Otorhinolaryngology

**Otorhinolaryngology**, also called ***otolaryngology***, is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with conditions of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck. Doctors who specialize in this area are called otorhinolaryngologists, otolaryngologists, ENT doctors, ENT surgeons, or head and neck surgeons. Patients seek treatment from and otorhinolaryngologist for diseases of the ear, nose, throat, base of the skull, and for the surgical management of cancers and benign tumors of the head and neck.

## Training

Otorhinolaryngologists are physicians who, in the United States, complete at least five years of a surgical residency training. This is composed of six months of general surgical training and four and a half years in specialist surgery. This residency is completed after medical school.

Following residency training, some otorhinolaryngologists complete an advanced subspecialty fellowship, where training can be one to two years in duration. In the United States and Canada, otorhinolaryngology is one of the most competitive specialties in medicine in which to obtain a residency position following medical school.

## Subspecialties

* Head and neck oncologic surgery
* Facial and plastic reconstructive surgery
* Otology
* Neurotology
* Rhinology and sinus surgery
* Laryngology and voice disorders
* Pediatric otorhinolaryngology
* Sleep medicine

## Topics

### Head and Neck Oncology

* Squamous cell carinoma of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx
* Oral cancer
* Skin cancer of the head and neck
* Thyroid cancer
* Endocrine surgery of the head and neck
* Microvascular free flap reconstruction
* Skull base surgery
* Salivary gland cancer

### Otology and Neurotology

* Dizziness
	+ Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
	+ Labyrinthitis
	+ Ménière's disease/endolymphatic hydrops
	+ Perilymphatic fistula
	+ Acoustic neuroma
* Hearing loss
* Mastoiditis
* Otitis externa - outer ear or ear canal inflammation
* Otitis media - middle ear inflammation
* Perforated eardrum
* Ear surgery

### Rhinology

* Nasal obstruction
* Sinusitis
* Environmental allergies
* Rhinitis
* Pituitary tumor
* Empty nose syndrome
* Severe or recurrent epistaxis

### Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology

* Adenoidectomy
* Caustic ingestion
* Cricotracheal resection
* Decannulation
* Laryngomalacia
* [[Laryngotracheal reconstruction]
* Myringotomy and tubes
* Obstructive sleep apnea
* Tonsillectomy

### Laryngology

* Dysphonia
	+ Laryngitis
	+ Reinke's edema
	+ Vocal cord nodules
* Spasmodic dysphonia
* Tracheostomy
* Laryngeal cancer
* Vocology

### Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery is a one-year fellowship open to otorhinolaryngologists and plastic surgeons who wish to specialize in the aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the headn, face, and neck.

* Rhinoplasty and septoplasty
* Rhytidectomy
* Forehead lift
* Blepharoplasty
* Otoplasty
* Genioplasty
* Injectable cosmetic treatments
* Trauma to the face
	+ Nasal bone fracture
	+ Mandible fracture
	+ Orbital fracture
	+ Frontal sinus fracture
	+ Complex lacerations and soft tissue damage
* Skin cancer

## See Also

* American Board of Otolaryngology
* American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology
* Head and neck anatomy
* Head and neck cancer
* Oral and maxillofacial surgery
* Speech-language pathology