Head and Neck Surgery

Contact Information

Location
300 Pasteur Drive
Stanford, CA
View a map
Phone:(650) 723-5281
Fax: (650) 725-5962
Days & Hours
Monday-Friday
8:30 am - 5:00pm
The Stanford Division of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery offers clinical programs in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, head and neck cancer, voice, larynx and swallowing disorders, and snoring and sleep apnea. The Stanford Sinus Center provides surgical options for a variety of sinus-related problems.

Otolaryngology problems in children are treated by pediatric otolaryngologists at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Patients seek plastic or reconstructive surgery for a variety of reasons. Some suffer from birth disfigurements such as birthmarks, cleft palates, and congenital facial deformities. Others are victims of accidents, burns, or diseases, and may have found inadequate relief from treatments offered so far. Many patients simply want to address the signs of premature aging or the shape or size of a facial feature that has bothered them for years.

Stanford facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons are trained to treat a variety of such conditions. Following is a list of the procedures available:

Rhinoplasty involves reshaping or reconstruction of the cartilage and bone of the nose.

Blepharoplasty is surgery of the eyelids, and may entail removal of fat and excess skin, bags, pouches, or wrinkles in the eye area.

Rhytidectomy is a facelift surgery in which excess skin is removed and muscles are tightened.

Forehead lift surgery minimizes forehead lines and wrinkles; it also elevates brows to reduce lid drooping.

Submental lipectomy is surgery beneath the chin to eliminate "double" chin by removing excess fat.

Mentoplasty is surgery of the chin; a receding chin may be augmented with an implant, or a too-prominent chin may be reduced.

Otoplasty involves "pinning back" the ears by reshaping their cartilage.

Laser skin resurfacing is removal of the upper layer skin using a laser, resulting in smoother and less wrinkled skin.

Facial reconstruction surgery involves repair or reconstruction of facial features in victims of cancer, facial trauma, and birth defects. Improvement of scars is a common procedure.

Collagen implant is an injection of natural protein that raises skin tissue to smooth out and render wrinkles and scars less visible.

Chemical peel is a controlled removal of the outer layer of skin with specific chemicals.

Dermabrasion is abrasion of the skin with either a wire brush or diamond fraise to remove the upper layer of the skin. The result is smoother, less wrinkled skin.

In addition, Stanford surgeon Dr. Richard Goode uses a variety of techniques to reanimate faces that have been paralyzed by Bell's palsy, cancer surgery, trauma or other debilitating facial nerve disorders. Goode's strategies include reattaching and rerouting muscles, or graft patching nerves to return patients to normal or improved function.

Head and neck cancers

Stanford's head and neck surgeons, together with our medical and radiation oncologists, are national leaders in the management of head and neck cancers. Their strong multidisciplinary approach and contributions to advancing the field have brought international recognition from their peers. Treatment of benign tumors of the head and neck, including thyroid and salivary gland tumors, is also a part of this program.

Our Head and Neck Group has served as a model multidisciplinary clinic for more than 23 years. Our surgeons are known for expertise that includes new techniques for parotid and thyroid cancers. Dr. Willard Fee pioneered nasopharyngectomy for recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer. The group has also been a leader in the use of brachytherapy, which involves the placement of radioactive materials at the tumor site, as well as other innovations.

Additional highlights of the Stanford Head and Neck Cancer program include:

Stanford Sinus Center

The Stanford Sinus Center specializes in medical and surgical treatment of patients with complex problems of the nose and sinuses. In addition to videoscope diagnostic techniques, center director Dr. Peter Hwang and his colleagues use a stereotaxic surgical navigational system to improve accuracy and efficiency in the operating room (see below).

Physicians at the Sinus Center offer treatments for the following conditions:

Advances in sinus surgery

Although most sinus-related can be treated with medicines, surgery is still sometimes required. Whenever possible, Stanford surgeons use newer, less deforming, and less painful techniques. The most common type of sinus surgery is Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS).

In FESS, your surgeon will use small cameras and instruments to work carefully in the nose. They will remove obstructing tissues, allowing the sinuses to drain more naturally. This should decrease the severity, frequency, and duration of infections.

In some cases your surgeon may suggest surgery that includes "surgical navigation" -- usually with a special type of CT or MRI scanner -- in order to diminish the chance of complications and improve results.

Voice, Larynx and Swallowing Disorders

A wide variety of disorders involving the larynx, upper airway and upper esophagus are treated by Stanford surgeons with emphasis on the treatment of vocal cord paralysis, airway obstruction, aspiration and difficulty swallowing.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Stanford surgeons have been among the leaders in using surgery for the correction of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea for over 20 years. A variety of procedures are available to treat these common disorders, including office radio-frequency techniques.

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