Head & Neck Surgery

Fine needle aspiration (FNA), also called fine needle biopsy, is a type of biopsy where a needle is inserted into a lump or mass to collect a sample of cells. These cells are then looked at under a microscope to…

The salivary glands are found in and near your mouth, face, and neck. Dehydration is a risk factor for certain salivary gland disorders. To help maintain good oral health, it’s important to drink lots of liquid every day to promote…

A Zenker’s diverticulum (ZD) is a rare condition where an “outpouching” occurs where your throat meets your esophagus, the swallowing pipe that leads into your stomach. When this happens, a pouch forms and mucous, food, and/or liquid can become stuck…

Cancer of the voice box, or laryngeal cancer, is not as well known by the general public as some other types of cancer, yet it is not a rare disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about…

The facial nerve controls the muscles of your face, ears, the saliva glands in your mouth, as well as the tears in your eyes, and provides some of the sense of taste on your tongue. Bell’s palsy occurs when the…

A neck mass is an abnormal lump in the neck. Neck lumps or masses can be any size—large enough to see and feel, or they can be very small. A neck mass may be a sign of an infection, or…

Sialadenitis is inflammation and enlargement of one or more of the salivary (spit) glands. The salivary glands are responsible for producing and storing saliva. The three major salivary glands are the “parotid” (on the sides of the face in front…

The thyroid gland resides in the neck as a midline structure above the sternum. It produces a hormone that is released into the bloodstream to regulate metabolism. Thyroid nodules can occur as a mass or lump that is identified in…

Skin cancers commonly affect the sun-exposed regions of the body. For this reason, a large proportion of skin cancers occur on the skin of the head and neck. Areas of the head and neck that receive direct exposure to the…