Head and Neck Surgery Overview
It’s the second half of our name—Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery— even though most of us tend to talk about “otolaryngologists” or “ENTs.” But that other half is a large part of what our members do. The “Head and Neck Surgery” umbrella covers not only head and neck cancer/oncology, but endocrine surgery, skull base surgery, and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. The word surgeon is operative. Here are notes from three of the Head and Neck committee meetings in September 2010. During their meeting in September 2010 in Boston, the Skull Base Surgery Committee (Douglas D. Backous, MD, Chair) discussed the need for more training on skull base anatomy for all OTO residents. The enhanced training is designed to avoid surgical complications during procedures that are carried out near the skull base. The Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology Committee (Daniel G. Deschler, MD, Chair) works to provide responsive, excellent educational opportunities within the Academy. The committee includes specialists from across the country who devote time and effort to the committee, and seek member input for further endeavors. On the Saturday before the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, the committee co-sponsored the Sisson Head and Neck Surgery Course for residents and fellows, in conjunction with the American Head and Neck Society. Scheduled again for the 2011 meeting, the course provides an outstanding platform for education of residents and fellows, as well as educating them about the specialty of Head and Neck Surgery. The committee also will propose two miniseminars for 2011, addressing case management in HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer and management of the neck in the current era. The committee is also revising the Academy’s monograph on neck dissection and head and neck cancer staging to coincide with most recent edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer’s staging manual. Endocrine surgery makes up a large portion of head and neck surgery. The day before the opening of the Boston meeting, which offered 23 instruction courses and four miniseminars on thyroid and parathyroid surgery, the Endocrine Surgery Committee (Lisa A. Orloff, MD, Chair) sponsored its first Ultrasound Workshop for Thyroid and Parathyroid. It was licensed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Past committee chair Robert A. Sofferman, MD, who heads the ACS Head and Neck Ultrasound Faculty, was course director, with several residents among the 65 registrants. Hands-on instruction in the afternoon used a variety of ultrasound machines with 13 volunteer patients recruited by past committee chair Gregory W. Randolph, MD. (Dr. Sofferman reported that ACS certification is a useful credential to show insurance companies.) Immediate Past President Ronald B. Kuppersmith, MD, MBA, and Dr. Randolph have submitted a proposal for the Guideline Development Task Force about “Perioperative and Surgical Management of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve (RLN) during Thyroid Surgery.” This guideline will reflect the critical progress that has occurred in patient care. Marc D. Coltrera, MD, and Dr. Randolph are working on a tumor database by pooling outcome data from two centers, with opportunities for future growth. There are other head and neck activities taking place, such as outreach to other endocrine societies, including the American Thyroid Association (ATA), American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES), American Head and Neck Society (AHNS), and the American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). The Endocrine Surgery committee has been named a Model Committee by the AAO-HNS/F.
But that other half is a large part of what our members do. The “Head and Neck Surgery” umbrella covers not only head and neck cancer/oncology, but endocrine surgery, skull base surgery, and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. The word surgeon is operative.
Here are notes from three of the Head and Neck committee meetings in September 2010.
During their meeting in September 2010 in Boston, the Skull Base Surgery Committee (Douglas D. Backous, MD, Chair) discussed the need for more training on skull base anatomy for all OTO residents. The enhanced training is designed to avoid surgical complications during procedures that are carried out near the skull base.
The Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology Committee (Daniel G. Deschler, MD, Chair) works to provide responsive, excellent educational opportunities within the Academy. The committee includes specialists from across the country who devote time and effort to the committee, and seek member input for further endeavors. On the Saturday before the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, the committee co-sponsored the Sisson Head and Neck Surgery Course for residents and fellows, in conjunction with the American Head and Neck Society.
Scheduled again for the 2011 meeting, the course provides an outstanding platform for education of residents and fellows, as well as educating them about the specialty of Head and Neck Surgery. The committee also will propose two miniseminars for 2011, addressing case management in HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer and management of the neck in the current era. The committee is also revising the Academy’s monograph on neck dissection and head and neck cancer staging to coincide with most recent edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer’s staging manual.
Endocrine surgery makes up a large portion of head and neck surgery. The day before the opening of the Boston meeting, which offered 23 instruction courses and four miniseminars on thyroid and parathyroid surgery, the Endocrine Surgery Committee (Lisa A. Orloff, MD, Chair) sponsored its first Ultrasound Workshop for Thyroid and Parathyroid. It was licensed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Past committee chair Robert A. Sofferman, MD, who heads the ACS Head and Neck Ultrasound Faculty, was course director, with several residents among the 65 registrants. Hands-on instruction in the afternoon used a variety of ultrasound machines with 13 volunteer patients recruited by past committee chair Gregory W. Randolph, MD. (Dr. Sofferman reported that ACS certification is a useful credential to show insurance companies.)
Immediate Past President Ronald B. Kuppersmith, MD, MBA, and Dr. Randolph have submitted a proposal for the Guideline Development Task Force about “Perioperative and Surgical Management of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve (RLN) during Thyroid Surgery.” This guideline will reflect the critical progress that has occurred in patient care. Marc D. Coltrera, MD, and Dr. Randolph are working on a tumor database by pooling outcome data from two centers, with opportunities for future growth.
There are other head and neck activities taking place, such as outreach to other endocrine societies, including the American Thyroid Association (ATA), American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES), American Head and Neck Society (AHNS), and the American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). The Endocrine Surgery committee has been named a Model Committee by the AAO-HNS/F.