Treatment for a Rare Case of Pharyngitis Progressed to Supraglottis and Necrosis
In November 2022, Caroll Pellegrin felt unwell and saw his primary care provider with a worsening sore throat and “a little cough.” He tested negative for COVID-19, influenza, and strep throat. The following day he was unable to swallow and…
Collaboration Across Specialties Leads to a Good Outcome for Lolita Hernandez
After two hospitalizations in 2021 – one in February for dehydration and the second in September for acute colitis – Lolita Hernandez went to her primary care physician for a checkup, complaining of joint, muscle, and bone discomfort. When her…
Treatment for a Patient with Bulky Nasal Polyps Eroding the Skull Base
Alex Serna started losing his sense of smell gradually, and by early 2020, it was completely gone. Over the same two-year period, he developed a constant headache and his face progressively became misshapen. “I’m not a big complainer, so I…
Diagnosis and Repair of Empty Nose Syndrome in a Physician
Steven Sapsowitz, MD, a family physician practicing in The Woodlands, Texas, was hit with the end of a hockey stick at the age of 7 while living in New York City. The injury caused a severe deviated septum, with a…
Removal of a Foreign Body in the Neck After Ingestion of a Wire Bristle
Injuries from ingestion of wire bristles from grill-cleaning brushes are common and can lead to long-term swallowing problems and other potentially devastating injuries. Brandy Ogg’s significant other was grilling hamburgers at home last May, when Ogg swallowed what she thought…
Empty Nose Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management in a 34-Year-Old Patient
A little over a decade ago, Giovanni Ordonez started having trouble breathing at night, disrupting his sleep. He saw a local ENT, who recommended turbinate reduction, a procedure that reduces the volume of turbinate tissue to open the nasal airway….
SCUBA Diver Pam Atherton Is Back Underwater
The ability to equalize Eustachian tube (ET) pressure is essential for SCUBA divers. As they descend deeper into the water, the outside pressure becomes greater than the air pressure inside the ear. As pressure increases, the eardrums and Eustachian tubes…
Treating Retrograde Cricopharyngeal Dysfunction, AKA No-Burp Syndrome
For as long as she can remember, Taylor Frazier, 26, had no ability to burp. Her mother remembers burping her as a baby, and at some point in her early teens, she started noticing bubbling and gurgling sounds in her…
Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness: An Uncommon Diagnosis May Be More Common Than Doctors Once Thought
Tom Bishop started experiencing dizziness in 2013 and saw several neurologists and otolaryngologists over the years with no conclusive diagnosis. “I had no sensation of whirling. It was more like a constant feeling that I was going to fall,” says…
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation for Patients with Sleep Apnea Who Can’t Tolerate CPAP: Two Patients Benefit
Charles Njilefack was prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine 15 years ago for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). When he first received the device, he found it cumbersome to use and set it aside. “But I was not sleeping…