What is an ENT Surgery?

Introduction

Surgery in the 21st century has diversified and branched in an unprecedented manner. For every body part, there exists a different surgical protocol that resolves the problems of that specific area. Knowledge, techniques, and surgeons. All these aspects are different and unique to each surgical procedure. In this discussion, we are going to talk about ENT surgery and see which medical issues are treated through this surgical procedure. We dissect the surgery itself and see which particular conditions are treated via an ENT surgery. In the latter phase of this discussion, we are going to discuss the costs associated with ENT surgery, and suggest a way in which you can help those who cannot afford an ENT surgery! 

The technical term

ENT sounds random, have you noticed it? Of course, it is, ENT stands for ear, nose, and throat. So, what is the collective, clinical term that describes all the operative happenings during an ENT surgery? Otorhinolaryngology. Quite a mouthful, and yet it is ENT said in a complicated manner! And while we are on the subject, otolaryngologists are the physicians who are concerned with the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of the ailments of the ear, throat, and nose. We know it sounds complicated, so we will stick with terms like ENT surgery and ENT surgeon in this discussion!  

What do ENT surgeons treat?

Anything that interferes with your three senses! Which one is those? Smell, taste, and hearing of course! ENT specialists can take the liberty of treating your respiratory issues as well. But for the sake of this discussion, we will stick with the primary problems sorted out in an ENT surgery. We will talk about these in a while, but the important thing that we want to mention here is that ENT specialists don’t use surgery always to treat these problems. The nature of treatment depends on the findings of endoscopy and microscopy.

Surgical procedures

The number of operative procedures that fall under the category of ENT surgery is quite a big one. We can’t even hope to discuss all of them in this discussion! But we will try to squeeze in as many common procedures as possible. So, let us start with grommet insertion. An incision is made in this surgical procedure and the idea is to clear out the effusions in the middle ear. You might be familiar with tonsillectomy, a surgical procedure performed on children mostly, to remove tonsils. This surgical procedure also falls under the category of ENT surgery. Talking about the nose, the most common surgical procedure is septoplasty. This refers to the remodeling of the nasal septum for making breathing an easier job for those with a deviated nasal septum. There are others like esophagoscopy, adenoidectomy, and sinus surgeries that we wished to talk about briefly, but the limitations of time and space force us to jump to the next sections.

See more: Different types of Eye Surgeries?

In the following sections, we are going to talk about the principle sub-specialties that are characteristic of ENT surgeries.

Examples from otology

The diagnosis, prognosis, and surgical treatment of issues related to the ear, all of this is dealt with in an otology department in a hospital. Even under subspecialties, there are many sub-sub procedures and treatments. Among these, one of the most popular surgical procedure is a cochlear implant. A cochlear implant refers to the implantation of a small electronic device in the inner ear i.e. cochlea. What purpose does this serve?

It enervates the auditory nerve! This is great news for deaf people since it is the auditory nerve damage that leads to deafness in the first place.

Examples from rhinology

Rhinology refers to the treatment of nasal problems such as allergies, inflammations, and certain other sinus disorders. Surgeries that aim to resolve problems such as a deviated nasal septum are also tackled by ENT surgeons. Apart from these, certain types of tumors are removed in such operations as well.

Examples from laryngology

How many times have you seen a case of adenoids or thyroid that needs an immediate response? Have you ever wondered who treats and tackles such conditions? You guessed it right, an ENT surgeon of course! But that is not all. Laryngology i.e. branch that deals with larynx and throat problems, is concerned with vocal cord problems as well.

Cost of an ENT surgery

The final bill varies depending upon the sub-specialty, but ENT surgeries are no mean business. Take the example of tonsillectomy, which can cost as much as 1000 USD. So, for those who belong to the underprivileged section of society, affording an ENT surgery can be a tricky business. If you have caught the giving bug in recent times, why don’t you fund someone who is seeking an ENT surgery but can’t afford one!

Fund an ENT surgery via Transparent Hands

One place that is helping people in this regard is Transparent Hands. You can fund various ENT surgeries at Transparent Hands, for example, cochlear implants.

When it comes to crowdfunding for health, there is no platform bigger than Transparent Hands in Pakistan. The range of healthcare services offered by Transparent Hands is astoundingly vast. From medical and surgical treatments to medical camps and telehealth facilities, the NGO makes sure that the underprivileged Pakistanis have access to quality healthcare services. The NGO believes in creating a patient-donor bond while making sure that the protocols of transparency aren’t breached at any point. The NGO realizes the need for free medical camps in the rural areas, hence it actively sets up such camps as well. To donate, donors can log in to the Transparent Hands crowdfunding web portal from anywhere in the world. Payment modes are one hundred percent secure. Every donor has absolute freedom in selecting and funding patients of their choice. The NGO makes sure that regular updates until complete recovery are sent to the concerned donor.

Conclusion

Well, folks, that would be all for now. We hope that you learned something new from this concise yet comprehensive account of ENT surgeries. And if you feel like donating to the cause, you know where to donate, don’t you?