New Drug to Treat Nasal Polyps - Dupilumab (Dupixent)

Patients who suffer from nasal polyps suffer from significant nasal obstruction, smell loss, and congestion. This condition is not normally "curable" and requires medical management for long-term symptom control. Traditional treatment includes surgical removal , leukotriene inhibitor (ie, singulair ), intranasal steroids , allergy shots (if applicable), and oral steroids. In the majority of patients, this treatment management usually controls nasal polyp recurrence/growth such t…

7/18/2019 0

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Video of Nasal Packing for Severe Nosebleed Control

Although the vast majority of nosebleeds are more annoying than life-threatening, some are so severe that an ER visit is required. At other times, nosebleeds occur not unexpectedly after sinus surgery, rhinoplasty, or some other type of nasal surgery.  The video above demonstrates how such severe nosebleeds are typically controlled with nasal packing. This procedure is most commonly performed in the ER, operating room, or ENT office. Special shout-out to Nick Gallo of Physical Therapy 101…

7/04/2018 0

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Steps a Patient with Chronic Sinusitis Goes Thru

For the vast majority of patients with sinus infections , a trip to the primary care doctor's office and a prescription for antibiotics is all that is required. However, for the unfortunate few, several courses of oral antibiotics do not seem to help as much as it should. In such cases, these patients eventually end up at an ENT office for further evaluation and management. ASSUMING the patient has bona fide chronic or recurrent sinus infections and not some other medical problem conf…

12/08/2017 0

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Blood Thinner Use and Sino-Nasal Surgery (Septum and Sinus Surgery)

Cross-Section showing relationship of septum, sinus, eye, and brain There is an active abhorrence between blood thinner medications and ENT surgeons. Not only do blood thinners markedly increase risk of nosebleeds which often require nasal packing   (even without surgery), but it can complicate any type of sino-nasal surgery, particularly septoplasty and sinus surgery . With septoplasty or sinus surgery (collectively called sino-nasal surgery), not only is the nasal mucosa actively c…

7/04/2017 0

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When is Sinus Surgery Appropriate for Recurrent or Chronic Sinus Infections?

Normal CT Sinus Scan When a patient suffers from chronic or recurrent sinus infections , sinus surgery is an option to consider especially when medical management has failed. There are the obvious candidates where any reasonable ENT would agree sinus surgery is required, but as with much of medicine, there are times when a patient may get several diametrically opposite opinions whether sinus surgery is recommended or not. Such opposing recommendations at its core occur due to what a CT …

5/24/2017 0

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Local ENT Surgeon Missed Rare Sinus Pathology on CT Scan

Ditto in right maxillary sinus cavity. A well-respected ENT surgeon in Warrenton, VA created an uproar in the medical community when it was discovered that he failed to detect a rare sinus pathology on a CT sinus scan. This parasitic growth was easily discovered by the patient's teenage son within seconds of looking at the CT scan in spite of still being in high school. It's called a " Ditto " claimed John Smith, 14, son of the patient who suffered from this missed patho…

7/24/2016 0

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