The department evaluates approximately 13,000 patients per year in the otolaryngology outpatient clinics and performs nearly 1,700 hospital-based surgical procedures annually. The Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery provides care for patients with problems involving the ears, sinuses, oral cavity, nose, throat, neck (ENT) including sinus conditions, allergy, sleep disorders, and snoring.

"Dr. Grillone is such a class act! Very accommodating and helpful! Saw him 8 years prior and he remembered me. I am happy he's right around the corner from my office. And he brings in fellow docs he can trust and will help make your case top priority."

~ Anonymous

The department also specializes in swallowing disorders, voice problems, dizziness and balance disorders, and hearing loss, cancers of the head and neck and the division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery offers cosmetic surgery and management of facial deformities and facial fractures.

Our physicians are making headlines in local news.

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Clínicas Especializadas

Audiología (problemas de audición)

Los audiólogos del Boston Medical Center brindan servicios a una amplia variedad de pacientes, desde bebés recién nacidos hasta adultos mayores. El equipo realiza una serie de pruebas de diagnóstico en nuestra clínica de vanguardia. Las pruebas van desde pruebas básicas de audición que requieren que el paciente levante la mano en respuesta a los sonidos hasta pruebas más avanzadas que utilizan señales generadas por computadora para provocar respuestas en el tronco del encéfalo (ABR). También proporcionamos pruebas para aquellos que se sospecha que tienen trastornos del procesamiento auditivo.

Dizziness and Balance Problems

Dizziness, problems with balance, tendency to fall, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears are among the most common problems that prompt people to seek evaluation by an otolaryngologist. To help meet the need for evaluation of patients with these kinds of problems, the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery has a facility devoted to the evaluation and management of dizziness (disequilibrium), vertigo, hearing loss with aging (presbycusis), and ringing in the ears (tinnitus).

Facial Plastic Surgery

Boston Medical Center is pleased to provide world-class facial plastic and reconstructive surgery for a wide range of conditions.

Head and Neck Cancer Program

The Head and Neck Cancer Center is a major provider for patients with early-stage, recurrent, or aggressive head and neck cancers. The nationally recognized team of multidisciplinary specialists who care for these patients collaborate to manage patient care from the first consultation through treatment and follow-up.

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Program (HHT)

The HHT Program at Boston Medical Center includes medical providers from 10 specialties, committed to providing coordinated, excellent care including genetic counseling and testing, diagnosis, screening, and treatment to optimize the health and lives of those affected by HHT.

Nose, Sinus, and Allergy Care

It can be difficult for individuals to tell if they are suffering from allergies or have a more serious condition like chronic sinusitis. At Boston Medical Center, the physicians who care for these conditions work with each patient individually to come up with a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Pediatría - Otorrinolaringología (ORL)

El Departamento de Otorrinolaringología Pediátrica (también conocido como Otorrinolaringología u OTR) brinda atención a pacientes con problemas que involucran los oídos, los senos nasales, la cavidad oral, las vías respiratorias, la nariz, la garganta y el cuello, incluidas afecciones de los senos nasales, masas en el cuello, alergias y ronquidos.

Skull Base Surgery

Skull based tumors are found in the bones, cartilage, and other tissues that form the face and skull. This includes the eye sockets, top of the nose, the inner ear and the parts of the body next to and between them. These tumors can be cancerous, or benign. Finding a team of healthcare specialists who work together to develop a treatment plan is essential for successful outcomes and for each patient’s well-being, and it is the mission of BMC’s skull base surgery team.

Speech Language Pathology

The Center for Voice and Swallowing offers a wide range of services and specialty care for adults and feeding therapy for children. We team up with many disciplines to make sure we are providing a team-based approach to giving you the best treatment possible. Our goal is to deliver high quality care to all of our patients.

Voice and Swallowing (Throat Problems)

Boston Medical Center's Voice and Swallowing department houses a team of experts, including voice therapists, laryngologists, and speech-language pathologists and offers a wide array of diagnostic and treatment options for people with vocal or swallowing disorders.

