Biography

Dr. Ibrahim “Trey” Alava, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at UTHealth Houston. He earned his medical degree from the University of Miami in Florida and completed his internship and residency in otolaryngology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

He has a range of clinical interests, including endocrine head and neck surgery, skin cancers of the head and neck, and all aspects of general otolaryngology. He is also interested in research, with interests focusing on patient-centered outcomes, health care disparities, and health care delivery modeling.

Aside from patient care, Dr. Alava serves as the Chief of Service for Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, a part of the Harris Health system, where he also oversees clinical operations for the department. He is the medical director for Specialty Clinics at LBJ. Over the years, he has worked on numerous process improvement projects with both Harris Health and the Memorial Hermann System.

Dr. Alava is a member of Houston Society of Otolaryngology and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Southeast Chapter. He also serves on multiple committees at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. He is co-author of numerous articles on all aspects of otorhinolaryngology and has presented on a variety of topics locally, nationally, and internationally.

Education

Medical School
The University of Miami, 2008
Internship
The University of Texas – Houston, 2009
Residency
The University of Texas – Houston, 2013

Areas of Interest

Clinical Interests

New innovations in treatment of subglottic stenosis, endocrine head and neck surgery, skin cancers of the head and neck, and all aspects of general otolaryngology.

Publications

Refereed Original Articles in Journals

  • Lipan MJ, Alava I, Abi-Hachem R, Vernon S, Van De Water TR, Angeli SI. Middle Ear Packing: Comparison of Materials in an Animal Model of Mucosal Trauma. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 2011; 144: 763 – 769.
  • Alava I, Isaacs SJ, Luong AU, Citardi MJ, Fakhri S. Mometasone furoate gel: A novel in-office treatment of recalcitrant post-operative chronic rhinosinusitis. Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2012. 41: 183 – 188.
  • Weinstock YE, Alava I, Dierks EJ. Pitfalls in Determining Head and Neck Surgical Margins. Oral and Maxillofacial Clinics of North America. 2014. 26: 151 – 162
  • Hashemi N, Billah S, Conderman CP, Alava I, Supsupin EP Jr, Chevez-Barrios P, Adesina OO. Nothing to Spit At. J. Neuroophthalmol. 2017. April 11.
  • Melville JC, Menegotto KD, Woernley TC, Maida BD, Alava I. Unusual Case of a Massive Macroglossia Secondary to Myxedema: A Case Report and Literature Review. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2017 Jun 30
  • Vandelaar LJ, Alava I. Cervical and Craniofacial Necrotizing Fasciitis. Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology. 2017 Aug 23. Epub
  • Johnson J, Jiang ZY, Martinez D, Smith D, Curtis E, Robinson D, Alava I. Expeditious Emergency Room Referral Pathway Improves Patient Access to Otolaryngology Care. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology. 2017 Nov. 30.

Presentations

Local

  • Alava I. Barotrauma of the Middle and Inner Ear. Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. The University of Texas – Houston. September 2009.
  • Alava I. Congenital Midline Nasal Masses. Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. The University of Texas – Houston. May 2010.
  • Alava I. Malignancies of the Paranasal Sinuses. Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. The University of Texas – Houston. December 2010.
  • Alava I. Pediatric Head and Neck Malignancies. Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. The University of Texas – Houston. December 2012
  • Alava I. Facial Trauma Conference: Case Presentations. Scalp Reconstruction/ Facial Reanimation. Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. The University of Texas – Houston. September 2012.
  • Alava I. Strut plate versus Champy plate for isolated mandibular angle fractures. Invited Speaker. Synthes Advanced Maxillofacial Trauma Symposium. November 2012.
  • Alava I. There is a hole in the neck: A review of tracheostomy and laryngectomy. Educational Conference. LBJ – General Hospital. March 2013
  • Alava I. The Hot Airway. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Internal Medicine. Grand Rounds Series. The University of Texas – Houston. 3/28/14
  • Alava I. The PCMH Head & Neck Project. Frontiers Symposium. Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. June 2014.
  • Alava I. Zygomaticomaxillary Complex Fractures. DePuy-Synthes Trauma Symposium. Memorial Hermann Hospital TMC. September 2015.
  • Alava I. Tracheostomy Care Guideline. Faculty Quality Competition. LBJ Hospital. October 2015.
  • Alava I. Head and Neck Exam. Physical Diagnosis Medical School Lecture. University of Texas-Medical School at Houston. Houston, TX. November 2015.
  • Alava I. LBJ Tracheostomy Clinical Practice Guideline. LBJ Medical Executive Committee Meeting. June 2016
  • Alava I. Patient Satisfaction in the Head and Neck Patient. ORL-Frontiers. Cooley Center. June 2016.

National

  • Alava I, Isaacs SJ, Luong AU, Citardi MJ, Fakhri S. Mometasone furoate gel: A novel in-office treatment of recalcitrant post-operative chronic rhinosinusitis. COSM, ARS Section April 2009. (Oral)
  • Alava I, Pleitz J, Samathanan C, Patel CB, Kridel RW, Ho T. Irradiated costal cartilage homograft versus costal cartilage autograft in the rabbit model. AAFPRS Annual fall meeting. San Francisco, CA 2011. (Oral)
  • E Supsupin, I Alava, D Freet, E Bonfante, S Garza, Y Weinstock. Reconstructive Flap 101: Basic Principles, Imaging, and Beyond. ASNR 53rd Annual Meeting & The Foundation of the ASNR Symposium 2015, Chicago, IL. 2015 (Poster)
  • E Supsupin, I Alava, S Billah, E Bonfante, Y Weinstock, S Mukhi. Aggressive Sinonasal Malignancies (ASNM): Pathologic Basis of Imaging Findings & Treatment Implications. ASNR 53rd Annual Meeting & The Foundation of the ASNR Symposium 2015, Chicago, IL. 2015 (Poster)
  • Supsupin, E., Choi, J., Bingham B., Hochauser, L., Alava, I. Atypical Skull Base Osteomyelitis (ASBO). 116th Annual ARRS Meeting. Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA. April 2016 (Poster)
  • Alava I. A Journey through the Health Care Quality Movement. 2nd Biannual UT Texas Hill Country Otolaryngology Symposium. April 2016. (Oral)
  • Ferrell JK, Yang B, Ramaswamy US, Alexander RE, Alava I. Novel Use of Laparoscopic Bipolar Vessel Sealing System In Endoscopic Laryngeal Surgery. COSM. Chicago. May 2016.
  • Yang B., Caceres K., Alava I., Case Report: Novel Surgical Approach to Synovial Sarcoma of the Hypopharynx. COSM. Chicago. May 2016. (Poster)
  • Alava, I. Patient Satisfaction in the Head and Neck Patient. ORL-Frontiers 2016. (Oral)
  • Virani F., Dennis S, Johnson J., Bigcas JL., Alava I., Synthetic Marijuana Use Causing Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome and Boerhaave Syndrome: A Case Report. SENTAC Dec. 2016. (Poster)
  • Johnson J, Alava I. Expeditious Emergency Room Referral Pathway Improves Patient Access to Otolaryngology Care. COSM April 2017 (Oral)
  • Low G, Alava, I. Time From Diagnosis to Treatment in Head and Neck Cancer Patients at a Public Safety-Net Hospital. AAO-HNS September 2017. Chicago, IL (Oral)

International

  • Alava, I. Surgeon’s Approach to Mental Illness – Fiji National University Mental Health Conference – October 2014