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Researchers find palatal implants provide effective snoring relief

Researchers find that inserting three matchstick sized pieces of polyester material in the upper palate is a simple, low cost, and easily tolerated office procedure that provides effective snoring relief.

17 Sep 2004

Children with complications from acute sinusits may experience significant illness from their infection

Acute sinusitis is a common pediatric disorder, accounting for 21 percent of children’s antibiotic prescriptions.

17 Sep 2004

MRI is becoming more recognized as useful in the etiological investigation of sudden deafness

For the patient, sudden deafness can be terrifying. For the specialist, this disorder can be most challenging for the cause of sudden deafness cannot be readily determined by use of the most advanced diagnostic tests.

17 Sep 2004

Mitomycin C offers limited benefit in reducing unsightly scars

The tendency for extreme scarring is one reason many African Americans avoid plastic surgery and other surgical incisions. Though surgeons continue to develop less invasive techniques that minimize scarring, other options are needed to help these individuals who are prone to developing keloid scars.

17 Sep 2004

Strep A is showing up in increased numbers of head and neck abscesses

Head and neck abscesses are infrequent complications of upper respiratory infections, but they can occur suddenly and be rapidly progressive. If untreated, the abscesses can lead to airway obstruction, vision loss, intracranial infections, and even death.

17 Sep 2004

Study compares cheap take-home sleep test to expensive polysomnography test

Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea usually involves polysomnograpy, an overnight sleep test in a sleep clinic or lab. Results of a new study indicate that a take-home sleep test is just as effective as a polysomnography and is less expensive while providing timely results.

17 Sep 2004

Study compares coblation tonsillectomy to traditional method of removing tonsils

Tonsillectomy remains one of the most common childhood surgeries with an increasing number of the surgeries being done to treat obstructive sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing.

17 Sep 2004

Neck surgeons brush up on West Nile virus

Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, being held September 19-22, 2004, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY.

17 Sep 2004

Crohn’s disease may be caused by same bacterium that causes Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in cattle, sheep, and goats

A study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggests that Crohn’s disease may be caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the same bacterium that causes a similar intestinal disorder (known as Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease) in cattle, sheep, and goats.

17 Sep 2004

Coronary angioplasty within 24 hours of medical therapy could improve the outcome for heart-attack patients

Results of a randomised trial in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest that a more aggressive approach involving coronary angioplasty soon after anticlotting medical therapy is safe and could offer a better prognosis than more conservative treatment for patients who have had heart attack.

17 Sep 2004

Study highlights relationship between schizophrenia and suicide in China

The potential relationship of two important public health problems for China—schizophrenia and suicide—is highlighted by an epidemiological study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

17 Sep 2004

Well-rested, refreshed doctors are as important for patient well-being as awake and alert pilots are for safe aviation

Vital rest rooms for junior doctors have been reopened following a sit-in by doctors and pressure from the BMA.

17 Sep 2004

Poverty not linked to winter deaths in elderly

Although Britain has a large burden of excess winter deaths, this study suggests that policies to relieve fuel poverty alone may only be partially successful.

17 Sep 2004

Israeli clinicians keen on using placebos in treating patients

Three out of five Israeli clinicians report using placebos – inactive treatments or drugs – in treating patients, despite the medical profession's official disapproval of their use, say the authors of a BMJ Online First paper this week.

17 Sep 2004

Hib infection on the rise in children despite vaccination programme

Cases of the Hib infection (haemophilus influenzae type b) among children and adults have risen in recent years, despite a vaccination programme which initially proved successful, say researchers in this week's BMJ.

17 Sep 2004

Toxicology is far from robust and based on flawed evidence

The science of measuring drug levels in the blood after death is far from robust and based on flawed evidence - leading to likely miscarraiges of justice and conspiracy theories, say forensic scientists in this week's BMJ.

17 Sep 2004

Consumption of milk seems to be evaporating

Just as the milkman disappeared from America’s cultural horizon, the consumption of milk seems to be evaporating, replaced by more — and more super-sizing — soda drinkers.

17 Sep 2004

Early drinking means a greater likelihood of problem drinking later in life

The likelihood of alcohol abuse or dependence later in life increased by 12 percent for every year of decrease in the age of first drink, says lead researcher James L. York, Ph.D., of the State University of New York at Buffalo.

17 Sep 2004

BMA demands smokefree workplaces

Passive Smoking Kills! Smokefree workplaces save lives! Introduce the legislation in Northern Ireland now!

16 Sep 2004

Jellyfish advance science

Salmon fishermen trolling along the waters off Puget Sound in Washington are often witness to an awesome sight when they haul in their catch: salmon captured in nets that glow brilliantly against the nighttime sky.

16 Sep 2004