Narrow Band Imaging Technology for Cancer Detection Now Available at Fauquier ENT!

Fauquier ENT now offers narrow band imaging (NBI) in the office to better detect cancer and other abnormal lesions in the throat. NBI is an endoscopic imaging technique whereby special filters are used to enhance visibility of vessels and other tissues on or near the mucosal surface. Specifically, it can better "see" dysplastic tissue including pre-cancerous lesions, cancer, and other abnormal mucosal lesions compared to normal light. The way NBI optically enhances light is by uti…

3/24/2017 0

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Metal Detector Instead of X-rays for Swallowed Coins and Other Metallic Objects

Handheld Metal Detector Due to a recent rash of consults of patients swallowing coins and other foreign bodies mainly in kids but adults too, it occurred to me that a handheld metal detector similar to one that is used in airport security screening can quickly and easily determine whether a metal object is present within the body as well as where. This quick screening can serve three purposes... 1) X-rays can be avoided along with its radiation exposure. Typically, a neck, chest, and …

3/07/2017 0

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What Did Americans Stick into Their Ear, Nose, Throat in Last Year?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) maintains a database of injuries due to consumer products for which a patient ends up in the emergency room. Such injuries include sticking it into a body orifice for which the product was never meant to go either through self-infliction or by some other individual. Although more interest may be generated in orifices related to proctology, urology, and gynecology, given this IS an ENT blog, we'll just stick with the ear, nose, and throat. T…

12/28/2016 0

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Make Your Own Gaviscon Advance or Double Action for Reflux Control DIY

Image from Amazon Before getting into how to make Gaviscon Advance  or Gaviscon Double Action yourself from its component ingredients, you first need to understand how each ingredient contributes to reflux control. If you want to skip to the recipe, look below. Alginate's affects on improving reflux has been known about for decades. Initial scientific studies on how it improves reflux were conducted in the 1980s. Alginates are natural polysaccharide polymers isolated from brown…

11/18/2016 8

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Pet Dog May Cause Recurrent Strep Throat

Image courtesy of alex_ugalek at  FreeDigitalPhotos.net In rare situations, strep throat infection bounces repeatedly among all family members. In such situations, the family's pet dog may be the carrier for strep that may cause such recurrent strep infections among the children and parents. See references below. Fortunately, in the vast majority of situations, the pet dog has no role in recurrent strep throat infections . Indeed, many healthcare professionals are in fact skeptical …

8/21/2016 0

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Liquid Biopsy for Head and Neck Cancer

Liquid biopsy is when a simple blood draw is performed in order to detect cancer cells (CTC) or mutated DNA fragments (ctDNA) free floating in the bloodstream that has been shed from the cancer's primary or secondary sites. This test has been heralded as an alternative way to make a diagnosis instead of an invasive surgical biopsy whether by needle or excision. Liquid biopsy has been developed mainly for detecting cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, ovarian, lung, and melanoma. Liqu…

6/05/2016 0

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Dr. Chang Quoted in Cosmopolitan Article

Cosmo Article Dec 2015 Dr. Chang was quoted in a Cosmopolitan article dated Dec 26, 2015 called " 4 Hangover Hacks You Need to Feel Like a Human Again. " Dr. Chang was specifically quoted in a section of the article called "The Throat Hangover" mainly regarding what to do with a hoarse voice after shouting over loud music all night. Read the article here !

