Category Archives: Unique Content

Sinus Spinal Fluid Leaks

Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea is the medical term for spinal fluid dripping from your brain cavity though your sinuses and out of your nose. It is a very rare condition, usually seen only after head trauma or as a complication of sinus surgery. More rarely, it can be seen occurring spontaneously in the condition of benign […]

The next quantum leap in Hearing Aids has little to do with hearing aids.

Just how we make the impression (or “mold”) of the ear canal has a ton to do with how well the device works, feels, and therefore how successful it is in practice.  One of the commonest reasons for hearing aid noncompliance or disuse has to do with fitting issues, directly related to the feel, and indirectly […]

Today I got my Mole Map CD

http://digitalderm.com/ Survivors of melanoma (or those at risk) will benefit from a whole-body photography service to photograph your moles.  This is particularly helpful for those with a lot freckles and moles (like me) with a history of heavy sun exposure.  Us with numerous moles are a challenge for dermatologists because we rely on the derm’s […]

Let the Ear Tube Season Begin!

The start back of school, new daycare classmates, and the upcoming cold season are a ripe time for ear infections. The earliest middle ear drainage procedures were performed in the late 18th century as a treatment for eustachian tube failure. This involved cutting the eardrum with a small knife (called a myringotomy). It was not […]

The role of minimally invasive sinus procedures

Rhinologists and otolaryngologists recently are at a crossroads about new treatments for chronic sinus infections. This biggest game changer is the Acclarent Ballon Sinuplasty technology that allows for a tiny catheter to thread an inflatable balloon across narrow sinus openings and stretch it (think heart catheters & angioplasty). This technology has been available in the […]

Tongue Stabilization vs Mandibular Advancement Appliances for OSA

Comparative Effects of Two Oral Appliances on Upper Airway Structure in Obstructive Sleep Apnea. These two devices were compared in this recent Sleep journal study published April 2011.  The paper points out the growing evidence toward adopting oral appliance therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.  In this paper the authors reviewed the airway […]

Will Afirma Put an End to Diagnostic Thyroid Surgery?

A new patented genetic test seeks to reduce the number of unnecessary thyroid surgeries. Veracyte is a company that has a patent on Afirma, a genetic testing tool that extracts genetic information from thyroid needle biopsies and compares it to a database of known thyroid cancer-associated genetic mutations. Statistical rigor is applied and the specimen […]

Feature with Dr. Redding: When Do I go to the Doctor with a Cold?

Exactly when to visit your doctor with cold symptoms can be puzzling.  Every week I see patients that can’t seem to wait to come in to let me know they have “been sick for three days”, whereas others “have been fighting this for 3 months” before they seek care. A recent study in the Journal […]

No antibiotics for sinusitis? -JAMA

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association disputes benefit provided by antibiotics for sinus infections.  In this study patients were randomly given a placebo pill or amoxicillin (a basic first-line antibiotic for sinus infections) for 10 days.  They found that there was no difference in symptom improvement at day 3 […]