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in Woodstock, GA
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State-of-the-art care focused exclusively on Voice & Swallowing
At Northwest ENT, we provide complete, leading-edge medical care for vocal-function and swallowing disorders. We are one of a few medical practices in the metro Atlanta area that provide comprehensive care for voice and swallowing disorders.
Complete diagnosis, treatment & therapy for:
Hoarseness & laryngitis
Effortful or painful speech
Vocal fatigue
Inability to project
Frequent throat clearing
Persistent voice changes, instability or cracking
Strained or strangled voice
Breathy or soundless voice
Low, raspy or rough voice
Wobbly, shaky or irregular voice
Double or “gargle” voice
Age-related vocal changes
Persistent choking or coughing
Neurological voice disorders
Polyps, cysts, nodules & lesions
Vocal-fold impairment, paresis & paralysis
Laryngeal cancer
Laryngopharyngeal reflux
Swallowing difficulty
Intubation trauma
Transnasal Esophagoscopy
Transnasal Esophagoscopy (TNE) represents the latest advancement in diagnosis of esophageal-related diseases. With the miniaturization of high resolution cameras, it is now possible to create ultra thin endoscopes that are capable of reaching the stomach. Because of the small size of these endoscopes, they can now be passed through the nose with ease. This means that patients no longer need sedation for routine esophagoscopy.
In the past, when a patient complained of difficulty swallowing or had complaints of chronic heartburn, they would be sent for either a barium swallow study or a traditional flexible esophagoscopy. Barium swallow studies are often unreliable. These studies can miss changes in the lining of the esophagus, which may represent small cancers or pre cancerous lesions. Traditional esophagoscopy requires the use of sedation, which carries certain risks. In addition, patients often have to spend hours preparing and recovering from the procedure. This necessitates taking time off of work or school (for both the patient and often another family member).
With the advent of TNE, patients can have the esophagoscopy right in the office setting without any additional medication. The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes, and the patient can return to work or school the same day. This saves a lot of time and energy.
At Northwest ENT, we utilize the latest TNE technology with distal chip video recording. The staff has extensive experience with this procedure and we provide a comfortable and safe environment in which the procedure is performed.
Videostroboscopy
Videostroboscopy is a special test that uses the most up-to-date video and digital imaging technology to examine the voice box as the vocal cords are moving. This state-of-the-art equipment is available at Northwest ENT.
During the examination, a special strobe light is used to light up the voice box. This rapidly flashing light makes the vocal cords appear to move in slow motion. The speech pathologist and doctor can see small details about motion of the vocal cords, allowing them to diagnosis many different voice problems.
A videostroboscopy examination may be recommended by one of the Northwest ENT physicians to further study the vocal cord appearance and motion. For example, the Videostrobe is very helpful in determining if the edges of the vocal cords are smooth and straight. It also helps determine if the delicate covering of the vocal cords is vibrating properly. This is important in producing a 'normal' sounding voice.
