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By Alexandra Matkevich RN

Due to our climate, Australians are at a high risk of skin cancer and sun related changes to the skin. It is recommended to go for regular skin checks with your GP or dermatologist. If there is any cause for concern, your doctor will take a small biopsy of the skin to see if any further treatment is necessary.

What is a skin biopsy?

A biopsy is a small section of tissue that is removed to be looked at by a pathologist. For a skin biopsy, the area may be as small as a grain of rice or the size of a pea. The pathologist will look at the skin under a microscope and examine the tissue cells, looking for any changes or abnormalities. The results of the biopsy will determine your diagnosis and any further treatment required.

Cost

In Australia, most biopsies are covered under Medicare. They can be bulk billed or may require a co-payment. Speak with your doctor or pathology service about any possible fees that may be charged to you for your biopsy.

Immediately after a biopsy

If local anaesthetic has been used to collect the biopsy, expect some numbness around the area for the next few hours. When the anaesthetic wears off, it is normal to experience some tenderness. The area will usually be dressed with bandaid or other small dressing.

How to care for the wound site

Most of all, it is important to keep the dressing dry and intact. If the dressing becomes wet or soiled it is time to change it. A wet dressing is a risk for infection.

You might be asked by your doctor to clean the wound before applying a new dressing. Start by washing your hands with soap and water, and then dry them carefully with a clean towel. Cleanse the area with a cotton ball and salt water solution which is made of 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water. Then apply the fresh dressing.

Watch out for infection!

Keep an eye out for any signs of infection. If you notice any signs of infection you should speak to your doctor as soon as possible. A normal biopsy wound site will look a little bit pink around the edges and have a scab. Signs of infection include:

• Redness
• Pus
• Odour
• Swelling

Follow up

After your biopsy is taken, it is a good idea to come in for a follow up either one or two weeks after the procedure. The doctor can check the wound is healing well and discuss the results of your biopsy, as well as any further treatment options.

The post What To Do After A Skin Biopsy appeared first on Dermatology Sydney.

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If you are considering getting a nose job, then there are things you need to know before you go in for the procedure. A rhinoplasty is a common procedure, but there are still a number of pro’s and con’s to the procedure. Let’s go over some facts associated with rhinoplasty so that you will know what to expect before you meet with your surgeon.

When it will be done

In most cases, rhinoplasty will be completed as an inpatient. You will need to go under general anesthesia, meaning you will be asleep and it is likely that you will need to stay in hospital overnight. This means the doctor and medical staff can keep a close eye on your recovery to ensure there have been no immediate complications.

The actual recovery time will depend immensely on the extent of the nose job itself. There is no all-encompassing number for recovery time in nose jobs. That is because each one of them is different and each will require different work, influencing how long it will take to recover.

What can be repaired with rhinoplasty?

Some people have the surgery for medical reasons. For example, people with a deviated septum can have a variety of conditions, like trouble breathing and nosebleeds. A deviated septum can be repaired with a nose job.

Common reasons why people choose to have rhinoplasty include:

  • Removing a bump from the bridge of the nose
  • Correcting problems with the tip (drooping tip or misshapen tip)
  • Changing the size of the nostrils
  • Straightening a crooked bridge
  • Lengthening or shortening the tip of the nose
  • Changing the size of the nose overall

Additionally, if someone has trouble breathing, rhinoplasty can be used to open the nasal passages. Finally, if someone has had traumatic injury to the nose, then surgery may be used to correct any problems resulting from that injury.

Procedures used

When you discuss your rhinoplasty procedure with your surgeon, they will explain either an open or a closed procedure. These are the two methods used for a nose job and they only differ in one way. An open procedure will involve making a small incision underneath the nose on the strip of skin between the nostrils. A closed procedure will involve only incisions within the nostrils so they cannot be seen.

Different surgeons may prefer one to the other. This decision may also be influenced by a number of other things. For example, if you need extensive work to the tip of your nose, then the surgeon will likely recommend an open procedure so that they have more access to the cartilage. Overall, there is not enough of a difference to be of concern to you as the recovery time will be about the same. The incision under your nose should heal so that no one will be able to tell and any scarring will be minimal.

Talking with your surgeon

If you are considering a rhinoplasty, it is very important to discuss your goals with your surgeon. They will help you get a realistic idea of what your results will be and you can explain exactly how you want your nose to look in the end. Your surgeon will tell you whether that can be done and then describe how they can reach as close as possible results.

Rhinoplasty procedures can be a great way to change the look of the nose or correct medical problems. However, before you book your appointment, it helps to understand what will be happening. By knowing, what a rhinoplasty can do and the basics of how the procedure can be completed, you will be better prepared for meeting with the surgeon.

