Cummings Pediatric Otolaryngology

Pediatric Otologic Surgery

Middle Ear and Mastoid Surgery Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media and Tympanic Membrane Repair A number of factors are thought to influence the success of tympanic membrane repair in chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), such as age, type of graft material,…

Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct

Key Points Enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct is a commonly detected inner ear anomaly. The hearing loss of enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct (EVA) characteristically shows fluctuation, progression, or both. Patients with EVA often have a low-frequency conductive hearing loss…

Congenital Malformations of the Inner Ear

Key Points In congenital sensorineural hearing loss, approximately 20% of inner ears demonstrate a radiographically detectable abnormality. Many patterns of deformity appear to result from disturbances in the embryogenesis of the inner ear during the first trimester. Enlargement of the…

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

Key Points 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the most common microdeletion syndrome. There is a large phenotypic variance in 22q11.2DS, thus requiring a high index of diagnostic suspicion for genetic testing. Otolaryngologists play a key role in the care of…

Velopharyngeal Dysfunction

Key Points Velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) refers to any type of abnormality in form or function and is further categorized as insufficiency, incompetence, or mislearning and as phoneme- or sound-specific VPD. Phoneme- or sound-specific VPD involves abnormal production of one or…

Cleft Lip and Palate

Key Points Cleft lip and palate deformities constitute the most common congenital defects of the head. The etiology of clefting is multifactorial. Its prevalence varies among ethnic groups and within families. Syndromes are common, especially among patients with cleft palate.…

Pediatric Speech Disorders

Speech and language disorders in children comprise a variety of conditions with overlapping features. Pediatric otolaryngologists are often one of the first professionals to see these children, often to rule out hearing loss as a potential contributing factor. Parents may…

Pediatric Facial Fractures

Key Points Trauma is the leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality in the United States. The patterns of facial fractures in children are age dependent because of developmental, anatomic, and behavioral considerations. Pediatric facial fractures are associated with higher…