Guest: Laura J. Orvidas, M.D.

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. (@ChutkaMD)

Tonsils and eustachian tubes often get taken for granted until they cause problems. Eustachian tube dysfunction is quite common and usually resolves on its own, however some patients will develop recurrent eustachian tube dysfunction and it can result in recurrent episodes of otitis media, especially in children. Although recurrent tonsillitis used to be the most common indication for tonsillectomy, more children are having this procedure for disordered breathing conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea. In this episode, we’ll discuss disorders of the eustachian tube and tonsils with Laura J. Orvidas, M.D., an otolaryngologist at the Mayo Clinic.

Specific topics discussed:

• Purpose of the eustachian tube

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

This episode is shared from Mayo Clinic Q&A and was recorded in May 2021.

To claim credit visit: https://ce.mayo.edu/covid19podcast

Guest:  Gregory A. Poland, M.D. (@drgregpoland)

Host: DeeDee Stiepan (@deedeestiepan)

COVID-19 cases are falling in the U.S. because 245 million doses of one of the available COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, according to Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "But at the same time, there are still people who need more information about the safety and the value of getting a COVID-19 vaccine," says Dr. Poland.

While still hopeful, Dr. Poland says he's concerned herd immunity won't be reached in the U.S. through vaccination. And that will mean more tragic deaths due to COVID-19 infection.

"My guess is, because we're such an interconnected global community until everybody's safe, none of us are safe. And we're going to likely see continued circulation of the virus, and that virus will seek out whoever is not immune," says Dr. Poland.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland also addresses when we will need COVID-19 vaccine boosters will be needed and the latest on masking guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Plus, he will provide an update on COVID-19 treatments and how to handle those who want to visit a newborn baby.

AskMayoExpert COVID-19 Resources: https://askmayoexpert.mayoclinic.org/navigator/COVID-19

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

To claim credit for this episode, visit: www.ce.mayo.edu/regmedonline

Guest: Dennis Wigle, M.D., Ph.D. (@DrWigle)

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. (@ChutkaMD)

Regenerative Medicine has some amazing capabilities and in the near future, it’s likely to significantly change how we practice medicine. It faces some challenges in educating both the medical community as well as the general public regarding its current realistic capabilities. There are many unsubstantiated claims made by practitioners to the public regarding the benefits of regenerative medicine therapy. We’ll discuss how the true potential of regenerative medicine is conveyed to both clinicians and the public with Dr. Dennis Wigle, a thoracic surgeon and chair of the Division of General Thoracic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic. We’ll discuss some of the common misperceptions of regenerative medicine and how a consultation service can educate both the public and medical community regarding the benefits of regenerative medicine.

Specific topics discussed:

• How to provide education to the public and the medical community

 Additional resources:

• For more information about Mayo Clinic’s Regenerative Medicine Consult Service, visit: https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/center-regenerative-medicine/patient-care/regenerative-medicine-consult-service

 Additional educational opportunities from Mayo Clinic:

• https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/center-regenerative-medicine/education

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

To claim credit for this episode, visit: www.ce.mayo.edu/regmedonline

Guest: Fredric B. Meyer, M.D.; Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D.

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. (@ChutkaMD)

Imagine a patient who has suffered a massive myocardial infarction leaving a significant amount of damaged and non-functioning ventricular myocardium. Treatment for this patient’s subsequent congestive failure does not involve diuretics and beta blockers but rather an injection of the patient’s modified stem cells into surrounding viable ventricular myocardium resulting in the regeneration of new, functioning myocardial cells restoring the cardiac output. This is not science fiction but represents ongoing work by investigators in Regenerative Medicine. This week’s podcast will explore this amazing field of medicine which has the potential to change how medicine is practiced. We’ll discuss the origins of regenerative medicine, what currently be done in regenerative medicine as well as the potential for the future. Our guests today are Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine and Fredric B. Meyer, M.D., a neurosurgeon and the Executive Dean for Education at the Mayo Clinic.

 Specific topics discussed:

• When the field of regenerative medicine began

Additional educational opportunities from Mayo Clinic:

• https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/center-regenerative-medicine/education

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

This episode is shared from Mayo Clinic Q&A and was recorded in April, 2021

Guest:  Gregory A. Poland, M.D. (@drgregpoland) 

Host: Halena M. Gazelka, M.D. (@hmgazelkamd) 

While the number of people being vaccinated for COVID-19 is dropping, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other medical experts continue to strongly encourage people to get vaccinated for COVID-19. And that means that those who are being vaccinated with the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine should get their first and second doses on schedule.

“About 8% of people who got their first dose have not returned for the second dose and this is concerning when you're getting close to 1 in 10," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "When you measure in the short term, one dose in a healthy person offers about 80% protection. But that's not 95% protection, like you get after two doses."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland expands on why people need that second COVID-19 vaccine dose and he talks about whether people should mix and match the different COVID-19 vaccines for their second dose. He also speaks about the status of COVID-19 vaccines for young people, and he addresses listener questions about traveling, being together after vaccination, and the latest rise of additional COVID-19 variants.

AskMayoExpert COVID-19 Resources: https://askmayoexpert.mayoclinic.org/navigator/COVID-19

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

Guest: Tobias S. Kohler, M.D., M.P.H.

