Have You Heard?

Dr. Avneesh Kumar, ENT Specialist at Royal Bahrain Hospital, reveals that “facility-wise, the set-up at the Royal Bahrain Hospital is phenomenal, as it comes with the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment, especially so for the ENT department."

He continues to explain that "patients undergo comprehensive video examination of their ear, nose and throat. Video-endoscopic examination is viewed live by the patients and is simultaneously recorded into their hospital e-file for future reference. For example, if a patient is suffering from a blocked ear, the equipment allows us to look inside the ear on a magnified scale with no discomfort felt by the patient. The operative procedures are recorded and the patients are given a copy if they desire.”

Dr. Avneesh moves on to shed some light on common infection affecting children, called “Glue Ears”.

It is a common childhood condition, often missed as small children cannot articulate their symptoms. If a child cries frequently, has recurrent colds and frequently pointed out by the school teacher of being inattentive, he may be having “glue ears” and therefore reduced hearing.

This condition usually arises due to large adenoids (tonsils at the back of the nose) which affect the normal functioning of the Eustachian tube (tube that connects the ears to the back of the nose). Blocked Eustachian tubes fail to ventilate and drain the middle ears and lead to glue like collection behind the ear drum.

Video endoscopy of the ear clearly reveals a magnified view of the typical “Dull look” of the ear drum due to glue collected behind it. Sometimes air bubbles can also be seen through the ear drum.

A simple procedure at the right time is therefore required which is to drain the glue and ventilate the middle ear directly by fixing a ventilation tube (grommet) to the ear drum. It is a miniature tube which causes no discomfort to the patient and it extrudes by itself in one year time.

Dr. Avneesh considers Bahrain his second home, where he completed his primary education at the Indian School, before doing his MBBS and then MS (Master’s in ENT) in India at the prestigious Manipal University. For more information or to book your appointment call Royal Bahrain Hospital on 1724 6800 or our toll-free number 8000 1090