian Weeks, the featured otolaryngologist, removed the tonsils and uvula followed by suturing the cut mucosa to reposition the soft tissues of the patient's throat.This operation is a basic surgical method addressing obstructive sleep apnea. However, prior to...
A new video has been created and uploaded onto our YouTube channel showing how a UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) sleep apnea surgery is performed. This surgery is commonly performed to try and improve or even cure obstructive sleep apnea in adults. This surgery rarely is performed in kids.Read more about UPPP here. More info about obstructive sleep apnea can be found here.Another operation used to treat obstructive sleep apnea in adults along...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
