General ENT Surgeries
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Coblation Tonsillectomy
Traditionally, a tonsillectomy is performed using heat to burn away the tonsils. Frequently, this method would also damage the healthy tissue surrounding the tonsils. Recent developments in technology have paved the way for coblation tonsillectomy, a method that greatly reduces the risk of tissue damage, and allows for a faster recovery period.
Coblation tonsillectomy uses radio frequency energy and natural saline to quickly and effectively dissolve tissue and remove the tonsils. Since no heat is being used, the surrounding tissue won't be damaged, which translates to minimal pain for our patients.
The procedure is a brief, 30 minute outpatient procedure performed with general anesthesia. The majority of patients are only in a hospital for a few hours. If your doctor recommends the removal of your tonsils or adenoids, you are a candidate for this procedure. Ask your doctor for more information.
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Esophagoscopy
An esophagoscopy is the examination of the esophagus using an instrument called an esophagoscope, a thin tube with a light source and a camera lens. Occasionally, the doctor will collect a tissue sample by attaching an additional instrument to the scope. The results from an esophagoscopy, along with any tissue evaluations, assist the doctor in diagnosing conditions of the esophagus.
Like most endoscopic examinations, an esophagoscopy can be performed with either a rigid or flexible scope. The rigid scope requires the patient be put to sleep with general anesthesia. The flexible scope only requires topical anesthetic, allowing the patient to remain awake during the procedure.
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Tympanostomy/Myringotomy
Myringotomy is the most frequently performed ear operation and the second-most common surgical procedure in children younger than two. It is performed to drain fluid from the ear, restore lost hearing, relieve pain and prevent infections.
During a myringotomy, an opening is made in the eardrum to drain excess fluid. The surgeon may then insert a tube that will remain in place for a few months. After surgery, drainage should stop and the hole in the eardrum should heal on its own. However, a small percentage of patients require a second procedure.
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Pillar Procedure
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) suffer from poor sleep quality, fatigue, and health risks including heart disease and high blood pressure. One of the problems associated with sleep apnea is that the mouth’s soft palate partially or totally blocks, or obstructs, the patient’s airway. The vibration of the soft palate is what we hear when a person snores. More dangerous is the cutting off of the patient’s air supply -- he or she can stop breathing as often as hundreds of times per night and sometimes for a minute or longer each time.
The new, minimally invasive Pillar® Procedure addresses this problem by placing three small (less than 2 cm) woven inserts into the soft palate to reduce vibration and provide support to the tissues. The inserts are made of a material that has been used in implanted medical devices for over 50 years. They can’t be seen or felt, and do not affect speech or swallowing. The procedure provides an attractive alternative to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment.
The Pillar Procedure can offer relief from snoring and sleep apnea-related complications, helping patients and their loved ones sleep more soundly. Talk with your doctor to see if the procedure is right for you.
Mastoidectomy
Located behind the ear, the mastoid bone connects to the middle ear and contains many air-filled spaces when healthy. Infection or disease in the ear or elsewhere can cause those spaces to fill with fluid, mucus or excess tissue (such as a cholesteatoma, a benign tumor that may grow out of a healing perforated ear drum and cause hearing damage). When medications and other non-surgical treatments such as antibiotics or professional cleaning fail to resolve the problem, mastoidectomy – surgical drainage – may be performed.
Complications from surgery are rare but may include drainage from the ear, infection, temporary dizziness or loss of taste on one side of the tongue, hearing loss and, rarely, nerve injury to the side of the face operated upon.
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