ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Biofilms in Otolaryngology: Relation to clinical disease needs more study, experts say

by Mary Beth Nierengarten • October 10, 2011

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

San Francisco, Calif.—It is now well recognized that pathogens found in biofilms play a role in many mucosal-based otolaryngologic-related infections, but what that role is and how to prevent or treat biofilms remain unknown, concluded a panel of experts convened here on Sept. 17 at the 2011 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Annual Meeting.

You Might Also Like

  • Biofilms in Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Otitis Media
  • Biofilms Likely Play Key Role in Pediatric Otitis Media and Otorrhea
  • Mounting Evidence Supports Role of Bacterial Biofilms in Chronic Infections of Middle Ear and Sinuses
  • Experts Debate Surgical Approaches To Sinus Disease
Explore This Issue
October 2011

Emphasizing that a great deal of basic research has now shown the presence of biofilms in areas of the body related to otolaryngologic diseases, David Darrow, MD, DDS, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Va., said that the task now is to translate that research to the clinic. “The question is, does a biofilm cause a clinical disease,” he said.

Relation to clinical disease needs more study, experts say

Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Although multiple studies have shown that biofilms exist in normal mucosa as well as infected sinuses, and although there are now good tools for detecting biofilms, one of the big unknowns is the point at which a biofilm becomes problematic, according to Joseph K. Han, MD, associate professor and director of allergy, rhinology and endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va.

“Despite a decade of research on biofilm and sinusitis, we still don’t know when a biofilm becomes pathogenic,” he said, adding that the basic science supports the fact that biofilm in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) can cause mucosal injury when the bacteria in the biofilm bind to the epithelium and destroy it through local inflammation.

Whether or not this injury is caused by the amount of biofilm or by the type of organism found on the biofilm is not known. “My personal thought is that the organism and the quantity of the organism allows the biofilm to become pathogenic,” he said.

Dr. Han also addressed the issue of treatment, including the use of topical antibiotics, mechanical disruption and topical surfactant to treat the bacteria on the biofilms directly. Other treatment options may involve treatment of the inflammation, which would not eradicate the biofilm but would decrease the inflammation. He emphasized that a single modal therapy will most likely not be effective to treat biofilms in patients with CRS and that most will need multi-modality treatment that includes high-dose topical antibiotics with a surfactant after mechanical disruption such as endoscopic sinus surgery or hydrodynamic shearing of the biofilm in the sinuses.

Pages: 1 2 3 | Single Page

Filed Under: Head and Neck, Medical Education, News, Otology/Neurotology, Rhinology Tagged With: chronic rhinosinusitis, meeting coverage, otitis mediaIssue: October 2011

You Might Also Like:

  • Biofilms in Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Otitis Media
  • Biofilms Likely Play Key Role in Pediatric Otitis Media and Otorrhea
  • Mounting Evidence Supports Role of Bacterial Biofilms in Chronic Infections of Middle Ear and Sinuses
  • Experts Debate Surgical Approaches To Sinus Disease

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Experts Delve into Treatment Options for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
    • Otolaryngologists Have a Major Role to Play in Treating COVID-19 Long-Haulers
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Podcasts Becoming More Popular Method of Education for Otolaryngologists
    • How to Embrace Optimism in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • Tips on How to Approach Conversations with Patients about the COVID-19 Vaccine
    • Steps You Should Take to Protect Your Voice and Hearing During Telemedicine Sessions
    • Routine Postoperative Adjunct Treatments Unnecessary for Idiopathic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks

Polls

Have you spoken with your patients about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2021 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.