If you have questions or concerns about rhinoplasty see your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a nose surgeon.

The post Basic Facts to Know About Rhinoplasty appeared first on Rhinoplasty Clinic Sydney.

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Did you know that we all essentially have air filters that are built into our noses? There are structures on each side of our noses known as turbinates, which are responsible for filtering, humidifying, warming, and directing the air that we breathe in through our nasal passages. These structures do us a great service, unless they become enlarged and begin to block the air that they should be filtering. When children constantly feel as if they are congested and stuffy, they may be in need of turbinate reduction or turbinoplasty surgery to open these airways once again.

What Causes a Turbinate To Become Enlarged?

The nasal turbinates become problematic if they are abnormally large, to the point where air cannot freely flow through the nose. These nasal wall structures typically become enlarged because some type of irritant or other issue is causing the tissue to become inflamed. This enlargement can happen if the child has allergies and has been exposed to trigger substances that have caused a reaction. Exposure to irritants, like smoke, smog, or chemical fumes could be to blame. Children who have experienced sinus infections and/or have used nasal decongestant sprays may also be at a greater risk of experiencing inflamed turbinates.

Is Surgery the Only Option?

If you go to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, their initial recommendations for dealing with enlarged turbinates are not likely going to involve surgery. There is a good chance that if the causes of the enlargement are removed or addressed, that the turbinates may reduce in size without surgical intervention. Therefore, your pediatric doctor may suggest that you remove any irritants or allergens from the child’s environment. They might also prescribe medicines to reduce inflammation or treat allergic reactions, or antibiotics to address sinus infections. It is only after your child does not show any response to these treatment methods that turbinate reduction surgery should be considered. Even though this surgical procedure is non-invasive and can be completed using general anesthesia, it is always best to give non-surgical treatment options a fair amount of time to provide results.

What To Expect from Turbinate Reduction Surgery

This nasal surgery is routine. It does not require any incisions to be made to the nose, and can be performed through the nostrils, using endoscopes. Your ear, nose, and throat surgeon does not change the outward appearance or shape of the nose, only the shape of the turbinates inside. Excess tissue is removed from the turbinates, opening up the nasal passages, so your child can breathe easier once again. Even though part of the turbinate is removed, the remaining structures are still able to perform their tasks of filtering the air that passes through the nose. In some cases, depending upon the causes of the child’s blockage, it may be necessary to combine turbinate reduction surgery with other surgical procedures, such as adenoidectomy, endoscopic sinus surgery or septoplasty.

What Are the Risks Involved?

No surgical procedure is completely risk-free, but the risks associated with turbinate surgery are minimal. Approximately one in every one hundred patients has reported nasal bleeding after the surgery. Dissolvable nasal packing may be used to prevent or address this bleeding. For the best recovery, your surgeon will provide follow-up care instructions. This will likely involve performing nasal saline flushes multiple times a day for the first couple of weeks after surgery. Your child will also need to return to their ear, nose, and throat doctor for post-surgery check-ups once after a couple of weeks and again after a couple of months.

If you have questions about turbinate reduction surgery make an appointment to see our ear nose and throat specialist.

References

The post Why Your Child Might Need Turbinate Reduction Surgery appeared first on ENT Clinic Sydney.

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The human nose, while it might look relatively simple on the outside, is actually a very complex structure. It also serves multiple purposes and you just might find that some of them are rather surprising.

It is a Temperature Control

One of the main functions of your nose, obviously, is giving you a way to breathe! However, there is more to breathing than simply delivering air to your lungs.

If you are outside and it is very cold, when you breathe into your nose the air warms in the nasal cavity before it hits your lungs. This helps to protect your body against the damage that cold air can do. Your nose can also cool off air if it happens to be very hot.

It is a Humidifier

Your nose also serves a role in ensuring that the air that you breathe is humid enough to be healthy for your lungs. As everyone knows, the interior of your nose tends to be moist and some of that moisture is imparted to air as you inhale. This helps to ensure that the air you are inhaling is not overly dry.

It is a Filter

It is a good idea to trim the hair around the outside of your nose, simply for cosmetic reasons, but do not trim the hair on the inside too much. That hair performs a very important function.

If you have ever inhaled something and got it caught in your nose, the hair and mucus that line your nose would have caught it. The hair and the mucus form a very effective filter that keeps particulate matter out of your lungs.

They may not be the most attractive things in the world, but the hairs in your nose really do help keep you healthy.

It is a Sensory Organ

Everybody knows that dogs have a much better sense of smell than human beings. In fact, many animals have a better sense of smell than human beings.

