Head & Neck Surgery

West Shore ENT & Allergy

Otolaryngology & Allergy Specialists located in Norton Shores, Muskegon, Grand Haven, Fremont, & Ludington, MI

Even with minimally invasive techniques, head and neck surgery to remove a tumor often requires reconstruction to restore your appearance. The exceptional doctors at West Shore ENT & Allergy give you the best possible medical and cosmetic outcome using their skill in plastic facial and reconstructive surgery. When you need head and neck surgery, call one of the offices in Norton Shores, Grand Haven, Fremont, Ludington, and Muskegon, Michigan, or schedule an appointment online to learn about your options.

Head & Neck Surgery Q & A

What conditions require head and neck surgery?

Conservative therapies are always the first line of treatment for ENT conditions. When your condition requires surgery, however, you can count on the experience and skill of the doctors at West Shore ENT & Allergy.

A few of the conditions that could need minimally invasive surgery are:

Chronic sinusitis
Hearing restoration
Thyroid disease
Otosclerosis
Acoustic neuromas
Airway reconstruction
Nose fracture
Tonsillectomy

The team at West Shore ENT & Allergy also do tumor removal and reconstructive surgery for head and neck cancers.

What types of cancers affect your head and neck?

Head and neck cancers include a large group of tumors that develop in your throat, mouth, nose, sinuses, and lymph nodes. Most of these tumors originate in the soft tissues lining your mouth, nose, and throat.

The five types of head and neck cancer are:

Salivary gland cancer
Nasopharyngeal cancer
Oral and oropharyngeal cancer
Nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer
Laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers

Smoking cigarettes and cigars and using chewing tobacco are the biggest risk factors. It’s estimated that 85% of head and neck cancers are tied to tobacco use.

How is cancer treated with head and neck surgery?

As skilled facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons, the team at West Shore ENT & Allergy work as part of a multidisciplinary team to treat head and neck cancers.

They have years of experience doing many types of surgery used to remove tumors from your head, face, and neck. The decision depends on the site, type, and stage of your cancer.

These are a few examples to give you an idea of the specialized surgeries. A partial laryngectomy is done to remove cancers of your voice box while leaving the vocal cords intact.

A pharyngectomy treats malignant tumors in your throat, then a procedure called free flap microvascular surgery reconstructs your throat using tissues grafted from elsewhere in your body.

Your doctor at West Shore ENT & Allergy uses the most advanced techniques to preserve healthy tissues. Whenever possible, they reconstruct your neck, face, and/or head as soon as the tumor is removed or as soon as you’re ready for the procedure.

They also use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. Minimally invasive surgery causes less bleeding and helps you recover more quickly.

If you need to schedule a consultation for head and neck surgery, call West Shore ENT & Allergy or book an appointment online today.

What we offer