ENTtoday: December 2011

Health Reform 101: Use this primer to navigate the changes ahead

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) is described as the most sweeping health care legislation passed in the U.S. since Medicare’s implementation in 1965. The health reform law is already changing the health care system, but the most profound modifications are yet to come. The law will affect otolaryngologists’ practices in many ways, both direct and indirect. Here are some areas of the law to consider.

In Memoriam: Patrick Edgar Brookhouser, MD

Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Patrick Edgar Brookhouser, MD, grew up in Missouri Valley, Iowa, where he graduated valedictorian from the local high school. His intellect and natural curiosity earned him numerous academic awards, and he graduated from Creighton University summa cum laude and from Johns Hopkins Medical School as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha.

ICD-10 to Bring Big Changes: Learn how to prepare for the new coding system

October 1, 2013 should be on the mind of every physician in the U.S. That is the day when a new diagnostic coding system will be instituted, the first such change since 2003. The implementation’s aftermath is predicted to be anywhere from a normal day at the office to financial Armageddon.

Drug-Eluting Sinus Stent Hits the Market: May help maintain patency after FESS

Maintaining sinus patency after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has long been an issue; as many as 23 to 47 percent of patients require revision surgery after FESS. Now, a new drug-eluting, bioabsorbable stent manufactured by Intersect (Palo Alto, Calif.) is being billed as a “breakthrough treatment [that] improves outcomes for sinus surgery,” according to a news release from the company. The device, which received pre-market approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August, has been studied since 2008. It is currently available in Texas, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Atlanta, Ohio and Kentucky.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Options

Oral appliances may work better than CPAP for some patients

Various Factors Impact Bleeding Following Tonsil Surgery

What are the risk factors for the frequency and severity of bleeding episodes following tonsillectomy (TE), tonsillotomy (TO) or adenoidectomy (AE)? Background: TE, TO and AE are the most frequent surgeries in the field of otorhinolaryngology. A variety of studies have dealt with post-operative hemorrhage as the most serious complication of tonsil surgeries. Yet there are […]

Aesthetic Parotid Surgery for Benign Parotid Neoplasms

What is the experience in using a superficial muscoloaponeurotic system (SMAS)-platysma flap in facial-aesthetic parotid surgery for benign parotid neoplasms? Background: The surgical management of benign parotid neoplasms has evolved from oncologic safety alone to an operation that is focused on limited visible incisions, facial contour restoration, prevention of Frey syndrome, and preservation of facial motor […]

Customizable Hard Mouth Guard is Recommended During Rigid Endoscopy

Is there a better dental guard than soft mouth guards for use during rigid endoscopy? Background: One risk of rigid endoscopy is tooth injury, most commonly to the maxillary incisors. Standard plastic mouth guards are not customizable and may slip off a patient’s teeth. Additionally, the incisors may cut through the mouth guard’s soft plastic. Study […]

Concurrent Septoplasty Does Not Affect CRS-Specific Health-Related QOL

Are chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS)-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes affected by concurrent septoplasty performed during endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for medically refractory CRS? Background: Septoplasty is commonly performed during ESS. Some might question whether ESS outcomes, even CRS-specific outcomes, are the result of the ESS, the septoplasty or some combination of the two. Because objective […]

Tonsillectomy Specimen Analysis Not Cost Effective

Is pathological evaluation of routine pediatric tonsillectomy specimens necessary? Background: Although adenotonsillectomy for hypertrophic tonsils and adenoids or chronic tonsillitis remains one of the most common procedures performed in the U.S., there is still no uniform consensus on the management of the surgical specimens. There seems, however, to be a decreasing trend over the last few […]

Balance Development in Patients with Otitis Media with an Effusion

Does tympanostomy tube placement affect vestibular function in young children? Background: One of the most common questions we are asked as otolaryngologists is whether placement of ventilation tubes will help a child who has otitis media with an effusion (OME). OME is defined as the presence of a middle-ear effusion with signs or symptoms of an […]

Lift Off: A carefully planned retreat can take your practice to the next level

Every otolaryngology group needs a chance to evaluate its organization outside the frenetic pace of day-to-day patient care. A practice retreat provides the opportunity to assess your operations, examine your mission and conduct strategic planning in a setting where physicians are relaxed and undistracted.

Server Solution: How to choose the best server to fit your EMR needs

What’s more important, your computer’s hardware or its software? You tell me: What’s more important, your heart or your lungs? Obviously, if you’re going to function, you need both. The same is true for electronic medical record (EMR) and electronic health record (EHR) software: Your hardware is mission-critical to the success of your electronic records, and this is not the place to compromise.