Otorhinolaryngology-Head&Neck Surgery

Overview of the department

We are responsible for the treatment of patients with diseases of the ears, nose, throat, face, and neck. In this area, auditory/olfactory/gustatory senses and many important functions involved in life maintenance/ communication, such as swallowing, mastication, respiration, and phonation, are present. Patients with disturbance of these senses and functions are treated to improve their quality of life (QOL).

Consultation system/therapeutic strategies

Consultation system

Outpatient medical care consists of general outpatient services in the morning and specialized outpatient services in the afternoon. In inpatients, more than 500 sessions/year of ear/nasal/oral/thyroid/parotid/head and neck cancer surgery are performed (3 days every week).

Therapeutic strategies

For both out- and inpatient care, the professor/associate professor/lecturer, assistant professor, medical staff, and residents review individual patients, and provide high-quality medical care. All referred patients are accepted, and, after sufficiently explaining the contents of treatment to them, medical services are provided with empathy so that anyone requiring treatment can rely on the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head/Neck Surgery, Fukui University.

Fields of expertise

1) The multidisciplinary treatment of tongue, oral, maxillary, pharyngeal, laryngeal, thyroid, and parotid cancers is performed. The most advanced medical care is provided to improve patients’ QOL.
2) Tympanoplasty is selected for patients with otitis media, characterized by hearing impairment related to ear discharge/perforation of the tympanic membrane as a primary symptom. In those with severe hearing impairment, cochlear implantation is performed. Hearing improvement has been confirmed.
3) Tailor-made therapy for allergic rhinitis is conducted. Oral medication, surgery, and sublingual immunotherapy with Japanese cedar (from November 2014) are selected in accordance with individual patients. Favorable results have been obtained.
4) Detailed examination of sleep apnea syndrome, detailed examination of dysphagia/treatment, and surgery for hoarse voice are performed.

Advanced medical practice

Vascular free flap reconstruction is performed in cooperation with a team of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. More accurate surgery for head and neck cancer and functional preservation are possible. In addition, anticancer drug sensitivity tests are conducted as advanced medical practice. Before the start of treatment, the most effective anticancer drug is found and used in each patient. In addition to surgery, such drugs are useful for achieving radical treatment and preventing relapse.

Symptoms/diseases treated in our department

Aural symptoms

Otalgia, hearing loss, tinnitus, ear discharge, pruritus of the ears, and vertigo

Nasal symptoms

Nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, epistaxis, and olfactory disturbance

Oral symptoms

Swelling of the tonsils, snoring, sleep apnea, taste disorder, and lingual tumor

Symptoms of the throat, voice, and swallowing

Pharyngeal pain, discomfort of the throat, hoarse voice, difficulty in swallowing, and choking

Facial/cervical symptoms

Facial swelling, facial nerve palsy, pain below the ears/jaw, and cervical swelling
These symptoms are treated in our department.

Primary examinations and explanations

All examinations associated with the ears, nose, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and neck are performed in our department. Explanations are given by providing clear images of patients’ tympanic membrane and vocal cords on a television monitor using the most advanced endoscope and microscope. The endoscope is a soft, thin tube, facilitating painless examination. Examinations, such as CT, MRI, and PET, are also conducted whenever necessary. Images in electronic medical records are clearly explained.