Division of Otology, Neurotology, Lateral Skull Base Surgery

Otology and Neurotology is a branch of ENT (Otolaryngology) which deals with disorders of the ear, base of the skull, and nerves which connect the ear and brain. At the Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, adults and children with disorders of the ear are treated by physician-surgeon experts dedicated solely to the medical and surgical treatment of otology/neurotology conditions such as: hearing loss, dizziness, infections and inflammatory disorders of the ear, congenital malformations of the ear, and tumors of the ear, base of skull, and cranial nerves.

Our division is led by P. Ashley Wackym, MD and Scott Shapiro, MD, nationally and internationally recognized experts in the field who are highly published researchers on neurotology conditions. They treat both children and adults. Often patients are referred by other ENT physicians due to the complex and highly specialized skillset required for ear and skull base conditions. Though most patients are successfully treated without surgery, Dr. Wackym and Shapiro have extensive experience and expertise in specialized surgeries such as cochlear implants, bone conduction implants, and vestibular schwannoma microsurgical resection.

What conditions do they treat?
What treatment might they recommend?