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Nevada ENT and Hearing Associates is pleased to welcome Dr. Samara to our team of specialists. With over 26 years of experience in Otolaryngology, as well as head and neck surgery, Dr Samara is well versed in everything ENT. His background includes the use of robotics, salivary gland endoscopy, minimally invasive surgical techniques, the use of lasers, and skull base surgery.

Dr. Samara began his medical journey at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida. His hard work at the University of Miami paid off with his following residencies at Columbia University in New York City as well as UCLA in Los Angeles.

After his schooling, Dr. Samara completed a 26-year tenure at SUNY Stony Brook. There, his practice encompassed a broad range of ENT, with special emphasis placed on nasal and sinus surgery, head and neck tumors, and salivary gland disease. After experiencing almost all four corners of the United States, Dr. Samara is now bringing his expertise to the biggest little city.

Over the course of his career, he has received many honors and awards including induction into the American College of Surgeons and even the Triological society; the most prestigious society in Otolaryngology. Nearly three decades of experience and hard work have made Dr. Samara a leading voice in the world of ENT. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and he has authored over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles.

Nevada ENT and Hearing Associates is so excited to welcome Dr. Samara. As he brings his wealth of knowledge to our practice and our patients, we look forward to our future working together. We encourage interested patients, new and old, to make an appointment to see Dr. Samara soon.

Dr. Josh Meier was featured on KTVN’s “Ask the Doctor” on June 8th.  He discussed COVID-19 associated smell loss and what Nevada ENT and the Reno Tahoe Sinus Center are doing to keep our patients safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The press release below is from the American Rhinologic Society, and I wanted to include it on our blog in order to provide resources for further reading on how COVID-19 is affecting rhinology.
Josh Meier, M.D. F.A.R.S. F.A.C.S.

Press Release – April 14, 2020
Dear Colleagues,

The fight against COVID-19 is in full swing, and we are beginning to see some peer-reviewed contributions in the literature. These data-driven studies are much stronger than the anecdotal reports we have been forced to rely on in the early stages of the crisis. Specifically, the association of Covid-19 infection with smell loss has been strengthened and I would like to draw your attention to the 3 new articles in IFAR noted below:

The use of google trends to investigate the loss of smell related searches during COVID‐19 outbreak

A primer on viral‐associated olfactory loss in the era of COVID‐19

Association of chemosensory dysfunction and Covid‐19 in patients presenting with influenza‐like symptoms

There have been some encouraging signs in the battle against COVID-19 over the past week. This has caused many us to begin consideration of the question of when and how we can return to some degree of normal operations. There is still much we need to learn about the virus, which will have major implications going forward. We are not clear on when asymptomatic but infected patients are capable of spreading the virus, whether immunity is durable and whether chronic carrier states exist. Moreover, scientists do not yet agree on whether large droplets vs. much smaller aerosols can both serve as mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 spread. (Lewis, D. Nature vol. 580, 9 April 2020) The answers to these questions will obviously affect both office and operating room policies going forward. To that end, I would like to draw your attention to the below study that begins the process of analyzing aerosol production with the use of common rhinologic tools. The clinical relevance is not yet clear, but studies such as this are a first step back in the direction of normalcy.

Endonasal instrumentation and aerosolization risk in the era of COVID‐19: simulation, literature review, and proposed mitigation strategies

Thank you.

Robert Kern, MD, FARS
President
American Rhinologic Society

Endoscopic septoplasty is a newer technique where an endoscope is used to visualize the nasal cavity to straighten the nasal septum. Most people’s septum will be deviated to one side or the other, which is not a cause for concern. However in some people the deviation is significant enough that it results in nasal obstruction. If this is the case, then they would be a candidate for septoplasty. The incision is made on the side of the deviation, 1-2cm back from the most forward part of the septum. The mucosa is lifted up on this side, then the cartilage is incised and the flap is lifted on the other side. Deviated bone and cartilage is removed, and the deviation is reduced. The flaps are stitched together with an absorbable mattress suture. The vast majority of the time, stents and packing are not required.   This results in minimal post op pain, and Tylenol is adequate for postoperative pain control.   Neilmed rinses are begun the next day.   Not all people are candidates for endoscopic septoplasty, namely those with significant forward deviations, where a traditional approach is indicated. Please see the link below for an intraoperative video.   Frequently endoscopic septoplasty is performed concurrently with endoscopic sinus surger.y  In fact, inadequate septoplasty can be a reason for failure of surgery due to limited visualization of the sinuses while performing endoscopic sinus surgery.

Josh Meier, M.D. F.A.R.S.

http://www.sinusvideos.com/endoscopic-septoplasty-for-posterior-deviation/