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 Welcome to the Department of Otolaryngology -
Head and Neck Surgery at the American University of Beirut
Medical Center (AUBMC), where we specialize in the diagnosis and
treatment of diseases and disorders of the head and neck regions,
including the ear, nose, and throat.
The department can be traced back to 1908 when it was originally
called the EENT (i.e. eye, ear, nose, and throat) Department. Dr.
Charles Webster was the professor of the department at the time,
and he could also be credited as the designer of the Eye and Ear
Pavilion where the department was housed. The department
continued to function as EENT until the eye specialty started to
take off in the 1960's, and both the Department of Otolaryngology
and the Department of Ophthalmology came into being in 1962.
Dr. Webster remained as chair until 1928, when Dr. Kenneth Oliver
took over. Successive chairs included Dr. Alfred Diab
(1949-1973), Dr. Salah Salman (1974-1986), and Dr. George Zaytoun
(1986-1997). Dr. Nabil Fuleihan took over in 1997, where he has
remained as chairman until today. Over the past few years, strong
emphasis has been made to develop subspecialties with the aim of
creating future, academic leaders who will provide the highest
levels of expertise to our patients and the best teaching
environment to our residents.
Since its inception, the department graduated 72
otolaryngologists. 50% of the graduates continue to
practice in Lebanon, 35% in North America, and
15% in the Gulf region. Many have reached high,
academic positions, including chairmanship of main programs in
the United States.
From modernized facilities, our specialists deliver
comprehensive and compassionate care to a diversified range of
patients, pediatric and adult, from Lebanon and abroad. We cover
all areas of otolaryngology, including head and neck cancer
surgery, facial plastic, cosmetic, and laser surgery, otology/neuro-otology,
pediatric otolaryngology, base of skull surgery, sinus surgery,
laryngeal surgery, maxillofacial surgery, orthodontic medicine
and surgery; audiology, and speech therapy services.
The department is also the home of multidisciplinary teams, such
as the Cochlear Implant Program, where a team of highly-trained
specialists work together to serve patients with severe hearing
loss, and the Face Center, consisting of a team that specializes in
different conditions related to the face, including cosmetic and
reconstructive orthodontistry. We also have a Newborn Hearing Screening Program in
place which is highly welcomed by parents of newborns to detect
any potential problems at an early stage. In addition, the
department includes a multidisciplinary team specializing in
head and neck cancer that oversees the treatment of patients
presenting with different types of head and neck cancer, as well as
specialists in the field of sinus surgery who provide quality care
to our patients with different sinus conditions.
Combine all this with the quality of our faculty experts, and it
translates to a stimulating and challenging, educational
environment for our medical students and residents.
To sum it up, the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at AUBMC is
succeeding in its mission to deliver superior and comprehensive
care to its patients, thus, offering quality training and education,
while remaining constantly focused on expanding clinical
research and patient care.
Nabil Fuleihan, MD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
American University of Beirut Medical Center |
