Glue ear is the layman’s term for thick mucoid effusion of the middle ear, usually due to chronic ear infections.
The fluid itself is like maple syrup and usually treated with ear tube placement followed by suctioning as much of the fluid out as possible. However, given there is always some residual present, antibiotic ear drops with steroids is often prescribed.
Unfortunately, these patients are at higher risk of requiring repeated sets of tubes after the body spits them out.
One of the most dreaded complications in obstetrics is a stillbirth that is defined as the absence of life upon delivery of the baby. There are approximately 3million stillbirths that occur each year globally and one-half million in the U.S. In developing countries, the most common reasons of stillbirths were prolonged labor, pre-eclampsia and infections whereas in the U.S., the most common causes are abnormal genes, abnormal growth (aka growth restriction) and maternal diseases. According to medical studies, unexplained fetal loss is the most common reason for stillbirths that occur after 28 weeks. Risk factors for stillbirth include women who have infections, abnormal chromosomes, genetic disorders and umbilical cord complications. Race and socioeconomics also play a role. Black women have twice the risk of having a stillbirth as Caucasian women. Smoking and advanced maternal age also poses an increased risk.
Until recently, there are no screening tests available to see if a woman was carrying a baby at risk for stillbirth. However, a medical study presented at a conference reported that stillbirths can now be predicted using Read more »
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Glue ear is the layman’s term for thick mucoid effusion of the middle ear, usually due to chronic ear infections.
