If you have ever had sleep issues, allergies, neck cancer, or skin disorders, you may have sought diagnostic and treatment help from an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist, known as an ENT. An ENT specializes in otolaryngology, the study of ear, nose, and throat conditions. In essence, these doctors treat diseases and disorders of the ears, mouth, throat, larynx, nose, and sinuses.
Areas of the Body that ENTs Specialize In
ENTs train for five to eight years after medical school to learn the diagnosis and treatment of hearing, balance, swallowing, speech, sleep dysfunction, and skin conditions. They also perform ear, nose, and throat surgery, such as middle ear or blocked airway surgery, or treat head, neck, and throat cancers.
Conditions of the Ear that ENT Doctors Often See
Ear treatment and diagnosis can deal with hearing loss or ear conditions, from superficial ear infections to chronic conditions like tinnitus. Children may see ENTs for developmental disorders of the ear that may require in-office treatment or surgery. For example, some children need ear tubes to address chronic ear infections. However, patients of all ages suffer from middle or inner ear infections or eardrum perforations.
Nasal Issues Addressed by Ear, Nose, & Throat Physicians
ENTs treat various conditions affecting the nose, from sinus infections and allergies to deviated septum and smell dysfunction. Patients with chronic sinusitis sometimes undergo surgery to remove nasal polyps or blockages with endoscopic surgery. However, ENTs also deal with snoring, nose bleeds, and rhinitis (colds and allergies).
Throat Disorders within an ENT’s Practice
Throat disorders are also within the ENT’s practice scope. The throat consists of the larynx and esophagus, which are swallowing and voice mechanisms. Tonsil and adenoid removal are standard surgical procedures for ENTs. In addition, many singers contract vocal cord nodules that require removal to preserve their voice. More severe conditions, such as oral cancer, including cancer of the pharynx and larynx, and less serious illnesses, such as sore throats, sleep apnea, or laryngitis, are treatable by the ENT.
ENT Doctors Diagnose and Treat Head and Neck Conditions
In the head and neck region, ENTs perform cosmetic, plastic, and reconstructive facial surgeries following an accident, cancer, or another disfiguring condition. They also diagnose and treat cancers of the head and neck, such as thyroid and skin cancer. Other more common conditions, such as vertigo and headaches, are also treated by the ENT.
Leading Forms of Ear, Nose, and Throat Negligence
ENTs face medical malpractice lawsuits for hearing, vision, and speaking losses when they make medical mistakes that are considered insufficient when compared with the standard of care.
Surgical errors top the list of medical malpractice claims for ENTs. When an ENT does not perform a surgery up to the standards required of doctors in their specialty with equivalent training and experience, they may be found to have committed medical malpractice. The consequences of ENT errors can be devastating to the patient.
The common forms of ENT negligence include failing to competently treat or causing surgical or procedural complications, such as infection, bleeding, swelling, bruising, or sensory changes, such as the loss of smell, taste, or sight. Other complications include cerebral fluid leaks, brain infection, or anesthesia reactions that affect the heart or lungs.
Another reason for a medical malpractice claim against an ENT is a diagnostic delay or other diagnostic errors. Since an ENT handles the head, nose, throat, and ears, the vast array of medical conditions affecting those areas requires a high level of expertise. A competent ENT diagnoses a condition by reviewing patient histories and taking biopsies, physical examinations, and surgeries. They also rely on test results from CAT scans, X-rays, PET scans, or MRIs to verify diagnoses.
When physicians fail to order the proper tests, they risk misdiagnosing conditions. That could lead to fatal results when the condition is throat or head cancer. Conditions affecting the head, nose, throat, and ears may affect the brain if left undiagnosed and untreated for too long. In particular, cancers of the sinuses, nose, tongue, gums, voice box, throat, salivary glands, and skull base are dangerous to misdiagnose for a sore throat, infection, or flu.
Some cancers are fast-growing, like tumors in the head and neck, brain, eyes, spine, salivary glands, thyroid, sinuses, mouth, throat, and voice box, which can spread to the lymph nodes near the affected body part. The lymph nodes spread cancer throughout the body. Thus, promptly treating an ENT condition can save a life or alleviate unnecessary suffering.
How do I Determine if I Have Grounds for an ENT Malpractice Lawsuit?
Not all mistakes or poor outcomes are considered medical negligence. Sometimes, an ear graft does not take because the body rejects it, not necessarily from medical error. On the other hand, when an ENT botches a patient’s eardrum perforation surgery, causing permanent hearing loss, the ENT may be liable for medical malpractice. The negligence question for a medical malpractice claim is whether other ENTs under the same circumstances would not have placed a graft in the same location, skipped a step in the corrective surgery, or otherwise made a surgery-related mistake.
One way to confirm medical malpractice is to seek help from the seasoned medical malpractice attorneys at Fronzuto Law Group. Our job is to investigate your potential claim to verify its validity. We conduct extensive research and investigate the doctor, group, hospital, and employees to find evidence of medical malpractice. Not only will we review your medical records, but we have them reviewed by medical experts in the field to verify whether it is likely that medical malpractice occurred.
Our legal team has years of background in medical malpractice law, including the necessary preparation, evidence gathering, medical expert witnesses and testimony, and all of the elements that are critical for a successful claim.
Contact a New Jersey ENT Malpractice Attorney at Fronzuto Law Group for Help with Your Claim
If you or your loved one suffered injuries and complications at the hands of a negligent Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor, contact Fronzuto Law Group to discuss your case. Whether an ENT’s mistakes resulted in permanent damage to your vision, hearing, voice, or other areas, our knowledgeable New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers can be indispensable to your claim to ensure that you receive just compensation for your financial, physical, and psychological damages. Call (973)-435-4551 or send us a message to schedule your free initial consultation.
