Barrie Tan ENT Head & Neck Surgery provides patient care and surgical management for head and neck conditions. Assessment begins with a medical history and examination. We may use an in-clinic endoscopy to examine the upper airway, throat, and larynx.
Further investigations may include ultrasound, fine needle aspiration of a suspicious lymph node or gland, and CT or MRI imaging. Depending on your needs, procedures may be performed under local or general anaesthesia as day surgery or during admission to Gleneagles Hospital. Your surgeon will explain the purpose, alternatives, risks, expected recovery and limitations before treatment.
Dr Barrie Tan is a senior consultant ENT head and neck surgeon and former Head of the Department of Otolaryngology at Singapore General Hospital. He has more than two decades of experience in ENT and head and neck surgery, including airway, thyroid and salivary gland procedures.
His clinical services include assessment and surgical management of head and neck cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Complex cases may involve a multidisciplinary care team, including doctors in radiology, pathology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and other fields. This care team can be an integral part of patient care.
Dr Tan explains the findings and available options so patients can make informed decisions about observation, medical management or surgery.
The difference between an ENT and a head and neck surgeon is scope, not profession. A head and neck surgeon is an ENT specialist whose work includes surgery involving cervical structures, the throat, thyroid, salivary glands and upper airway. Both are otolaryngologists trained to diagnose and manage ear, nose and throat conditions.
An ENT head and neck surgeon may focus more on diseases of the thyroid and salivary glands, persistent lumps, enlarged lymph nodes, upper-airway problems and cancers in the head and neck region.
Patients are often referred to a head and neck surgeon when first-line management has not provided enough relief, a biopsy or operation may be required, or the condition needs multidisciplinary assessment. Referral for a head and neck surgery assessment may be appropriate when:
Head and neck services at Barrie Tan ENT can provide surgical treatment for thyroid and salivary gland conditions, neck lymph nodes, head and neck cancers, laryngeal disorders and selected upper-airway problems.
Barrie Tan ENT Head & Neck Surgery provides expert head and neck surgical care in Singapore, including thyroid and salivary gland operations, neck lymph node procedures and airway surgery at Gleneagles Hospital.
For a detailed evaluation of your symptoms, please reach out to us today.
A cervical lymph node excision biopsy removes all or part of an enlarged or suspicious lymph node for laboratory examination. It may help identify lymphoma, metastatic cancer, infection or another cause of enlargement. The findings can also contribute to cancer staging and care planning.
Surgery may be used for benign and malignant diseases affecting the mouth, throat, larynx, salivary glands, thyroid, nasal cavity or other structures in this region. The operation depends on the tumour site, stage and relationship to nearby tissues.
Some patients require surgery alone. Others may need radiotherapy, chemotherapy or another form of care before or after surgery. Planning may involve a multidisciplinary team.
Reconstructive surgery may be performed after cancer surgery or trauma when tissue removal affects appearance, speech, swallowing or breathing. Options include direct closure, skin grafts, facial plastic surgery techniques, local or regional tissue flaps, and microvascular free tissue transfer. Microvascular reconstruction moves tissue from another part of the body and reconnects its small blood vessels at the surgical site. Extensive reconstruction may be planned with an appropriately trained reconstructive team.
A parotidectomy removes part or all of the parotid salivary gland. It may be recommended for benign or malignant parotid tumours, recurrent infection or another parotid condition requiring surgery. The facial nerve passes through the gland and controls facial movement. The surgeon identifies and protects it when clinically possible. Risk to facial movement depends partly on the tumour’s size, location and relationship to the nerve.
Submandibular gland excision removes a salivary gland from beneath the lower jaw. It may be performed for a persistent lesion, tumour, recurrent infection or salivary stones that cannot be managed using less invasive methods.
The procedure is usually performed through an incision beneath the jaw. Planning considers nearby nerves involved in lower-lip movement, tongue sensation, and tongue movement.
