Otolaryngology - Definition and Overview

Otolaryngology is the branch of medicine that specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head & neck disorders. The full name of the specialty is otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Practitioners are called otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons, or sometimes otorhinolaryngologists. A somewhat outdated, but nevertheless commonly used, term for this specialty is ENT (ear nose and throat).

Subspecialties

• Head and neck cancer surgery
• Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Neuro-otology (surgery of the inner ear, middle ear, and temporal bone)
• Cranial base surgery
• Sinus surgery
• Sleep apnea and snoring surgery
• Laryngeal and voice surgery
• Tracheal surgery
• Pediatric ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgery
• Thyroid and parathyroid gland surgery
• Maxillofacial trauma surgery

Disorders of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck

• Head and neck cancer
• Thyroid disease and cancer
• Sinusitis - acute, chronic
• Rhinitis
• Parotitis
• Laryngitis - inflammation of larynx and vocal cords producing hoarsness
• Tonsillitis - inflammation of tonsils producing pain, odynophagia(painful swallowing), fever etc
• Pharyngitis - inflammation of the pharynx producing symptoms more or less similar to tonsilitis
• Otitis media - middle ear inflammation
• Mandibular fracture repair