Winter Newsletter 2013

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

Department of Otolaryngology –Head and Neck Surgery

Winter 2013

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the land of the Buckeyes!

It has been another superb year here at The Ohio State University, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and home of the undefeated buckeyes! At this season of thanksgiving, we are appreciative of all of those who have made it possible.

We continually strive for excellence in patient care, research, and education, and hope you will enjoy reading a few of the highlights and accomplish-ments of 2012. Our Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Sur-gery was ranked 14th in the U.S. News and World Report Rankings for Best Hospitals. Additionally, we were recognized as a Department by The Wexner Medical Center for being among those with the highest patient satisfaction scores this year.

We are pleased to announce the addition of two fellowship trained Otolaryngologists to our team. James Ruda, M.D., completed his residency in Otolaryngology at the Cleveland Clinic and pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at the University of North Carolina He joins our ranks of pediatric otolaryngologists at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Research Institute.

Also we are pleased to announce we have successfully recruited Laura Matrka, M.D. to join our laryngology division. Laura did her residency with us here and completed her laryngology fellowship with Dr. C. Blake Simpson in San Antonio in July. She is a wonderful addition to our Laryngology & Voice Center and to our faculty.

The 20th Annual Saunder’s Symposium was one of our finest with outstanding Alumni participation. We were audience to excellent and diverse presentations, including The Kelly Medical Economics Lecture, given by Dr. David Kelly’s son, Braden Kelly, BBA. Braden provided tremendous insight to the formidable challenges in medicine that face us all going forward. Despite this we are committed to providing the finest patient care which hinges on relevant research and training the next genera-tion of otolaryngologists.

We wish you all the best for the coming year.

With best regards,

Brad

D. Bradley Welling, MD, PhD, FACS Professor and Chair

Inside this Issue: Forrest Named Director of Ambulatory Services, New House Staff, International Skull Base Surgery Conference, Courage Unmasked for Joan’s Fund, Music Training’s Influence on Speech, Endonasal Endoscopy, Clinical Trials, Publications and Research 2010/1011, Essig Performs Endoscopic Mandible Fracture Treatment

RESEARCHERS PUBLISH GROUNDBREAKING ARTICLE ON OUTCOMES OF TRANSORAL ROBOTIC SURGERY SUPRAGLOTTIC LARYNGECTOMY

Department of Otolaryngology I page 1

A group of head and neck surgeons at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) published a first-of-its-kind report in the August 2012 edition of the journal Head & Neck. The article documents their study showing that transoral robotic surgery (TORS) supraglottic laryngectomy is a safe procedure with good functional outcomes.

The study is the largest prospective, longitudinal, single-center study of its kind, according to the researchers.

TORS is a minimally invasive procedure in which a surgeon operates on a patient using a leading-edge technology called the da Vinci® system. This sophisticated computer transmits a stereoscopic picture of the area to be operated upon to the surgeon’s console while the surgeon performs the normal movements associated with surgery. Da Vinci senses the surgeon’s hand movements and translates them electronically into scaled-down micro-movements that manipulate robotic arms that hold tiny instruments. Ohio State physicians were the first in the country to perform surgery with the da Vinci robot.

In the study, 13 patients underwent TORS for removal of the top portion of their larynx as treatment for laryngeal cancer, one of the most common head and neck cancers. These cases were part of a larger prospective study of 126 patients who underwent TORS between 2008 and 2011.

Robotic surgery took an average of 25.3 minutes compared to three to four hours for traditional open surgery. Blood loss was minimal (15.4 mL per patient on average). Patients remained in the hospital an average of 3.9 days versus the usual seven to 10 days required after open surgery. No complications were encountered. Following the procedure, the patients were able to talk normally and breathe on their own without a tracheostomy tube. Most were able to eat an oral diet within 24 hours of surgery.

