The medical field of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) is one that most people are familiar with as ENT specialists are the first stop for everyone suffering from common colds and viruses. A common misconception most people entertain, however, is that the field of ENT only deals with ailments like sore throats and tonsillitis. In actual fact, ENT forms a major part of the medical world and new procedures and research is constantly being conducted in the field. Saudi Gazette spoke to ENT specialist Dr. Mustafa Tajaldeen Adnan, the head of the department of Otolaryngology (the branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat and head and neck disorders and a head-and-neck surgeon at a military hospital in Taif, and he discussed the advent of new procedures and the complexities of the field. Tonsillitis He remarked that the field was a complicated one because many people suffer frequently from illnesses relating to ENT. For example, chronic tonsillitis - the inflammation of tonsils - requires tonsillectomy, which is a surgical procedure in which tonsils are removed from both sides of the throat, is often regarded as mild but is a very common and painful problem in children. “We are doing tonsillectomies by using a new technique called ‘harmonic radio radio frequency tonsillectomy,'” he said. “It is a new procedure which involves less plain, no bleeding and a shorter stay at the hospital which costs less.” He added that using radio-frequency combined with laser, is now the new procedure for treating most ENT cases, and that the new treatments being made available in this field within the Kingdom match those in the most advanced of countries. “We use the same equipment and procedures being used in North America and Europe,” he stated proudly. He also spoke at length about this widespread misconception that not undergoing a tonsillectomy will not result in any damage. “Most tonsillectomies are done to prevent complications arising from untreated chronic tonsillitis, such as rheumatic fever, which can be very dangerous,” he explained. “If tonsillitis-related infections occur more than four times in a year, it is a sign that the tonsils must be surgically removed, otherwise medicine is sufficient.” Itchy nose Dr. Adnan emphasized the need for people to avoid bad habits like picking their nose, to avoid the spread of certain ENT-related infections. In terms of itchy noses, he recommended the use of specific nose lubricants, ointments and natural lubricants like olive oil to avoid the dryness that causes irritation. Shortness of breath A very common ENT-related problem is shortness of breath, and Dr. Adnan explained that rhinoplasty - popularly perceived as a form of plastic surgery - is actually an important surgery that can be done “to correct impaired breathing caused by structural abnormalities in the nose.” Such structural abnormalities often include polyps, which can be painlessly removed and allow patients to breathe much more freely. Tinnitus Tinnitus is an oft-misunderstood problem that people often suffer in silence with. Marked by an incessant ringing of the ears, patients often tend to ignore the problem or regard it as a psychological problem. The “The history of tinnitus (ringing ears) dates back to the ancient Egyptian civilization, and currently, more that 300 million people in the world suffer from it,” Dr. Adnan said. In a study conducted by him, he discovered that “67 per cent of tinnitus patients showed clinical improvement from the use of the antidepressant Seroxat after one month.” Strange cases Because the ENT field is so diverse, Dr. Adnan related that he has had to perform some very strange operations, including one where a patient with a swollen face and eyelid would experience air rushing from the nose to the ear canal whenever he coughed. In the first time such a procedure was carried out in the world, he made a surgical hole in the mastoid (posterior) portion of the temporal bone and allowed the air to escape through there. Active in the field of publishing research and various studies in the field, Dr. Adnan also warned people from visiting private clinics promising rapid results and charging huge fees for procedures, as it is very easy for those procedures to complicate the initial problem unnecessarily. “I advise people to go to trusted doctors in government or private hospitals if they are looking for professional surgery,” he said.