1/04/2016 0

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Flexible Endoscopic Treatment of Zenker's Diverticulum

Having treated many patients with Zenker's Diverticulum using the endoscopic approach, I've had patients from all over the world contact me to determine whether I can help them or not... some specifically asking if I can perform the flexible endoscopic approach. However, I employ a rigid endoscopic approach rather than using a flexible endoscopic technique. For those unfamiliar with this disorder, click here for more information. If you just want to skip to the doctors who perfor…

12/27/2015 1

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Patients Who Travel a Long Distance for Care

Image courtesy of tigger11th at FreeDigitalPhotos.net In 2014, our practice made the difficult decision of no longer accepting new patients or performing any surgeries who live outside the Virginia region of the United States (specifically Northern Virginia) with the exception of a few conditions. The reasons are many in spite of what many (upset) patients felt to be an unwarranted geographic limitation. This blog tries to explain why we have taken this step which is still in effect today…

10/27/2015 0

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Blood and Spit Test that Detects Cancer of the Head and Neck

Over the years, simple blood tests have been developed to detect specific types of cancer in the human body. We have PSA for prostate cancer; BRCA for breast cancer; CEA for colon cancer... and potentially in the very near future... a blood as well as spit test for head and neck cancer! Finally! Developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins, this new blood/spit test is able to detect squamous cell carcinoma with astounding accuracy using a combination of both DNA mutations and HPV markers.  …

6/26/2015 0

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Sam Smith Cancels Australian Tour Due To Vocal Cord Hemorrhage

Image by marcen27 of Wikipedia Media reported April 28, 2015 that Sam Smith suffered from vocal cord hemorrhage forcing him to cancel his Australian tour on doctor's orders due to potential risk of permanently damaging his voice. This is the same reason that Adele had to cancel her tour back in October 2011. He joins a number of other singers over the past few years who had to cancel their tours due to such vocal cord problems including: • Nathan Sykes - April 2013 • Nicki Mana…

4/29/2015 0

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How Does Alginate Help Reflux?

Alginate's affects on improving reflux has been known about for decades. Initial scientific studies on how it improves reflux were conducted in the 1980s. Alginates are natural polysaccharide polymers isolated from brown seaweed ( Phacophycae ) and is classified as dietary fiber. Their ability to form viscous solutions and gels have led to their extensive use in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products for over one century. As it pertains to reflux, perhaps the most interesting …

4/02/2015 0

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At-Home Influenza (Flu) Testing

There are kits that can be purchased inexpensively over-the-counter to test for strep and mono . You can also add influenza (aka "the flu") to the do-it-yourself list, but unfortunately, this test kit is expensive at several hundred dollars on Amazon to perform 10-20 tests or about $20 per test. Taking about 15 minutes to perform, these flu test kits are designed to detect Influenza A (including H1N1 virus) as well as the Influenza B virus antigens in nasopharyngeal specimens …

1/24/2015 0

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At-Home Rapid Mono Testing

Rapid mono test kits  can be purchased by anybody to be done at home which may save parents/patients money in doctor visits as well as getting an answer right away. Indeed, should mono testing be positive, than you know that the patient is contagious... and that there's not much to do other than give it time to resolve. A doctor visit may still be worthwhile since there are other possible causes of a sore throat including strep throat, cancer ,  aphthous ulcer ,  sinus infection ,  reflux …

1/24/2015 1

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Tonsillectomy "May" Help with PANDAS?

Only in kids, there is a VERY rare (and controversial) disorder where strep throat infections can rapidly lead to involuntary tics including  chronic throat clearing ,  cough , head/neck movements, sneeze, etc as well as OCD behavior. Known as PANDAS ( P ediatric A utoimmune N europsychiatric D isorder A ssociated with S treptococcus), it is felt to be an autoimmune reaction triggered by antibodies produced by the body when fighting a strep infection. With this disorder, an evaluation with…

1/10/2015 1

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Dr. Chang Quoted in PBS Publication NextAvenue

Image from Here Dr. Chang was quoted in a NextAvenue (PBS)  article discussing vocal cords and their treatment when they are over-used (i.e. nodules ) as in the case with Joan Rivers or under-used (i.e. bowing ). You can read the full article here . This article was written by journalist Michelle Rafter in the wake of Joan Rivers' death from some type of endoscopic "throat" procedure, a not uncommon experience for any patient including the elderly complaining of throat sy…

9/06/2014 0

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