Facial Transplant Video

Surgeons at NYU performed a complex full facial transplant in Aug 14, 2015 that took 26 hours and  involved over 100 people. This video demonstrates how they did it! Pretty amazing! Source: This incredible animation shows how surgeons pulled off the most complex facial transplant ever . TechInsider 11/16/15

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Flexible Endoscopic Treatment of Zenker's Diverticulum

Having treated many patients with Zenker's Diverticulum using the endoscopic approach, I've had patients from all over the world contact me to determine whether I can help them or not... some specifically asking if I can perform the flexible endoscopic approach. However, I employ a rigid endoscopic approach rather than using a flexible endoscopic technique. For those unfamiliar with this disorder, click here for more information. If you just want to skip to the doctors who perfor…

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If Justin Bieber Wears Ear Plugs, You Should Too!

Washington Post 12/14/15 (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Saw this picture and related article in the Washington Post depicting Justin Bieber wearing ear plugs to protect his hearing. The point being, audience members should also be wearing ear plugs to protect their hearing as well. It's not just the elderly who now needs hearing aids , but even younger folks now with all the loud music they are subjecting their ears to. As the article points out, the ear plugs should be all the way in …

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Singer Ed Sheeran Suffers Traumatic Eardrum Rupture

Image from Wikipedia  by Eva Rinaldi Singer Ed Sheeran revealed that he traumatically ruptured his eardrum while vacationing in Spain earlier in 2015. He also revealed he will undergo surgery to fix this problem in early 2016. During a radio interview, the stated that: "I have to have an operation in January on my ear because I stupidly jumped off a yacht really high up and smashed it. I landed wrong, and it burst my eardrum so I have to go and get a graft, which means I'm no…

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Dr. Chang Quoted in Slate.com Article

Dr. Chang was quoted in a Dec 4, 2015 article in Slate.com regarding drooling when sleeping. Although not the "sexiest" in terms of medical conditions out there, it is a relatively common concern for which patients sometimes seeks medical care for. The article is titled " A Wet Awakening " written by journalist Jonathan Fischer. Check out the article here !

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ENT Comic Cartoons

Some humorous ENT comic cartoons... Enjoy! Reprinted with permission... Source: Reynolds Unwrapped Source: Reynolds Unwrapped Source: Tundra Comics

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Milk and Cookie Disease (Video)

A TEDx talk by Dr. Julie Wei on " Milk and Cookie Disease " which causes symptoms of chronic stuffy nose, nasal congestion, chronic runny nose, cough, sinus infections, sore throat, recurrent croup, allergies and asthma due to excessive sugar and dairy consumption in otherwise healthy children. Such a diet, especially in the evenings and bedtimes, trigger reflux leading to this wide constellation of ENT symptoms. Read more about this condition here . Julie L. Wei, MD , is a Ped…

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Dr. Chang Article Printed in National Newsletter

Our Voice, a national newsletter published by the  National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association , published a 4 page article written by Dr. Chang (Volume 25, Number 1, Pages 8-11; Nov 2015) on the topic of reflux and spasmodic dysphonia . The article titled "Living with Spasmodic Dysphonia and Reflux" is the 2nd time Dr. Chang has been featured in this national newsletter. The first time was in 2009 (Volume 18, Number 2, Page 3) pertaining to research that Dr. Chang performed that w…

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Cochlear Implant Video - "Bionic Ear"

This video  demonstrates how a cochlear implant (aka, "bionic ear") surgery is performed. Both animation and actual surgery are shown to illustrate this procedure. With this surgery, patients who are deaf or suffering from severe  hearing loss  may now be able to hear. The video below is animation only as some people may find watching actual surgery a bit much. Click to see if you are a candidate for a cochlear implant. Listen to what a cochlear implant sounds like to a …

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Breastfeeding Milk Supply vs Demand in Tongue Tied Infants

There are some breastfeeding moms who have a TERRIFIC milk supply... I'm talking newborns who at times seem to be drowning in milk the supply is so great, accidental spraying of the infant's face with milk, numerous soaked nursing pads throughout the day, etc. BUT... they also have an infant with a significant tongue tie . What if anything should be done from a breastfeeding perspective? After all, milk supply is definitely not a problem... or is it??? The breastfeeding concern e…

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Perfume Effectively Repels Mosquitoes

At first I thought this claim was a joke... but it's no joke. Research performed at New Mexico State University found that Victoria's Secret perfume " Bombshell " effectively repelled mosquitoes for up to 120 minutes. The research was performed in the lab of Dr. Immo Hansen , associate professor of biology. He and his colleagues found that DEET is still the best at repelling mosquitoes, but apparently Bombshell may be the next best thing. This perfume apparently cut do…

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Treatment of Gleeking

Gleeking is when an individual is able to squirt spit out of the mouth causing amazement if not disgust from surrounding people. This salivary spray comes out from Wharton's duct which is an opening located under the tongue tip that drains the  submandibular glands  located under the jawline (black arrows in pic). This duct opening normally is about 0.5mm in diameter... very small! The channel that carries saliva to this opening is about 4mm in size. However, in individuals who have a t…

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Narcotics Family Tree

Sometimes it is instructive to see how all the different narcotics are related to each other. It may surprise people that when a narcotic is swallowed, it often will be converted to another different narcotic by the body. For example, both codeine and heroin are metabolized by the liver into morphine which is the actual "active" metabolite resulting in pain relief.  Codeine is also converted into hydrocodone which is the narcotic contained in vicodin and norco. Morphine, oxycodon…

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Why Don't I Respond to Online Comments?

