Head and Neck Procedures
Ear Drum Surgery
Perforations of the eardrum, or tympanic membrane, can occur as a result of infections or trauma. Small perforations often heal on their own, but large perforations may require surgical repair. Surgery to reconstruct the tympanic membrane (tympanoplasty) is usually performed under general anesthesia.
Thyroid Surgery
Thyroid operations are used for patients who have a variety of thyroid conditions, including both cancerous and benign (non-cancerous) thyroid nodules, large thyroid glands (goiters), and overactive thyroid glands. There are several thyroid operations that a surgeon may perform, including: 1) biopsy or lumpectomy - removing a small part of the thyroid gland; 2) lobectomy - removing half of the thyroid gland; 3) removing nearly all of the thyroid gland (subtotal thyroidectomy – leaving a small amount of thyroid tissue bilaterally or near-total thyroidectomy – leaving about one gram of thyroid tissue on one side); or 4) total thyroidectomy, which removes all identifiable thyroid tissue. There are specific indications for each of these operations.
Parotid Surgery
The parotid glands lie in front of and below the ear. They form saliva that drains into the mouth through a duct that lies next to the upper molars. The parotid gland consists of a superficial and a deep lobe, with the main trunk and branches of the facial nerve, or nerve that moves the muscles of the face, in between the lobes. Some of the reasons for parotidectomy include chronic infection of the gland or tumors. Benign or malignant tumors can develop in these glands and will present as a lump in front of or below the ear. Most tumors are benign and are present for several months with little or no growth before the patient is referred to a specialist for evaluation. Malignant tumors may cause facial nerve weakness, lymph node enlargement or pain at the site of the tumor.