Dr. Jakubowicz, Chairman, Ear, Nose, and Throat, is proud of the outstanding staff he has assembled to serve the Bronx community.

Many premature infants have swallowing, hearing, or breathing issues that can threaten their growth and development. Bronx-Lebanon’s team of physicians, audiologists, and speech language pathologists work closely with neonatologists in developing treatment plans and therapies that optimize outcomes.

Dr. Noemi Balogh, Attending, Anesthesiology

The Audiology Division, under the direction of Carmen Santiago, AuD, supervises universal hearing screening on all infants born at Bronx-Lebanon. If a newborn fails, she enlists the aide of the newest member of the department, Dr. Hwa Jung Son. A treatment plan is then developed that assures that the newest members of the Bronx community can hear their loved ones and develop language skills. Aside from rendering care to Neonates, Dr. Son is an expert in the treatment of hearing and balance disorders in people of all ages. She brings the latest techniques in surgical treatment, including bone anchored implants and ear bone reconstruction.

Andrea Leone, Director, Speech Language Pathology, revolutionized the role of speech language pathologists in the NICU. Pediatric feeding assessments and interventions were implemented in the NICU to facilitate safe feeding and swallowing skills in medically fragile babies, enabling them to leave the hospital eating and growing well. Joining her in the care of these neonates, Stephanie Carambia brings her expertise and training at Columbia University and Manhattan Eye and Ear Infirmary. Both these staff members are instrumental in training family and caregivers to develop safe feeding practices for their newborns and ensuring that these babies continue to grow in their first year of life.

Swallowing and speech are essential functions of the oral cavity, and the ENT Department excels in helping patients perform these tasks better. Ms. Leone and her team use specialized fiber optic cameras and radiologic tests to accurately diagnose and treat patients with swallowing disorders. Newly added videostroboscopy, the use of rapid pulses of light to virtually slow the movement of the vocal cords, allows for the diagnosis of the most subtle derangements of the voice. To help assure patients receive proper therapy for speech and swallowing problems, the Speech Language Pathology area has added two new therapists, Danielle Lipman and Yelena Sandigursky. New outpatient services will also be provided for patients suffering from disorders and diseases that have resulted in speech, language, swallowing, voice, and cognitive-linguistic deficits.

Dr. Srinivasan Krishna, Director, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ear, Nose, and Throat, examining patient.

Dr. Walter Ralph, Attending, Head and Neck Surgery, Ear, Nose, and Throat, examining patient.

Should neonates have difficulty breathing or have neonatal masses, otolaryngologists are there to assist. Should the patient suffer from a cosmetic issue, the skilled hand of Dr. Srinivasan Krishna, Director, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, is available to assure optimal outcomes. His proven expertise in reconstructive and facial plastic surgery brings in many satisfied patients from the community. Should the patient have a neck mass, Dr. Jakubowicz is one of the few head and neck surgeons credentialed in ultrasound. Sonography offers the benefit of minimally invasive office based needle biopsies for neck masses, possibly eliminating the need for invasive surgery. The ENT Department is fortunate to have Dr. Dinesh Mehta, Attending, Ear, Nose, Throat, a world renowned expert on the management of sinus disease and rhinology. His considerable experience allows for a more focused approach in this area. If the diagnosis is cancer, patients are also fortunate to have a dedicated, caring physician, Dr. Walter Ralph, as Cancer Committee Physician Liaison. In this capacity, he advises the organization relative to improving care and outcomes for patients with oral, head, and neck tumors. The ultimate goal is to provide the right care for the right tumor while offering the emotional and logistical supports necessary to achieve optimal outcomes.

Working in conjunction with pulmonary and thoracic surgery colleagues, the ENT department has the skills necessary to diagnose and treat masses and tumors of the lungs and upper airway. With its neurosurgical colleagues, this year has seen the department offer groundbreaking minimally invasive treatment of advanced brain and spinal disease, rivaling and even surpassing care offered elsewhere. The ENT Department now provides 15,000 outpatient visits and performs 1000 surgeries annually, more than tripling its outpatient volume and doubling its surgical volume since 2010.