The Man With the World's Largest Mouth!

Francisco Domingo Joaquim's 6.69 inches wide mouth has earned him the dubious title of the 'World's Widest Mouth' by the Guinness Book of World Records.

His main claim to fame is the ability to put a can of Coke into and out of his mouth with ease as well as spin it around inside his mouth with his tongue. Watch a video here.

Read more about him and his amazing mouth here.

What is Vocal Cord Stroboscopy?

Stroboscopy of the vocal cords is a special exam whereby a scope is introduced down into the throat where the vocal cords can be directly visualized. Using a special light, the vibration of the vocal cords can be examined and allows identification of subtle pathology that can contribute to a raspy voice.

The exam is recorded and can be played back at any speed to allow for careful analysis.

Here is a YouTube video our office has made showing how this exam is performed!

Laying on Right Side Worsens Acid Reflux!

Well that's according to a recent New York Times article on October 25, 2010.

This claim is based on several studies published whereby “the total amount of reflux time was significantly greater” when the subjects laid on their right side after eating a high-fat meal.

This makes sense anatomically. Keep in mind that the stomach is located on the left side and the esophagus (swallowing tube) is located in the middle (comes off the stomach's "right side" so to speak). When you lay down on the right side, gravity is literally "emptying" the stomach into the esophagus located in the middle. Laying on the left side has gravity keeping stomach contents inside the stomach as the middle is now above the stomach.

Of course, the best thing to do is lifestyle changes to minimize reflux including- avoid eating high-fat, spicy, acidic foods as well as not eating/drinking within 3 hours of laying down when the stomach is empty. Keeping the head and chest elevated 30 degrees is also helpful thereby using gravity to help keep things down. Mattress wedges are helpful. Should lifestyle changes not help, there are plenty of medications that can help.

Read the NYT article here.

Read more about reflux here.

References:
Body position affects recumbent postprandial reflux. J Clin Gastroenterol. 1994 Jun;18(4):280-3.

Effect of different recumbent positions on postprandial gastroesophageal reflux in normal subjects. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Oct;95(10):2731-6.

New Video Produced on Using MediTech EMR on the iPad!

Our office has been instrumental in bringing the Apple iPad to Fauquier Hospital allowing physicians to access MediTech.

In order for physicians to see how MediTech can be accessed and used on the iPad, our office has created a YouTube video tutorial. Not only is MediTech shown, but also PACS. This video has been added to our YouTube channel.

Please note that this video is in REAL-TIME. It has not been speeded up. The system we are using is Citrix Version XanApp 5 and MediTech Client/Server v5.6.4 PP13.

Watch the video on YouTube here or below.

Related iPad and MediTech Blog Articles:
6/12/10 iPad Use In the Medical Clinic and/or Hospital For the Surgeon Doctor
6/19/10 The Perfect Computer for Healthcare and Electronic Medical Records
9/8/10 Dr. Chang Featured in Magazine Article on Using iPad with MediTech EMR
9/20/10 UPDATE: iPad and MediTech Electronic Medical / Health Records
10/12/10 UPDATE #2: iPad and MediTech Electronic Medical / Health Records

New Video Produced on How/What a Normal Swallow Looks Like

Our office has produced a new video on what/how a normal swallow looks like from BOTH an x-ray as well as endoscopic view. In order to best illustrate the swallowing mechanism, a modified barium swallow test is shown. The video has been uploaded to our YouTube channel and can be watched here.

Watch the video below as well as the slow motion action of what the epiglottis does from the inside during a swallow!