Otolaryngology — Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery

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 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; hearing loss; and 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.

Contact Us

617.638.8124

Fax: 617.414.4953

Monday-Friday - 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Specialty Clinics

Conditions We Treat

Treatments & Services

Ear Plastic Surgery

Ear deformities occur in a number of conditions. Some patients are born with absent (microtia), protruding or drooping ears, due to weak or poorly formed cartilage. Traumatic deformities of the ear also occur due to trauma (e.g. car wreck or dog bite) or torn earlobes. Deformity of the ears may cause social anxiety and may make children vulnerable to teasing. Regardless of the origin of the ear deformity, these ear conditions can be surgically corrected. These procedures do not alter the patient's hearing, but they may improve appearance and self-confidence.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

The most common and effective nonsurgical treatment for sleep apnea is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP which is applied through a nasal or facial mask while you sleep. The CPAP device does not breathe for you. Instead, it creates a flow of air pressure when you inhale that is strong enough to keep your airway passages open. Once your otolaryngologist determines that CPAP is the right treatment, you will need to wear the CPAP mask every night.

Nose Surgery

Each year thousands of people undergo surgery of the nose. Nasal surgery may be performed for cosmetic purposes, or a combination procedure to improve both form and function. It also may alleviate or cure nasal breathing problems, correct deformities from birth or injury, or support an aging, drooping nose. Patients who are considering nasal surgery for any reason should seek a doctor who is a specialist in nasal airway function, as well as plastic surgery. This will ensure that efficient breathing is as high a priority as appearance.

Sinus Surgery

The ear, nose, and throat specialist will prescribe many medications (antibiotics, decongestants, nasal steroid sprays, antihistamines) and procedures (flushing) for treating acute sinusitis. There are occasions when physician and patient find that the infections are recurrent and/or non-responsive to the medication. When this occurs, surgery to enlarge the openings that drain the sinuses is an option.

Treatment Options for Adults with Snoring

Snoring is a sound produced by vibration of the soft tissues of the upper airway during sleep and is indicative of increased upper airway resistance. Studies estimate that 45% of men and 30% of women snore on a regular basis. It can affect not only the snorer’s sleep but also the sleep of a spouse or other family members nearby. In fact, snoring causes many couples to sleep in separate rooms and often places strain on marriages and relationships. Recent evidence suggests that snoring may even cause thickening of the carotid arteries over time and potentially increase risk of stroke.

Oral Appliances

For patients who have moderate sleep apnea, or are unable to use a C-PAP device, an oral appliance can be an effective treatment. The oral appliance is a molded device that is placed in the mouth at night to position the lower jaw and bring the tongue forward, elevating the soft palate while keeping the tongue from falling back in the airway and blocking breathing.

Tonsillectomy and Adenoids Post-Op

The tonsils are two clusters of tissue located on both sides of the back of the throat. Adenoids sit high in the throat behind the nose and the roof of the mouth. Tonsils and adenoids are often removed when they become enlarged and block the upper airway, leading to breathing difficulty. They are also removed when recurrence of tonsil infections or strep throat cannot be successfully treated by antibiotics. The surgery is most often performed on children.

Otolaryngologists — Head and Neck Surgeons

Marc Drake, MD

Otolaryngologist

Gregory A. Grillone, MD

Chief of Otolaryngology

Jessica R. Levi, MD

Otolaryngologist, Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology

Jacob P. Noordzij, MD

Otolaryngologist

Michael P. Platt, MD, MSc

Otolaryngologist, Vice Chair of Education

Avner Aliphas MD

Otolaryngologist

Michael B. Cohen, MD

Otolaryngologist

Elizabeth M. Davis, MD

Otolaryngologist

Anand K. Devaiah, MD

Otolaryngologist

Heather A. Edwards, MD

Otolaryngologist

Waleed H. Ezzat, MD

Head and Neck Surgeon, Plastic Surgeon

Daniel L Faden, MD

Otolaryngologist

Photo can be used as placeholder until new photo can be taken

Kenneth M Grundfast, MD

Otolaryngologist

Marianella Paz-Lansberg, MD

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

Jennifer Nicole Shehan, MD

Otolaryngologist

Jeffrey H. Spiegel, MD

Plastic Surgeon, Chief of Facial Plastic Surgery

Lauren F Tracy, MD

Otolaryngologist

Mark A. Vecchiotti, MD

Pediatric Otolaryngologist

Peter C. Weber, MD

Otolaryngologist

Speech–Language Pathologists

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

Director of Speech Language Pathology

Samantha Ashinoff, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Kimberly Boscodoss, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Daniel P. Buckley, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Michelle G. Ganann, MS CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Hadas Golan, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Amy M. Gottlieb, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Edel M. McNally, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Senior Speech Language Pathologist

Eileen Miglio, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Emily O'Gorman, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Kerry Pearl, MS, CCC-SLP

Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist

Emily Senecal, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Chloe Thorburn, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Alyssa Fazzino, M.A., CCC-SLP

