Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery (ENT) is also known as Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. This area of medicine is concerned with disorders of the ear, nose, throat, and internal organs of the head and neck.
ENT Surgeons (or otorhinolaryngologists) are specialist doctors who deal with medical and surgical treatment of conditions of the ears, nose, throat and structures of the head and neck.
Capital & Coast DHB (CCDHB) ENT Services
ENT provides an inpatient and outpatient service for the greater Wellington region.
The main department and inpatient beds are based at Wellington Hospital (click here for a map) and outpatient clinics are performed at Wellington and Kenepuru Hospitals. All outpatient clinics are currently carried out in conjunction with Audiology facilities so a comprehensive hearing assessment and rehabilitation can be provided.
Outpatients
ENT's outpatient clinics provide assessment on a referral basis from GPs and other DHBs as well as a 24-hour acute assessment service. Treatment is free for all eligible patients.
The service operates 8am - 4:30pm.
Inpatients
ENT's inpatient beds are used for elective overnight stay surgery and acute admissions, where required. A significant proportion of surgery is carried out on a day basis.
Most of our patients are referred to us by a GP, another hospital department, or another DHB. Referrals are prioritised by a senior medical officer so that more urgent problems are seen most quickly.
Clinics are conducted by senior specialists, registrars in training and for some conditions, nurse specialists.
Hearing and hearing aid related referrals may be seen initially by an audiologist.
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Otology (Ear) Tests
Audiometry is the electronic testing of hearing ability. This can be done at any age (even in newborn babies) and is especially important in children if there is any suspicion of impaired hearing...
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Otitis Media
This is inflammation or infection of your middle ear (the space behind your eardrum) and is often associated with a build-up of fluid in your middle ear...
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Otosclerosis
When the growth of one of the tiny bones in your middle ear, the stapes, changes from hard to soft and spongy, it leads to the condition called otosclerosis...
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Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be divided into two types: conductive hearing loss (caused by some sort of mechanical problem in the external or middle ear) or sensorineural hearing loss (caused by disorders of the inner ear, hearing nerve or associated brain structures)...
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Acoustic Neuroma
This is a very rare, slow-growing, benign (non-cancerous) overgrowth of tissue on the nerves that affect your hearing and balance...
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Meniere's Disease
Meniere's disease is a disorder in which there is an abnormality in the fluids of the inner ear resulting in increased pressure in the inner ear...
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Sinusitis
In the facial bones surrounding your nose, there are four pairs of hollow air spaces known as sinuses or sinus cavities...
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Snoring
Snoring is the harsh rattling noise made by some people when they sleep...
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Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
When snoring is interrupted by episodes of totally obstructed breathing, it is known as obstructive sleep apnoea...
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Rhinitis
Rhinitis is the inflammation of the lining of the nose (nasal mucosa)...
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Tonsillitis
Your tonsils are the oval-shaped collections of lymphatic tissue (similar tissue to lymph nodes) that lie on both sides of the back of the throat...
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Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)
If you find it difficult to pass food or liquid from your mouth to your stomach, you may have a swallowing disorder or dysphagia...
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Hoarseness
Hoarseness can be described as abnormal voice changes that make your voice sound raspy and strained and higher or lower or louder or quieter than normal...
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