Laryngology
Patient Experience
Patients visiting the Voice and Swallowing Center at the University of Virginia will typically meet a whole team of providers dedicated to solving their medical needs. In addition to the doctor, this often includes a speech-language pathologist specifically trained in voice and swallowing rehabilitation, a resident physician, nurse practitioner, and nurse. The first visit may include a detailed exam of the voice and larynx (voice box). Using the latest high-definition video technology, our team can get a comprehensive evaluation of the vocal cords and surrounding tissues to identify problems. Vocal rehabilitation is provided by our specialty-trained speech pathologists and immediately accessible in the same office location. We also offer cutting-edge procedures right in the clinic, saving many patients general anesthesia and a trip to the operating room. Overall, this allows for one-stop-shopping for many patients that require specialized diagnostic tests, procedures, and voice/swallowing rehabilitation. We strive to give each patient the kind of care normally available only to well-known performers.
Laryngology and Voice Care
We treat ear, nose and throat problems in people who use their voices extensively, including Singers, Clergy, Call center employees, Teachers/professors, Coaches, Docents, and more.
- Vocal fold paralysis
- Care of the professional voice
- Spasmodic dysphonia and vocal tremor
- Benign vocal fold lesions (polyps, nodules, cysts)
- Vocal fold scar (sulcus)
- Laryngeal webs
- Vocal fold leukoplakia and dysplasia
- Early glottic cancer (T1/T2 stage)
- Vocal fold atrophy and presbylarynges
- Laryngeal papilloma (recurrent respiratory papilloma)
- Autoimmune disease of the larynx
- Laryngocele
- Saccular cyst
- Muscle tension dysphonia
- Zenker’s diverticulum
- Cricopharyngeal dysfunction
- Esophageal strictures (cervical esophagus)
- Laryngopharyngeal reflux
- Subglottic stenosis
- Posterior glottic stenosis
- Medialization thyroplasty (Gore-Tex and Silastic)
- Microsurgery of the vocal fold (phonomicrosurgery)
- LASER endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy (minimally-invasive swallowing surgery
- Endoscopic and open Zenker’s diverticulotomy
- Endoscopic and open surgery for upper airway stenosis
- Cricotracheal resection
- Endoscopic LASER cordotomy (minimally-invasive airway surgery)
- Endoscopic LASER cordectomy (minimally-invasive cancer surgery)
- Endoscopic LASER treatment of benign laryngeal disease
- Endoscopic treatment of laryngoceles and saccular cysts
- Endoscopic laryngeal web division and keel placement
- Laryngeal botulinum toxin injection
- KTP laser treatment of vocal fold lesions
- Vocal fold injection medialization
- Upper airway steroid injection
- Transnasal esophagoscopy
- Transnasal tracheoscopy
- Laryngeal videostroboscopy (flexible and rigid scopes)
- Laryngeal electromyography (L-EMG)
- Multidisciplinary evaluation of voice and swallowing
- Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES)
- Voice therapy
- Singing voice therapy
- Swallowing therapy
- Joanna Lott, CCC-SLP, Singing voice therapist
- Holly Hess, CCC-SLP
- Casey Resnick CCC-SLP
- Flora Vassilev, CCC-SLP
- Debra Connor, RN
- Melissa Mosley, MA