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Otolaryngology

Providing diagnostic evaluation and treatment of infants and children with a wide range of problems relating to the head and neck.

We provide care to all infants, children, and adolescents requiring medical and surgical treatment for the head and neck. We offer comprehensive treatment of malformations of the ear, nose, throat, and airway, treatment for noncongenital airway problems, infectious diseases of the sinuses, tonsils, and adenoids, and neoplasms of the head and neck.

Treatments

We treat disorders of the ears, nose, neck, and airway, including the treatment of:

  • recurrent otitis media with the possible need for placement of PE tubes
  • recurrent tonsillitis
  • congenital deformities of the neck, ear, and head
  • chronic ear disease including cholesteotoma, chronic sinusitis
  • otolaryngologic problems associated with cystic fibrosis, immunocompromise, and malignancy

Our services extend to the management of complex craniofacial anomalies that require a comprehensive team approach.

Cleft Palate Program

This program provides comprehensive care for children with cleft palate. The multidisciplinary group staffing this clinic includes otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, speech therapists, and physical therapists.

This team meets Wednesdays, and is coordinated through the Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery. The Team Coordinator for this program can be reached at 919-684-3815.

Physicians

Name Areas of Special Interest
Seth M. Cohen, MD, MPH Surgical and medical management of adult voice, airway, and swallowing problems, including vocal-cord polyps, cysts, nodules, cancer, and leukoplakia; precancerous lesions of the larynx and vocal cords; laryngeal, vocal-cord, and tracheal papilloma; laryngeal, tracheal, and subglottic stenosis; laryngeal trauma; vocal-cord paralysis, paresis, granulomas, weakness, atrophy, and bowing; Reinke's edema; polypoid corditis; hoarseness, including acute and chronic laryngitis; reflux- and allergy-related hoarseness and voice problems; laryngopharyngeal reflux; vocal-cord dysfunction and cough; vocal tremor; spasmodic and muscle-tension dysphonia; laryngoceles; laryngeal and saccular cysts; bilateral vocal-cord paralysis; problems related to tracheotomy; vocal-cord scarring and hemorrhage; professional/occupational voice care; in-office laryngeal surgery, including laser treatment for papilloma and precancerous lesions; laryngeal, vocal-cord, and tracheal biopsies; injections for vocal-cord paralysis; laryngeal reconstruction, tracheal resection, microlaryngeal surgery, laryngeal framework surgery
Matthew D. Ellison, MD Surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (UPPP, tongue-base suspension and hyoid suspension, pillar palatoplasty, turbinate reduction) in adults and children; allergy care, including skin testing and immunotherapy (subcutaneous injections and sublingual drops) in adults and children; medical care of chronic sinus problems, including endoscopic diagnosis and nebulization topical therapy; surgical care of chronic sinus problems (recurrent infections, polyps, turbinate hypertrophy), including less invasive and safer techniques such as CT-guided endoscopic sinus surgery, balloon sinuplasty and turbinoplasty; care of children with ear, nose, and throat problems, such as enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids, hearing loss, ear infections, and neck masses; surgical treatment of skin cancers of the neck, face, and head; evaluation and treatment of head and neck masses and cancers
Samuel R. Fisher, MD Head and neck surgical oncology, melanoma, and reconstruction; cutaneous facial cancers; endoscopic sinus surgery; salivary-gland tumors; nasal surgery; anterior skull-base surgery; pediatric otolaryngology
David M. Kaylie, MD, MS Surgery of skull-base tumors, including acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma), meningioma, glomus tumor and cancers; stereotactic radiation for skull-base tumors using BrainLab linear accelerator system (Linac) and gamma knife; surgical and medical management of chronic ear diseases such as ear infection, eardrum perforation, and cholesteatoma; management of temporal bone trauma; facial-nerve paralysis from Bell's palsy, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and facial-nerve tumors, including facial-nerve schwannoma and hemangiomas; surgical and medical management of hearing loss in pediatric and adult patients for conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, including cochlear implantation, otosclerosis, Baha implants, and hearing aids; surgical and medical management of conditions that cause dizziness, including Meniere's disease, chronic dysequilibrium, vertigo, migraine-associated vertigo, positional vertigo
Liana Puscas, MD, MHS Maxillofacial trauma, clinical research, thyroid and parathyroid disorders, head and neck microvascular reconstruction
Eileen M. Raynor, MD Pediatric airway, neck masses, endoscopic procedures, multidisciplinary management of complex problems
Debara L. Tucci, MD, MS Evaluation and management of pediatric patients with all types of ear disease and hearing/balance disorders; middle-ear disease, including tympanic membrane perforations, cholesteatoma, conductive hearing loss; evaluation of sensorineural hearing loss and treatment with hearing aids, cochlear implants
David L. Witsell, MD, MHS Voice disorders and problems including hoarseness due to vocal cord nodules, polyps, cysts, neurologic disorders of the larynx, such as spasmodic dysphonia (SD and BOTOX) and paralysis, paresis or weakness of the vocal cord; other problems or diseases of the larynx (voice box) and airway or trachea, such as stenosis or scarring, and breathing difficulties, swallowing problems, reflux, aspiration, vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) and cough; vocal tremor; spasmodic and muscle-tension dysphonia; laryngoceles; laryngeal and saccular cysts, vocal cord scarring and hemorrhage; professional voice care and occupational voice care; malignant tumors of the larynx, vocal cord, or head and neck area, including cancer and leukoplakia; precancerous lesions of the voice box, cancer of the mouth, tongue, throat, and sinuses; nonmalignant or benign tumors, including laryngeal papilloma, tracheal papilloma, granulomas, chondromas, lymphomas; management of head and neck masses, lumps, lymph nodes, cysts, thyroid nodules or tumors, salivary gland tumors and saliva disorders; sinus problems including sinusitis, allergies, nasal polyps, nasal obstruction due to deviated septum; sleep apnea or snoring

Clinic Hours and Location

Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center
2301 Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27710
Tel: 919-668-4000
Hours: Wednesdays, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Duke Children's Consultative Services of Raleigh
3480 Wake Forest Road, Suite 310
Raleigh, NC 27609
Tel: 919-862-5750
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Duke Health Center at Roxboro Street
4020 North Roxboro Street
Durham, NC 27704
Tel: 919-620-9400
Hours: First Monday of the month, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Duke Health Center at Southpoint
6301 Herndon Road
Durham, NC 27713
Tel: 919-572-9905
Hours: Monday, 8:00 am - 12:00 noon

Appointments and Contact Information

Local: 919-684-3834
Toll Free: 1-800-385-3646