Tonsillectomy in Singers (Voice Changes After Tonsillectomy)

Even singers may suffer from recurrent tonsillitis and strep that may warrant tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy . But unlike non-singers, there is a significant concern that this common operation may adversely affect the singing voice whether in terms of sound, resonance, reliability, and/or stamina. Over the years, there have been a few studies to investigate what changes to the voice may or may not occur in the singing population, in particular, whether any adverse changes may …

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Can a Deviated Septum Cause a Septal Perforation?

Over the years, I have been asked by a number of patients with  deviated septums  what problems may occur if un-corrected, especially if such patients are also suffering from recurrent  nosebleeds . In particular, can a deviated septum be the underlying trigger that causes a septal perforation to occur (purple arrow below)? Well, this blog article is to answer that very question. But first off, a little anatomy... A nasal septum is a wall that separates the right nasal cavity from the …

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Dr. Chang Published in Neuroradiology Journal on Velopharyngeal Dysfunction

Pretty exciting news!  Dr. Chang has co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article on the topic of velopharyngeal dysfunction  that was published in the June 2019 journal of Neurographics . Most of his other co-authors all belong to the Department of Radiology at the University of Virginia. Velopharyngeal dysfunction or insufficiency (VPI) is a condition when the soft palate does not close properly separating the oral cavity from the nasal cavity during speech and swallow. Watch the video …

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MyoGuide: Ultra-Portable EMG

A new video has been created describing the use of an ultra-portable EMG device called MyoGuide. I've probably been using this compact unit for almost 10 years and given its usefulness and durability, felt a video on this device warranted, especially for otolaryngologists. Most EMG units are huge and require a small cart to move around, but this unit is the size of a hand. The compact unit contains a high-fidelity amplifier with built-in audio speaker and EMG signal display. Although n…

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TEDx Talk on Balance and Dizziness

TEDx talk on balance and dizziness given in May 2019 by Dr. Steven Rauch , Harvard Professor of Otolaryngology and Vestibular Division Chief at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

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Neck Mass Came Back Cancer... Now What?

It is not uncommon that an adult patient presents with a neck mass to an ENT clinic. Unfortunately, upon workup which typically includes a needle biopsy, the neck mass comes back showing cancer, usually, a type of cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, although lymphoma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, etc occasionally occurs as well. In this blog article, we will focus specifically on the case of the neck mass being squamous cell carcinoma. At this point, the patient's main concern is wha…

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