It's really a matter of time. I just don't have enough of it to respond to every single comment made on the blogs, videos, and webpages I have made over the years. As of today, I have written 1466 blog articles , 1000+  webpages , and produced 95 videos . That also means I get a lot of comments on a daily basis... About 50 comments per day. And although in my early years I did respond to comments, I just don't have time to do so anymore as I have produced more content which …

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60/60 Rule to Avoid Hearing Loss Due to Loud Music

It is a well-known fact that permanent hearing loss can result from listening to loud music for prolonged periods of time. With the advent of portable music players, earbuds/headphones, and long-lasting battery life, people are losing their hearing at younger and younger ages compared to prior generations. In order to save your hearing from such noise-induced damage, their are two factors that must be considered: How LOUD the Music The louder the music, the higher risk of hearing loss. …

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Eardrum Hole Repair Video

This video  demonstrates how a large hole in the eardrum is repaired through the ear canal using an underlay technique. Both animation and actual surgery are shown to illustrate this procedure. With this repair, hearing loss may be reversed and any chronic ear drainage problems may be resolved. This video was created in collaboration with  Dr. Ashkan Monfared  who is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Neurosurgery, Director of Otology and Neurotology at George Washington University Med…

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Immune Problems Causing ENT Problems

The immune system is what helps a body fight off infections. However, the immune system can also cause problems when it does not work properly resulting in symptoms and misery. Within our bodies float millions of tiny cells called White Blood Cells (aka, leukocytes) which are the soldiers that look for and destroy any abnormal cells or germs. Other proteins in the blood called immunoglobulins  (aka, antibodies) are like free-floating drones that immediately stick on to any abnormal cells o…

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Patients Who Travel a Long Distance for Care

Image courtesy of tigger11th at FreeDigitalPhotos.net In 2014, our practice made the difficult decision of no longer accepting new patients who live outside the Virginia region of the United States (specifically Northern Virginia) with the exception of a few conditions. The reasons are many in spite of what many (upset) patients felt to be an unwarranted geographic limitation. This blog tries to explain why we have taken this step which is still in effect today. There are certain cond…

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Meclizine (Antivert) to Treat Dizziness - Bad Idea?

It seems almost reflexive that anybody who complains of dizziness gets a prescription for meclizine (aka antivert , dramamine , bonine , etc). However, this drug which is also available over-the-counter is often not the best way to treat dizziness. Depending on what is causing the dizziness, this drug may actually prolong or even worsen this symptom. Meclizine is an anti-histamine similar to allergy medications like claritin , benadryl , zyrtec , etc. It also has anticholinergic properti…

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Dyson Humidifier - Best Humidifier on the Market?

Hot steam showers are often helpful in alleviating symptoms of  upper respiratory infection  with  cough . It can ease the  nasal congestion  and calm the coughing down. Due to these beneficial effects and the fact that dry airways can make a cough worse, a humidifier is a helpful device to have in a room. Humidifier use when the air is dry during the winter can also help prevent upper respiratory infections from happening as well as minimize nosebleeds . Keep in mind that although humidi…

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Laser Stapedotomy Video

This video  demonstrates how stapedotomy is performed to treat otosclerosis. Both animation and actual surgery are shown to illustrate this procedure. Otosclerosis is a hereditary ear disorder where the stapes middle ear bone fuses preventing sound transmission. With this procedure, the stapes is replaced with an implant reversing any hearing loss. It is one of the "curable" causes of hearing loss. This video was created in collaboration with  Dr. Ashkan Monfared  who is an Associ…

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7 Signs of Helicopter Parenting in the Exam Room

Image courtesy of photostock at  FreeDigitalPhotos.net The Millennials are the primary beneficiaries (or victims) of parents who have the means and ability to obsessively guide, educate, and most importantly, over-protect them from the world/life. Such helicopter parents ultimately raise kids into adults who researchers feel at worst never learn to cope with adversity, lack the ability to make hard decisions, and are prone to anxiety disorders. It is from the education perspective that m…

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Singer Kelly Clarkson Cancels Concerts Due to Vocal Cord Injury

On Sept 25, 2015, Kelly Clarkson released a statement on her website that she's canceling the rest of her concerts for 2015 on orders of her doctor, presumably due to vocal cord nodules . "Regretfully, due to instruction of her doctor, Kelly Clarkson must remain on vocal rest for the remainder of the year resulting in the cancellation of her scheduled tour dates in Canada and the UK. All tickets will be refunded at the original point of purchase. "I am truly sorry that I …

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Devices to Help with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction During Airflight and SCUBA

EarPlanes Ear Plugs It is not uncommon that patients who suffer from eustachian tube dysfunction resulting in symptoms of clogged ears and inability to pop them easily participate in activities that WILL worsen their ear problems. Such common activities include SCUBA diving and airplane flying. Of course, treatment of eustachian tube dysfunction is best, but may take several weeks, and that airplane flight or SCUBA diving trip is happening in a few days before resolution is expected. …

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