Conditions We Treat

Tratamientos y Servicios

Cirugía Plástica de Orejas

Las deformidades del oído ocurren en varias condiciones. Algunos pacientes nacen con orejas ausentes (microtia), protuberantes o caídas, debido a un cartílago débil o mal formado. Las deformidades traumáticas de la oreja también se producen debido a un traumatismo (p. Ej., Un accidente de coche o una mordedura de perro) o lóbulos de las orejas desgarrados. La deformidad de los oídos puede causar ansiedad social y hacer que los niños sean vulnerables a las burlas. Independientemente del origen de la deformidad de la oreja, estas afecciones pueden corregirse quirúrgicamente. Estos procedimientos no alteran la audición del paciente, pero pueden mejorar la apariencia y la confianza en sí mismo.

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Cirugía de implante coclear

Existen varios tipos de implantes cocleares. Junto con el médico, los adultos y los niños eligen el implante coclear que mejor se adapte a sus necesidades. El equipo proporciona explicaciones de las diferentes opciones disponibles para componentes internos/externos, procesadores de voz, etc.

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Ejercicios de respiración

Buteyko es un programa de reentrenamiento respiratorio seguro, natural y clínicamente probado que utiliza las capacidades de autocuración del cuerpo. Se basa en los principios médicos estándar de la respiración y el efecto Bohr.

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Presión positiva continua en las vías respiratorias (CPAP)

El tratamiento no quirúrgico más común y eficaz para la apnea del sueño es la presión positiva continua en las vías respiratorias o CPAP, que se aplica a través de una mascarilla nasal o facial mientras duerme. El dispositivo CPAP no respira por usted. En cambio, crea un flujo de presión de aire cuando inhala que es lo suficientemente fuerte como para mantener abiertas las vías respiratorias. Una vez que su otorrinolaringólogo determine que CPAP es el tratamiento adecuado, deberá usar la máscara de CPAP todas las noches.

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Cirugía de naríz

Cada año, miles de personas se someten a una cirugía de nariz. La cirugía nasal se puede realizar con fines cosméticos o un procedimiento combinado para mejorar tanto la forma como la función. También puede aliviar o curar los problemas respiratorios nasales, corregir las deformidades del nacimiento o una lesión, o apoyar una nariz caída y envejecida. Los pacientes que estén considerando la cirugía nasal por cualquier motivo deben buscar a un médico especialista en la función de las vías respiratorias nasales, así como en cirugía plástica. Esto asegurará que la respiración eficiente sea una prioridad tan alta como la apariencia.

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Cirugía de los senos nasales

El especialista en oído, nariz y garganta recetará muchos medicamentos (antibióticos, descongestionantes, aerosoles nasales con esteroides, antihistamínicos) y procedimientos (enrojecimiento) para tratar la sinusitis aguda. Hay ocasiones en las que el médico y el paciente descubren que las infecciones son recurrentes y / o no responden a la medicación. Cuando esto ocurre, la cirugía para agrandar las aberturas que drenan los senos nasales es una opción.

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Opciones de tratamiento para adultos con ronquidos

El ronquido es un sonido producido por la vibración de los tejidos blandos de las vías respiratorias superiores durante el sueño y es indicativo de una mayor resistencia de las vías respiratorias superiores. Los estudios estiman que el 45% de los hombres y el 30% de las mujeres roncan de forma regular. Puede afectar no solo el sueño de la persona que ronca, sino también el sueño de un cónyuge u otros miembros de la familia cercanos. De hecho, los ronquidos hacen que muchas parejas duerman en habitaciones separadas y, a menudo, ejercen presión sobre los matrimonios y las relaciones. La evidencia reciente sugiere que roncar puede incluso causar engrosamiento de las arterias carótidas con el tiempo y potencialmente aumentar el riesgo de accidente cerebrovascular.

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Aparatos bucales

Para los pacientes que tienen apnea del sueño moderada o que no pueden usar un dispositivo C-PAP, un aparato bucal puede ser un tratamiento eficaz. El aparato bucal es un dispositivo moldeado que se coloca en la boca durante la noche para colocar la mandíbula inferior y llevar la lengua hacia adelante, elevando el paladar blando mientras evita que la lengua retroceda en las vías respiratorias y bloquee la respiración.

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Tratamientos quirúrgicos para la apnea del sueño

La terapia Inspire® (estimulación de las vías respiratorias superiores) es un dispositivo implantable mínimamente invasivo aprobado por la FDA que proporciona una estimulación leve a los nervios de los músculos de la lengua, manteniendo así las vías respiratorias abiertas durante el sueño.

