Inferior Turbinate Reduction Allows a Patient to Avoid Septoplasty
Chuck Frank’s problem of nasal obstruction came on gradually over 12 to 18 months. By spring 2019, he was waking up every morning unable to breathe through his nose. “At first I thought it was allergies or a cold, but…
Right Tympanoplasty for a Nonhealing Perforation Restores Laurie Killam’s Hearing
Laurie Killam was left with a tiny hole in her right eardrum after an ENT injected dexamethasone as a treatment for vertigo. “The hole didn’t heal, but I wasn’t aware of that,” says Killam, 55. “When I squeezed a mixture…
Removal and Reconstruction of an Oral Cavity Cancer During COVID-19 Lockdown
Flor Rodriguez of Kingsville, Texas, is among the many patients who have benefited from the expertise of head and neck cancer surgeons in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. In early January 2020,…
Transoral Robotic Surgery Speeds Recovery for a Patient with HPV-Associated Tonsil Cancer
Although not yet widely available, transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has moved treatment for throat cancer away from primary chemotherapy and radiation toward surgery, with fewer side effects in appropriately selected patients. Among them is John Bush, who woke up one…
The Perfect Candidate for Dupilumab
Curtis Griffin was on the verge of a sixth surgery for nasal polyposis when his rhinologist suggested that he try dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat asthma, atopic dermatitis, and chronic rhinosinusitis…
A Profoundly Deaf Toddler Hears After Bilateral Cochlear Implantation
At 21 months of age, Elijah Zúñiga was undergoing physical, occupational, and speech therapy at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Houston when his physicians discovered that he could not hear. “Elijah had just recovered from bacterial meningitis and was in rehabilitation for…
Cosmetic Excision of a Nasal Papilloma and Protection Against Recurrence
An unsightly bump on 13-year-old Sara Hasan’s nose led her pediatrician to refer her to Zhen “Jane” Huang, MD, MBA, a pediatric otolaryngologist and assistant professor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth….
With a Cochlear Implant, Joe Amante Gets His Life Back
Joe Amante was coming home from dinner in December 2018 when he lost the hearing in his left ear. It was replaced by ringing that grew progressively louder. Within a few months, he had lost the ability to walk unassisted…
From Neonate to Toddler: Handling a Complex Case Over 3 Years
Zhen “Jane” Huang, MD, MBA, first met Ricardo “J.J.” Castaneda in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in 2017, when he was 4 months old. Born prematurely at 32 weeks, he had a heart defect…
Sialendoscopy: Better Outcomes Without Incisions
For a few years, Maria Dolores Salinas thought the occasional inflammation on the right side of her face was associated with upper respiratory infections. “I looked like I had mumps under my right jaw, and it was difficult to swallow,”…