“Doing the surgery through the mouth eliminates the need to make an incision in the neck and face. We can operate directly on the cancer and not touch the uninvolved tissues, so there is no scarring, the surgery time is quicker, less anesthesia is needed, the recovery time is faster and function is better,” said first author Enver Ozer, MD, clinical associate professor of Otolaryngology at the OSUCCC – James.

Other Ohio State researchers involved in this study were Bianca Alvarez, Kiran Kakarala, MD, Kasim Durmus, MD, Ted N. Teknos, MD and Ricardo L. Carrau, MD.

“Robotic surgical systems have been evolving to be one of the most significant surgical tools in the future for head and neck surgeons,” Dr. Ozer said. “We are always looking for ways to treat patients that give them better outcomes. TORS is one of the means that will help us achieve those goals.”

To read the abstract, visit ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22907898.


“Robotic surgical systems have

been evolving to be one of the most

significant surgical tools in the future

for head and neck surgeons,”

Enver Ozer, MD

Laura Matrka, MD, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology, re-joins Ohio State after finishing her year-long laryngology fellowship in airway disorders under Dr. C Blake Simpson at the University of Texas Health Science Centers at San Antonio.

Board certified through the American Board of Otolaryngology,

Dr. Matrka completed her undergraduate at Dartmouth College, attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati and completed her residency program with The Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Our JamesCare Voice and Swallowing Clinic is privileged to welcome her as the newest member of the Laryngology team.

James Ruda, MD, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology, returns to Ohio after completing his fellowship program at the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Ruda attended medical school at Penn State University College of Medicine, completed his internship and residency at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation and is board

certified. Our affiliate, Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, is pleased to welcome him as the newest member of the Pediatric Otolaryngology team.

NEW PHYSICIANSWelcome Dr. Matrka and Dr. Ruda to the Otolaryngology Team

20TH ANNUAL SAUNDERS SYMPOSIUM

The OSU Department of Otolaryngology held its 20th Annual Saunders Symposium in June. The program was designed to highlight both clinical and research activities of Department faculty, residents and alumni.

This year was unique in that the symposium and awards banquet were both held in new locations. Additionally, the format was changed, allowing many of our graduates to share their knowledge and experience with those in attendance. A record-breaking 64 alumni returned for the symposium celebration, including 23 who presented. Notably, a number of our graduates joined us the afternoon before the symposium at Ohio State’s Eye and Ear Institute to help judge our annual resident research competition.

Also joining us at the symposium was Braden R. Kelly, BBA, son of David R. Kelly, MD, as this year’s eighth David R. Kelly, MD Lecturer in Medical Economics. Mr. Kelly is an independent investor and strategic advisor to companies in the private equity, healthcare and technology industries.

The Saunders Symposium is named in honor of William H. Saunders, MD, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of and gratitude for his numerous contributions to the Department and the discipline of otolaryngology. Dr. Saunders has been a member of the Department since 1954, served as Acting Chair from 1961–1963 and Chair from 1963–1984. He holds memberships in The American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, the American Laryngological Society, Rhinological and Otological Society and the American Laryngological Society, among others. Saunders

served as President of the American Board of Triological and is former vice president of the American Board of Otolaryngology and the Laryngological Association.

The events of our 20th Annual Saunders Symposium celebration, along with the Saturday golf outing, were enjoyed by all. Camaraderie and reconnections made the experience truly special. We look forward to next year’s symposium, June 20-22, 2013 and hope many more will join us for another great reunion.


PROJECT EAR PLANS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MEDICAL MISSION WORK

Edward Dodson, MD, has a vision: to build a hospital in the Dominican Republic to serve the poor and underserved who suffer from hearing loss and ear disease. Currently, there are fewer than 75 trained otolaryngologists in this country of nine million people, and only a few of these perform ear surgery.

Dr. Dodson is an associate professor in The Ohio State University Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He is also the president of Project EAR, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that has provided medical care to patients in this impoverished Caribbean island nation since 1995.

