Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery
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Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Dec 2014
ReviewCongenital cytomegalovirus: what the otolaryngologist should know.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important cause of congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) that may represent up to 20% of nonsyndromic cases. Congenital CMV is an unrecognized cause of SNHL that all otolaryngologists should be aware of as it represents the only treatable cause of congenital SNHL. ⋯ Increased awareness of congenital CMV SNHL by an otolaryngologist should lead to increased testing, and thus diagnosis, of this condition in newborns diagnosed with congenital SNHL. Prompt treatment with valganciclovir in these patients may consequently lead to prevention of progressive SNHL. Further research toward a CMV vaccine is hoped to eventually lead to prevention of congenital CMV.
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Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Oct 2014
Editorial Biography Historical ArticleThe Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.
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Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jun 2014
ReviewThe UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project and the role of speech and language therapists.
Tracheostomy care is evolving, with the majority of procedures now performed percutaneously to facilitate weaning from mechanical ventilation in the critically ill. Traditional surgical indications remain, but surgical tracheostomies are increasingly performed in more complex patients and procedures. This brings unique challenges for the multidisciplinary professional team in which speech and language therapists (SLTs) have a key role. ⋯ Patients with tracheostomies can benefit from a co-ordinated, truly multidisciplinary approach to care. SLT-specific expertise in assessing and managing communication and swallowing needs is a vital part of this process.
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Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing a sound when no external auditory stimulus is present. Most individuals experience tinnitus for brief, unobtrusive periods. However, chronic sensation of tinnitus affects approximately 17% (44 million people) of the general US population. Tinnitus, usually a benign symptom, can be constant, loud and annoying to the point that it causes significant emotional distress, poor sleep, less efficient activities of daily living, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation/attempts. Tinnitus remains a major challenge to physicians because its pathophysiology is poorly understood and there are few management options to offer to patients. The purpose of this article is to describe the current understanding of central neural mechanisms in tinnitus and to summarize recent developments in clinical approaches to tinnitus patients. ⋯ Tinnitus remains a challenging disorder for patients, physicians, audiologists and scientists studying tinnitus-related brain changes. This article reviews recent findings of brain changes in animal models associated with tinnitus and a brief review of clinical approach to tinnitus patients.
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Twenty-one face transplants have been performed to date. This review provides an overview of the clinical outcomes and the lessons learned from these initial cases. ⋯ The outcomes of facial transplantation thus far have been very encouraging. The development of standardized tools to measure functional and psychological outcomes is required as more cases are performed. We recommend that facial transplantation is still only to be performed by experienced multidisciplinary teams.