Villa Stuart Private Clinic

Otolaryngology

Otorhinolaryngology is the branch of medicine that deals with the study, diagnosis, and treatment, both surgical and non-surgical, of diseases of the ear, nose, throat, mouth, salivary glands, and pharynx. It also addresses swallowing disorders, balance, and voice issues.

SYMPTOMS

It is advisable to visit an otorhinolaryngologist in the presence of symptoms such as:

Ear:
Acute or chronic ear pain
Partial or total hearing loss
Persistent tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or hissing)
Dizziness, a sensation of imbalance, or balance problems
Feeling of a blocked or plugged ear
Recurrent ear infections or ear discharge
Nose:
Nasal obstruction or difficulty breathing through the nose
Chronic or recurrent sinusitis or chronic/allergic rhinitis
Deviated nasal septum or nasal polyps
Frequent nosebleeds
Chronic allergies unresponsive to common treatments
Alterations in taste or smell
Suspected foreign body in ear or nose
Mouth and Throat:
Chronic sore throat or persistent pain
Persistent hoarseness or voice loss
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Feeling of something in the throat
Mouth lesions that do not heal
Tonsillitis
Excessive snoring or suspected sleep apnea
Chronic cough, especially if nocturnal or related to gastroesophageal reflux

DIAGNOSIS

PATHOLOGIES

There are more than 150 rheumatic diseases, divided into different categories. They primarily affect joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles, but may also involve other organs. The main ones are:

Ear disorders:
External otitis (auricle and ear canal) or media (beyond the eardrum)
Hearing loss
Eardrum perforations
Tinnitus
Earwax plugs
Dizziness, labyrinthitis, and Meniere's disease (balance disorders)
Otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the middle ear)
Nasal and paranasal sinus disorders:
Sinusitis and rhinosinusitis
Rhinitis (including allergic)
Turbinate hypertrophy
Nasal polyposis
Smell disorders
Deviated nasal septum
Mouth and throat disorders:
Pharyngitis and tonsillitis
Vocal cord problems
Gastroesophageal reflux with associated pharyngolaryngitis
Nodules, polyps, and vocal cord paralysis (voice disorders)
Laryngeal stenosis
Sleep-related breathing disorders (sleep apnea and snoring)
Salivary gland inflammations (sialadenitis)
Salivary gland stones (sialolithiasis)
Oncological diseases of the head and neck area, including the salivary glands
Swallowing disorders (dysphagia)

OTOLARYNGOLOGY SURGERY

The introduction of minimally invasive surgical techniques through the use of advanced technologies such as high-definition endoscopic optics, radiofrequency, CO2 laser, and balloon dilation systems now allows surgical procedures on the nose and paranasal sinuses, the ear, and the larynx to be performed in an extremely conservative manner. The use of these methods enables direct and detailed visualization of the treated anatomical areas, ensuring greater surgical precision and a significant reduction in tissue trauma. From a clinical perspective, this translates into faster functional recovery, reduced pain and post-operative discomfort, and an overall improvement in the patient experience.

MINIMALLY INVASIVE ENDOSCOPIC FUNCTIONAL AND AESTHETIC NASAL SURGERY

Minimally invasive endoscopic nasal-sinus surgery techniques allow the treatment of numerous obstructive and inflammatory conditions of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses, with the advantage of preserving the integrity of the treated anatomical structures while avoiding intraoperative nasal packing at the end of the procedure. Main procedures performed include:

Septoplasty for correction of nasal septum deviations causing respiratory obstruction;
Inferior and middle turbinate surgery using nasal mucosa decongestion techniques;
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal-sinus polyposis, recurrent sinusitis, paranasal sinus mucocele, inflammatory and obstructive pathologies of the ostiomeatal complex;
Balloon dilation of the paranasal sinuses in selected cases of sinusitis;
Surgical treatment of recurrent epistaxis;
Surgery for benign nasal-sinus neoplasms;
Rhinoplasty, which can be combined with functional procedures to simultaneously achieve improved respiratory function and morphological harmony of the nose.

ENDOSCOPIC EAR AND HEARING LOSS SURGERY

Endoscopic otologic surgery involves accessing the middle ear through the external auditory canal for an enhanced view of middle ear structures, avoiding retroauricular incisions and reducing surgical trauma to decrease post-treatment recovery time. Main conditions treated include:

Tympanic membrane perforations;
Chronic otitis media, simple or cholesteatomatous;
Ossicular chain pathologies with conductive hearing loss;
Eustachian tube dysfunctions;
Otosclerosis;
Inflammatory sequelae of the middle ear.

LARYNGEAL SURGERY (PHONOSURGERY)

Phonosurgery is aimed at treating organic pathologies of the vocal cords that cause alterations in vocal quality. Procedures are performed using microsurgical and laser-assisted techniques that allow maximum preservation of phonatory function. Main conditions treated include:

NECK SURGERY

Neck surgery includes the treatment of thyroid, parathyroid, salivary gland pathologies, cervical lymph nodes, and head and neck neoplasms. Main conditions treated include*:

Thyroid and parathyroid pathologies:
- Benign or suspicious malignant thyroid nodules
- Multinodular goiter
- Thyroid neoplasms
- Primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism
Salivary gland pathologies:
- Salivary stones (also with minimally invasive sialoendoscopic techniques)
- Chronic sialadenitis
- Benign and malignant neoplasms of major and minor salivary glands
Congenital neck malformations:
- Branchial cysts and fistulas
- Thyroglossal duct cysts
Head and neck oncologic surgery:
- Tumors of the cervicofacial region and upper aerodigestive tract (larynx, pharynx, oral cavity, salivary glands, thyroid)
- Lateral cervical lymph node surgery

*Surgical procedures are performed in accordance with the principles of oncologic radicality and functional preservation

SNORING SURGERY AND SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING SURGERY

Snoring surgery involves the surgical treatment of sleep-disordered breathing resulting from anatomical narrowing of the upper airways that can lead to respiratory flow turbulence and collapse of pharyngeal structures during sleep. Main conditions treated include:

Chronic snoring (simple snoring);
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS);
Soft palate and uvula hypertrophy;
Tonsillar hypertrophy;
Adenoid hypertrophy;
Lateral pharyngeal wall collapse;
Tongue base hypertrophy;
Nasal obstruction associated with sleep-disordered breathing;

Radiofrequency, minimally invasive surgical techniques, CO₂ laser, and endoscopic techniques can selectively and functionally intervene on the various involved areas (nasal cavities, nasopharynx, oropharynx, pharynx, and larynx) and remodel the soft tissues responsible for respiratory obstruction. Main procedures performed include:

Palate and oropharynx surgery:
- Functional uvulopalatoplasty
- Repositioning pharyngoplasty
- Soft palate remodeling using radiofrequency
- Tonsillectomy or tonsillotomy in cases of tonsillar hypertrophy
Tongue base surgery:
- Tongue base volume reduction using radiofrequency or CO₂ laser
Epiglottis surgery:
- Partial epiglottidectomy
Associated nasal surgery:
- Septoplasty
- Turbinate decongestion
- Endoscopic sinus surgery in cases of associated obstructive pathology

The Villa Stuart Clinic is affiliated with major insurance companies and supplementary health care funds.

For information and bookings

Monday / Friday 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM / Saturday 8:00 AM – 7:30 PM

Emergency service

Service available 24 hours a day

Otolaryngology