Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Ent Surgery @ Ospedale San Raffaele

The Otorhinolaryngology Department has an established track record in the traditional and minimally invasive treatment of oncological and functional pathology of the head and neck region, in each of its sub-specialties.

The main conditions treated surgically involve cancers of specialty interest including:

• laryngeal, laryngo-pharyngeal and laryngo-tracheal tumors
• tumors of the mouth
• tumors of the pharynx and parapharynx
• tumors of the nose and paranasal sinuses
• tumors of the neck, salivary glands, thyroid and parathyroids
• skin tumors of the face and neck
• tumors of the ear.

The Otorhinolaryngology Department deals electively with the management of patients affected by these neoplasms using a multidisciplinary approach - tumor board - which involves the interaction of different specialists (Medical Oncologists, Radiologists, Radiotherapists, Anatomopathologists, Dentists, Nuclear Physicians, Nutritionists, Psychologists, Speech Therapists) in order to define the best diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for each patien

Surgery can vary according to the characteristics of the pathologies in question, passing from minimally invasive and conservative approaches (endoscopic with laser surgery, video-assisted) to extensive resections with contextual reconstructive plastic surgery using pedicled or microvascular flaps, combining care with the objective of optimal functional and aesthetic preservation.

At all levels of surgery the principles of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) are widely implemented. They allow early post-operative rehabilitation according to the latest scientific evidence demonstrated by major international resolutions and summarized in the guidelines of the ERAS Society.