Otolaryngology OR is a vision of the future

When visiting physicians and professors come to Houston Methodist Hospital, they say they feel like they are stepping into the future of surgical care for Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. “This is like looking at something that one dreams about but could never quite attain. Here it is in the flesh and working as intended,” said Professor Peter John Wormald, Chairman Of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Adelaide in Australia.

“Technology here is what we would expect to see in 10 to 20 years’ time. The patient monitoring technology to deal with issues such as falls not only increases patient quality of care but safety. It is like looking at how health care will be provided in the future,” Dr. Wormald said. Meanwhile, among the Methodist Otolaryngology faculty, Joshua Kain, M.D., is one of the high-end users of OPC 18 and agrees with visitors’ assessments. “I consider myself fortunate to do head and neck cancer surgery in an age where technology translates to meaningful improvements for those facing surgical treatments,” he said. Dr. Kain is an assistant professor of Otolaryngology, Weill Cornell Medical College and Houston Methodist Academic Institute. He specializes in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery. One particular instance where technology is important, he said, is in throat cancer in young patients. Conventional approaches often would mean cutting bones or wide incisions just for access to a tight space. “The single-port robotic systems and microscopic equipment we have now eliminates that need in many cases. This can take a recovery that would be weeks and cut it down to days,” Dr. Kain adds. Vice President of Operations Cathy Williamson said Houston Methodist is committed to creating an ideal operating room environment for the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery that includes top-of-the-line technology in a comfortable most modern facility with unique personnel who have the skill needed for the OPC 18 ENT Service Line Team. “This is very special,” she said, “Even for the Texas Medical Center.”

The operating room was designed for maximum patient comfort and privacy with private preoperative rooms and recovery room space, large operating room suites, 4K monitors and camera technology for a range of cases, and best practice current equipment and supply support. This capability offers the Department faculty the best opportunity to handle safely and regularly all otolaryngology surgical cases required to benefit patients. It also covers ENT emergency services with lifesaving cases. “The tour that I went on with Mas (Takashima) was a real eye opener,” Dr. Wormald said. “His vision is coming to pass and is extraordinary.” According to Ms. Williamson, the surgical case volumes for ENT have increased beyond pre-COVID levels with significant growth continuing. “We’re building a good team; they are increasing their volume and are already asking for more OR space,” she added. “This is one of the top priorities the hospital is focusing on and a big need for our community. It also ties in with our cancer program, which is one of our centers of excellence,” she said. Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery subspecialties include Facial Plastics, Neurotology, Head and Neck Surgery, Microvascular Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Laryngology, Rhinology, Sleep Surgery and related areas that require a highly skilled and trained surgical team. At Methodist, the Otolaryngology program has a dedicated staff of anesthesiologists, CRNAs, surgical techs, RNs and supply staff that exclusively works in the special service-line specific operating room and can handle anything from the most basic to the most complex and dangerous cases. Travis Tingle, Director of the OPC 18 Perioperative Services, said the team has most of the technology on their wish lists especially with the DaVinci Single Port Robot that is making many small space surgeries more doable, successful and efficient. “We have been outpacing ourselves every year. This has been our most active year ever,” Tingle said, pointing out that as the general population ages there is increased need for Otolaryngologic surgeries for hearing to maintain quality of life. “We are very specialty driven,” Tingle said. “The ENT group has a powerful reputation; we meld very well together.”