Gandhi Nursing Home

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)

Overview

The advancement of modern surgery, surgeons increasingly specialize in specific areas, usually related to anatomical regions of the body, although occasionally they may focus on a particular method or patient type due to the sheer amount of information and technical abilities required.
ENT surgery, often known as otolaryngology, is one of the ten surgical specialties that is covered in this briefing.

What do ENT surgeons do?

Ear, nose, and throat disorders are the primary focus of otolaryngologists, often known as ENT surgeons, who diagnose, assess, and treat these conditions.
Assisting patients in managing or recovering from disorders that affect the senses of hearing and balance is a major issue for ENT surgeons. The functional features of breathing, eating, and speaking will also be of concern to them. Malignancies in this area of the body are also treated by ENT surgeons. Many will have facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

The principle sub-specialties of ENT surgery are:

  • Otology: Therapy for illnesses, injuries, and infections of the ear to enhance balance and hearing. Neurotologists treat diseases deep in the middle and inner ear, where there is a stronger connection between the affected area and the brain.
  • Rhinology: The treatment of sinusitis, nasal congestion, and allergies with the goal of reducing discomfort, facilitating breathing, and enhancing nasal function.
  • Laryngology: The treatment of laryngeal and throat infections to facilitate swallowing and speaking.
  • Head and neck surgery: apart from other ENT systems, it focuses on cyst removal, surgery for cancers of the head and neck, and surgery for glands like the salivary, thyroid, parathyroid, and lymph glands.
  • Facial plastics can involve reconstructive treatments like repositioning the jaw or aesthetic procedures like rhinoplasty (also known as “nose job”), pinnaplasty (often known as “bat ears”), and face lifts. The work of oral, maxillofacial, and plastic surgeons is heavily overlapping here.
  • Pediatrics: Many ENT disorders, which are frequently congenital, need to be treated from an early age. These include tonsil or adenoidal infections that necessitate extraction, breathing issues, and grommets for “glue ear.”