Elevating ENT Care: a Trifecta of Experience, Skills and Technology

Elevating ENT Care: a Trifecta of Experience, Skills and Technology

The ears, nose, and throat are an interconnected trio linked through canals and tubes. While they each have their own special function, these separate parts also work together as a single system, each one supporting the whole.

In the same way, the five-person senior specialist team at The ENT Clinic work together to create a group practice whose sum is greater than its parts. As one of the largest otolaryngology group practices in Singapore, The ENT Clinic has all things ear, nose and throat covered.

According to Dr Jeeve Kanagalingam, the Group’s newest branch at Camden Medical Centre aims to further cement its foothold in the Orchard-fringe, bringing comprehensive ENT services conveniently to patients.

All five doctors have over 100 cumulative years of experience in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Facial Cosmetic Surgery under their belts.

Dr Jeeve, together with Dr Christopher Hobbs have particular expertise in head and neck surgery and voice surgery, while Dr Ho Eu Chin and Dr Annabelle Leong focus on hearing and balance issues, including cochlear implants. Renowned for his work on hearing and balance, Dr Ho Eu Chin also provides high-end treatment for balance.

Rounding out their specialties is Dr Sandeep Uppal, who specialises in reconstructive, functional and aesthetic facial cosmetic surgery. His particular expertise in facial cosmetic and sinus surgery enables him to address both functional and cosmetic issues for nasal deformities.

This diversity of experience and skills has built a robust group practice, says Dr Jeeve.

Hearing Loss and Balance Issues

The clinic is well-equipped to handle hearing loss, as well as balance issues in older adults. Working together with clinical peers and audiologists, the team is focused on thorough clinical assessments to address the root causes of hearing and balance problems.

One of their areas of expertise is the assessment, implantation and management of cochlear and other hearing devices, including osseo-integrated bone conduction hearing aids (BAHA or Bonebridge) and middle ear implants.

Leveraging their experience from top international implant centers, Drs Leong and Ho guide patients in making informed decisions about their hearing treatments. Post-implantation, they coordinate with audiology partners for regular mapping and fine-tuning of implants.

Fitting of hearing aids is only the beginning of the hearing treatment journey,” Dr Ho notes.

“Non usage or poor usage of hearing aids can occur due to inadequate patient education, expectation management and lack of good quality follow up.

"Hence, post hearing aid fitting, Aided Audiometry, Real Ear Measurements (REM), and Aural Rehabilitation will be coordinated with our audiology partners to enhance user satisfaction and compliance,” he adds.

To enable and empower older adults in living their best life in their silver years, the team is also committed to addressing balance issues to reduce fall risks.

“Balance issues are multifactorial and require thorough clinical investigations for medical issues, medications and even biomechanic conditions and more,” says Dr Ho. It is crucial for the correct diagnosis to be made before the right treatment can be offered.

Through adopting a multidisciplinary approach, they have developed the expertise and experience to help patients handle complex dizziness and vertigo. By managing their balance issues, the older patients can stay active and healthy, thereby slowing down the approaching slew of age-related problems.

Managing Allergies

Allergy diagnosis and management forms another cornerstone of the clinic's services. They offer comprehensive in-house inhalant allergy testing, including skin prick tests and blood tests for allergies.

For patients with allergies, the clinic provides sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), a state-of-the-art treatment recommended by the World Allergy Organisation for patients over five years old.

For adults, the clinic addresses a range of conditions including sinusitis, blocked nose issues, snoring, and sleep apnea. They conduct at-home sleep studies and provide evidence-based treatments like CPAP therapy, BiPAP, mandibular advancement splints, and various surgical interventions.

This may include surgical modification of the upper airway and involve procedures such as septoplasty, turbinoplasty. adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and tongue base reduction surgery.

Regardless of the type of treatment – surgical or otherwise, Dr Jeeve highlights the importance of treating sleep apnea: “Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health issues, including cardiovascular problems and cognitive impairment. Our holistic approach ensures that we address all coexisting conditions to provide the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

ENT Care for Children

At the younger end of the age spectrum, the team regularly treats children for conditions such as ear infections, tonsillitis, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, hearing problems, and speech delay.

Some of the more common childhood complaints include large adenoids and tonsils. These conditions can occasionally cause difficulty breathing or swallowing, requiring adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy.

The clinic also addresses ear infections, which can lead to glue ear (otitis media with effusion), a condition that can lead to temporary hearing loss and affect speech and language development. While it can also affect adults, glue ear is much more common in children.

Treatment often involves grommet insertion, a simple procedure that offers virtually instantaneous restoration of hearing. A small tube (grommet) is placed in the ear and will drain the fluid away while keeping the eardrum open. The grommet should fall out naturally as the ear gets better.

Multidisciplinary Approach for Seamless Patient Care

This breadth and depth of specialist knowledge is further strengthened through the clinic’s proximity to other specialist peers within Camden Medical, including a nearby audiovestibular diagnostics service.

This allows for seamless patient care, enhancing the diagnostic and treatment processes for a variety of conditions. This enables the team to deliver comprehensive care for patients of all ages.

“A key feature of our Group is that we have a multidisciplinary approach and we work in a collegial way to ensure patients are best treated by the right specialist with the depth and breadth of experience. This helps us to offer truly holistic and comprehensive care for patients of all ages,” Dr Hobbs shares.