Surgery Center
The surgeons of Albany ENT & Allergy Services are board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and are Fellows of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the American College of Surgeons.Our Surgeons specialize in a variety of surgical procedures, some of which are described below:
| Ear | |
| In the Office | |
| Cerumen (Ear Wax) Removal | |
| Foreign Body Removal | |
| Transtympanic Injections | |
| At a Surgery Center or Hospital | |
| Ear Tube Placement (Myringotomy and Tympanostomy Tube) | |
| Middle Ear Surgeries (Mastoidectomy, Stapedectomy and Tympanoplasty) | |
| Nose | |
| In the Office | |
| Somnoplasty | |
| Septal Cauterization (Control of Nose bleeding) | |
| Foreign Body Removal | |
| Nasopharyngoscopy & Sinus Endoscopes | |
| At a Surgery Center or Hospital | |
| Closed Reduction Nasal Fracture | |
| Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction | |
| Endoscopic Sinus Surgery | |
| Nasal Polypectomy | |
| Mouth and Throat | |
| In the Office | |
| Injection Snoreplasty | |
| Pillar Implant | |
| Laryngoscopy | |
| Videostroboscopy | |
| Vocal Cord Injections | |
| At a Surgery Center or Hospital | |
| Tonsillectomy | |
| Adenoidectomy | |
| Uvulopalatopharngoplasty | |
| Direct Laryngoscopy with Biopsy | |
| Parotidectomy | |
| Parathyroidectomy | |
| Thyroidectomy/Partial Thyroidectomy | |
| Windpipe Incision and Repair to Tracheotomy | |
| Vocal Cord Injections and Surgery | |
| Neck | |
| In the Office | |
| Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy | |
| Excision of Skin Lesions | |
| At a Surgery Center or Hospital | |
| Biopsy of the Head and Neck | |
| Lymph Node Excision | |
| Neck Dissection (including for excisional biopsy) | |
- Biopsy of the Head and Neck
Suspicious masses of the lips, gums, tongue, salivary glands and roof or floor of mouth may need to be examined to determine if they are malignant. - Closed Reduction of Nasal Fracture
Nasal fractures often do not require surgical management however when the bones are markedly displaced and breathing is impacted, surgery to return the nasal bones to a straighter position is recommended under local or general anesthesia. This type of surgery must be done within 7-10 days from the date of the injury. Once the bones have healed additional corrective nasal surgery may be required. - Ear Tube Placement (Myringotomy and Tympanostomy Tube)
Many children get middle ear infections known as otitis media, although these are usually relatively easy to treat, if a child has had multiple ear infections without improvement or has evidence of hearing loss or speech delay, your otolaryngologist may recommend ear tube surgery called bilateral myringotomy and tubes or BMT. During this surgery, an incision is made in the ear drum to drain any fluid present and small tubes called tympanostomy tubes are placed in the eardrums to ventilate the area behind the ear drum in the middleear. Ear tubes are tiny cylinders placed through the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to allow air into the middle ear. They may also be called tympanostomy tubes, myringotomy tubes, ventilation tubes or PE (pressure equalization) tubes. These tubes can be made out of plastic, metal or Teflon and may have a coating intended to reduce the possibility of infection. Ear tubes are inserted through an incision in the ear drum or tympanic membrane (a myringotomy). If an ear tube is not placed the hole would heal and close within a few days. To ensure that air continues to reach the middle ear space, an ear tube is placed for ventilation.
There are two basic types of ear tubes: short term and long term. Short term tubes are smaller and typically stay in place for six months to one year prior to falling out on their own. Long term tubes are larger with a flange to secure them in place for a more prolonged period of time. Long term tubes may fall out on their own though removal by your otolaryngologist is often necessary. In most cases, over time, the tympanic membrane pushes the ear tube out and the hole in the eardrum closes on its own.
- Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
When antibiotics and medical management are not effective in addressing chronic sinusitis, sinus surgery may be recommended to enlarge the natural opening to the sinuses. Otolaryngologists have found endoscopic surgery which is performed through an intranasal approach to be highly effective in restoring normal function to the sinuses. The procedure removes areas of obstruction resulting in the normal flow of mucous. The procedure involves the use of a small telescope (nasal endoscope) placed into the nasal cavity to visualize the surgery. The goal of the surgery is to identify the narrow channels that connect the paranasal sinuses to the nasal cavity and to enlarge these areas thereby improving drainage from the sinuses to the nose. Sometimes sinus surgery may require simultaneous repair of the nasal septum which divides the two sites of the nose or the turbinates which filter and humidify air inside of the nose (see septoplasty and turbinate reduction).
- Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy
FNA biopsy is a procedure to retrieve tissue through a small needle into a mass for microscopic analysis to help make an accurate diagnosis. This technique is generally used for diagnosis in areas such as lymph nodes or cysts in the neck as well as the parotid gland. - Injection Snoreplasty
Injection snoreplasty is a non-surgical treatment for snoring that involves the injection of a hardening agent into the upper palate. Within a couple of days a blister hardens, forms scar tissue and pulls the floppy uvula forward to eliminate or reduce the palatal flutter that causes snoring. In some patients this treatment needs to be repeated for optimum benefit. Those seeking injection snoreplasty to reduce snoring must first be screened for obstructive sleep apnea by undergoing a sleep test. If sleep apnea is confirmed, other treatments may be necessary. - Middle Ear Surgeries (Mastoidectomy, Stapedectomy, and Tympanoplasty)
Mastoidectomy is a surgical procedure designed to remove infection or growths in the bone behind the ear (mastoid bone). This procedure may be necessary in instances where mastoiditis does not respond to antibiotics or to prevent further complications.
