Neurotology Fellowship

A two-year, ACGME-accredited Neurotology Fellowship Program is available every other year through the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The neurotology fellow works closely with three board-certified neurotologists and three skull-base neurosurgeons in treating disorders of the temporal bone and skull-base.

The operative experience occurs primarily at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. The fellow will also rotate at Parkland Hospital and Children's Health. These facilities provide a broad experience in adult and pediatric neurotology, including management of CPA and temporal bone tumors, auditory brainstem implantation, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, temporal bone trauma, cochlear implantation, pediatric skull base tumors, aural atresia, and complications of chronic otitis media. The fellow also will be involved with Gamma Knife® radiosurgery.

This fellowship provides a unique opportunity to learn basic and advanced endoscopic ear surgery and its application to chronic ear disease and lateral skull-base pathology. Dr. Isaacson and Dr. Kutz utilize endoscopic ear surgery to manage various conditions, including tympanic membrane perforations, cholesteatoma, otosclerosis, middle ear tumors, and petrous apex lesions. Dr. Isaacson and Dr. Kutz are International Working Group on Endoscopic Ear Surgery (IWGEES) members and have served as instructors and visiting professors at national and international meetings and courses. All faculty continue to use traditional microscopic approaches, allowing the fellows to learn various surgical approaches and techniques.

One of the unique aspects of the fellowship is the multidisciplinary neurofibromatosis type 2 program. Dr. Kutz collaborates closely with neuro-oncology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, laryngology, and neuro-ophthalmology to treat these complex patients. UT Southwestern is the only program in the southern United States that places auditory brainstem implants. Dr. Kutz and Dr. Klesse have a quarterly NF2 clinic that includes the neurotology fellow, where treatment plans are formulated in a multidisciplinary fashion.

Dr. Isaacson leads a multidisciplinary skull base paraganglioma team including laryngology, head and neck oncology, neurosurgery, genetics, endocrinology, radiation, oncology, and diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology.

Dr. Sakano's research lab focuses on understanding how the loss of FMRP (Fragile X protein) affects auditory brainstem development. This research is pivotal in exploring potential mechanisms underlying autism, auditory processing disorders, and hyperacusis. She also has a busy otology and neurotology clinical and surgical practice.

A subspecialty curriculum provides the fellow with training in audiology and vestibular testing, vestibular therapy, cochlear implant candidacy testing and mapping, adult and pediatric neuroradiology, neuropathology, and neuro-ophthalmology.

The didactic program consists of multiple interdisciplinary conferences, including a monthly skull base conference where interesting and challenging cases are discussed in a multidisciplinary setting, semimonthly skull base grand rounds, and two Friday conference days a year dedicated to otology and neurotology. The fellow meets weekly with the neurotology faculty for a breakfast journal club to discuss articles related to recent cases.

There are multiple teaching opportunities for the fellows to work with the residents. The fellow also participates in resident didactics and the monthly resident temporal bone lab.

Our goal for the neurotology fellow is to be an excellent clinician and surgeon, understand how to perform and publish research, and become an effective educator.