Two times a year Dodson leads a group of volunteer physicians, nurses and ancillary providers on one-week missions to the Elias Santana Hospital in Los Alcarrizos, near Santo Domingo. The team works together with native Dominican Republic otolaryngologist Roberto Batista,

MD, who provides screening and follow-up care to patients treated by Project EAR.

Over the years, some 1,500 surgical patients have been helped by Project EAR—including an estimated 900 otologic procedures, 40 cochlear implants, 200 tonsillectomies and 150 plastic surgery cases. They have also dispensed several hundred hearing aids to patients and provided diagnostic audiology services to many others. In addition, the team helps educate local healthcare professionals to improve the standard of care

Project EAR has grown exponentially since 1995, when four medical personnel—three surgeons and a nurse—made that first trip. These days, 18 volunteers, including several residents and fellows from the Department of Otolaryngology, staff four operating rooms. Most of the equipment and supplies used for their effort are donated or provided at cost from generous partners.

“It’s wonderful to provide this care to people in need,” Dr. Dodson says. “For example, sometimes we see children who have been labeled ‘deaf,’ and they’re being educated in schools for the deaf. But they aren’t deaf! They just need a hearing aid. You put that on them and watch them light

up—and the parents start crying. I’m a surgeon, but that’s as good as any surgery I would ever do.”

The mission trips have made a big impact, and Dr. Dodson feels the time is now to make that impact even bigger.

“We would like to have our own place and also establish a training program for otologic surgery,” Dr. Dodson says. “Right now, we do two trips per year. With our own facility, the hope would be to have many groups coming down each year, and these physicians would assist in the training of young otologic surgeons from all of Latin America, who would then return to their home countries to help the underserved persons there.”

Dr. Dodson is working with honor students in the Fisher College of Business to develop a marketing plan for the Project EAR foundation and determine what it would cost to build an outpatient clinic and surgical center.

“When we get an actual dollar amount, we can do a campaign. The next huge hurdle is fundraising,” he says.

Dr. Dodson estimates his plan could take about five years to complete. In the meantime, Project EAR will continue its biannual treks to do what they do best. This year, the team will head to the Dominican Republic again on November 10.

“We’ve done a lot of good and we’re happy with where we’ve come, but we have bigger goals,” Dr. Dodson says.

For more information please contact Will Kuhlman, Director of Development for the OSU Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, at [email protected].



Edward Dodson, MD leads a team of physicians in the Dominican Republic.

NEW HOUSE STAFF – OSU DEPARTMENT OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY 2012-2013

Otolaryngology PGY-1 Residents

Benjamin Bush, MD

Hometown: Mobile, AL

Undergraduate: University of Alabama in Huntsville, BS in Chemistry

Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine

Hobbies/Personal Interests: Racquetball, fishing, camping and travel

Azeem Kaka, MD

Hometown: Zanesville, OH

Undergraduate: Brown University, BS in Biomedical Engineering

Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine

Hobbies/Personal Interests: Tennis, snowboarding, cooking, backpacking, carpentry and beer home-brewing

Kyle McMullen, MD

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Undergraduate: Louisiana State University, BS in Biological Sciences

Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans

Hobbies/Personal Interests: Running, golf, racquetball and live music shows

Daniel Strigenz, MD

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania, BA in Health and Societies

Medical School: New York University School of Medicine

Hobbies/Personal Interests: Traveling, Green Bay Packers and pro football, soccer, snowboarding, reading and international health

Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery Fellow

Peter Dziegielewski, MD

Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Undergraduate: University of Calgary, BS

Medical School: University of Alberta

Residency: University of Alberta

Hobbies/Personal Interests: Snowboarding, hiking, playing guitar, music and travel

Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellow

Timothy McEvoy, MD

Hometown: Minnetonka, MN

Undergraduate: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, BS in Science, Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in French

Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

Residency: Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Hobbies/Personal Interests: Avid runner, competitive sailor, inline skater, backpacker, day hiker


SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY OFFERS ALLERGY PATIENTS A NEEDLE-FREE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL IMMUNOTHERAPY

It was the “allergic salute” that did it for Karen Calhoun, MD, FACS, FAAOA—that is, children, miserable with allergic rhinitis, arriving in her office with the palm of their hands to the tip of their itchy noses.