Researchers have come up with one of the reasons that this is the case. Human beings have approximately 1000 olfactory receptor genes, which are responsible for giving you your sense of smell. Of those 1000 olfactory receptor genes, however, only about 347 of them are actually functional. The rest don’t work.

We do have a good ability to sense the difference between long chain chemical compounds, such as those that are associated with flowers. However, we lack a developed ability to smell short chain chemical compounds, which dogs are very good at doing, and many other animals are, as well.

You will never have the same sense of smell as your faithful canine or feline friends, but human beings do have a good sense of smell, at least certain types of chemicals.

Little Differences in Structure Can Mean a Lot

On top of all of this, and with all of its very precise workings, your nose is actually very durable. The cartilage that makes up the structure of your nose is flexible enough to take a lot of damage and go right back into its proper shape. Sometimes, however, it does get broken and, for some people, they have an abnormality that they were born within the structure of their nose and abnormalities for either reason can make a big difference in how well your nose functions.

A deviated septum, for instance, where the dividing portion of the nose is out of alignment, can cause a lot of difficulty breathing. These conditions and others can be fixed by surgeons who perform rhinoplasty, which involves correcting the structure of the nose for either cosmetic or health reasons, oftentimes both.

If you have questions or concerns about rhinoplasty  see your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a nose surgeon.

References

The post The Amazing Human Nose appeared first on Rhinoplasty Clinic Sydney.

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Our sinuses are air-filled cavities located near our nasal passages. Similar to those nasal passages, our sinuses are lined throughout the interior by mucous membranes. There are four distinct types of sinuses. They include:

  • Maxillary sinus – This sinus is felt below the area of the cheeks. This particular sinus is present when they are born, and grows while they age.
  • Ethmoid sinus – This sinus is found in the area of your child’s nose bridge. Like the maxillary sinus, it is present at birth and it continues to grow.
  • Frontal sinus – This sinus is present in the forehead area. It is not as often affected by sinusitis in children, since it does not develop until your child is about seven years old.
  • Sphenoid sinus – This sinus is located behind the nose, deep inside the face. It does not develop until your children are adolescent aged.

What is sinusitis in children?

Sinusitis is quite simply an infection of the sinuses located near your child’s nose. These will normally occur after allergic inflammation or a cold. Sinusitis can be one of three types:

  • Acute sinusitis – this type of sinusitis occurs more quickly and improves when treated appropriately
  • Subacute sinusitis – this type will not usually improve with initial treatment, and it generally lasts less than three months
  • Chronic sinusitis – this occurs after repeated episodes of acute infections, or with infections that your child experienced previously, that were not adequately treated. This usually lasts beyond three months

What are the causes of sinusitis?

In some cases, sinus infections occur after your child experiences a common cold or an upper respiratory infection or URTI. These diseases cause nasal passage inflammation that may block the opening of their paranasal sinuses. This results in an infection of the sinuses. Allergies may also lead to a case of sinusitis because of nasal tissue swelling and increased mucus production.

Other conditions may also affect your child by blocking normal secretion flow from the sinuses, and leading to sinusitis. They include:

  • Enlarged adenoids
  • Abnormalities in nasal structure
  • Tooth infections
  • Swimming and diving
  • Foreign objects
  • Nose trauma or injury
  • Cleft abnormalities

When the normal flow of sinus secretions is blocked in some way, bacteria may start to grow, leading to an infection of the sinus, or sinusitis. The bacteria that most often cause sinusitis in your child include:

  • Haemophilus Influenzae
  • Streptococcus Pneumonia
  • Moraxella Catarrhalis

What are the main sinusitis symptoms?

Your child’s age will affect their sinusitis symptoms. The most common symptoms for younger children include:

  • Infection lasting longer than a week
  • Runny nose
  • Clear discharge that may be thick yellow or green
  • Occasional daytime cough
  • Nighttime cough is noted more frequently

In older children, symptoms can include:

  • A drip occurs in the throat from the nose (post-nasal drip)
  • Cold symptoms or a runny nose lasting more than a week or 10 days
  • Facial discomfort
  • Headaches
  • Cough
  • Bad breath
  • Sore throat and fever
  • Swelling around his eyes may occur, and it is usually worse in the morning

Treatment for sinusitis

Treatment may include panadol for discomfort and a cool mist humidifier used in your child’s room. Antibiotics may be prescribed by your child’s ear, nose and throat specialist, for 10 to 14 days or longer.

If you have any questions about treating sinusitis in children please contact your local doctor who will arrange for your to see your ear nose and throat specialist.

The post Treating Sinusitis in Children appeared first on ENT Clinic Sydney.

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