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Starship Paediatric ENT - Otorhinolaryngology (ORL)

Public Service, ENT/ Head & Neck Surgery, Paediatrics

Description

Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery (ENT) is also known as Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.  This area of medicine is concerned with disorders of the ear, nose, throat, the head and the neck.

ENT Surgeons (or otorhinolaryngologists) are specialist doctors who deal with medical and surgical treatment of conditions of the ears, nose, throat and structures of the head and neck.

Consultants

Referral Expectations

If your child has an urgent problem requiring immediate surgical assessment you are referred acutely to the ORL Department where your child will initially be seen by the Registrar (a trainee specialist) who will decide whether he/she needs to be admitted to hospital. Investigations will be performed as required and the more senior members of the team involved where necessary.
 
If the problem is not urgent, the GP will write a letter to the ORL Department requesting an appointment in the outpatient clinic. Each month the Department receives more new referrals than can be seen in clinic. One of the consultant surgeons working in the Department reviews the referral letters to determine who should be seen first, based on the information provided by the GP. Very urgent cases are usually seen within a couple of weeks, but other cases may have to wait a much longer time. Routine cases are often returned to the GP with some management advice.  
When you come to the ORL Outpatient Department you will be seen by a member of the ORL team who will ask questions about your child's illness and examine him/her to try to determine or confirm the diagnosis. This process may also require a number of tests (e.g. blood tests, x-rays, scans etc). Sometimes this can all be done during one clinic visit, but for some conditions this will take several follow-up appointments. Occasionally some tests are arranged even before you are seen at the hospital to try to speed up the process.
 
Once a diagnosis has been made, the medical staff will discuss treatment with you. In some instances this will mean surgery, while other cases can be managed with medication and advice. If surgery is advised your child will be put on the elective surgical waiting list. Again these waiting lists are ordered according to the urgency and severity of the condition. The steps involved in the surgical process and the likely outcome are usually discussed with you at this time.

Procedures / Treatments

  • Hearing Tests

    Audiometry is the electronic testing of hearing ability. Your child will sit in a special room wearing earphones and be asked to respond when he/she hears a noise through the earphones. These tests can measure their hearing levels as well as other aspects of hearing such as the ability to… More

  • Otitis Media

    This is inflammation or infection of your middle ear (the space behind your eardrum) and is often associated with a build-up of fluid in your middle ear.… More

  • Otosclerosis

    When the growth of one of the tiny bones in your middle ear, the stapes, changes from hard to soft and spongy, it leads to the condition called otosclerosis.… More

  • Hearing Loss

    Hearing loss can be divided into two types: conductive hearing loss (caused by some sort of mechanical problem in the external or middle ear) or sensorineural hearing loss (caused by disorders of the inner ear, hearing nerve or associated brain structures).… More

  • Sinusitis

    In the facial bones surrounding your nose, there are four pairs of hollow air spaces known as sinuses or sinus cavities.… More

  • Snoring

    Snoring is the harsh rattling noise made by some people when they sleep.… More

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)

    When snoring is interrupted by episodes of totally obstructed breathing, it is known as obstructive sleep apnoea.… More

  • Rhinitis

    Rhinitis is the inflammation of the lining of the nose (nasal mucosa).… More

  • Tonsillitis

    Your tonsils are the oval-shaped lumps of tissue that lie on both sides of the back of the throat.… More

  • Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)

    If you find it difficult to pass food or liquid from your mouth to your stomach, you may have a swallowing disorder or dysphagia.… More

  • Hoarseness

    Hoarseness can be described as abnormal voice changes that make your voice sound raspy and strained and higher or lower or louder or quieter than normal.… More

Website

www.starship.org.nz

Contact Details

Starship Child Health, Central Auckland

Central Auckland

General Enquiries:
(09) 3074949
Outpatient Appointments:
(09) 638 0400 or 0800 PATIENT 0800 728 436 or scheduling@adhb.govt.nz
Emergency Department:
Open 24 hours / 7 days, Phone (09) 307 4902
GP/External Specialist Help Desk:
(09) 3072800

2 Park Road
Grafton
Auckland 1023

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Street Address

2 Park Road
Grafton
Auckland 1023

Postal Address

Starship Child Health
Private Bag 92 024
Auckland Mail Centre
Auckland 1142
New Zealand

This page was last updated at 12:02PM on March 10, 2021. This information is reviewed and edited by Starship Paediatric ENT - Otorhinolaryngology (ORL).