Tall Women (Over 5'1") Have Higher Risk of Cancer!

Female models may be tall and beautiful, but they are also at markedly increased risk of developing cancer. The New York Times reported on a fascinating research article regarding height of a women and risk of cancer.Specifically, for every four-inch increase in height over 5 feet 1 inch, the risk that a woman would develop cancer increased by about 16 percent, especially for:• Colon Cancer (RR per 10 cm increase in height 1.25, 95% CI 1.19—1.30)•...

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Tonsillectomy Airway Fire

ABC News reported in 2008 about a California family suing doctors as well as Conmed, an electro-surgical instrument company, for an airway fire that occurred on April 18, 2003 on an 8 years old child during a routine tonsillectomy surgery.Apparently, an electrocautery device was being used to remove the tonsils when the endotracheal tube caught fire resulting in burns to the child's mouth and airway (no death). It is suspected that the electrocautery...

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World's Largest Tonsils Set in Guinness Book of World Records

It's official...The world's largest tonsils was recently set by a Kansas man who had them removed by tonsillectomy. They measured  in at 2.1 inches long and 1.1 inches wide, thoroughly beating the competition.Read the story on ABC news he...

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Novel Treatment for Non-Allergic Rhinits

Non-allergic rhinitis is an extremely frustrating sino-nasal disorder that is characterized by all the same symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, but NOT due to sinusitis or allergies. Rather, I consider non-allergic rhinitis to be the over-sensitive nose syndrome whereby breathing in air containing particulates (whether smoke, perfume, dust, pollen, etc) PHYSICALLY irritates the nose causing symptoms.This is in contrast to allergies where the pollen...

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2 Years Old Child Dies After Tonsillectomy

In Wichita, Kansas, jury has begun deliberation regarding the death of a 2 years old boy in 2006 the day after tonsillectomy surgery. Read the story here.Based on the limited information provided, the relevant facts I have gleaned from the story are as follows:• Child was appropriately admitted to the hospital after surgery• There is some question regarding what was going on with his oxygen levels and other vital signs during hospitalization• Autopsy revealed pneumonia confined to a small part of one lung• Hydrocodone was prescribed for pain• Lack...

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Can a Deviated Septum Cause Facial Pain?

Yes...There is a phenomenon caused Sluder's Neuralgia whereby a patient may suffer fairly severe pain over the cheek and around the eye due to a severe deviated septum... not just any deviated septum, but a sub-type called a septal spur.As an introduction, a nasal septum is a wall that divides the nasal cavity down the middle. This nasal wall is much larger than people realize... perhaps a little bigger than a large man's watch.In some individuals,...

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Awake Endotracheal Intubation Video

It is a common misconception that you need to be completely asleep and sedated in order to be intubated. That is patently false.With good local anesthesia, intubation can be performed on a wide-awake patient without any sedation. Take a look at this video where an anesthesiologist instructor essentially intubates himself in front of an audience... I didn't make it, but I wish I did...This little-used technique is a very important skill...

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Test That Distinguishes Between Bacterial or Viral Infections

From the pages of CSI: Miami... a commonly used forensic chemical called luminol to identify traces of blood at crime scenes has been modified to be used in a novel medical test that can help differentiate a viral infection from a bacterial infection.Why is this important?Not uncommonly, it is sometimes hard to differentiate between a bacterial infection which is treated with antibiotics from a viral infection which is NOT treated with antibiotics....

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Snore Absorption Hotel Rooms

First hypoallergenic hotel rooms and now "snore absorption" hotel rooms. No kidding...Crowne Plaza hotels have debuted on a trial basis specially designed hotel rooms to absorb the sounds of snoring. These hotel rooms utilize many different methods to accomplish this including:Sound proofing on walls to absorb the loud frequencies, deflect the sound waves and minimise the impact of snoring. The walls use egg box style foam which reduces the noise...

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New Webpage on Peritonsillar Abscess Added to Website

Our office has created a new webpage on the evaluation and treatment of peritonsillar abscess.Peritonsillar abscess is when a pus collection develops behind the tonsil causing a severe sore throat and trouble swallowing. Read more on how this condition is treated he...

