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.

National clinical trial to test new avenue for tinnitus treatment

UT Southwestern Medical Center will take part in a national clinical trial to test a device that could provide relief for people suffering from tinnitus, a persistent buzzing or ringing sound in the ears. The device uses nervous system stimuli to rewire parts of the brain, in hopes of significantly reducing or removing tinnitus.

7 Mar 2014

UNM physician performs TORS procedure on patient with stage IV throat cancer

When Charlie Guinn sits down to eat with his lovely wife of 39 years, he thoroughly enjoys each bite. It's not just the food; the entire experience is a celebration. Just over a year ago, Mr. Guinn learned that he had stage IV throat cancer.

4 Mar 2014

Goal: Therapies for hearing loss and communications problems

Research scientist Christine Portfors will study how the brain chemical dopamine influences hearing with support from the National Institutes of Health. The work may ultimately lead to better therapies for people with hearing loss and communication problems.

27 Feb 2014

Sinus and Allergy Center receives $8.4M NIH grant to help advance development of new treatments

The Northwestern Medicine- Sinus and Allergy Center has received a grant for more than $8.4 million from the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to help advance the understanding of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and the development of new methods for its treatment over the next five years.

26 Feb 2014

Study: Recurrence of SCCOP may differ in HPV-positive and HPV-negative patients

Patients with HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (SCCOP) had a longer time to development of distant metastasis (DM) after initial treatment, and had more metastatic sites in more atypical locations compared to HPV-negative patients, according to research presented today at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

21 Feb 2014

HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer patients show longer survival pattern than those related to smoking

People with late-stage cancer at the back of the mouth or throat that recurs after chemotherapy and radiation treatment are twice as likely to be alive two years later if their cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), new research led by a Johns Hopkins scientist suggests.

21 Feb 2014

HPV-positive patients with OPSCC show higher overall survival rate than HPV-negative patients

A retrospective analysis of oropharyngeal patients with recurrence of disease after primary therapy in the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) studies 0129 or 0522 found that HPV-positive patients had a higher overall survival (OS) rate than HPV-negative patients (at two years post-treatment, 54.6 percent vs. 27.6 percent, respectively), according to research presented today at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

20 Feb 2014

UPV/EHU researchers develop method for diagnosis, prognosis of cutaneous melanoma

UPV/EHU researchers have developed a method for the diagnosis and prognosis of cutaneous melanoma, the type of skin cancer with the highest mortality rate.This method will help not only in the more effective early detection of this cancer, but also in the development of more personalised treatments.

20 Feb 2014

Cook Medical launches new treatment option for otolaryngologists

Cook Medical has launched a new treatment option for otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat specialists) who repair the dura mater following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks at the base of the skull. Cook's Biodesign Duraplasty Graft is the latest Biodesign product from Cook Medical's Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery clinical division.

From COOK MEDICAL INC. 20 Feb 2014

Researchers design prototype system-on-chip that could make fully implanted cochlear implant

Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have designed a prototype system-on-chip that could make possible a fully implanted cochlear implant. They will present their findings on Feb. 11at the IEEE International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco.

11 Feb 2014

New comprehensive textbook on tiny parathyroid glands for endocrine surgeons

How robots enable no-neck-scar thyroid surgery and advanced imaging helps surgeons track down often elusive, tiny parathyroid glands are timely topics for a new comprehensive textbook for endocrine surgeons.

6 Feb 2014

Study reveals alarming increase in oropharyngeal cancers among young adults

A new study reveals an alarming increase in oropharyngeal cancers among young adults. While the exact cause for this phenomenon is unknown, the human papillomavirus (HPV) may be to blame.

30 Jan 2014

Human visual system can retain plasticity even after extended blindness

Deprivation of vision during critical periods of childhood development has long been thought to result in irreversible vision loss.

28 Jan 2014

Aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of lethal intracranial tumor

Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Massachusetts General Hospital have demonstrated, for the first time, that aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of vestibular schwannomas (also known as acoustic neuromas), a sometimes lethal intracranial tumor that typically causes hearing loss and tinnitus.

24 Jan 2014

Study suggests potential therapeutic role of aspirin in inhibiting vestibular schwannoma growth

24 Jan 2014

Number of cancer stem cells in tumor might inaccurately estimate tumor's recurrence or progression

New research from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James) suggests that it may be the quality of cancer stem cells rather than their quantity that leads to better survival in certain patients with oral cancer.

23 Jan 2014

Clinician scientist receives RPB Career Development Award to support eye research

The Harvard Medical School (HMS) Department of Ophthalmology has been granted a $250,000 Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Career Development Award to support eye research conducted by Jason I. Comander, M.D., Ph.D. The support will be provided over a four-year period.

22 Jan 2014

AOM associated with significant increases in direct costs incurred by consumers, health care system

Acute otitis media, or ear infection, is the most common ailment among kids of preschool age and younger in the U.S., primarily because these children have immature middle-ear drainage systems, higher exposure to respiratory illnesses and undeveloped immune systems.

10 Jan 2014

Mild electronic stimulation therapy to upper airway during sleep effective in reducing OSA

Results published in a new study in the Jan. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine report that mild electronic stimulation therapy to the upper airway during sleep is effective in reducing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

9 Jan 2014

Implantation of sleep apnea device can lead to improvements for patients with OSA

Implantation of a sleep apnea device called Inspire- Upper Airway Stimulation therapy can lead to significant improvements for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, according to a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.