Why Mount Sinai


Patients with diseases of the head and neck come to Mount Sinai from all over the world -- and with good reason. Mount Sinai provides comprehensive state-of-the-art care, based on the latest innovations in the field. Our surgeons are internationally recognized experts who excel both in the academic arena and in their clinical practices.

In 1997, Mount Sinai physicians and researchers introduced a technique that helped transform the way parathyroid surgery is conducted at the Hospital. This method of analyzing the presence or absence of a substance measures the amount of parathyroid hormone present during surgical treatment and provides a guide for successful tumor removal. Owing to this, and other technological advances, patients with this condition can go through the surgery under local anesthesia with sedation.

Expertise, excellence and innovation, backed by a commitment to patient care. Just some of the reasons so many patients choose Mount Sinai for their treatment.

Yes, there are dedicated 'Cancer Hospitals' but at Mount Sinai, we treat the person, not the tumor. We take into account the whole person and all factors that may inform treatment.

At Mount Sinai, you are an individual, not a number. Our care is always personalized and compassionate.

Conditions We Treat

Diseases of the thyroid and parathyroid include thyroid cancer, benign thyroid nodules, and hyperparathyroidism.

Both the thyroid and the parathyroid are glands in the endocrine system, however, their functions are unrelated. The thyroid helps control metabolism, while the parathyroid regulates the amount of calcium in the body.

Thyroid nodules occur commonly, with the vast majority being benign (non-cancerous) growths.

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Treatment Options

Thyroid Cancer

Most thyroid cancers are treated with surgical removal of part or all of the thyroid gland.

Minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgery

Minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgery are performed through a one inch incision without the need for sutures. These procedures can be performed in less than 30 minutes and patients have the option for local or general anesthesia. Minimally invasive surgery means patients heal faster, go home earlier, and have less pain and recovery time. Our surgeons have pioneered many of the minimally invasive techniques that have been instrumental in the development of the field.

If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, their removal may also be necessary. If the cancer has spread beyond the neck region, radioactive iodine is often used to destroy cancer cells. These patients are treated by a team made up of an experienced head and neck surgeon, an endocrinologist, and a team of physicians trained in nuclear medicine.

Further complications of thyroid cancer may be involvement of the trachea (windpipe) and the esophagus (the passage that carries food to the stomach.) Treatment can involve surgical removal of a portion of these structures and is followed by reconstruction to help the patient preserve the best possible function.

Because the vocal cords are located close to the thyroid gland, thyroid cancer that spreads to the nerves that control the cords can affect the patient’s ability to speak. Mount Sinai’s highly experienced surgical team includes experts in laryngeal framework surgery, procedures in which the vocal cords are re-positioned or re-contoured to help restore normal speech and function.

Benign Thyroid Nodules
Benign thyroid nodules are also often treated surgically, allowing the physician to examine the tissue and rule out a malignant tumor. Removal also relieves any symptoms that may be present. Mount Sinai head and neck surgeons usually perform this surgery using local anesthesia and IV sedation, using an incision less than one-inch long. These advances also allow for same-day discharge, greater patient comfort and a faster recovery time.

Hyperparathyroidism
Hyperparathyroidism is a condition in which one or more of the four parathyroid glands becomes overactive, resulting in an increased level of calcium in the body. This condition may result in a range of problems, including kidney stones, pancreatitis, loss of bone mineralization, decreased kidney function, duodenal ulcer, itching, and muscle weakness. In addition, patients with very high calcium levels may develop behavioral and mental changes as well as life-threatening disturbances in the electrical activity of the heart.

To diagnose this condition, physicians usually begin by measuring the level of calcium in the blood. Tests for phosphorous and parathyroid hormone levels help confirm that the condition is caused by a disorder of the parathyroid glands and to rule out other potential causes of increased levels of calcium.

Some patients develop hyperparathyroidism in conjunction with chronic kidney failure; in such cases the elevated calcium results from poor renal function. This condition is known is as secondary hyperparathyroidism and is distinct from the condition described above.

Although medications can be given to quickly lower life-threatening calcium levels, their efficacy is short-lived. Surgery is required for long-term control of the condition which is usually caused by a benign tumor. The incision required to remove such tumors is generally quite small. (Only 1% of cases are caused by cancer of the parathyroid glands.) At Mount Sinai, in most cases, head and neck anesthesiologists can administer a local anesthetic, allowing the patient to be comfortable during the procedure and eliminating the need for an overnight hospital stay.

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Patient Education

Post-Operative Instructions

Directions and Parking

Billing and Insurance Information

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Our Team

Eric M. Genden, MD, FACS
Chairman
Department of Otolaryngology
Director, Division of Head and Neck Oncology

Dr. Genden is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery and an Associate Professor of Immunobiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He graduated from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed residency training in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Washington University, Barnes Hospital. Dr. Genden then completed fellowship training in microvascular surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.

After completing fellowship training, Dr. Genden remained at Mount Sinai where he has served as the residency program director and chief of otolaryngology- head and neck surgery. As an Associate Professor of Immunobiology, Dr Genden leads a laboratory funded by the National Institutes of Health examining immune response and transplant immunobiology. Dr Genden has become a regional expert in head and neck mucosal immunity and diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses. His expertise in endoscopic nasal and sinus surgery has been recognized nationally. Since 1993, Dr. Genden has been a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy and a recipient of the Scholarship for research in Otolaryngic Allergy.

A respected expert in endoscopic sinus surgery and surgery of the upper aeorodigestive track, Dr. Genden has published nearly one-hundred chapters and manuscripts related to diseases of the head and neck.

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Other Resources

At Mount Sinai

Department of Otolaryngology

Minimally Invasive Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery

Other Websites

National Cancer Institute - Head and Neck Cancer (NIH)

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Contact Us

The Mount Sinai Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery Program
5 East 98th Street, 8th floor
New York, NY 10029

For information or an appointment, call:

212-241-9410

Or choose a physician from Our Team and make an appointment.

Click here for directions and a map.

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