Head and Neck Surgery

The Department maintains a busy Head and Neck Service at all four hospitals to care for patients with neoplastic disease of the upper aerodigestive tract, head and neck, and skull base. An Attending staff of fellowship trained head and neck surgeons works closely with the Bellevue and VA Hospital chief residents in the clinics and operating rooms to evaluate and treat these diseases. The Otolaryngology Service performs ablative as well as reconstructive surgery, including the use of regional flaps, myo-cutaneous flaps, and micro-vascular free flap techniques. The Otolaryngology service also works closely with the Department of Radiology for imaging studies and preoperative angiography/ embolization, the Department of Surgery for gastric and jejunal reconstructions, and the Department of Neurosurgery for acoustic neuroma, pituitary and other skull base surgery. A multi-disciplinary head and neck conference is held weekly in conjunction with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and oral surgeons to discuss patient treatment plans. The Department also participates actively in numerous clinical research protocols with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG).

Under the direction of the Chief of Head and Neck Surgery, the Department of Otolaryngology has established a Head and Neck Research Program in Molecular Oncology. The physician/scientists along with a full-time Ph.D. researcher support the laboratory that focuses on facilitating translation of research advances on solid tumors to clinical practice.

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Rhinology and Sinus Disease

Rhinology and endoscopic sinus surgery is a specialty focus at NYU with dedicated Rhinology clinics at each of the hospitals. Rigid and flexible fiber-optic endoscopes are available in all the clinics. Modern endoscopic surgery instrumentation, including powered soft-tissue debriders is available in each of the Operating Rooms. A CT derived stereo-tactic image guidance system is available at Tisch hospital for challenging sinus cases. The sinus surgical experience covers the full gambit of endoscopic and external procedures.

The Department has sponsored several post-graduate courses in Sinusitis and Endoscopic Sinus Surgery in the past and plans to continue to offer such courses in the near future. The Rhinology faculty continues to conduct clinical trials of new medications and treatment modalities.

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Otology & Neurotology

The Department is actively engaged in state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic modalities as they apply to the field of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. The division of Otology/Neurotology has specialty clinics and performs the entire spectrum of neurotology cases at each of the hospitals. Brainstem evoked potential equipment, ENG, and a variety of lasers are available at all three institutions. Most microsurgery is done with video and VII and VIII nerve monitoring, and are taped for teaching purposes.

Since its creation in 1984, the Cochlear Implant Program at NYU Medical Center has made remarkable advances in restoring varying degrees of hearing to children and adults. In the years since then The Cochlear Implant Center has become one of the largest and most highly respected clinical and research implant centers in the world. In 1994, in addition to performing cochlear implants, NYU became one of six centers in the US selected to provide auditory brainstem implants (ABI) to individuals with Neurofibromatosis Type II and is currently the second largest ABI center in the country. More than 75 publications resulting from its research endeavors have been published in scientific peer-reviewed journals, and members of the cochlear implant team have been invited to address numerous international conferences and symposia. The program has hosted three major conferences on cochlear implants; the most recent of which resulted in a book publication in 2000. The program's endeavors have contributed significantly to greater public awareness of the efficacy of cochlear implants.

In April 2001, the program moved to a new Center featuring state-of-the-art clinical and research facilities. The well-equipped facility provides patients and staff with ample and comfortable space for evaluations, programming, data collection and analysis and discussions. The Center enables the Program to continue to grow, provide the highest level of care to patients and augment its ongoing research contribution to the development and efficacy of cochlear implants.

The Department has Neurophysiology and Temporal Bone Research Laboratories located in Tisch Hospital. Ongoing projects study auditory and vestibular pathways in the brain, physiology of hearing, and congenital and acquired disorders of the temporal bone. These projects are supported by federal as well as private grants, and are under the overall supervision of a full-time Director of Research.

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Facial Plastic Surgery

The Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has two full-time fellowship-trained surgeons who staff specialty clinics and cover operative cases at each of the hospitals. At Bellevue and the VA hospitals, emphasis is placed on reconstructive and maxillofacial trauma cases generated through the facial plastic surgery clinic and emergency room referrals. As a Level I trauma center, Bellevue offers a wealth of soft tissue and bony trauma. The extensive hands-on experience in septorhinoplasty is another strength of the program.

Cosmetic facial plastic surgery is performed primarily at Tisch hospital. The same faculty perform a variety of cosmetic cases, expanding the residents' experience. Further, all three hospitals perform numerous dermatologic cancer reconstructions.

The department now offers a one-year fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery. The fellow divides his or her time between Bellevue, the Manhattan V.A., Tisch Hospital, and Manhattan Eye Ear & Throat Hospital. At MEETH, the fellow works with Dr. Norman Pastorek, a renowned Manhattan cosmetic facial surgeon. The fellow helps the department offer a greatly enhanced experience in facial plastic surgery for residents by stimulating teaching and increasing the diversity of cases at the teaching hospitals.

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Pediatric Otolaryngology

The section of Pediatric Otolaryngology maintains a busy service at Tisch Hospital, Bellevue Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital. At Tisch Hospital, the Pediatric Otolaryngology service participates on the Craniofacial, Cleft Lip/Palate, Vascular Anomalies and Microtial/Atresia multidisciplinary teams and is actively involved in the care of these challenging cases. With specific Pediatric specialty clinics and dedicated OR time, the residents receive extensive outpatient and operative teaching by fellowship trained Otolaryngologists.