Improving Quality of Life for Allergic and Nonallergic Rhinitis Patients
Rhinitis—inflammation of the nasal mucosa—has two main types: allergic (IgE-mediated) and nonallergic; together, they affect more than 50 million Americans.
Other
New Guidelines Developed to Manage Thyroid Nodules and Thyroid Cancer
Practice guidelines have recently been developed for patients with thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer.
Everyday Ethics, Health Policy
Health Care Reform Tops Domestic Agenda in 2008 Presidential Race
With, reportedly, more than 40 million Americans uninsured and health care costs spiraling out of control, it’s no wonder that health care reform tops the list of domestic issues among the 2008 presidential candidates.
Sensory Testing of Swallowing Reflex Expands Diagnostic and Treatment Potential
Until 1980, the primary technique for assessing patients with dysphagia was the modified barium swallow (MBS). It was then that fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing was added to the diagnostic armamentarium.
Botulinum Toxin Injections for ADSD and Chronic Salivary Aspiration
Presenters at several scientific sessions at the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting (COSM) reported on their recent studies involving the use of botulinum toxin type A (Botox® [BTX]; Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA) injections to treat adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) and chronic salivary aspiration.
Are Steroids the Best Treatment for AIED?
Although steroids are effective for many patients with autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED), there are still challenges in diagnosing the condition, mysteries behind what happens to the inner ear, and controversy over whether intratympanic injections help.
Health Policy
Health Care Reform Is In, Charlie Brown
As I was putting my thoughts together for this editorial, I read Peanuts in the Sunday comics, and found a great health care reform analogy.
Everyday Ethics, Practice Management
Pay4Call: Economic, Ethical, and Quality Issues of Payment for Taking Call: Physicians Angry at Lack of Payment
In one of the first sessions at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery annual meeting, otolaryngologists made it overwhelmingly clear that they believe they should be paid for being on call for emergencies and consultations.
Everyday Ethics
SDB Morbidity in Children Can Be Improved by Surgery
Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a major problem in children because it is associated with behavioral, cognitive, and emotional morbidity.