Otolaryngology News and Research

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The medical discipline and practice of otolaryngology is a specialty that addresses conditions of the ears, nose, and throat. Another name for this practice is otolaryngology head and neck surgery.

Auditory cortex development becomes vulnerable if it does not receive appropriate stimulation at right time

Hearing scientist Daniel Polley, Ph.D., an investigator at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary's Eaton-Peabody Laboratories of Auditory Physiology, has gained new insight into why a relatively short-term hearing deprivation during childhood may lead to persistent hearing deficits, long after hearing is restored to normal.

11 Mar 2010

Clinical and scientific advances made in the field of neuro-oncology

Many important clinical and basic scientific advances have been made in the past five years in the field of neuro-oncology, according to an editorial and several articles in the March issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

9 Mar 2010

LEO Pharma presents Phase III study results of PEP005 Gel 0.05% for treatment of AK at 68th AAD meeting

Specialty pharmaceutical company LEO Pharma today announced that findings from a Phase III study evaluating PEP005 (ingenol mebutate) Gel 0.05% to treat actinic keratosis (AK), a common pre-cursor to skin cancer, were presented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) (Scientific Session Poster Discussion: P105). Results from REGION-I demonstrated treatment with PEP005 Gel once daily for 2 consecutive days.

5 Mar 2010

Balloon Sinuplasty minimally invasive surgery safe for treating chronic sinusitis in children

A recently published study in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy demonstrates Balloon Sinuplasty™ technology to be safe when used by physicians in pediatric patients. Known as the INTACT study, this is a prospective, non-randomized, multicenter study and was sponsored by Acclarent, Inc.

2 Mar 2010

Diagosis of head and neck lesions: Ultrasound-guided FNA better than standard palpation technique

Office-based, surgeon-performed, ultrasound-guided, fine needle aspiration (FNA) of head and neck lesions yields a statistically significant higher diagnostic rate compared to the standard palpation technique, indicates new research in the March 2010 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

1 Mar 2010

Early implantation of cochlear devices in deaf children leads to better overall quality of life

Profoundly deaf children with cochlear implants to help them to hear rate their quality of life equal to their normal-hearing peers, according to new research from UT Southwestern Medical Center auditory specialists.

24 Feb 2010

Head and neck tumors in close proximity to sensitive areas may lead to brain injury, visionary risk or hearing loss

When head and neck tumors - from sinus tumors to acoustic neuromas attached to the hearing and balance nerve at the base of the skull - are located in close proximity to such sensitive areas such as the brain and eyes, they are particularly dangerous due to possible brain injury, visionary risk or hearing loss.

23 Feb 2010

Smokers, tobacco users and high alcohol consumers: Get mouths, gums and tongues checked for cancer

The National Basketball Association's (NBA) Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl announced today that he has been diagnosed with treatable neck and throat cancer. According to published media reports, Karl's physician says the coach has cancer of his right tonsil that has spread to a lymph node in his neck. The 58-year-old Karl, who is also a prostate cancer survivor, coached in the NBA's All-Star game this past weekend.

22 Feb 2010

Early Cochlear implantation removes word-learning skill defects in deaf children

Learning words may be facilitated by early exposure to auditory input, according to research presented by the Indiana University School of Medicine at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting in San Diego, Feb. 18-22.

22 Feb 2010

Acute sinus infections always begin as cold

Have a cold that just won't go away or is getting worse? Chances are your cold has developed into a sinus infection - a common problem this time of year, says Alan Wild, M.D., assistant professor of otolaryngology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

18 Feb 2010

Taking zinc supplements reduces otitis media in healthy children: No clear evidence

A new Cochrane review did not find clear evidence that taking zinc supplements reduces the occurrence of middle ear infections or otitis media in healthy children.

18 Feb 2010

FDA clears Otonomy's IND for clinical trial of OTO-104 in Meniere's disease patients

Otonomy, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance of the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the clinical trial of OTO-104 in patients with Meniere's disease, a debilitating disorder of the inner ear affecting balance and hearing.

17 Feb 2010

Bone-anchored hearing aids appear to be durable treatment option for single-sided deafness

Surgically implanted hearing aids anchored to the skull bone appear to be a durable treatment option that noticeably improves hearing among children with deafness in one ear, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

16 Feb 2010

Tinnitus not a highly inherited condition, says study

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, does not appear to be a highly inherited condition (i.e., does not pass frequently from parents to offspring), according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

16 Feb 2010

Tobacco users with HPV-positive head and neck cancers at increased risk of recurrence

Patients with head and neck cancer linked to high risk human papillomavirus, or HPV, have worse outcomes if they are current or former tobacco users, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

15 Feb 2010

Virtual tool enhances cataract surgery training programs

The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Cataract Surgery Trainer, a virtual training tool which helps to train physicians to perform cataract surgery, has been shown to enhance teaching in cataract surgery when compared to traditional teaching methods.

3 Feb 2010

Baker's yeast promising against cancer

A researcher at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science is investigating the potential use of non-pathogenic baker's yeast as a promising, natural therapy for cancer.

3 Feb 2010

Cochlear implantation enables quality of life equal to normal hearing peers

Children who have cochlear implants (CI) rank their quality of life (QOL) equal to their normally hearing (NH) peers, indicates new research in the February 2010 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

1 Feb 2010

Findings demonstrate direct correlation between improved air quality and pediatric ear infections

A new study by researchers at UCLA and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston suggests that improvements in air quality over the past decade have resulted in fewer cases of ear infections in children.

28 Jan 2010

Study shows benefits of endoscopic sinus surgery for patients with chronic sinusitis

Adults with chronic rhinosinusitis -a debilitating inflammation of the nasal passages that lasts for months and keeps coming back - report significantly improved quality of life following minimally invasive endoscopic sinus surgery, according to a new study led by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).