Ear, nose and throat surgery (ENT) covers procedures carried out by ENT surgeons, otorhinolaryngologists, or head and neck specialists.
Our ENT unit, set in Circle Reading's clean and modern hospital environment, draws on the expertise of many of the UK’s leading ENT doctors. Each of our ENT consultants brings their own sub-specialty within ENT medicine and as such, we are able to deliver the breadth of treatments needed within this specialty. Our unit also has close links with other departments, including cosmetic and plastics and oncology, ensuring we can deliver the holistic care needed.
Our expert approach to providing ENT services ensures your problem will be clearly addressed at your assessment, enabling us to request the most suitable investigations. We strive to give our patients a unique understanding of their condition and management options as well as full control over their condition, with follow-up appointments scheduled to check on your progress following any treatment.
Are you suffering from one of these problems?
Ear conditions treated by an ENT clinic can include different types of hearing loss. Children may experience hearing loss due to a build-up of wax and some developmental ear problems. Adult patients may suffer with age-related hearing loss. Trauma, viruses and infections can also cause hearing loss that requires ENT treatment.
Throat conditions managed by ENT surgeons include swallowing disorders, which may have a structural or a neurological basis. ENT surgeons also offer surgery to the thyroid gland when indicated, and a common operation performed includes a tonsillectomy for recurrent episodes of tonsillitis.
Nasal disorders can be the result of the inherited developed shape of parts of the nose, trauma to the nose or the development of abnormal growths within the nasal cavity. If left untreated, these problems may cause secondary breathing or snoring disorders or may cause recurrent infections. ENT surgeons can surgically remove benign and malignant tumors from the head and neck when required.
Due to the range of conditions managed by ENT doctors, and the comprehensive treatment needed, it is often the case that patients treated by an ENT clinic may also have concurrent assessments and care in different medical departments such as cosmetic and plastic surgery, therapies or oncology departments.
Depending on the exact nature of your concern our ENT clinics will provide a thorough assessment of your problem with an expert consultant. At your initial assessment, our consultants will firstly gain an in-depth history of your exact symptoms to formulate a list of possible diagnoses and treatments.
State-of-the-art diagnostics available for you
Following your initial consultation, our expert ENT consultants may request several diagnostics tests depending on your symptoms:
A variety of diagnostic hearing tests are sometimes requested each of which is able to detect specific types of hearing loss. A pure tone audiometry test will often be requested to test an individual’s hearing across a range of pitches. Depending on an individual’s symptoms a number of other hearing tests may be requested which specifically test hearing ability with background noise or monitor the function of different parts of the anatomy of the ear. Some tests which may be requested include:
Inner ear problems are often associated with balance disturbance, and to diagnose the exact cause of this symptom a further range of tests may be requested:
Structural disorders of the nasal cavity can often be accurately diagnosed from a thorough history and a physical examination. However, for verification of disorders such as a deviated nasal septum, enlarged bony structures in the nasal cavity and nasal polyps, imaging will be requested which may include X-rays, CT scans or MRI scans.
Similarly, when patients present with problems related to the throat and vocal disorders, our ENT consultants will often require imaging to help confirm the exact nature of the problem. A laryngoscopy may sometimes be advised. This is a diagnostics procedure performed under a general anaesthetic in which a small camera is passed in to the throat, allowing your ENT consultant to examine the area in more precise detail.
The right treatment for you
Following your diagnostic tests our expert ENT consultants will talk you through the findings and formulate a non-surgical or surgical plan, depending on the clinical situation and your wishes. In specific circumstances, for example when there are underlying medical problems, we may recommend further consultations with other departments in conjunction with your ENT treatment.
Peace of mind for you
We appreciate that undergoing necessary diagnostic interventions and treatment for ENT conditions can be a stressful experience. Circle Health plans and carries out thousands of appointments and medical interventions each week.
Based on our experience, we have developed an excellence in both clinical and non-clinical care in order to relieve your worries and to allow streamlined patient journeys from appointments to diagnostics, treatments and any onward referrals to other specialties.
ENT surgery is a highly complex area and comprises many surgical procedures, many of which are completed with minimally-invasive techniques or other safer, specialist surgical instrumentation. At Circle Health, we continue to invest in and utilise the very latest in imaging, interventional technology and surgical instrumentation, to give the very best outcomes for our patients.
Expert support and guidance after surgery
Our post-surgical care involves careful monitoring by our expert doctors and nurses and after discharge home, our ENT team closely monitor our patients with follow-up appointments as required. Our expert ENT consultants are supported by nursing and other allied health staff to continue the safe and expert care post-surgery.
Not only is our ENT clinical care second to none, your treatment will be conducted in a modern, clean facility which you are able to feel comfortable in throughout your treatment.