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Postoperatorio de amigdalectomía y adenoides

Las amígdalas son dos grupos de tejido ubicados a ambos lados de la parte posterior de la garganta. Las adenoides se encuentran en la parte alta de la garganta detrás de la nariz y el techo de la boca. Las amígdalas y las adenoides a menudo se extirpan cuando se agrandan y bloquean las vías respiratorias superiores, lo que provoca dificultad para respirar. También se eliminan cuando la recurrencia de infecciones de amígdalas o faringitis estreptocócica no puede tratarse con éxito con antibióticos. La cirugía se realiza con mayor frecuencia en niños. El procedimiento para extirpar las amígdalas se llama amigdalectomía; la escisión de las adenoides es una adenoidectomía. A menudo, ambos procedimientos se realizan al mismo tiempo; por lo tanto, la cirugía se conoce como amigdalectomía y adenoidectomía, o T&A.

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Nuestro Equipo

Otolaryngologists - Head and Neck Surgeons

Gregory A Grillone, MD

Otolaryngologist-in-Chief

Special Interests

Laryngology, minimally invasive surgery of the upper aerodigestive tract, sleep surgery, laser surgery, head and neck cancer surgery

Jacob P Noordzij, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Adult and pediatric laryngology, care of the professional voice, airway disorders, thyroid and parathyroid disorders, head and neck cancer, swallowing disorders

Michael P Platt, MD, MSc

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Diseases of the nose, sinuses, and anterior skull base, endoscopic procedures

Avner Aliphas MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Head and neck surgery, ear surgery, adult and pediatric ear diseases, neck masses, tympanic membrane perforation, salivary gland tumors, larynx disorder, nasal disorders, and sinus disease.

Michael B Cohen, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Sleep apnea, chronic sinusitis, allergy, salivary gland disorders, snoring and sleep surgery, social determinants of health

Elizabeth M. Davis, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Allergy, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Sinonasal disorders

Anand K Devaiah, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Endoscopic minimally invasive skull base surgery, otologic/vestibular disorders, lateral skull base diseases and tumors, anterior skull base tumors/paranasal sinus diseases, head and neck surgery, head and neck cancer, and general otolaryngology.

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Heather A Edwards, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Surgical treatment of cancers of the head and neck region, including minimally invasive surgical approaches and complex microvascular reconstruction after tumor excision

Dr. Heather Edwards Head and Neck Cancer within Otolaryngology

Waleed H Ezzat, MD

Head and Neck Surgeon, Plastic Surgeon

Special Interests

Facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty, facelift, eyelid surgery, reconstructive surgery

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Daniel L Faden, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Minimally invasive surgery, management of HPV related oropharynx cancer.

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Kenneth M Grundfast, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Ear and hearing disorders in adults and children, management of chronic middle ear disease, evaluation and management of dizziness, vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, abnormal auditory perceptions.

Jessica R Levi, MD

Otolaryngologist, Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology

Special Interests

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

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Marianella Paz-Lansberg, MD

Attending Surgeon, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgeon, Division of Rhinology, Skull Base Surgery and Allergy

Special Interests

Rhinology and Sinus Surgery, Endoscopic Surgery, Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery, Endoscopic Orbital Surgery and Allergy

Jeffrey H Spiegel, MD

Plastic Surgeon, Chief of Facial Plastic Surgery

Special Interests

Gender confirming facial surgery, facial cosmetic and plastic surgery, rhinoplasty - nose job, facelift, blepharoplasty, botox, Juvederm and fillers

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Katherine Vandenberg, MD

Facial Plastic Surgeon

Special Interests

Facial plastic surgery, cosmetic rhinoplasty, functional rhinoplasty, facial cosmetic and aesthetic surgery

Lauren F Tracy, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Hoarseness, voice disorders, professional voice care, dysplasia, vocal cord cancer, office-based laser laryngeal surgery, airway and swallowing disorders, diseases of the trachea and esophagus

Peter C Weber, MD

Otolaryngologist

Special Interests

Cochlear implants and other implantable hearing devices, hearing loss disorders, acoustic neuroma, cholestearoma, otoscelerosis, facial nerve disorders, chronic ear infections, tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness, glomus and other shull base tumors.