The stapes is one of three bones in the middle ear. It transmits sound to the inner ear. When this becomes fixed and does not efficiently transmit sound, a stapedectomy to remove a portion of the bone and replace it with a prosthesis to transmit sound may be indicated.
In cases where a perforated eardrum does not spontaneously heal, a tympanoplasty may be recommended. This involves placing tissue across the perforation to allow healing. Surgery is typically quite successful in closing the perforation permanently and improving hearing. It is usually done on an outpatient basis.
- Nasal Polypectomy
Nasal polyps cause nasal obstruction and may block the pathways where the sinuses drain into the nose. This blockage causes the mucus to remain in the sinuses where it can become infected. Many people with nasal polyps have no symptoms and therefore require no treatment. For those patients with symptoms, medical and surgical options are available. Medical management often involves a series of steroid pills and nasal steroid sprays. However for those patients whose polyps cannot be completely managed medically, surgery can be helpful. The polyps are removed from the nose and sinuses using small nasal telescopes which not only remove the diseased tissue but also preserve the normal structures and flow of the sinuses. This surgery is usual done in an ambulatory surgery center where patients go home the same day as surgery. - Neck Dissection (Including for Excisional Biopsy)
Neck dissection is performed for evaluation and biopsy of head and neck masses. These may be benign or cancerous and may involve the larynx, pharynx, thyroid gland, salivary gland, mouth, neck and face. Removal of these lymph nodes and surrounding tissue has proven to be an effective method of head and neck cancer control. - Parathyroidectomy
Parathyroidectomy is the removal of one or more of the four (or more) parathyroid glands located in the neck closely linked to the thyroid gland. The parathyroid glands regulate the balance of calcium in the body. Removal may be indicated due to over-functioning of these glands (hyperparathyroidism). - Parotidectomy
Parotidectomy is a surgical operation to remove a large salivary gland (the parotid gland) located in front and just below the ear. The most common reasons for removal of all or part of this gland include a mass in the gland, chronic infections of the gland or obstruction of the saliva outflow from the gland causing chronic enlargement of the gland. Masses in the parotid are most commonly benign though about 20% of these are malignant. - Pillar Implant
The Restore Medical Inc. Pillar Palatal Implant ™ Procedure addresses the soft palate. During the Pillar Procedure, three tiny woven inserts are placed in the soft palate to help reduce the vibration that causes snoring and the ability of the soft palate to obstruct the airway. - Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction
The nasal septum is the partition that divides one side of the nose from the other. It is slightly crooked in most people, however when the septum is so crooked or deviated that it blocks the nasal passage, a surgical operation called a septoplasty to straighten the septum may help to improve breathing. If your nose is congested on one side during part of the day and later congested on the other side, then it is not just the septum that is causing the nasal obstruction. In this instance an abnormal turbinate – a structure that projects from the lateral wall of the nose into the nasal cavity – may be the cause. When medical management of this problem has failed, your doctor may recommend a procedure known as turbinate cauterization to reduce the size of the enlarged turbinate. This may be combined with a septoplasty as appropriate. - Somnoplasty
Somnoplasty is a procedure designed to reduce the palate or turbinates in order to help improve severe snoring. Somnoplasty uses controlled, low-power radiofrequency energy to create one or several lesions. Over a period of 6 to 8 weeks, the lesions are naturally reabsorbed, reducing tissue volume and stiffening remaining tissue in the desired area. - Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgeries
Thyroidectomy is an operation to remove part or all of the thyroid gland and is most often necessary related to a large mass in the gland, breathing or swallowing difficulties or suspected cancer of the thyroid gland. It is performed in the hospital and general anesthesia is usually required. The operation usually involves removing the lobe of the thyroid gland containing the lump and possibly the isthmus. A frozen section (an immediate microscopic reading) may be used to determine if the rest of the thyroid gland should be removed during the same operation. - Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
The two primary reasons for tonsil and/or adenoid removal include recurrent infection despite antibiotic therapy and difficulty breathing due to enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids. Such obstruction to breathing causes snoring and sleep disturbed sleep that can lead to daytime sleepiness in adults and behavioral problems in children. - Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a surgical procedure for the treatment of severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. During UPPP, the soft tissue on the back of the throat and soft palate (the uvula) is removed. The tonsils and possibly other excess tissue may also be removed, if present. The procedure increases the width of the airway at the throat opening, improves the opening ability and “squares off” the palate to enhance its movement and closure. UPPP does not address apnea or snoring caused by obstructions at the base of tongue. - Vocal Cord Surgery
Vocal cord surgery may be recommended when the vocal cords have growths such as tumors or other masses that need to be removed for biopsy or when scarring of the vocal cords causes them to function improperly.
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