Dr. Calhoun is a professor in The Ohio State University Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Sinus and Allergy. She is one of the top otolaryngic allergists in the nation.

“These kids have a crease on their nose from pushing it up all the time,” Dr. Calhoun says. “They have big, blue circles under their eyes from their allergies, but no way will they tolerate shots.”

It was these wee ones who inspired Dr. Calhoun to become interested in offering allergy sufferers an alternative to traditional subcutaneous immunotherapy. The answer was a form of treatment practiced for decades in Europe but still little known in the United States: sublingual immunotherapy—allergy treatment delivered in the form of drops under the tongue.

That was nine years ago. Today, Dr. Calhoun reports that about three-fourths of her immunotherapy patients receive the drops instead of the shots, despite the fact that sublingual immunotherapy is not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and patients must pay out-of-pocket.

“We know it’s safe; it’s endorsed by the World Health Organization,” Dr. Calhoun says. “But the FDA considers it an off-label use, so insurance won’t cover it.”

Dr. Calhoun says the drops are proven to be effective and shares the story of one young patient whose life was totally changed by the treatment.

Patient A was an 8-year-old boy who had had allergy problems almost from birth. As a baby, he could not eat milk or eggs.

“At age six he began experiencing shortness of breath, and we started talking about shots—but he went ballistic over shots,” Dr. Calhoun remembers. “When we performed allergy skin testing, his arm lit up like a Christmas tree. He had seasonal and year-round allergies.”

“We started him on sublingual drops, and now he can actually play sports,” Dr. Calhoun says. “Before, he couldn’t even go outside because his nose would run like a faucet, and he would be clawing at his swollen, itchy eyes.”

The patient had also been at high risk for developing asthma, but two years after starting sublingual therapy he has shown no breathing symptoms.

Children are not the only ones who appreciate a needle-free alternative. Adults who travel frequently or whose jobs often cause them to miss their weekly allergy shot appointments enjoy the option to take their daily allergy treatment at home rather than in a doctor’s office. In addition, unlike subcutaneous vaccines, the drops do not have to be refrigerated.

Dr. Calhoun shares the story of one of her adult patients who experienced success with sublingual immunotherapy.

Patient B was a 28-year-old woman who enjoyed hiking with her sister. Unfortunately, every time she indulged in this hobby, there was a price to pay for both of them—runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing—all usually topped off by a sinus infection.

“When she came to our office, we performed allergy testing, which showed she had the whole spectrum of seasonal allergies,” says Dr. Calhoun.

“She elected to do the three-pronged approach: environmental control for her dust and mold sensitivity, medication to control the symptoms and immunotherapy to make a permanent change in the response of her immune system to these environmental allergens.”

“Ruth traveled frequently for her business and was not able to get to the office weekly for shots. She was relieved to find out that allergy drops (sublingual immunotherapy) would permit her to do her own daily immunotherapy at home or on the road, after receiving her first dose in our office. On her second follow-up, she came in chortling, ‘My sister and I went hiking yesterday, and for the first time, nothing happened to me! And my poor sister was still miserable!’”

The patient reported these gains after only six months of treatment.

“My mission is to help as many people as possible get relief from their allergies. If you hate shots, our testing and immunotherapy are needle-free,” she says.

There is currently no sublingual therapy available yet for food or venom allergies, but studies are underway.

“Immunotherapy is really a fascinating field where our scientific knowledge is always evolving as we learn better and more effective ways to relieve the misery of allergy sufferers,” offers Dr. Calhoun.



THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER RENAMED

In honor of one of The Ohio State University’s most committed leaders and benefactors, Leslie H. Wexner, The Ohio State University Medical Center was renamed in February 2012 as the Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University.

