http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Antibiotics for acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) are prescribed frequently— especially for younger adult patients and in primary care settings—despite recent consensus guidelines that discourage antibiotic use in mild cases, according to a study in the May 2013 issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-variations-antibiotic-acute-rhinosinusitis-states.html Surgery Thu, 09 May 2013 10:48:45 EST news287315304 A new study reports that flexible endoscopic treatment of Zenker's diverticulum by using a diverticuloscope offers a treatment modality with a very low complication rate. Zenker's diverticulum is an abnormal pouch in the upper part of the esophagus that causes difficulty swallowing and is most commonly found in older patients. Clinical remission was achieved over a single session of treatment in the majority of the cases. This study also demonstrated the long-term efficacy of the technique. The study appears in the May issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-endoscopic-treatment-zenker-diverticulum-safe.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:20:29 EST news286546810 Joslin scientists report significant findings about the location, genetic expression and function of human brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the generation of new BAT cells. These findings, which appear in the April 2013 issue of Nature Medicine, may contribute to further study of BAT's role in human metabolism and developing treatments that use BAT to promote weight loss. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-scientists-advance-human-brown-adipose.html Medical research Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:35:47 EST news285870940 (HealthDay)—A vocal cord problem that restricts athletes' breathing is often misdiagnosed as exercise-induced asthma, a small new study suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-problem-misdiagnosed-athletes.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:49:58 EST news285004019 Around 17 million people in Germany suffer from impaired hearing. For many of them, their hearing is so damaged that a standard hearing aid is no longer enough. A new device will improve patients' hearing and can be implanted during outpatient surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-regaining-proper.html Medical research Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:53:50 EST news284108021 (Medical Xpress)—How do we hear? More specifically, how does the auditory center of the brain discern important sounds – such as communication from members of the same species – from relatively irrelevant background noise? The answer depends on the regulation of sound by specific neurons in the auditory cortex of the brain, but the precise mechanisms of those neurons have remained unclear. Now, a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has isolated how neurons in the rat's primary auditory cortex (A1) preferentially respond to natural vocalizations from other rats over intentionally modified vocalizations (background sounds). A computational model developed by the study authors, which successfully predicted neuronal responses to other new sounds, explained the basis for this preference. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-brain-mechanisms-auditory-sensitive-behaviorally.html Neuroscience Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:14:44 EST news284102037 A routine step in preparing for cleft palate surgery in a child led to an unusual—but not unprecedented—case of lung inflammation (pneumonitis), according to a report in the The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-inhaled-betadine-rare-complication.html Surgery Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:31:52 EST news280665106 Cartilage tympanoplasty can be performed successfully in 95 percent of young children when appropriate conditions exist, according to a study in the February 2013 issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-outcomes-cartilage-tympanoplasty-pediatric-population.html Pediatrics Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:00:02 EST news278929968 One of the greatest challenges faced by cancer surgeons is to know exactly which tissue to remove, or not, while the patient is under anesthesia. A team of surgeons and scientists at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have developed a new technique that will allow surgeons to identify during surgery which lymph nodes are cancerous so that healthy tissue can be saved. The findings will be published in the January 15 print edition of Cancer Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-surgical-technique-cancer-invasion-fluorescence.html Cancer Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:38:00 EST news277051074 Patients with head and neck cancer receiving radiation treatment at an academic center have a higher survival rate than those receiving treatment at a community center, according to a study in the December 2012 issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-effect-outcomes-neck-cancer.html Cancer Fri, 07 Dec 2012 10:29:17 EST news274098532 (Medical Xpress)—Children with Prader-Willi syndrome may receive relief from sleep disorders after undergoing an adenotonsillectomy, suggests a new study from Nationwide Children's Hospital published in the November print issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.  http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-adenotonsillectomy-obstructive-apnea-children-prader-willi.html Sleep apnea Tue, 20 Nov 2012 05:54:21 EST news272613219 Genetic testing for a certain mutation in pediatric patients is valuable in determining a cause for unexplained hearing loss, according to a study in the November 2012 issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-etiologic-diagnosis-nonsyndromic-genetic-loss.html Surgery Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:07:44 EST news271343259 A new study from a team of researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the Monell Chemical Senses Center, and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, reveals that a person's ability to taste certain bitter flavors is directly related to their ability to fight off upper respiratory tract infections, specifically chronic sinus infections. The new research is published in the latest edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-bitter-receptors-upper-respiratory-defense.html Medical research Mon, 08 Oct 2012 12:00:05 EST news268909368 Tonsillectomy is exceedingly common, with a reported increase in tonsillectomy rates in children younger than 15 years from 287,000 to 530,000 per year over the past decade. Although safe, adenotonsillectomy can result in significant complications, such as aspiration and bleeding. Complications are infrequent, but because tonsillectomy is so common, the absolute number of children experiencing tonsillectomy complications is formidable. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-pre-op-steroids-nausea-significantly-post-op.