The Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery service functions out of both the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation and St. Joseph’s Healthcare with different areas of emphasis at each centre. Five surgeons are based at the Hamilton Health Sciences with major emphasis on pediatric otolaryngology up to and including tertiary care, as well as advanced functional endoscopic sinus surgery and general ear, nose and throat. Of the six surgeons based at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, four are heavily involved in head and neck and endocrine (thyroid and parathyroid) surgery, one is involved in tertiary otology/neurotology, and one in general ENT.
Skull base surgery is managed as a co-operative approach between the Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery and Neurosurgery Divisions at the Hamilton General site of HHSC. The volume of pediatric ear, nose and throat cases is steadily increasing, particularly more complex cases. Head and neck/endocrine is also experiencing progressive growth with an increased number of cases requiring complex microvascular reconstruction, some done in conjunction with the Division of Plastic Surgery. Another area of recent expansion is laryngology, utilizing the state of the art equipment available at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and located in the speech therapy area.