Otolaryngology

Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
To schedule an appointment, call:

Otology and Neurotology:  713.798.3200
Pediatric Otolaryngology: 832.822.3250, Option 1
Facial and Reconstructive Surgery: 713.441.FACE (3223)
All other subspecialties:  713.798.5464 or 888.531.2ENT (368)

For more information, visit the Otolaryngology website at: http://www.bcm.edu/oto

The Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine offers a full spectrum of services for medical and surgical disorders of the head and neck.

We offer expert help for patient needs that include hearing impairment and otologic disease, balance disorders, allergic and nonallergic nasal and sinus disorders, disorders of sleep, malignant and benign tumors of the head and neck, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, pediatric otolaryngology, vocal disorders and airway disorders.

Our patient population is varied and widespread, with local and international patients seeking our professional expertise and state-of-the-art treatments and facilities. Our patient base includes self-referrals, referrals from primary care physicians, and referrals from other otolaryngologists in need of our additional expertise for their patients.

Our physicians rank among the best in their field, recognized locally, nationally and internationally by the specialty organizations in otolaryngology. In addition to ear, nose and throat (ENT) training, all of our physicians have subspecialty training in areas that include otology and neurotology, head and neck cancer, allergy, pediatric otolaryngology, sinus surgery, facial plastic surgery, sleep disorder surgery, laryngeal surgery and applied research.

More than half of our physicians have been included in the "Best Doctors in America" listing, as well as the "Super Doctors" list in Texas Monthly magazine. Our expert physicians hold leadership positions in national medical organizations and regularly teach their skills to other specialists.

Our welcoming, caring staff is committed to getting you in for an appointment as quickly as possible, typically within 10 days. We are all committed to one key goal: your rapid return to health.

In addition to providing expert clinical and surgical care, our physicians work daily to advance basic and clinical research into the function, diseases and disorders of the special sensory systems (hearing, balance, smell, taste) and other organ systems of the head and neck. We are equally committed to fostering public awareness of these diseases and disorders and their causes, and promoting their prevention through education.

Our commitment to the patients and community we serve is evident in our participation in programs like "Look Good, Feel Better," a national public service dedicated to helping women offset appearance-related changes from cancer treatment. We are also proud participants in Children's Surgery International (formerly Operation Smile), which specializes in cleft lip and cleft palate reconstructive surgery and treatment for underprivileged children in developing countries.


Our Services

Back to Top

We offer a full spectrum of services for medical and surgical disorders of the head and neck, including:

Our Physicians

Back to Top

Otology and Neurotology

Bobby R. Alford, MD, is the Olga Keith Wiess Professor and Chair of the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as a Distinguished Service Professor and Chancellor. He also serves as the Friedkin Chair for Research in Sensory System Integration and Space Medicine and as chairman of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute. Dr. Alford is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology. He completed his medical degree and residency in otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in neurophysiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, and a fellowship in otology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. His clinical interests include otology and salivary gland disorders.

John S. Oghalai, MD, is an assistant professor of Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine and a board-certified otolaryngologist. His clinical and research interests include otology (chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, otosclerosis, and conductive hearing loss), neurotology (cochlear implantation, inner ear disease and facial nerve disorders), and skull base surgery (acoustic neuroma, meningiomas, glomus jugulare tumors, temporal bone and other skull base tumors). Dr. Oghalai earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He completed his residency in otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine, followed by fellowship training in otology, neurotology and skull base surgery at the University of California - San Francisco.

Jeffrey T. Vrabec, MD, associate professor of Otolaryngology, specializes in viral mediated diseases of the ear, inner ear and temporal bone imaging, vestibular dysfunction, tumors of the ear, laser applications in otology, and functional aspects of chronic ear surgery. A board-certified otolaryngologist, Dr. Vrabec earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, IL, followed by two residencies: one in surgery at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA, and another in otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. He completed fellowship training in neurotology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Robert A. "Bobby" Williamson, Jr., MD, is assistant professor of otology and neurotology for the department of Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine. Board certified in otolaryngology, Dr. Williamson earned his medical degree from the University of California-Los Angeles Medical School. He completed his fellowship in neurotology/otology at the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, his residency in otolaryngology at UCLA School of Medicine, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and a surgical internship at UCLA School of Medicine-Center for Health Sciences. In addition to his position at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Williamson holds staff and faculty positions at The Methodist Hospital, Ben Taub General Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, all of Houston.

Helen Cohen, Ed.D., OTR, is professor of Otolaryngology and associate director of the Center for Balance Disorders at Baylor College of Medicine. A certified occupational therapist (OTR), Dr. Cohen earned her undergraduate degree in occupational therapy from Tufts University, Medford, MA, followed by a graduate degree in motor learning from Columbia University in New York City. She completed postdoctoral fellowship training in vestibular physiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, also in New York. Her clinical interests include vestibular rehabilitation, dizziness and balance disorders.

Otolaryngology/Rhinology

Masayoshi (Mas) Takashima, MD, is assistant professor of Otolaryngology and director of Residency Education at Baylor College of Medicine. Following undergraduate studies at Rice University in Houston, Dr. Takashima earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in otolaryngology. He is a board-certified otolaryngologist with clinical interests that include allergy disorders, sleep disorders, endoscopic sinus surgery and facial trauma.

