Throat News and Research

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X-ray measurements help determine whether chronic problems with the hard-to-reach frontal sinuses can be corrected with surgery

"The frontal sinus is behind the forehead and it has a very tortuous drainage," says Dr. Stil E. Kountakis, vice chair of the Medical College of Georgia Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. "It's the most difficult sinus to work with."

6 Jul 2005

Tourette's and obsessive compulsive disorders linked to strep throat

A new study is suggesting that Strep throat infections can triple a child's risk of developing compulsive behaviors or tics, an indication that the same antibodies that attack the infection may also damage brain cells.

6 Jul 2005

Rain forest tree gives new hope for psoriasis sufferers

A team of scientists at University of Newcastle upon Tyne have discovered that an ointment, dithranol, used to soothe psoriasis actually kills the cells that cause the problem.

29 Jun 2005

Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure device helps heart failure patients with obstructive sleep apnea get a good night's rest

Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device not only helps heart failure patients with obstructive sleep apnea get a good night's rest, it lowers blood pressure and heart rate well into the morning, apparently, by reducing sympathetic nervous system activity, according to a new study (PDF) in the June 21, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

21 Jun 2005

Study identifies day-of-surgery crisis

A study from Sydney University's Centre for Health Services based at Westmead Hospital, has shown that more than one in 10 operations over a six month period were cancelled at the last minute.

21 Jun 2005

Drinking soft drinks and other beverages through a properly positioned straw can help to minimize the risk of cavities

Americans drink roughly 576 soft drinks every year - about one and a half cans a day for everyone in the United States. Drinking these beverages places the people who may not follow proper oral hygiene techniques at a higher risk for cavities and other oral health problems.

15 Jun 2005

Promising new vaccine candidate to prevent middle ear infections

Hoping to prevent ear infections for the more than 15 million children in the United States who suffer from them, a promising new vaccine candidate to prevent middle ear infections (otitis media) is being developed by researchers at the Columbus Children’s Research Institute (CCRI) on the campus of Columbus Children’s Hospital.

9 Jun 2005

New process removes allergy potential from peanut products

Scientists say a special fermentation process may significantly reduce the potential for allergic reaction to peanut products.

6 Jun 2005

Losing weight for a better night's sleep

Significant weight loss can improve the sleep patterns of severely obese people, leading to less daytime sleepiness and better quality of life, a study by the Monash University Centre of Obesity Research and Education has found.

1 Jun 2005

Is winter flu worse because of exercise-induced 'window of susceptibility'?

When you exercise or work outside in winter, that dry feeling at the back of your throat indicates the cold air has irritated your throat. Racehorses share a similar experience: exercising in below-freezing air causes mild airway injury.

26 May 2005

Statin drugs prescribed for heart disease also reduce the risk of colon cancer

According to new research released this week people taking statin drugs to control the progression of heart disease may be getting the extra benefit of protection from colorectal cancer.

25 May 2005

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsies are a safe and effective alternative to endoscopic biopsies

In most cases (61%) a diagnosis was possible after two passes with the biopsy needle. There were no major complications. In 14 of the patients, malignancy was diagnosed; eight patients had benign results.

20 May 2005

New drug fluticasone was just as effective as beclomethasone and budesonide at opening up constricted breathing passages

A new inhaled drug for chronic asthma may improve lung function as much as two older inhaled asthma drugs but at half the dose, a review of recent studies concludes.

19 May 2005

Cameras and MP3 players are fun, but the next wave of add-ons for cell phones and laptops may help users keep track of their health

A University of Florida engineer has built a working prototype for a small, portable system that can monitor a person’s breathing and heart rate automatically via wireless signal, with no need for cords or plugs. The goal is to make it easy for people to check their own vital signs, and then transmit them in real time to medical personnel through a cell phone or Internet connection, all with little more than a press of a button.

18 May 2005

Tonsil swabbing is terrible - it makes people gag

Mayo Clinic ear, nose and throat surgeons hoped to find a more user-friendly test for strep throat than swabbing the tonsils directly, but instead discovered that the swab has to touch the tonsils to accurately detect the infection.

15 May 2005

Surgical technique provides the first permanent solution to treating vocal-cord spasms

The first large, long-term study of patients who had surgery to control vocal-cord spasms showed excellent results in the majority of cases, reports new UCLA research presented May 14 at the 126th Annual Meeting of the American Laryngological Association.

15 May 2005

Robotic surgery dramatically reduces physical trauma for head & neck cancer patients

For patients with cancer of the mouth and throat, surgery is a frequent course of treatment, often leading to speech and swallowing dysfunction and external scarring.

15 May 2005

Marburg virus - 275 confirmed cases

The World Health Organization (WHO) and health authorities in Angola have confirmed 275 cases including 255 deaths, in an outbreak of Marburg virus in north-western Angola since April 27 this year.

2 May 2005

New camera-in-a-pill helps diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus

A new camera-in-a-pill can help doctors diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus (a pre-cancerous condition) without the use of a traditional endoscope.

1 May 2005

Tumors of the pituitary gland are more common than thought

A recent study found that tumors of the pituitary gland are more common than many health care professionals realize, with national prevalence rates averaging 16.7 percent. To neurosurgeon Dr. Gail Rosseau, this isn't surprising.

1 May 2005

Throat News and Research

X-ray measurements help determine whether chronic problems with the hard-to-reach frontal sinuses can be corrected with surgery

Tourette's and obsessive compulsive disorders linked to strep throat

Rain forest tree gives new hope for psoriasis sufferers

Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure device helps heart failure patients with obstructive sleep apnea get a good night's rest

Study identifies day-of-surgery crisis

Drinking soft drinks and other beverages through a properly positioned straw can help to minimize the risk of cavities

Promising new vaccine candidate to prevent middle ear infections

New process removes allergy potential from peanut products

Losing weight for a better night's sleep

Is winter flu worse because of exercise-induced 'window of susceptibility'?

Statin drugs prescribed for heart disease also reduce the risk of colon cancer

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsies are a safe and effective alternative to endoscopic biopsies

New drug fluticasone was just as effective as beclomethasone and budesonide at opening up constricted breathing passages

Cameras and MP3 players are fun, but the next wave of add-ons for cell phones and laptops may help users keep track of their health

Tonsil swabbing is terrible - it makes people gag

Surgical technique provides the first permanent solution to treating vocal-cord spasms

Robotic surgery dramatically reduces physical trauma for head & neck cancer patients

Marburg virus - 275 confirmed cases

New camera-in-a-pill helps diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus

Tumors of the pituitary gland are more common than thought

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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