Ear, nose, and throat disorders, including hearing loss, sinusitis, voice disorders, head and neck cancer, pediatric ENT, and advances in ENT surgery
5 papersThis randomized controlled trial found that intracapsular tonsillotomy, a partial tonsil removal technique, is as effective as traditional tonsillectomy in treating sleep apnea in children. The tonsillotomy group also experienced less pain, bleeding, and faster recovery. The study was conducted at a single hospital in Italy.
This study found that people with tinnitus experienced quieter daily sound environments than a control group, even after controlling for hearing, age, and gender. However, the study could not account for headphone use or masking strategies, which are commonly used to manage tinnitus and could dramatically affect reported sound levels. Further research is needed to understand if people with tinnitus truly seek quieter environments, or if this is an artifact of limitations in capturing their use of personal listening devices.
This study found that cavitary plaques (cavities in the inner ear bone) occur in about one-third of patients with otosclerosis, a hearing disorder. These cavities are more common in older patients and are usually found near the inner ear canal, but they don't appear to worsen hearing loss or cause complications during cochlear implant surgery.
Head and neck cancer incidence is rising, especially oropharyngeal cancer linked to HPV. While tobacco and alcohol remain major risk factors, other factors like diet, oral health, and socioeconomic status also play a role. Survival rates remain relatively static, and disparities exist based on socioeconomic status.
This paper presents a computer-aided system that achieves 93.9% accuracy in classifying four common ear conditions (earwax, myringosclerosis, chronic otitis media, normal) using images from a digital otoscope. The system highlights the area of concern on the image and could assist general practitioners in making more accurate ear diagnoses before referral to specialists, especially in regions with limited access to otolaryngologists.