March 07, 2014

LeBron James and His Broken Nose

LeBron James suffered a broken nose. He first broke it Feb 2014 when playing against Oklahoma City. He than got hit to the nose again (while wearing a mask) when playing against Houston in March 2014. [link]

Regardless of whether you are an NBA player or not, treatment of most nasal and even facial fractures do NOT require surgical repair.

The key elements that lead towards a decision for facial and/or nasal fracture surgery are the following (not all-inclusive, but general pointers):

- Any functional deficit (i.e., inability to open and close the jaw)
- Change in occlusion (the way teeth come together).
- Double vision (blurry vision does not count).
- Cosmetic deformity due to nasal/facial fracture (bruising and swelling does not count).
- Nasal obstruction not due to swelling.

In any case, when a nose is broken, steps should be taken to further minimize trauma to the nose. For athletes, that usually means wearing a facial mask such that any hits to the face does not connect with the broken nose.

Although LeBron James had his facial mask custom made by Marvel, for us mere mortals, you can buy one on Amazon.

Source:
Just like every other superhero, LeBron has his Kryptonite. Fox Sports 3/5/14



Fauquier blog
Fauquier ENT

Dr. Christopher Chang is a private practice otolaryngology, head & neck surgeon specializing in the treatment of problems related to the ear, nose, and throat. Located in Warrenton, VA about 45 minutes west of Washington DC, he also provides inhalant allergy testing/treatment, hearing tests, and dispenses hearing aids.

You might be interested in reading...

  • Dirty Air Filters and Allergies - Don't Forget the Car!!!
    07/20/2012 - 0 Comments
    Most people with bad allergies know to change their home's air filter at least quarterly with at least a…
  • Lisa Marie Presley Throat Cancer Scare
    01/22/2014 - 0 Comments
    Image from Wikipedia The National Enquirer reported 1/20/14 that Lisa Marie Presley suffered a throat…
  • Can Placebo Be Used to Help People Instead of Drugs?
    12/23/2010 - 0 Comments
    On my way to work On December 23, 2010, I heard a great story on NPR regarding how placebos can potentially…
  • Dyson Humidifier - Best Humidifier on the Market?
    10/10/2015 - 0 Comments
    Hot steam showers are often helpful in alleviating symptoms of upper respiratory…
  • Teenager Dies From Tonsillitis
    11/03/2010 - 0 Comments
    A teenager in the United Kingdom died from an unfortunate missed diagnosis of tonsillitis. Apparently, her…
  • Are Allergy Seasons Getting Worse Every Year?
    04/04/2021 - 1 Comments
    It seems that every year, the news keep stating that this allergy season will be worse than ever before. Is…
  • Why Do Mammalian and Reptilian Eardrums Look the Same?
    06/29/2015 - 0 Comments
    Image by Bogdanov of Wikipedia From an evolutionary standpoint, reptiles/birds and mammals are as…
  • Local Anesthetic Allergy
    08/27/2013 - 0 Comments
    Rarely, a patient presents with a history of being allergic to lidocaine or another kind of local…

Banner Map

Pediatric Neck Masses

Adult Neck Mass Workup