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. (@ChutkaMD)

Erectile dysfunction not only causes lifestyle changes, but it may also be the first symptom of peripheral vascular disease. Since many men are reluctant to mention erectile dysfunction to their healthcare provider, it’s important for us to ask our patients whether it is a problem and be knowledgeable in the appropriate evaluation of patients who have it. This reluctance may cause many to seek out readily available but ineffective treatments from questionable sources, even though there are a variety of proven, effective treatments that can be prescribed. Tobias S. Kohler, M.D., M.P.H., a Mayo Clinic Urologist, joins us to discuss the impact of erectile dysfunction, the currently available effective treatments, as well as the unproven, ineffective products currently being used.

Specific topics discussed:

• The first historical appearance of treatments for erectile dysfunction

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

This episode is shared from Mayo Clinic Q&A and was recorded on April 19, 2021.

To claim credit visit: https://ce.mayo.edu/covid19podcast

Guest:  Gregory A. Poland, M.D. (@drgregpoland)

Host: Halena M. Gazelka, M.D. (@hmgazelkamd) 

Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group says COVID-19mutations and the virus spread are happening because of people who don't wear masks, who don't get vaccinated and who don't adhere to safety recommendations.

"I believe that we should be radically transparent and honest," says Dr. Poland. "The more time this virus passes through one person after another, the more likely it continues to mutate. As a result of those mutations, two things are happening. Some of the mutations are making vaccines and plasma monoclonal antibodies less effective. The other thing is that the virus will likely become something that we have to live with for the rest of our lives."

Dr. Poland reminds people that vaccine protection is not 100%. Breakthrough infections can occur.

"Remember that in the clinical trials, 95% means that compared to unvaccinated people, your risk is reduced by 95% — not 100%," he says. "You might have a mild case of COVID-19,but you can still spread it to others, including those who are immune compromised, such as cancer patients. That's why we continue to wear masks until we get very widespread immunization."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland talks more about breakthrough infections and the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine pause, and he answers listeners' questions.

AskMayoExpert COVID-19 Resources: https://askmayoexpert.mayoclinic.org/navigator/COVID-19

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

This episode is shared from Mayo Clinic Q&A and was recorded in April, 2021

To claim credit visit: https://ce.mayo.edu/covid19podcast 

Guest:  Gregory A. Poland, M.D. (@drgregpoland) 

Host: Halena M. Gazelka, M.D. (@hmgazelkamd)   

As spring break travelers return home and the highly transmissible U.K. COVID-19 variant is discovered in all 50 U.S. states, the country is on the verge of a fourth COVID-19 pandemic surge. That's according to a number of health experts, including Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group.  

However, Dr. Poland says there is some good news related to the transmission of COVID-19 on surfaces. 

"Wisdom resides in changing your mind and your recommendations as new data and science becomes available," says Dr. Poland. "What the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is doing is modifying those guidelines, saying that the risk of touching a contaminated surface and then getting infected is very low."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast Dr. Poland explains more about the CDC guidelines and he addresses other COVID-19 topics in the news, including recent data that says men are more vaccine-hesitant than women.

AskMayoExpert COVID-19 Resources: https://askmayoexpert.mayoclinic.org/navigator/COVID-19

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

Guest: Devin L. McCaslin, Ph.D.

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. (@ChutkaMD)

Being dizzy means different things to different patients and most patients find dizziness difficult to describe. Providers find it difficult to evaluate patients with dizziness and also which specialties can be asked for help in managing the dizzy patient. Dr. Devin McCaslin is the Director of the Vestibular and Balance Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic and an expert in evaluating the dizzy patient. He will discuss such topics as the role of vestibular balance laboratory testing in assessing patients, the most common findings from these evaluations, the multi-disciplinary approach to evaluating patients with dizziness, and how artificial intelligence is being used in the evaluation of a patient complaining of dizziness.

Specific Topics Discussed:

• The multi-disciplinary approach to evaluating patients complaining of dizziness.

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.

This episode is shared from Mayo Clinic Q&A and was recorded in April, 2021

To claim credit visit: https://ce.mayo.edu/covid19podcast 

Guest:  Gregory A. Poland, M.D. (@drgregpoland) 

Host: Halena M. Gazelka, M.D. (@hmgazelkamd)  

 If you're fully vaccinated for COVID-19 you can travel domestically and where travel is allowed internationally, according to new interim travel guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Even with those recommendations the CDC continues to recommend not traveling unless it is essential. Regardless, the CDC strongly recommends people continue to wear a face mask, practice social distancing and sanitize their hands.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccine research is continuing in teenagers. "The early data show equal safety in young people aged 12 to 16," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "I think this is going to imply that, somewhere between this fall and Christmas, we're going to be able to offer the (COVID-19) vaccine to every age group."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland answers a number of listener questions, including how long the COVID-19 vaccines are predicted to last and if the current transmission research still supports wiping down household items. Dr. Poland also explains why someone who has had COVID-19 should still get a COVID-19 vaccine.

AskMayoExpert COVID-19 Resources: https://askmayoexpert.mayoclinic.org/navigator/COVID-19

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.