Speech-Language Pathologists

Jessica M Pisegna, PhD, MS-CCC-SLP, MEd

Special Interests

Dysphagia (swallowing problems), Dysphonia (voice problems), Cognitive Deficits and Aphasia (language problems), Reflux-related disorders

Hadas Golan, MS, CCC-SLP

Special Interests

Professional voice, dysfunctional breathing, muscle tension dysphonia, irritable larynx and chronic cough

Amy Gottlieb, MS-CF-SLP

Special Interests

Dysphagia, dysphonia, and neurogenic disorders of language and cognition

Juliet Ochura, MS,CCC-SLP, CLC

Speech Language Pathologist

Special Interests

Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, Picky Eating, Sensory-Based Feeding difficulties

Meredith B O'Dea, MS, CCC-SLP

Special Interests

Dysphagia (swallowing problems), Dysphonia (voice problems), Reflux-related disorders, Alaryngeal Rehabilitation included Tracheoesophageal (TEP) Voice Restoration/Management

Casey F Scott, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Special Interests

Dysphagia (swallowing problems), Dysphonia (voice problems), Reflux-related disorders

Kailey Vitale, MA, CCC-SLP

Special Interests

Dysphagia (swallowing problems), Alaryngeal rehabilitation including tracheoesophageal (TEP) voice restoration/management, Evaluation and treatment of swallowing problems after head and neck cancer

Samantha Ashinoff, MS, CCC-SLP

Kim Boscodoss, MS, CCC-SLP

Michelle Ganann, CCC-SLP

Anna Lifvergren, CCC-SLP

Keri Miloro, CCC-SLP

Juliet Ochura, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC

Jennifer Perez, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC

Audiologists

Alexa Kozak, Au.D.,CCC-A

Special Interests

Pediatric Through Geriatric Diagnostic Testing, Auditory Evoked Potentials, Newborn Diagnostic Testing, Vestibular Testing

Melissa Campbell, AuD, CCC-A

Special Interests

Pediatric through adult diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing aid evaluation and dispensing, and cochlear implants.
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Kristin A. Hartman-Joshi, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA

Special Interests

Pediatric and Adult audiologic evaluations, hearing aid evaluations and dispensing, bone-anchored hearing aids, newborn diagnostic evaluations, newborn hearing screenings

Lauren Morris, Au.D.,CCC-A

Special Interests

Pediatric and adult audiologic evaluations, hearing aid evaluation and dispensing, cochlear implants, vestibular evaluations, auditory evoked potentials, and newborn hearing screenings.

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Laura O'Brien ScD, CCC-A

Special Interests

Pediatric and Adult Audiologic Evaluations, Newborn Hearing Screenings and Diagnostic Testing, Auditory Evoked Potentials, Pediatric Diagnostic Testing.
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Ashley Radcliffe

Special Interests

Pediatric through adult diagnostic hearing evaluations, cochlear implants and bone-anchored hearing devices, hearing aid evaluation and dispensing, and vestibular testing.

Nurses

Marsela Demo, RN

Sarah Frazier, BSN, RN

Susan Griever, NP

Lanisha Harrison, RN

Brandy Kenner Keefe, FNP

Shirley R Koss, NP

Jennifer Lauver, RN

Opal Mitchell, NP

Jessica Overlan, NP

Ann Poulsen, RN

Renee Rieves, RN

Researchers and Instructors

Gintas Krisciunas, MPH, MA

 

Recursos del Paciente

Additional Information

Otolaryngology Education

Many education and training opportunities exist for both existing medical professionals and medical students through the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Please visit the sections below to learn more.

Medical Students

Students who are considering or intend to pursue a career in Otolaryngology are strongly encouraged to apply for the four week elective clerkship during their fourth year. To apply for this elective, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine students should contact the Otolaryngology Education Coordinator, Janine Lipsky 617-638-7066 janine.lipsky@bmc.org and students from schools other than the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine should apply for the month long elective through the AAMC’s Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS®) (https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/vsas/).

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine 4th year students who wish to learn about Otolaryngology, but are not intending to pursue Otolaryngology as a career, can do a two week Surgical Subspecialty Otolaryngology elective clerkship during their fourth year General Surgery sub-i elective clerkship. A new innovative individualized curriculum is being developed to afford students coming to Otolaryngology for two weeks a customized learning experience that attempts to match their exposure to learning experiences with their intended career path. To sign up for the two week elective in Otolaryngology, contact Ms. Lana Ketlere at Lana.Ketlere@bmc.org.

FEES Course This Course is not currently being offered

The Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) was developed by Dr. Susan Langmore in 1988. Alongside the modified barium swallow (MBS) study, FEES has become a globally recognized gold standard for evaluating oropharyngeal dysphagia and for assessing swallowing function.

