ORL Frontiers 2025 Highlights Advances in Pediatric Otolaryngology

August 1, 2025

ORL Frontiers logoMore than 70 physicians attended this year’s ORL Frontiers, sponsored by the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Held June 20 at the TMC3 Collaborative Building at Helix Park on the Texas Medical Center campus, the annual department research symposium celebrates graduating residents, highlighting a different subspecialty each year, with 2025’s focus on pediatric otolaryngology.

This year’s guest of honor was pediatric otolaryngologist Kenneth H. Lee, MD, PhD, professor of otolaryngology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and director of the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program at Children’s Health℠ in Dallas. Dr. Lee is a leader in research, pioneering techniques to treat hearing loss in children, including the development of new cochlear implants and the effectiveness of bone-anchored hearing aids in children. He is the recipient of awards from both the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology and the Triological Society. Recognized as an academic leader for his excellent teaching and mentoring skills, he holds the John W. and Rhonda K. Pate Professorship in Otolaryngology and has made invited presentations at numerous international conferences on the topic of hearing loss surgery.

This year’s course directors were Zi Yang Jiang, MD, associate professor and chief of pediatric otolaryngology, and Amber Luong, MD, PhD, professor and vice chair for academic affairs in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology. Faculty were Zhen “Jane” Huang, MD, MBA, associate professor in the department, along with Shiva Daram, MD, and Vivian Kaul, MD, both assistant professors.

Speakers and topics included:

  • “The History, Evolution, and Future of Cochlear Implant Electrode Arrays” by Dr. Kenneth Lee
  • “Effect of Palatoplasty Technique on Otologic Outcomes in Children with Cleft Palate” by Dr. Shaina Gong
  • “Interesting Cases,” a panel discussion by Dr. Zi Yang Jiang, Dr. Kenneth Lee, and Dr. Shiva Daram
  • “Medicolegal Outcomes in Otolaryngology” by Dr. Kunal Shetty
  • “Evolution of Inferior Turbinate Surgery and Recent Trends in Children” by Dr. Zi Yang Jiang
  • “The Impact of Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy on Peri-Auricular Cell Carcinoma: A Matched Cohort” by Dr. David Allen
  • “Cochlear Implant Disparities in Adults and Children” by Dr. Vivian Kaul
  • “Academic Otolaryngology: It’s Not a Sprint, It’s a Triathlon!” by Dr. Kenneth Lee

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