A hemithyroidectomy removes one lobe of the thyroid gland and usually the connecting section called the isthmus. It may be considered for selected thyroid nodules, indeterminate biopsy findings, one-sided gland enlargement or certain thyroid cancers. The remaining lobe may produce enough hormone, although some patients require hormone replacement after surgery. These hormones help regulate the body’s metabolism.
A thyroidectomy removes all or most of the thyroid gland. It may be considered for thyroid nodules, a large goitre, hyperthyroidism or thyroid cancer.
Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for about 8 in 10 thyroid cancers. It is usually responsive to treatment and often has a favourable outlook. Individual prognosis depends on factors such as age, tumour subtype and size, spread outside the thyroid, and whether cancer has reached the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Possible risks of thyroid surgery include bleeding, voice changes from injury to a recurrent laryngeal nerve and low calcium levels if the parathyroid glands are affected. Discuss the extent of surgery and these risks before the procedure.
Some thyroid operations use a smaller incision. Selected centres also use endoscopic and robotic remote-access approaches, with incisions away from the usual surgical site. They are not suitable for every condition and still involve surgical incisions.
Thermal ablation is a separate minimally invasive procedure that uses energy to reduce selected thyroid nodules without removing the gland. It is not thyroid surgery and does not replace surgery when cancer is confirmed or suspected. Patients can ask whether a particular approach is appropriate and available for their condition.
Endolaryngeal microsurgery is performed through the mouth to examine or remove selected lesions affecting the vocal cords and voice box. It may be used to obtain a biopsy or treat polyps, cysts, papillomas, suspicious lesions and certain early cancers. The effect on voice or breathing depends on the lesion and procedure.
A bilateral tonsillectomy removes both tonsils. It may be considered when infection or inflammation causes recurrent tonsillitis, or when enlarged tonsils contribute to snoring, obstructive breathing or swallowing problems. Risks include postoperative pain and bleeding.
Adenoidectomy removes the adenoids, areas of lymphatic tissue behind the nose. It may be considered when enlarged or repeatedly infected adenoids contribute to blocked nasal breathing, sleep-related breathing problems or persistent middle-ear fluid, particularly in children. It may be performed alone or with tonsillectomy or grommet insertion.
Palate radiofrequency uses controlled energy to stiffen selected soft-palate tissue. It may be considered for some people with mild to moderate snoring caused partly by soft-palate vibration. It is not appropriate for every cause of snoring or obstructive sleep apnoea, so an airway assessment is needed.
Tonsillectomy may be considered for recurrent tonsillitis, tonsillar enlargement, selected tonsil lesions or upper-airway obstruction associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Its effect on snoring or sleep apnoea depends on the cause and severity of obstruction and whether other airway areas are involved.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty reshapes selected tissues at the back of the throat to enlarge part of the upper airway. Consider it for selected people with snoring or obstructive sleep apnoea when obstruction involves the soft palate and surrounding tissues. Consider sleep-study findings, airway examination, general health, and other options because the procedure does not treat every site of obstruction.
Related ENT care includes assessing ear and hearing problems, paediatric conditions, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, and nasal obstruction. Persistent ear pain, hearing changes, chronic ear infections, nasal congestion, recurrent sinus symptoms, frequent sore throats or difficulty swallowing may warrant an ENT assessment. In children, common concerns include chronic tonsillitis, otitis media, middle-ear fluid, hearing problems and upper-airway obstruction.
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More than 20 years of continued experience define the standard of care at Barrie Tan ENT Head & Neck Surgery. Families searching for the best head and neck surgeon in Singapore value this expertise. The clinic handles pre-authorisation, coordinates with oncologists, and discusses your treatment plan with other healthcare providers or therapists, as required.
If you want a clear, experienced opinion from a head and neck surgeon, we are here to help. Book a consultation with Barrie Tan ENT Head & Neck Surgery at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore.