Anna Lifvergren, CCC-SLP

Elona Meziu, CCC-SLP-CF 2024-2025

Keri Miloro, CCC-SLP

Haley Walker, MA, CCC-SLP

Audiologists

Alison Packer, AuD, CCC-A

Director of Audiology

Kerry McGovern, AuD, CCC-A

Audiologist

Alexandra Moody, AuD, CCC-A

Audiologist

Catherine Nash, AuD, CCC-A

Senior Audiologist

Jennifer Springmier, AuD, CCC-A

Senior Audiologist

Megan Thompson, AuD, CCC-A

Senior Audiologist

Nurses and Physician Assistants

Marsela Demo, RN

Mckenzie Dollosa, RN

Susan Griever, NP

Brandy Kenner Keefe, FNP

Jennifer Lauver, RN

Sarietha Mathieu, NP

Elise Miller, PA

Opal Mitchell, NP

Jessica Overlan, NP

Ann Poulsen, RN

Emily Sjogren, PA

Nicole Tran, PA

Researchers and Instructors

Gintas Krisciunas, PhD, MPH, MA

Patient Resources

Otolaryngology (ENT) Resources

Ear Health & Hearing, Nose & Sinus, Throat & Voices, Tobacco & Smoking

Additional Information

Donate

Department of Otolaryngology News

Department of Otolaryngology Education

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.

Department News

BMC Physicians and Surgeons Named to 2024 "Top Docs" List

(BOSTON) — Jan. 23, 2024 — Boston Magazine released its annual list of the top doctors the region, recognizing more than 125 physicians and surgeons from Boston Medical Center (BMC).

Jan 23

2024 Boston magazine top doctors contained in a black circle on a white background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion News from Dr. Marianella Paz-Lansberg, Chair of Otolaryngology DEI Committee

Continuing with our departmental initiative to strengthen Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, our team recently had the incredible opportunity of participating in a Microaggressions Workshop and LIFT…

Mar 22

Dr. Mark Vecchiotti joins the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

We are very pleased to welcome Mark Vecchiotti, MD to Boston Medical Center and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Research Overview

As the primary teaching hospital affiliated with Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, the physicians, faculty, and staff in the Department of Otolaryngology are actively involved in research that advances patient care. Many faculty are engaged in research specific to their areas of expertise, and mentor resident physicians during research blocks through the Residency Research and Scholarly Activities Committee (RRSAC) program. Several specialty clinic teams also engage in research activities, including…

Otolaryngology Clinical Outcomes, Assessment & Technological Innovation (COATI)

The Otolaryngology COATI Lab is a NIH funded clinical research lab that is engaged in three major areas of work; 1) developing and testing novel imaging technology that enhances clinical care, 2) evaluating the efficacy of clinical interventions, and 3) designing, refining, and testing patient outcome measurement tools. The lab’s research portfolio engages 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, critical care pulmonology, and biostatistics. The COATI Lab is located on the 5th floor of the BCD Building. For more information, please visit the Oto-COATI lab website.

Head & Neck Cancer Treatment Clinical Trials

The department of otolaryngology collaborates with the departments of medical oncology and radiation oncology to provide patients with access to some of the latest head and neck cancer clinical trials. For more information on current interdisciplinary research studies in head and neck oncology, please visit the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Cancer Clinical Trials website

STEPP Lab

The department of Otolaryngology collaborates with the STEPP LAB for Sensorimotor Rehabilitation Engineering which is located within the Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College). Under the direction of Principal Investigator Cara Stepp, they are a multidisciplinary group of researchers with the shared goal of improving the assessment and treatment of sensorimotor disorders of voice and speech, applying techniques from electrical engineering, computer science, rehabilitation engineering, neuroscience, laryngology, speech science, and communication disorders. Many of the studies conducted by the STEPP Lab are in collaboration with clinician-investigators in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. For more information, please visit the STEPP Lab website.

Residency and Fellowship Information

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

Otolaryngology — Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery

Contact Us

Specialty Clinics

Audiology (Hearing Problems)

Dizziness and Balance Problems

Facial Plastic Surgery

Head and Neck Cancer Program

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Program (HHT)

Nose, Sinus, and Allergy Care

Pediatrics - Otolaryngology (ENT)

Skull Base Surgery Program

Speech Language Pathology

Voice and Swallowing (Throat Problems)

Conditions We Treat

Treatments & Services

Our Team

Otolaryngologists — Head and Neck Surgeons

Speech–Language Pathologists

Audiologists

Nurses and Physician Assistants

Researchers and Instructors

Patient Resources

Otolaryngology (ENT) Resources

Additional Information

Otolaryngology Education

Medical Students

FEES Course This Course is not currently being offered

Department News

Research Overview

Research Overview

Otolaryngology Clinical Outcomes, Assessment & Technological Innovation (COATI)

Head & Neck Cancer Treatment Clinical Trials

STEPP Lab

Residency and Fellowship Information