A 1959 graduate of Ohio State, Mr. Wexner’s undergraduate education was just the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the University. Mr. Wexner has served 16 years on The Ohio State University’s Board of Trustees. While Board chair, he was instrumental in launching the $1-billion expansion of Ohio State’s Medical Center.

As a founding member and the first chair of The Ohio State University Foundation Board, and later as a member of the University Campaign Steering Committee, Mr. Wexner became a driving force behind the growth of the University’s endowment, which now totals more than $2 billion.

Mr. Wexner’s philanthropic connection to Ohio State began three years after he graduated, when he made a five-dollar donation to the University. For more than 30 years,

Mr. Wexner and his affiliates have donated more than $200 million to the University, in addition to hundreds of millions more that Mr. Wexner has directly helped to raise.

In 2011, Mr. Wexner, his wife Abigail and the Limited Brands Foundation’s $100-million gift to Ohio State’s Medical Center, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) and the Wexner Center for the Arts, was the largest single donation in Ohio State’s history.

“I have often said that but for The Ohio State University, I would not have had an opportunity to receive a college degree,” Mr. Wexner says. “Attending this University changed my life, and I continue to witness the incredible potential it has for others as well. The Ohio State University Medical Center is one of the finest academic medical centers in the country. I have every confidence that the complex medical challenges confronting us today will be solved at Ohio State through the collaboration among researchers and scientists from a broad spectrum of specialties.”

TOPPING OUT CEREMONYThe Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University held a topping out ceremony on May 21, 2012, placing the final steel beam atop the new eco-friendly building that will house The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, part of the Ohio State’s Wexner Center Expansion. The beam was signed by thousands of staff and community members. Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee, JD, EdD; Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and CEO of Wexner Medical Center Steven Gabbe, MD; and Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and CEO of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute Michael A. Caliguiri, MD, were among the leaders to host the event.

Prior to the ceremony, Jay Kasey, senior vice president for Administration and Planning and David E. Schuller, MD, vice president for Medical Center Expansion and Outreach and

former Department of Otolaryngology Chair, spoke to public officials about construction details, projected economic growth and the benefits to the community.

The projected outcome is the creation of 10,000 new full-time jobs, the addition of $1.7 billion in economic impact in Ohio by 2015 and the ability to serve an additional 31,000 patients annually, meeting an expected 21 percent increase in admissions over the next 10 years.

The building also will house new facilities for Ohio State’s Critical Care Center and private rooms promoting natural light. There will be visual and physical access to green spaces—proven to have a positive impact on patient healing. The facility will also incorporate spaces for research and education. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2014.

Follow the Wexner Medical Center Expansion blog at: http://projectoneblog.osumc.edu.


Department of Otolaryngology I page 5 Department of Otolaryngology I page 6

WELLING RECEIVES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GRANT TO STUDY TOPICAL TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PERFORATION

An innovative clinical procedure that is the focus of a new U.S. Department of Defense grant could change the standard of care used to treat chronic tympanic membrane perforation (TMP).

D. Bradley Welling, MD, PhD has received a $1.5 million grant to study the affect of fibroblast growth factor-1 on the regeneration of TMP. Dr. Welling is chair and professor of The Ohio State University Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

“We’re very appreciative of the Department of Defense for making this funding available,” Dr. Welling says.

Tympanic membrane perforations are among the most common injuries suffered by military personnel wounded in combat explosions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Chronic TMP is also common among civilians as a result of infection, trauma or tympanostomy tube insertion. Problems associated with TMP include hearing loss, pain, infection, difficulty wearing hearing aids and other complications.

The current gold standard treatment for chronic TMP is surgery, and an estimated 150,000 tympanoplasties are performed in the U.S. annually. Complications may include facial nerve injury and balance disturbance. Following the three-hour surgery, patients endure at least a three-week recovery until the tympanic membrane is healed and up to three months before hearing may return. Some patients require repeated surgery.

