Episode Overview

In this episode, I welcome Dr. Peter Catalano, a renowned ENT specialist and innovator in minimally invasive surgical techniques. Together, we explore the critical importance of nasal breathing, the challenges and controversies in pediatric airway surgery, and the intersection of medical and dental care for children with airway issues.

Key Topics & Highlights

• Innovation in ENT Surgery:
  Discussion of Dr. Catalano’s work with the micro shaver, the evolution of sinus surgery, and the impact of computational flow dynamics on understanding nasal airflow.
• Nasal Breathing vs. Mouth Breathing:
  Why unobstructed nasal breathing is essential for health, and the wide-ranging consequences of chronic mouth breathing, especially in children.
• Pediatric Airway Surgery:
  The current state of the otolaryngology community regarding pediatric surgery to facilitate nasal breathing, and the persistent dogmas and insurance barriers that limit care.
• CBCT Imaging:
  The benefits of cone beam CT (CBCT) imaging for diagnosis and referral, and why both orthodontists and ENTs should leverage this technology for comprehensive airway assessment.
• Medical & Dental Research Challenges:
  A candid look at the flaws and hypocrisy in academic medicine and research, and how outdated studies and standards of care can hinder progress.
• Sleep Disordered Breathing & Nocturnal Enuresis:
  Exploring the links between airway obstruction, sleep issues, and conditions like bedwetting in children, and the role of interdisciplinary care.
• Innovative Surgical Procedures:
  Dr. Catalano describes targeted, minimally invasive surgeries that improve nasal airflow and patient outcomes, and the data-driven approach that led to policy changes in pediatric sinus surgery.
• Breaking Down Silos:
  The importance of collaboration between dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, and other specialists to provide holistic care for children with airway and craniofacial growth concerns.
• Advice for Clinicians:
  The need for ongoing education, openness to new evidence, and the courage to challenge outdated paradigms for the benefit of patients.

 Notable Quotes

• “If you want to improve the airway, you’ve got to follow the airflow.”
• “It's one of the real albatrosses around academic medicine, the inability to change a paradigm when it needs to be changed.”
• “Education is siloed, and that’s where it starts. People come out of training with dogmatic approaches to medicine.”

 Resources & Contact

• Dr. Peter Catalano: Email: catalanop9@gmail.com 
  (Open to questions and collaboration)
• Join The DOC Community on Facebook for more great content and discussions (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Cb9rkQVde/)
• Check out the DOC CE Courses: https://theorthocoach.com/ce-courses/
• AJODO Article on Mouth Breathing: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40057896/

Thank you for listening!
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