A Meta-Analysis of Minimally Invasive Video-Assisted Thyroidectomy

How does minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) compare with conventional thyroidectomy? Background: The advantages of minimally invasive thyroid surgery include shorter hospital stays, reduced postoperative pain, and improved cosmetic results. Studies […]

Best Practice in Tympanoplasty

Does concomitant mastoidectomy improve outcomes for patients undergoing repair of tympanic membrane perforations? Background: Controversy currently exists regarding the appropriate treatment of tympanic membrane perforations resulting from chronic suppurative otitis media […]

Mild OSA Linked to Nasal Obstruction

What impact does nasal obstruction have on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as measured by polysomnography (PSG)? Background: While nasal obstruction is often identified and treated in patients with OSA, its role […]

Making the Diagnosis: Sleep expert warns about OSA risk in obese children

The most significant danger to children now is obesity, and of the many related comorbidities that affect obese children, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) will impact a child’s life more than anything else, according to Carole Marcus, MD, an invited lecturer here last month at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.Dr. Marcus is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the sleep center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Help or Hoopla?: Surgical robots can benefit otolaryngology

The large, roadside billboards advertised robotic surgery in bright, bold colors, something that struck David Eibling, MD, professor of otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh, as “fundamentally wrong.” Hospitals and physicians “should not be offering robotic surgery as a draw for patients,” said Dr. Eibling, who noticed the billboards while traveling through Florida earlier this year, “but rather as a potential tool to benefit the care of the patient.”

An Unofficial First-Line Treatment: Propranolol gains widespread use for infantile hemangiomas

Since the first report in 2008 of the effectiveness of propranolol to treat infantile hemangiomas, its use has grown among physicians who treat these tumors, which arise in 5 to 10 percent of infants. Among these infants, approximately 10 percent will require treatment to correct functional impairment or prevent lasting cosmetic deformity caused by the hemangioma.

Put It in Writing: Hiring a physician extender involves more than a handshake

Physician extenders, commonly referred to as mid-level providers or practitioners, often offer financial profitability for the practice as well as efficiency, improved quality of care, enhanced flexibility for physicians and greater patient satisfaction. When you hire an extender, it’s important to go beyond a handshake and clearly define the terms of the relationship in a contract. Below are some of the key issues that should be addressed in a mid-level provider’s employment agreement.