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:00:03 EST news267807366 September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month. With cases on the rise locally, nationally and globally, Dr. David Goldenberg, director of Head and Neck Surgery at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, hopes people will become more mindful of the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-medical-minute-thyroid-cancer.html Cancer Fri, 21 Sep 2012 08:55:21 EST news267436497 Potentially worrisome weight gains following tonsillectomy occur mostly in children under the age of 6, not in older children, a study by Johns Hopkins experts in otolaryngology- head and neck surgery shows. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-age-underlying-diagnosis-key-factor.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 12 Sep 2012 09:28:25 EST news266660894 Who would have thought that our noses and Microsoft Windows' infamous blue screen of death could have something in common? But that's the case being made by a new research report appearing online in The FASEB Journal. Specifically, scientists now know exactly why we sneeze, what sneezing should accomplish, and what happens when sneezing does not work properly. Much like a temperamental computer, our noses require a "reboot" when overwhelmed, and this biological reboot is triggered by the pressure force of a sneeze. When a sneeze works properly, it resets the environment within nasal passages so "bad" particles breathed in through the nose can be trapped. The sneeze is accomplished by biochemical signals that regulate the beating of cilia (microscopic hairs) on the cells that line our nasal cavities. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-allergies-biological-response-nose-blue.html Immunology Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:31:28 EST news262949468 A new epidemiological study led by UC Davis researchers reveals significant racial disparities in the use of non-surgical larynx-preservation therapy for locally advanced laryngeal cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-reveals-racial-disparities-voice-box-preserving.html Cancer Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:00:07 EST news261672860 For a year and a half, the University of Michigan Health System turned one of its head and neck surgery practices into a laboratory. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-auto-industry-techniques-boost-morale.html Surgery Tue, 29 May 2012 09:55:33 EST news257504108 (HealthDay) -- When used in tandem with standard Western treatments, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure and dietary changes may spell significant relief for patients battling chronic sinusitis, a new pilot study suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-alternative-medicine-ease-chronic-sinusitis.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:00:15 EST news251565301 The first national treatment guideline for sudden hearing loss, a frightening condition that sends thousands in the U.S. to the emergency room each year, was published this month in the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-national-guideline-sudden-loss-published.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:42:32 EST news251379741 African Americans are seven times more likely than Caucasians to develop an excessive growth of thick, irregularly shaped and raised scarring on their skin – known as a keloid – following head and neck surgery, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-african-americans-keloid-scarring-neck.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:19:29 EST news250255164 Over the past few decades, doctors have noted a surprising trend in cancer of the tonsils and base of the tongue. Though oral cancer previously appeared predominantly in elderly patients with a history of tobacco and alcohol use, it's increasing in younger patients: 30- to 50-year-old nonsmokers with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Fortunately, the newer form of cancer tends to be less aggressive, and the latest approach to treating the tumors can avoid the debilitating consequences of open neck surgery or extensive radiation. Robotic surgery conducted through patients' mouths provides excellent results in removing squamous cell carcinoma at the back of the throat, especially in patients with HPV, a Mayo Clinic study published in the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-robotic-surgery-successful-invasive-hpv-related.html Cancer Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:42:24 EST news249820932 On March 1, 2012, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation published a new Clinical Practice Guideline on Sudden Hearing Loss (SHL). This guideline is published as a supplement to Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-aao-hnsf-clinical-guideline-sudden-loss.html Surgery Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:05:03 EST news249818688 Large, population specific community-based screening may increase awareness of the dangers of smoking and reduce at-risk behaviors, according to a new study in the November 2011 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-population-specific-community-based-cancer-screening-discourage.html Addiction Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:10:01 EST news240577795 The human papillomavirus (HPV) is more likely to be found in tumors of laryngeal cancer patients who are male and those with private health insurance, according to a new study from researchers at Henry Ford Hospital. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-gender-tied-hpv-infection-laryngeal.html Cancer Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:05:13 EST news235224249 A Henry Ford Hospital study has identified 23 microRNAs for laryngeal cancer, a discovery that could yield new insight into what causes certain cells to grow and become cancerous tumors in the voice box. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-links-micrornas-laryngeal-cancer.html Cancer Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:23:20 EST news235138937 Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-primary-component-turmeric-cancer-killing-mechanisms.html Cancer Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:28:17 EST news235124810 Dr. Paul Weinberger wants to make thyroid cancer diagnosis as simple and accurate as checking for high cholesterol. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-proteins-women-thyroid-surgery.html Cancer Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:08:22 EST news235048067 (Medical Xpress) -- A new robotic procedure performed by a Michigan State University physician at Lansing's Sparrow Hospital could vastly improve the quality of life and recovery time for patients who suffer from throat and mouth cancers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-breakthrough-procedure-patients-throat-mouth.html Cancer Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:13:52 EST news234087212