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Showing posts from February, 2023

What is myringoplasty and who is it for

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Myringoplasty Surgery - Repair Perforated Ear Drum Myringoplasty is a surgical procedure used to repair a hole or tear in the tympanic membrane (eardrum). The procedure involves making a small incision in the ear canal, lifting the remaining eardrum tissue, and using a graft (usually taken from the patient's own tissues) to patch the hole. Myringoplasty is typically performed on patients who have a perforated eardrum that is not healing on its own or is causing hearing loss, recurrent ear infections, or other ear-related symptoms. The hole in the eardrum can be caused by a variety of factors, including: Trauma to the ear Infection or inflammation of the middle ear Chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction Exposure to loud noises Barotrauma (changes in air pressure, such as during air travel or scuba diving) Myringoplasty is typically performed under local or general anesthesia, and patients can usually return home the same day. After the surgery, the patient may need to avoid getting wa

DISE - Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy

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  DISE (Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy) When a patient presents with snoring to our clinic we first advise a complete sleep study (Polysomnography). This is either done in the medical facility or sometimes can be done at home as well (domiciliary sleep study). Once a sleep study confirms OSAS - Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome - we have to give the patient treatment options. The commonest treatment option is to ask the patient to use a CPAP machine. Many patients have claustrophobia and for this or other reasons (travel a lot, sleep on their tummy) cannot or do not want to use the CPAP machine. These patients are candidates for surgery. Snoring is a multifactorial problem and the obstruction could be variably placed - either in the Nose, Nasopharynx, behind the palate (retropalatal), behind the tongue (Retroglossal) or in the hypopharynx/ larynx. Surgeries are carefully tailored to correct obstructions/ narrowing in these areas. In order to guide the surgeon as to which surgery would

Halitosis(Bad Breath) - Easy Things You Can Do to Get Rid of Bad Breath

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Halitosis or Bad breath Halitosis, or bad breath, can cause several issues like loss of confidence, poor body self-image, and social isolation due to the sense of shame associated with it. Bad breath occurs when infected tissues inside the mouth release foul-smelling toxins due to oral or dental bacterial infections, and accumulated food debris inside the mouth putrefies. Hence, it is always recommended to brush teeth twice a day, especially at night, as dental surgeons consider it the most crucial brushing time. Flossing can also be helpful in case of dental malocclusion, where teeth are crowded or unevenly spaced. While the effectiveness of different toothpaste brands is debatable, maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial. However, it is not clear whether brushing teeth with the stem of a Neem tree is beneficial. To get rid of bad breath , there are three things that you could do.  Firstly, good dental care must include care of gums, as gum disease is one of the commonest causes of b

AN EASY TREATMENT FOR SNORING – RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION OF THE SOFT PALATE

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  Snoring is a common problem in adults and the incidence rises with age after the fourth decade. Snoring can be a serious problem and causes tremendous social embarrassment.  Specially for persons who sleep with a companion and for those who travel frequently snoring can cause serious distress on account of the disturbance the sound causes for others. The Treatment – Radiofrequency Device Plus Partial Uvulectomy The technique relies on application of a Radiofrequency probe into the soft palate and using its heat to shrink the soft palate. This causes the tissue to toughen up and the soft palate curtain becomes more stiff. This is sometimes combined with partial reduction of the Uvula – the small tissue that hangs down the centre of the throat – a procedure called Partial Uvulectomy. Usually two sittings about four weeks apart are required. This is an Outpatient procedure and is done under Local Anaesthesia . Sometimes sedation may be given. Results Various studies hav