Service Rotations:
We have 4 core services that residents will rotate through: Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Otology/Neuro-otology, Pediatric Otolaryngology, and Rhinology. Additional rotations in 4th-5th year include rotations in laryngology, and facial plastic surgery.
Locations:
Otolaryngology care is primarily provided within the two major teaching hospitals in Winnipeg: Health Sciences Centre-Winnipeg, and St. Boniface Hospital. Additional community general otolaryngology surgical slates are also performed at the Victoria General Hospital, which residents may attend in their senior years.
Head and Neck Surgical Oncology:
The Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Service treats head and neck cancer patients from Manitoba, northern communities, and Northwestern Ontario. There are three full-time, fellowship trained, head and neck surgeons in the Department of Otolaryngology. Outpatient Clinics are held at CancerCare Manitoba and at the Health Sciences Centre. Clinics are equipped with flexible endoscopy, ultrasound for assessment and ultrasound guided biopsies, and procedure rooms for outpatient surgical procedures under local anesthetic. The Head and Neck Clinic at CancerCare Manitoba is a multidisciplinary clinic where the Head and Neck Surgeons work along-side specialists from Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, speech and language pathology, and nutrition services. There are weekly multidisciplinary Head and Neck Tumor Board conferences and monthly Thyroid Cancer Board conferences that residents and students attend. Our surgeons manage all types of head and neck cancer, complex neck masses, skin cancers including flap reconstruction, salivary gland disease, and surgical parathyroid and thyroid disease. The Service has four to five operating days per week at the Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface General Hospital, with a steady volume of patients on the inpatient service.
Otology:
The Adult Otology/Neuro-otology service is located primarily at HSC-Winnipeg, Manitoba’s largest tertiary care teaching hospital. Two full-time fellowship-trained otology-skullbase surgeons provide comprehensive specialty care and academic teaching to patients and students. The service runs 10 hospital-based outpatient clinics per week. These clinics include subspecialty clinics dedicated to vertigo and cochlear implantation. Clinics provide care to approximately 200 patient visits per week. We provide a wide range of care, ranging from medical otology to surgical management of lateral skullbase lesions. Our outpatient clinics are well-equipped with microscopes with dual monitors, and full electronic medical records access for computerized visit documentation. Clinics also include a fully equipped vestibular lab and audiologic services.
The Otology service operates approximately 3 days per week, with a weekly volume of approximately 10 cases. Residents and students can expect to be involved in a variety of surgical cases, including tympanoplasty, ossicular chain reconstruction, meatoplasty, canalplasty, mastoidectomy, subtotal petrosectomy, temporal bone resection, facial nerve reanimation, cochlear implantation, stapes surgery, and encephalocele and CSF repair.
The Adult Otology/Neuro-otology service is also the primary consultant service for HSC-Winnipeg. Residents on service respond to consultation requests from our busy emergency departments and Intensive Care units. On call, residents will see a wide range of challenging cases, including penetrating neck trauma, surgical airway management, and surgical management of head and neck infections.
Pediatric Otolaryngology:
The Pediatric Otolaryngology service is housed at the Children’s Hospital, which is part of Health Sciences Centre-Winnipeg. We have 2 full-time Pediatric Otolaryngologists, and 6 general otolaryngologists on our team. The Pediatric ENT Clinic runs outpatient clinics 4 days a week, with an estimated volume of 160 patients visits per week. We provide care to the full spectrum of pediatric ENT disorders, from general pediatric ENT cases, to highly complex specialized cases. Clinic rooms are equipped for flexible endoscopy, microscopy, and a variety of outpatient surgical procedures performed under local anesthetic. Our clinics also provide full electronic medical records access for computerized visit documentation.
The Pediatric ENT service operates five days a week at the Children’s Hospital. Our surgeons perform a high volume of complex otologic surgery, cochlear implantation, surgery for congenital neck masses, as well as endoscopic and open airway surgery. We provide consultation services to our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, two Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Pediatric Emergency department, and 3 floors of inpatient units. Residents are part of a team of learners that includes medical students, physician assistants, and occasionally off-service Pediatrics residents.
Rhinology:
The Rhinology service is located primarily at St. Boniface Hospital, one of the two teaching hospitals in Manitoba. Our fellowship-trained rhinology surgeons are joined by 4 community otolaryngologists to provide a busy, comprehensive rotation in general otolaryngology and rhinology. The service runs 6 full day clinics per week, both hospital-based and through private offices. These clinics provide approximately 200 patient visits per week. Rhinology staff see a combination of inflammatory sinus disease, nasal polyposis, sino-nasal masses, skull base lesions including CSF leaks and encephaloceles, and general rhinology complaints (septal deviation, rhinitis, nasal obstruction). Ophthalmologic concerns are also seen on occasion (mucoceles, Grave’s disease), and Winnipeg is an established centre of excellence in the management of HHT.
The Rhinology service at St. Boniface Hospital provides approximately 5-6 operating slates per week. Residents and students can expect to be involved with the full scope of general otolaryngologic cases. In particular, residents and students can expect to assist in surgical cases including endoscopic sinus surgery, nasal tumor resections, high volume of septoplasty and turbinate reduction. Frontal sinus drill-outs, advanced frontal sinus surgery, skull base repairs (CSF leaks, encephaloceles) are also common. Ophthalmologic cases are performed less commonly, typically mucoceles or orbital decompressions. On call, residents and students will provide consultation services to the busy emergency department, inpatient wards, medical/surgical/cardiac intensive care units, and neonatal intensive care unit.
Other Service Rotations:
In addition to the main services listed above, residents have opportunities to participate in rotations in laryngology, general otolaryngology, and facial cosmetic surgery.
