About Otolaryngology

What do Otolaryngologists Treat?

Otolaryngologists diagnose and manage diseases of the ears, nose, sinuses, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, and the structures of the neck and face.

The Ears
Hearing loss affects one in ten North Americans. The unique domain of otolaryngologists is the treatment of ear disorders. They are trained in the medical and surgical treatment of hearing loss, ear infections, balance disorders, ear noise (tinnitus), and certain cranial nerve disorders. Otolaryngologists also manage congenital (birth) disorders of the outer and inner ear.

The Nose
About 35 million people develop chronic sinusitis each year making it one of the most common health complaints in America. Care of the nasal cavity and sinuses is one of the primary skills of otolaryngologists. Problems in the nasal area include: allergies, smell disorders, polyps, and nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum.

The Throat
Communicating (speech and singing) and eating a meal all involve this vital area. Specific to otolaryngologists is expertise in managing diseases of the throat, larynx (voice box), the upper aero-digestive tract (esophagus), along with voice and swallowing disorders.

The Head and Neck
This area of the body includes the important functions of sight, smell, hearing, and the appearance of the face. In the head and neck area, otolaryngologists are trained to treat infections, benign (non-cancerous) tumors, malignant (cancerous) tumors, facial trauma, and deformities of the face. They perform both cosmetic plastic and reconstructive surgery.

• Examples of ENT Procedures

  Ear

  Ear Tubes

  Mastoidectomy

  Cochlear Implants

  Tympanoplasty

  Ossicular Chain Reconstruction

   

  Nose

  Sinus Surgery

  Turbinate Surgery

  Functional Rhinoplasty

  Septoplasty

  Image-guided Surgery

  Skull Base Surgery

   

  Throat

  Tonsillectomy

  Tracheotomy

  Oral Cavity Surgery

  Sleep Apnea Surgery

  Vocal Chord Surgery

  Laryngectomy

   

  Facial Plastic and Reconstructive

  Free Flaps (from the limbs, chest, back)

  Pedicled Flaps

  Rhinoplasty

  Face Lifts

  Blepharoplasty

  Cleft Lip and Palate

  Botox and Fillers

   

  Trauma

  Midface Fractures(Le Fort and ZMC)

  Mandible Fractures

  Nasal Bone Fractures

  Complex Laceration Repairs

   

  Head and Neck

  Thyroidectomny

  Parathyroidectomy

  Neck Mass Excision

  Neck Dissection

  Vascular Malformations

Program Description

Oklahoma State University Medical Center (OSUMC), in association with the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS), is the base site for a five-year residency in Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery (ENT/HNS). Our residency has a linked intern year that is hosted at Oklahoma State University Medical Center and meets the internship requirements with six months of Otolaryngology service and six months of Medical and General Surgery. OSUMC is currently funded for a total 5 ENT/FPS residency spots, which allows us to bring on board one new resident per year.

The program has recently been awarded ACGME accreditation.

Our Otolaryngology residency is a union between academic and community based education models. OCUMC’s close proximity to the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Center for Health Sciences afford our residents opportunities to participate in multidisciplinary patient care and interaction with other resident driven service lines Academic activities, such as Grand Rounds, are a regular part of our curriculum. Otolaryngology=specific Didactic learning occurs in weekly sessions along with monthly Journal Club and Mortality & Morbidity (M&M) conferences. Academic didactic learning is an important part of our program and hands on didactic learning is equally important.

Each year our residents are allocated multiple temporal bone specimens for use at a dedicated Temporal Bone Dissection Lab at OSUMC. To encourage hands-on didactics, annual teaching labs are provided to the residents by Stryker (saw bone and plating lab) and Cochlear (cochlear implant) companies. It is also a requirement that our residents attend an annual educational course that builds on and supplements their knowledge base. In the past, the courses attended include the:  Indiana and Iowa basic science/head and neck courses, rhinology courses, laryngology/laser courses, and the AO trauma and reconstructive courses.

Hands-on clinical and surgical experience are the foundation of resident training. Our residents work on a regular basis with several physicians in the Tulsa area. Our core residency trainers are osteopathic and allopathic surgeons who practice full spectrum otolaryngology and are motivated to train residents. Residents receive graduated responsibility in surgical cases and are primary surgeons on cases as their skills advance. Residents regularly participate in ablative and reconstructive Head and Neck oncologic procedures, including free-flap reconstruction, within our community. Local hospitals where residents perform surgical cases include: OSUMC, Hillcrest Hospital System, St. John Health System, and Tulsa Spine and Surgical Hospital. This affords our residents a broad experience in management of a wide variety of acute and chronic ENT pathology. During the 4th year, we have 2 months dedicated to the ENT residents  operate with a well-published and eager to teach pediatric otolaryngologist with hands-on exposure to pediatric airway procedures such as: supraglottoplasty, tracheal reconstruction, vascular malformations, and craniofacial procedures.

In addition to training available within our community, supplemental “out rotations” are also available. Our residents rotate at the Pediatric ENT of Oklahoma during their PGY4 year. This provides exposure to a broad spectrum of otologic procedures including:  stapedectomy, cochlear implants, and acoustic neuromas. Also, pediatric cases which include: cleft palate, airway, etc. In Tulsa, “out” rotation time is also spent with Dr. Cuzalina of Tulsa Surgical Arts. Time is allowed for a senior resident to do elective rotations if they choose.

The call schedule is graduated among all the residents and is taken from home. Residents are responsible for ER coverage and floor consultations under the guidance of overseeing physicians that cover three of Tulsa’s four major hospitals (OSUMC, Hillcrest Hospitals, St. John Medical Center).

In addition to a salary, full healthcare benefits are offered to the resident and their family at no additional cost. All of the major facilities that our residents work at supply food at no cost while on duty. OSU Graduate Medical Education provides up to $1000 (PGY2, PGY3, PGY4) and $1500 (PGY5) annual stipends for conferences and travel. Additional grants provide one surgical textbook annually to all of the residents.

Otolaryngology Facts

• ENT physicians are trained in the medical and surgical management and treatment of patients with diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT), and related structures of the head and neck.
• ENT surgery serves a wide population base: young children, adolescents, adults, and elderly.
• Practicing ENTs tend to spend 2-3 days operating and the remaining time in the clinic see new and post-op patients. Many procedures are also done in the office.
• ENTs are exposed to a large variety of surgical procedures with new technology and instruments including: lasers, scopes, and image guided surgery.
• Cases can be very short (ear tubes and tonsils) to very long (large head and neck resections with microvascular reconstruction).
• Subspecialty fellowship training in ENT includes: allergy, otology-neurotology (ear), rhinology (nose), laryngology (throat), head/neck/thyroid, cranial base tumors, pediatric sleep disorders, and facial plastic surgery.