Read more and sign up

Noticias del Departamento

Resumen de la Investigación

Cancer Clinical Trials

Please visit the external Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Cancer Clinical Trials website for information on current research studies in head and neck oncology.

Center for Innovative Technology and Clinical Outcomes Research

The Center for Innovative Technology & Clinical Outcomes Research is located on the 5th floor of the BCD Building.  The research in this center can be grouped into three major areas of work; 1) development and testing of novel imaging technology that enhances clinical care, 2) evaluating the efficacy of clinical interventions, and 3) designing, refining, and testing patient outcome measurement tools.  This center involves a multidisciplinary group of clinicians and researchers who specialize in areas such as head and neck cancer, laryngology, speech language pathology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pathology, bioengineering and biostatistics.  

Current projects include the following:

1.    ESS R01
2.    ARF R01
3.    Validation of BRACS
4.    3D endoscope development
5.    PAS scale assessment
6.    Variation in dysphagia care
7.    Qualitative Dysphagia Assessment w/ Renee
8.    Amitriptyline / CLH – assessing efficacy of this med (keep general)
 

Early diagnosis of oral cancer using spectroscopic techniques

Early detection of oral cancer is critical for successful treatment and improvement of the survival rate. However, current detection is usually done by visual screening and biopsies. It presents a major challenge for even experienced clinicians. 

Our findings from animal models and patient studies are very encouraging. Now, we are continuing to work on this study to develop new tri-modal spectroscope (a combination of three spectroscopic techniques) and scattering imaging techniques. We expect that our new study will further improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis. We will also explore the feasibility of using these new technologies for intraoperative guidance of tumor surgery and for prediction of the treatment efficacy with cancer chemoprevention.

New chemoprevention strategy for head and neck cancers

Oral cancer is one of the most common neoplasms, and it is estimated that close to 40,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year and it will cause will cause over 8,000 deaths. Its slow and cumulative process strongly supports the rationale for its prevention. Chemoprevention is a promising strategy, but its widespread use has been hampered by its significant toxic side effects. Anti-angiogenesis has been established as one of the cornerstones of chemoprevention.

Our previous studies have indicated the effectiveness of selective microvascular targeting with a 585 pulsed dye laser (PDL) for tumor inhibition with no damage to neighboring tissue. Importantly, PDL is capable of providing a synergic effect with some routine chemopreventive agents (i.e., retinoic acid) via its ability to selectively destroy existing microvasculature in targeted tissue. In our preliminary studies, a combination of PDL and chemoprevention called laser “photo-chemoprevention,” enabled us to significantly reduce the dose of the chemical agent without sacrificing its efficacy for inhibition of tumor growth. We also are testing a new approach for cancer chemoprevention with less systemic toxicity by topically delivering the agent with polymer “biofilm.” Our long-term goal is to develop new and effective treatment with fewer side effects for chemoprevention or early treatment of cancers.

Novel and less invasive approach for head neck surgery

Our group has been working on testing new laser or other techniques for more than 10 years to develop less invasive surgery or selective targeting therapy for head and neck diseases. Currently, our studies include (1) laser photothermolysis of vocal cord scarring. We are using an antibody-targeted laser photolysis to avoid or reduce hypertrophic scar growth in vocal cords. This method will allow us to apply highly-selective targeting while sparing neighboring tissue from collateral damage with diode laser surgery; and (2) less invasive laser surgery for laryngeal papilloma and vascular lesions. We will use a pulsed dye laser to selectively destroy the lesions while preserving the voice function.

Center for Voice and Swallowing Research

The Center for Voice and Swallowing Research is located on the 5th Floor of the BCD Building 800 Harrison Avenue, with a clinic in the 1st Floor of 830 Harrison Avenue at Boston Medical Center. For more information on this research, please visit the Center for Voice and Swallowing website.

Información Sobre Residencia y Becas

We are extraordinarily proud of our residency program and we would be delighted to hear from you if you have any questions or we can provide for you additional information about our program so don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

Learn more about our Residency Program

Latest from HealthCity

HealthCity es la publicación en línea del Boston Medical Center que explora los problemas más apremiantes en el cuidado de la salud. En HealthCity, creemos que la atención médica debe transformarse para volverse más equitativa, sostenible y de código abierto.