Otolaryngologic clinics of North America
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The preferred antibiotic treatment for tonsillar and peritonsillar infections remains high dosages of penicillin. Peritonsillar swelling can be probed by needle aspiration. ⋯ Quinsy tonsillectomy may be carried out for the best abscess exposure. Interval tonsillectomy is advised for those patients who give histories of previous tonsillar infections.
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A total of 512 patients with major salivary gland tumors were treated at our institution between the years 1960 to 1975. The 147 cases of malignant salivary gland tumors were reviewed according to presenting characteristics and stage, histology, and outcome. Treatment for each type is summarized. ⋯ Although cure rates in many categories of high-grade tumors are low, the only hope for survival is an initial aggressive surgical approach. Although radiation was used for recurrent disease only during the years of this study, it is currently being used as adjuvant therapy in almost all malignancies except low-grade mucoepidermoid. Recurrences are almost always fatal.
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Sore throat is a common complaint among patients seeking treatment from primary care physicians and otolaryngologists. This article reviews the clinical syndromes which present with pharyngitis. An emphasis is placed on differential diagnosis and appropriate use of antibiotic therapy. The continued controversy regarding the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis is also presented.
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There is increasing evidence that hearing conservation programs based on hearing protective devices can be and are effective. Hearing conservation requires effort and all successful programs seem to be based on a mixture of engineering, monitoring, and personal protection.
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The otolaryngologist who is called upon to evaluate respiratory distress in the newborn should be familiar with the various congenital lesions of the larynx. A presumptive diagnosis can usually be made on the basis of the clinical history and physical findings. However, the mainstay of diagnosis is endoscopic examination of the larynx.