Head and Neck

Donald T. Donovan, MD, is professor of Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine and deputy chief of Otolaryngology Service at The Methodist Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology. Dr. Donovan's clinical interests include head and neck tumors, laryngeal/voice disorders and endoscopic sinus surgery. Following undergraduate studies at Harvard University, Dr. Donovan completed his medical degree and residencies in surgery and otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine. He completed fellowship training in head and neck surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center, in New York.

Susan A. Eicher, MD, is associate professor of Otolaryngology and a board-certified otolaryngologist. Her clinical interests include otolaryngology, carcinomas of the oral cavity, pharynx, paranasal sinuses and larynx, treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer and cancer of the major and minor salivary glands, treatment of soft tissue sarcomas and thyroid cancer. Dr. Eicher completed her medical degree and residencies in surgery and otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine. She completed fellowship training at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Robert B. Parke Jr., MD, M.B.A., is associate professor of Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine and a board-certified otolaryngologist. His clinical and research interests include head and neck tumors and endoscopic sinus surgery. He also has special expertise in parotid, thyroid and carotid body surgery. Dr. Parke earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, where he remained for his internship in surgery and residency training in otolaryngology. He completed fellowship training in head and neck surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. Dr. Parke also serves as adjunct professor of management at Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Management and teaches healthcare management to MBA students.

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Anthony E. Brissett, MD, is assistant professor of Otolaryngology and director of the Facial Plastic Surgery Center at Baylor College of Medicine. He is a board-certified otolaryngologist with clinical interests in adult and pediatric facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, cosmetic facial rejuvenation, facial paralysis, rhinoplasties, closure of Mohs defects, cleft lip and palate repair, and the treatment of keloids and hypertrophic scars. Dr. Brissett earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, MI. He completed his residency in otolaryngology at the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, MN, followed by a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Krista L. Olson, MD, is assistant professor of Otolaryngology and a member of the Baylor Facial Plastic Surgery Center. Following undergraduate studies at Yale University, she earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, where she remained for residency training in both general surgery and otolaryngology. Dr. Olson was awarded a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at The University of California at Irvine in Orange, CA. Her clinical interests include adult and pediatric facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, including cosmetic facial rejuvenation, blepharoplasty, closure of Mohs surgical defects, otoplasty, auricular reconstruction, treatment of facial vascular malformations, rhinoplasty and nasal reconstruction.

Pediatric Otolaryngology

Ellen M. Friedman, MD, is professor of Otolaryngology and Dr. Bobby R. Alford Chair in Pediatric Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine. She also serves as chief of Otolaryngology Service at Texas Children's Hospital. Dr. Friedman earned her medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. She completed residency training in otolaryngology at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., followed by a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at The Children's Hospital in Boston. She specializes in airway problems.

Carla M. Giannoni, MD, is assistant professor of Otolaryngology and director of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. She is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology. Dr. Giannoni earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, where she remained for residency training in both general surgery and otolaryngology. She completed a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.

Deidre Larrier, MD, is associate professor for the department of Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine. She specializes in pediatric otorhinolaryngology. Dr. Larrier earned her medical degree from Harvard University. She completed her general surgery internship at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center of Boston, an otolaryngology residency at New England Medical Center in Boston, and a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC. In addition to her position at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Larrier serves as an associate professor at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston. She is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and has been cited in numerous medical publications.

Marcelle Sulek, MD, is associate professor of Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Sulek is a board-certified otolaryngologist specializing in pediatric otolaryngology, laryngology and endoscopic sinus surgery. She earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, followed by a residency in otolaryngology. She also completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Alabama Medical School in Birmingham and fellowship training in pediatric otolaryngology at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Appointments

To schedule an appointment, call:

Otology and Neurotology:  713.798.3200
Pediatric Otolaryngology: 832.822.3250, Option 1
Facial and Reconstructive Surgery: 713.441.FACE (3223)
All other subspecialties:  713.798.5464 or 888.531.2ENT (368)

For More Information

Visit the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery website: http://www.bcm.edu/oto

Locations

Back to Top

Otology and Neurotology:
Baylor Otolaryngology
Neurosensory Center
6501 Fannin Street, Suite NA102
Houston, Texas 77030  


Otolaryngology/Rhinology and Head and Neck:
Baylor Otolaryngology
Smith Tower
6550 Fannin Street, Suite 1701
Houston, Texas 77030


Facial and Reconstructive Surgery:
Baylor Facial Plastic Surgery Center
Smith Tower
6550 Fannin Street, Suite 1701
Houston, Texas 77030


Pediatric Otolaryngology:
Texas Children's Hospital
Clinical Care Center
6701 Fannin Street, Suite 540
Houston, Texas 77030
Satellite clinics at: Clear Lake, West Houston and Woodlands Texas Children's Hospital Health Centers

When we walk in the door, the employees at the information desk always greet us and offer their help. That's the way it is throughout Baylor Clinic. Thank you!