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R&B Singer R. Kelly Undergoes Peritonsillar Abscess Drainage

Reuters on July 20, 2011 reported that R&B singer R. Kelly suffered from a peritonsillar abscess that required emergency drainage.Peritonsillar abscess is when a pus collection develops within the tonsil causing it to swell. This may occur over a period of 24 hours resulting in a severe sore throat and trouble swallowing. This condition is in contrast to tonsillitis which is when the tonsil itself is infected, but no pus collection is present.On...

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Robotic Mouth Sings the "Natural" Way

When it comes to robotics, the sounds they make is either due to the machinery that runs them or an electronic recording that comes out of a speaker.Well, there's a scientist, Hideyuki Sawada, who is working on a robotic "mouth" that produces sound the same way humans do.- Lungs to power the voice using airflow- Vocal cords to create the noise to create a voice- Pharynx (Throat) to create the space and harmonic overtones that affect the "quality"...

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Video Made by Dr. Chang Shown on Animal Planet

On July 17, 2011, Animal Planet aired Swamp Wars "Snake Farm Shootout" where a video made by Dr. Chang was incorporated into the storyline. It was a VERY brief segment of this video clip shown about 30 minutes into the show; specifically, the endoscopic image of the back of the nose. Due to copyright, I can't show the actual video clip. But, here is the video from which the segment was tak...

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Nebulizer Treatment for Chronic Sinusitis

Many people are already aware of nebulizer treatments to help with breathing during asthma attacks and other pulmonary conditions.What many people may not be aware of is that such nebulizer treatments can also potentially be used for chronic sinus infections. One of the best known company offering such treatment is Sinus Dynamics.Using one of several different nebulizers, compounded liquid medications (antibiotics and/or steroids) selected by the...

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Dr. Chang Quoted in National Press Release

Dr. Chang has been quoted in a recent national press release regarding the new Sermo iPhone app.Sermo is a physician only online forum where medical quandaries are discussed and advice requested from physicians by physicians. Dr. Chang was recently contacted by Sermo for an interview regarding the new iPhone Sermo app. In the press release, he is quoted:"The ability to consult with my colleagues in real-time, from the patient's bedside or my exam...

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New Video on Esophageal Manometry and 24 Hour Multi-Channel pH and Impedance Testing

Our office has created a new video describing what a patient goes through when they undergo esophageal manometry as well as 24 hour multi-channel pH and impedance testing.This test is often ordered when a patient is suspected to be suffering from reflux, whether acid or non-acid, or is possibly suffering from abnormal muscle activity of the esophagus.Symptoms that a patient may experience that may lead to such testing include:- phlegmy throat- lump...

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New Webpage on Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis (or Fixation)

We have written up a new webpage discussing the unfortunate situation of bilateral vocal cord paralysis whereby both breathing and vocal quality is adversely affected.Treatment for bilateral vocal cord paralysis is difficult and there is no perfect solution. Treatment to improve breathing usually makes the voice worse. Treatment to improve the voice usually makes the breathing worse. The best (but not perfect) treatment tries to pick a happy medium...

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"Sneeze Whisperer" Target Pharmacy Commercial

Take a look at this commercial promoting Target Pharmacists as a "sneeze-whisperer"...Though pharmacists are very important healthcare professionals who are essential to the management and distribution of prescription drugs, patients need to be aware that pharmacists may be financially rewarded to encourage patients to use certain drugs and not others without regard to whether a given medication may be better or not health-wise. In fact, in some cases, pharmacists may automatically switch certain prescriptions to an alternative without patient...

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Our Practice Website Completely Renovated (www.FauquierENT.net)

Recently, readers may have noticed that I have not been as prolific with blog articles as I have been in the past. The reason is because I've been in the process of overhauling the our practice's official website (www.FauquierENT.net) to the latest and greatest in webpage coding incorporating HTML5 and CSS3 standards.Given the official practice website contains over 200 webpages... it just took a very long time and I required the assistance...

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Sermo iPhone App Review

Sermo is an online physician-only forum where doctors ask other doctors for advice. It's where we post particularly thorny/difficult medical issues we encounter in our patients (no patient identifiers of course) and pick the brains of thousands of other doctors across many different specialties throughout the Unites States for assistance.For example, as an ENT, I can post a particularly unusual patient presentation that has me stumped... for example...

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