Dr. Welling’s study explores the opportunity to avoid surgery by regenerating the tympanic membrane using fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1), a protein that stimulates division in a number of different cells such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells and keratinocytes. Receptors for four fibroblast growth factor types are found in the tympanic membrane, and FGF-1 can interact with any of these four receptors.

In Dr. Welling’s study, patients will receive the FGF-1 topically, administered on gelfoam inserted through the ear canal onto the eardrum. Preliminary studies on mice have shown that fibroblast growth factor is effective in healing wounds, and recent Japanese studies on humans using another member of the fibroblast growth factor family, FGF-2, resulted in more than 90 percent complete closure.

The Department of Defense grant, entitled “Fibroblast Growth Factor Regeneration of Tympanic Membrane Perforations,” runs from September 30, 2012 to September 29, 2016.

Enrollment of adult TMP patients for phase 1 of the study is expected to begin in January 2013. Dr. Welling’s co-investigator is Lt. Col. Mark Packer, MD, clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio School of Medicine and director of Neurotology and Cranial Base Surgery at the Lackland Air Force Base. Dr. Packer will help recruit patients from the military population.

Beth Miles-Markley is the clinical coordinator for the project.

“Beth has been a great advocate for this project and helped move it forward. We couldn’t do what we do without the whole team,” Dr. Welling said.

If successful, this study will change the paradigm for treatment of tympanic membrane perforations in military and civilian populations alike. Patients will enjoy complete recovery of tympanic membrane function without surgical intervention.

“Not only is it an important step in reducing patient discomfort and time for recovery, but it significantly reduces cost,” Dr. Welling said. “This procedure is critical in battlefield situations in which soldiers are injured, and TMP often results in hearing loss, making a dangerous situation even more hazardous. We hope it will help them return to their professions more quickly.”

For participation information, contact Beth Miles-Markley at [email protected]



Large tympanic membrane perforation

THE JOAN’S FOUNDATION DENTAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP DENTISTS ARE ON THE FRONT LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST ORAL CANCER BECAUSE EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES!

“It all started because of a conversation with my dentist,” says Melinda Fenholt Cogley.

It was her first appointment after starting her position as executive director of the newly formed Joan Levy Bisesi Foundation for Head and Neck Oncology Research. After telling her dentist about the foundation, he shared with Melinda that he had experience with diagnosing oral cancer, but had run into obstacles that were difficult to overcome. “Once, after giving a patient the bad news when a diagnosis was confirmed by an oral surgeon’s biopsy, he felt terrible as he just watched his patient go out the door. So he decided to make some phone calls to get an appointment for his patient with an oncologist,” Melinda says.

Because her dentist had no professional relationships in the cancer arena, it took many calls over several days and proved to be a frustrating process. He wanted more information about diagnosing oral cancer and knew his colleagues did too. That’s when Melinda realized she could do something—Joan’s Foundation could be a resource for dentists.

Melinda immediately went to Ted Teknos, MD, professor and vice chair of The Ohio State University Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, and director of Head and Neck Oncology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Dr. Teknos agreed that reaching out to the dental community could have a remarkable impact on awareness, early detection and treatment of HPV-related head and neck cancers.

Upon relaying the information, Melinda’s dentist quickly put her in touch with the director of the largest dental study club in central Ohio.

The next step was a presentation to the study club by Dr. Teknos about head, neck and oral cancer. “The dentists were riveted! I knew we were onto something,” Melinda says. As a result, the Joan’s Foundation Dental Community Partnership was born.

In response to the new venture, Teknos developed “Best Practices in Oral Cancer Screening and Diagnosis,” a continuing education (CE) workshop for dentists and dental specialists. Melinda went to work getting Joan’s Foundation approved by the Ohio State Dental Board as an accredited sponsor of continuing education, then spread the word to the dental community. In Spring 2012, 29 dentists, dental specialists and several cancer survivors attended their first workshop. When asked to share their stories, two survivors revealed they hadn’t been diagnosed until stage four. “Our belief is this partnership will lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for such patients,” says Dr. Teknos.

