Tag Archives: sinus

No antibiotics for sinusitis? -JAMA

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association disputes benefit provided by antibiotics for sinus infections.  In this study patients were randomly given a placebo pill or amoxicillin (a basic first-line antibiotic for sinus infections) for 10 days.  They found that there was no difference in symptom improvement at day 3 […]

Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Second Neti Pot User -MedPage Today

via Medical News: Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Second Neti Pot User – in Infectious Disease, Infection Control from MedPage Today. Wow!  Louisiana State officials are announcing they have linked a second death from amoebic meningitis to the use of the Neti Pot.  This is a terrible 100% fatal form of meningitis that happens when a particular amoeba, […]

First case with Intersect Propel sinus stent: a winner

IntersectEnt.com This week I used the novel steroid-eluting Propel stent in the operating room for the first time. It is a new FDA approved device to improve healing after endoscopic sinus surgery. The device deployed well, and seemed to fit snugly. It is designed to absorb over a thirty-day period. I really like the device […]

6 Things to Know Before Sinus Surgery

There are many specific issues to consider when sinus surgery is recommended by your otolaryngologist.  Most patients I see for a “second opinion” about their sinuses do in fact have sinuses that justify surgery.  However somewhere along the way the goals and expectations of surgery have been forgotten.  Here are the questions you should be […]

Environmental Controls for Allergies

We joke that if your doctor suggests you get rid of your cat to control allergies, then you’re more likely to get rid of your doctor.  This is probably very true, however many of the things we can do to control our environment are fairly painless and may be things you haven’t thought of before.   Pet […]

Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis

The humidity plus many of the urban environments that Atlanta provides is ripe for producing allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS).  In fact the southeast United States has the highest rate of fungal sinus conditions in the world.   Allergic fungal sinusitis is type of sinusitis caused by an abnormal response to otherwise “normal” fungi in the […]

Rhinitis of Pregnancy

Stuffy nose during pregnancy is very common, especially during the third trimester.  Circulating hormones cause the internal nasal tissues to swell, blocking breathing through the nose and creating a constant “drip”. This does not usually indicate an infection, but sometimes an infection can overlap the symptoms. The big question is “What do we do about […]

Q&A: What is Balloon Sinuplasty?

Thanks for the question SDinPenn.  Balloon Sinusplasty is a term used to describe opening up the sinus channels by inflating strong balloons instead of more traditional ways of cutting away the bones.  It has several advantages, including safety, less bleeding, and less pain – leading to quicker recovery.  The problems with the balloon include difficulty […]