October Highlights from Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Journal

Main Category: Hearing / Deafness
Article Date: 31 Oct 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Some 37 original articles are featured in the October, 2004, edition of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

This issue can be accessed at http://www.mosby.com/oto; abstracts of the articles can be viewed online.

Among the new research studies are:

1. Proton pump inhibitor therapy for chronic laryngo-pharyngitis: A randomized placebo-control trial. Inflammation of the larynx and pharynx can lead to hoarseness or even loss of voice. Researchers from Cincinnati explore the effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors, medicine often used in treating severe gastro esophageal reflux, but also suggested as a treatment for chronic laryngo-pharyngitis.

2. Vocal fold augmentation with calcium hydroxylapatite: Calcium hydroxylapatite has been used for dental applications where bone build-up is needed for reconstruction and also in block form for cosmetic applications such as cheek, jaw, cranial, and chin implants. New research examines whether injection of this material for augmentation of the vocal folds is effective in treating vocal fold atrophy, part of the normal aging process, with up to 60 percent of 60-year-old individuals displaying evidence of such glottal insufficiency.

3. Laser cryptolysis for the treatment of halitosis: Good dental hygiene alone cannot help those who suffer from chronic fetid (foul smelling) tonsillitis. Israeli researchers have found confirmed that laser application to accumulated bacterial and other material in the tonsil crypts provide relief to those conscious of their bad breath.

4. Severe hypertrophy of the base of the tongue in adults: An unnatural increase in the size of tongue base follicles is rare in adults. Researchers in otolaryngology in Brazil have concluded from their research that the frequency of hypertrophied follicles is found with gastro-esophageal reflex (GER). Consequently, hypertrophy of the tongue base symptoms are confused with those of GER, except for nasal voice and noisy respiration.

5. Safety of outpatient tonsillectomy in children: A review of six years in a tertiary hospital experience: A major retrospective study of children undergoing outpatient tonsillectomy in a major hospital has found that approximately one in 11 children had post-operative complications with three percent experiencing major bleeding.

6. Pediatric temporal bone fractures in a rural population: Temporal bone fractures can have serious consequences for the facial nerve, middle ear, inner ear, and intracranial contents. These fractures are commonly associated with head trauma, occurring in 30 to 75 percent of adult blunt head traumas and six to 14 percent of pediatric blunt head traumas. Pennsylvania otolaryngologists have found that in a rural environment animal-related injuries were the second most common cause of fractures in children five and younger. Such injuries were caused by dog attacks, horse falls and tramplings, and cow kicks.

7. Hearing loss in steel band musicians: Steel band musicians delight lovers of music. But fans of this West Indian music should realize new research findings reveal that the performers suffer permanent auditory damage from their instrument's high-intensity sound levels and that preventative measures are required to prevent this hearing loss, particularly in younger players.

8. Diagnostic, pathophysiologic, and therapeutic aspects of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Greek researchers describes the advances in understanding how benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, the most common peripheral vestibular disorder is generated, and discuss the current therapeutic modalities.

9. Harmonic Scalpel versus cold knife dissection in superficial parotidectomy: The parotid gland is the largest of the glands that produce saliva important in the digestion of food. The gland lies under the angle of the jaw just beneath the ear. Surgery of the parotid gland may become necessary in the presence of infection or tumor. The Harmonic Scalpel has been found to provide improved operative time, less blood loss, and decreased facial nerve injury compared with conventional techniques in thyroid surgery. Now the procedures are compared for parotid gland removal.

10. Revision cochlear implant surgery: Causes and outcome: Cochlear implantation is not necessary a one-time surgical procedure. Recipients of this technology to assist the deaf have found it necessary to have the device re-inserted into the inner ear for reasons related to device failure or upgrade. A new research effort explores the success of repeating this surgery.

These, and 27 other research findings are available in the October, 2004, edition of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

http://www.mosby.com/oto

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