All 29 dental participants of that first workshop became Joan’s Foundation Dental Partners.

Of the many benefits in being a Joan’s Foundation Dental Partner, Melinda believes one of the most important is the ability to send photos of suspicious findings via the Joan’s Foundation website to The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute for analysis by a head and neck team surgeon. The Head and Neck Clinic is committed to scheduling patient appointments within 48 business hours. If a patient needs further treatment as a result of a photo analysis, the appointment is immediate.

“Early detection saves lives, and our dental partners’ patients can go from screening and diagnosis to an appointment with a member of ‘Team Head and Neck’ in a matter of days!” Melinda says.

Joan’s Foundation, in collaboration with Dr. Teknos and the head and neck oncology team, have developed several more CE workshops for dentists, dental specialists, hygienists and assistants and plan to continue their work in 2013.

To learn more about the Joan Levy Bisesi Foundation or the Dental Community Partnership, visit JoansFoundation.org.


ACTIVE RESEARCH FUNDING

Amit Agrawal, MD 12/01/2007-08/30/2012 NIH/NCI Food-Based Modulation of Biomarkers in Human Tissues at High-Risk for Oral Cancer

Pawan Kumar, MS, PhD 05/01/2011-04/30/2013 OSU-CCC-RISE Award Molecular Characterization of Invasive and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer. Project # 3: The role of IL-6 in head and neck tumor metastasis. This study is designed to test the hypothesis that IL-6 promotes tumor metastasis by inducing EMT-related changes in tumor cells, which facilitate tumor cell release, and protects tumor cells in circulation by inducing anoikis resistance.

Pawan Kumar, MS, PhD 08/02/2009-07/31/2012 NIH/NCI K-12 Scholar Award Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer: “Targeted therapies for head and neck cancers”

Susan Nittrouer, MD 12/01/1988-2/29/2016 NIH/NIDCD-R01 R01DC000633 The Ontogeny of segmental speech organization: The long-term goal of this research program is to develop a complete theoretical account of how children acquire access to segmental speech structure when there are no apparent landmarks for that structure in the acoustic signal.

Susan Nittrouer, MD 09/01/2003-02/28/2015 NIH/NICDC-R01 R01DC006237 Early development of children with hearing loss: The goal of this research project is to examine how children with hearing loss (HL) whose parents wish for them to be mainstreamed without a sign-language interpreter are faring in the early elementary grades.

Enver Ozer, MD 2012 Intuitive Surgical Clinical Robotics Research Grants Comparison of quality of life outcomes of TORS with non-surgical treatment regimens for oropharynx cancer.

Tony Shahin, PhD 2011-2012 Seed grant, OSU Center for Cognitive Science Neural mechanisms of speech segmentation

Tony Shahin, PhD 07/01/2010-6/30/2013 NIH/NIDCD-R03 R03DC011168 Development of electrophysiological auditory response to speech

Quintin Pan, PhD 07/01/2008-06/30/2012 American Cancer Society-Research Scholar Grant Mechanism of PKCε-induced Tumorigenesis in Head and Neck Cancer

Quintin Pan, PhD & Theodoros Teknos, MD 08/01/2008-05/31/2013 NIH/NCI-R01 R01CA135096 Role of PKCε (pkcepsilon) in Oral Cancer

Quintin Pan, PhD & Theodoros Teknos, MD 03/01/11-02/28/2013 CCC RISE Award Molecular Characterization of Invasive and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

Theodoros Teknos, MD 2008-2013 SPORE Project 1 Metronomic Small Molecular Inhibitor of Bcl-2 in Head and Neck Cancer Therapy

Theodoros Teknos, MD 01/2010-01/2014 NCCN AGRMT 01/13/10 OSU 09120 Use of vorinostat for definitive treatment of advanced stage oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma phase II clinical trial to determine the efficacy of vorinostat in oropharyngeal cancer.

