Advanced Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base (International) Fellowship Program

In their first year, fellows can expect to cover the following: Basic rhinologic history and physical; Draf I and IIa frontal sinusotomy endonasal exam and in-office diagnostic procedures; ethmoidectomy; maxillary sinusotomy; maximal medical management of acute and chronic rhinosinusitis; postoperative management and endoscopic debridements; septoplasty; simple cerebrospinal fluid leak repair; simple transphenoidal pituitary surgical exposures with neurosurgery; sphenoid sinusotomy and turbinate reduction.

In their second year, fellows cans expect to cover the following: advanced large skull base repairs with local-regional flaps or grafts; anterior skull base resection, middle and posterior cranial fossa approaches for clival and petrous apex neoplasms; approaches to Meckel’s cave and the trigeminal nerve roots; combined procedure with external exposure for advanced neoplasm work; complicated revision pituitary surgery; craniocervical approaches for odontoid resection; extended frontal, sphenoid and maxillary sinusotomies (including medial maxillectomy and Lothrop or Draf II & III procedures); management of extensive benign skull base lesion such as meningoencephaloceles and nasopharyngect

To further develop the fellow’s surgical skills, required for the performance of advanced endoscopic surgical procedures in the nose and adjacent paranasal sinuses, orbit and skull base, in children and adults.

To develop the fellow’s expertise in the multidisciplinary treatment of common ailments afflicting the upper and lower respiratory system (allergies; asthma; chronic rhinosinusitis; sleep disorders and other common airway disorders), with an emphasis on chronic inflammatory diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses.

To develop the fellow’s expertise in the diagnosis and management of allergies and immunologic disorders affecting the upper airway.

To enhance the fellow’s understanding about the appropriate workup, indications and potentially adverse side-effects of pharmacotherapy versus immunotherapy, for patients with allergies.

To meet these goals and objectives, fellows will participate with the residents and faculty in the department’s weekly departmental grand rounds and pertinent monthly journal clubs. They will also get to participate as faculty in the annual University of Miami Endoscopic Sinonasal and Skull Base Anatomy Course (national meeting held in South Florida in the winter), as well as the annual All-Florida Endoscopic Surgical Anatomy Course for summer residents and fellows.
Fellows will be responsible for presentation of future surgical skull base cases weekly at the skull base multidisciplinary skull base conference for discussion of the best surgical and/or nonsurgical treatment strategies. In addition, fellows will practice advanced procedures and help teach international “mini-fellows,” in our state-of-the-art endoscopic sinus surgery lab at the medical examiner’s office on campus. The fellow also has access to the latest endoscopic skull base equipment in our Cranial Access, Neuroanatomy, and ENT Surgical (C.A.N.E.S.) Laboratory at the medical school. It is here where fellows can practice their skull base drilling technique for middle cranial fossa/clival/infratemporal fossa resections on formalin-fixed specimens, further refining