Throat

Services Include

• Persistent tonsil & adenoid infections
• Head and neck cancer screening
• Hoarseness evaluation
• Swallowing disorders – testing and treatment
• Thyroid nodule evaluation and thyroid surgery
• Advanced head and neck cancer management

Thyroid, Head & Neck Cancer

Thyroid nodules are extremely common, especially in women of childbearing age. Although most nodules do not cause symptoms and are not cancerous, our physicians will perform a comprehensive head and neck examination to determine whether a thyroid nodule is present and whether you may be at risk for developing thyroid cancer or symptoms, such as trouble swallowing. Thyroid cancer affects approximately 50,000 men and women per year, and can usually be diagnosed by rapid evaluation and treatment of suspicious thyroid nodules. Our board certified Head & Neck Surgeons take a comprehensive approach in the diagnosis and treatment of all thyroid nodules, utilizing the latest laboratory and radiological testing, as well as coordinating care with our specialized endocrinolgy colleagues when needed. In the past 15 yrs, our surgeons have performed over a thousand thyroid surgeries, and we utilize the latest technologies, such as nerve monitoring to minimize risk and facilitate healing.

Voice & Swallowing

Voice disorders typically arise from the larynx, or voice box, and may be triggered by vocal strain, gastroesophageal reflux, lesions on the vocal cords (i.e. nodules, cysts, or polyps), side effects from medications, neurologic disorders, allergies & smoking. Common symptoms include hoarseness, throat pain, shortness of breath, swallowing difficulty, and other symptoms such as ear pain or a neck mass may signal a disorder of the throat. Although many voice problems are benign, occasionally a sore throat or voice change can be the first sign of a cancerous lesion, and it’s very important to have a thorough Ear Nose Throat evaluation. Our board certified physicians, nurses and speech therapists always use a comprehensive approach properly diagnose and treat voice and swallowing problems. When medically necessary, we employ novel technologies in the office setting such video stroboscopy and fiberoptic laryngoscopy to allow us to more accurately diagnose even subtle voice problems. Our surgeons utilize new surgical technique such as radiesse vocal cord injections and “Montgomery” vocal cord medialization procedures to restore voice disorders.

Tonsil Infections and Hypertrophy

The tonsils are lymphoid tissue located in the back of the throat that sample bacteria and viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections. They help to produce proteins that help the body fight infections. Although the tonsils help treat infection, they can also become part of the infection. When this happens, removal of the tonsils will improve your child’s health. Removal of the tonsils has not led to an increase in infections or a loss of immune function because there are hundreds of other lymph nodes that perform the same function.