Hua Hua Tong, PhD 07/01/2008-06/30/2013 NIH/NICDC-R01 R01DC009235 Complement in S.Pneumoniae Otitis Media: The long-term objectives of this proposal are to evaluate host-bacterial cell interrelationship with the purpose of developing strategies for blocking or immunizing against this interaction and thus preventing the development of OM.

Brad Welling, MD, PhD 12/01/2011-11/30/2013 Children’s Tumor Foundation Novel Treatments for NF2-Associated Schwannomas and Meningiomas



Brad Welling, MD, PhD 08/01/2012-07/31/2013 NF Midwest AR-42 Induced Cell Cycle Arrest in Schwannoma and Meningioma Cells

Brad Welling, MD, PhD 09/30/2012-08/29/2016 CDMRP, Department of Defense Fibroblast Growth Factor Regeneration of Tympanic Membrane Perforations

Gregory Wiet, MD 08/2011-07/2016 NIH/National Institute on Defense and Other Communicative Disorders R01DC011321-01A1 Virtual Temporal Bone Surgery: Defining and Translating Standardized Metrics

Kris Jatana, MD & Charles Elmaraghy, MD 05/01/2011-12/31/2012 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Technology Improving Tracheostomy Outcomes Development Fund

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

The Ohio State University launched a University-wide capital campaign in 2010 with the goal of raising a total of $2.5 billion. Within this, $1 billion is designated for Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center and $12 million for the Department of Otolaryngology.

To promote campaign efforts, Department Chair D. Bradley Welling, MD, PhD and Director of Development Will Kuhlman created an eight-person advisory board to serve as advocates in guiding the direction of the campaign. Attention was focused on the areas of Chair in Hearing and Balance, chair in Otolaryngology, Pediatric Speech and Hearing – Kids Hear Program, Fellowship and Residency Support and Research Support. Thanks to these efforts, the Department of Otolaryngology has been the fortunate beneficiary of several generous charitable donations this past year.

One notable contribution this year came from Kerrii Anderson, who is not only a respected member of the community, but is also a current advisory board member. Anderson’s endowment is an incredible demonstration of her commitment to Otolaryngology and its emerging research initiatives.

Other remarkable donations came from:

• Sandy Slomin in support of research in our Head and Neck Division

• Roland and Marie Thoms and the Advocure Organization in support of NF2 research

• Doug Barnes in support of the William H. Saunders Endowed Chair

• Arno Corporation in support of NF2 research

• Karl Storz for providing medical equipment needed for surgical skills training labs

• Medtronic for providing medical equipment needed for surgical skills training labs

These gifts play an important role in Otolaryngology’s ability to educate future physicians and to continue facilitating a direction of excellence in the department. Ohio State’s Department of Otolaryngology is an international leader in:

• The study of childhood deafness and language development

• the study and treatment of HPV-related head and neck cancer and other skull-base cancers

• the treatment of laryngeal cancer and vocal cord dysfunction

It is with immense gratitude that these contributions are accepted as we continue to strive for a better future in and through medicine.

To learn more about how you can make a difference, contact Will Kuhlman at [email protected].


Kerrii Anderson and Brad Welling, MD

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Department of Otolaryngology –

Head and Neck Surgery

Eye and Ear Institute 915 Olentangy River Road, Fourth FloorColumbus, OH 43212

614-366-3687

ent.osu.edu

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAIDColumbus, Ohio

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© 2012 The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center UHOS20120371

For the 20th year in a row, U.S.News & World Report ranked The Ohio State University Department of Otolaryngology as one of the best ear, nose and throat programs in the nation. The rankings are based on discharges, residents’ scores on national tests and reputation.

Of the more than 5,000 U.S. hospitals, our department advances by three to rank as 14th across the country. Additionally, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, home of our pediatric otolaryngology division, made the U.S.News & World Report Honor Role list.

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY RANKED AS ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST

CENTRAL OHIO’S BEST ADULT HOSPITALOSU WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

Winter Newsletter 2013

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Transcript of Winter Newsletter 2013