Objective Surgeons often report musculoskeletal discomfort in relation to their practice, but few understand optimal ergonomic positioning. This study aims to determine which patient position-sitting versus supine-is ergonomically optimal for performing otologic procedures. Study Design Observational study. Setting Outpatient otolaryngology clinic setting in a tertiary care facility. Subjects a...

BACKGROUND The stingless bee is a natural type of bee that exists in almost every continent. The honey produced by this bee has been widely used across time and space. The distinctive feature of this honey is that it is stored naturally in the pot (cerumen), thus contributing to its beneficial properties, especially in the wound healing process. METHODS In this article, several studies on sti...

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by defects in the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex, which results in elevations of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in plasma, α-ketoacids in urine, and production of the pathognomonic disease marker, alloisoleucine. The disorder varies in severity and the clinical spectrum is quite broad with five rec...

OBJECTIVES (1) To evaluate the ototoxic potential of docusate sodium and mineral oil and (2) to compare the cerumenolytic properties of these agents to water and a commercially available product. STUDY DESIGN Prospective animal study. SETTING Docusate sodium and mineral oil are being used to dissolve cerumen plugs. Their ototoxicity has never been assessed. METHODS Nineteen guinea pigs re...

Background: The stingless bee is a natural type of bee that exists in almost every continent. The honey produced by this bee has been widely used across time and space. The distinctive feature of this honey is that it is stored naturally in the pot (cerumen), thus contributing to its beneficial properties, especially in the wound healing process. Methods: In this article, several studies on sti...

Propolis is a bee product, composed mainly of plant resins and beeswax, therefore its chemical composition varies due to the geographic and plant origins of these resins, as well as the species of bee. Brazil is an important supplier of propolis on the world market and, although green colored propolis from the southeast is the most known and studied, several other types of propolis from Apis me...

BACKGROUND Few studies have investigated ear involvement in nonsyndromic autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI). OBJECTIVES To assess the type and frequency of otologic manifestations of ARCI in patients under follow-up at the pediatric dermatology department of our hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS We prospectively studied the presence of ear pain, ear itching, tinnitus, otitis, ce...

Control of honey frauds is needed in Ecuador to protect bee keepers and consumers because simple syrups and new syrups with eucalyptus are sold as genuine honeys. Authenticity of Ecuadorian commercial honeys was tested with a vortex emulsion consisting on one volume of honey:water (1:1) dilution, and two volumes of diethyl ether. This method allows a separation of phases in one minute to discri...

Case presentation A 37 year old man was referred to our emergency department by his general practitioner with a three day history of muffled hearing and tinnitus of the right ear. Symptoms were sudden onset, with no associated pain, dizziness or otorrhea and no past history of hearing problems or medical illness. Family history was negative and physical examination was normal. Otologic examinat...

The objective of this study was to characterize genotypically Malassezia spp. isolated from the external ear canal of healthy horses. Fifty-five horses, 39 (70.9%) males and 16 (29.1%) females, from different breeds and adults were studied. External ear canals were cleaned and a sterile cotton swab was introduced to collect cerumen. A total of 110 samples were cultured into Dixon medium and wer...