The Department of Otolaryngology launched its Rhinology Division in August, naming John Schneider, MD, MA, as its inaugural chief. Schneider has been with Washington University since 2013, specializing in the care of patients with sinonasal disorders, acute and chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps, nasal and sinus tumors and anterior skull base tumors. His research interests include […]
Hearing loss is the third most common health condition for older adults in the US, and if untreated, may lead to social isolation, depression, cognitive decline, and fear of being home alone. Sadly, over 48% of seniors who purchase hearing aids cannot adjust to them well enough to use them daily and 31% report never […]
Imagine the feeling of sandpaper dragging across your eyes every time you blink and the inability to produce tears to relieve the pain. This is the suffering that patients with a severe dry eye condition called xerophthalmia often endure. The constant irritation and resultant tissue damage can lead to blindness – unless they’ve found a […]
As some of our staff prepare to move to new offices, Department of Otolaryngology Executive Director of Business Affairs Debbie Scherr explains who is moving, where they’re going, and why the move is beneficial. Who is moving? Come September, about two dozen of our clinical support and administrative staff will relocate from McMillan Hospital and the […]
Chronic rhinosinusitis is one of the most prevalent chronic disorders in the US, affecting 10-15% of the population and all age groups. A significant number of these patients suffer from the growth of fleshy swellings or polyps in the lining of the nose and paranasal sinuses. For some, surgery and medical treatments do not offer […]
The use of robotic-assisted surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University has increased steadily over the past few years, and recent advances in the DaVinci robotics platform should promote even greater usage. Surgeons value the technology for its ability to facilitate difficult surgery through high-resolution 3D visualization, tremor filtration, motion scaling, and a […]
A recent reorganization at the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University has been undertaken to improve patient access and boost patient satisfaction. The department recently completed a self-evaluation of patient services, led by Vice-chair for Clinical Affairs Allison Ogden, MD. The primary goal was to improve patient access – getting every patient to the right […]
Anusha Oberg is like most five-year-old children – unbridled energy and a strong desire to explore the world around her. But, Anusha is deaf. At least she was. Thanks to a procedure conducted at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Anusha can now detect sounds. Anusha’s new awareness of sound is made possible by an auditory brainstem […]
Patient safety and clinical quality is the highest priority within the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University, according to Patient Safety Officer John Chi, MD. As evidenced by regular mandatory departmental quality improvement/morbidity and mortality (QI/MM) conferences and the resident core curriculum in patient safety, the department is committed to patient safety and quality improvement. […]
In a unique clinical trial, five acoustic neuroma patients have received cochlear implants at the time of their tumor removal. Early results are very encouraging. Four of five patients have had their implants activated. Three of these have achieved sound awareness and more importantly demonstrated increased performance in word and sentence recognition tests compared to […]