Cayman ENT Associates is a comprehensive ear, nose and throat (ENT) practice in Grand Cayman under the direction of board certified otolaryngologist Dr. Glatz. Dr. Glatz provides specialized care by experienced professionals who are familiar with the sensitive disorders of these areas.
Our daily lives are greatly affected by the way our senses function. Any irregular activity can affect your ability to live your life normally. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists diagnose and treat a variety of conditions including:
| Ear & Throat | Pediatrics | Nose | Allergy |
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We also provide treatment options such as head and neck surgery.
Please call us today for more information or to set up an appointment. Telephone (345) 945-3822.
Dr. Glatz grew up in Springfield, Illinois and graduated from Illinois College with the honor of “Most Likely to Succeed in Medical Sciences” in 1969. He graduated from Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray Medical School in 1973, and completed his Surgery and Otolaryngology training at Wake Forest University, North Carolina Baptist Hospital. He is board-certified in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, with additional certifications Otolaryngic Allergy.
Dr. Glatz practiced general otolaryngology in North Carolina from 1978 until 1996. He was previously Chief of Staff at Stokes-Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Chairman of the section of Otolaryngology at Forsyth Memorial Hospital and Chief of Staff at Hawthorne Surgical Center in North Carolina. He maintains interests in allergic, nasal and sinus surgery, and pediatric ENT.
As an active member of the medical community, Dr. Glatz has served as President of Cayman Islands Medical and Dental Society and is a member of Cayman Islands Health Insurance Commission.
Dr. Glatz is experienced in pre-hospital Emergency Care, having been the Medical Director of Stokes County Emergency Medical Services for 20 years. He developed knowledge of forensic medicine as a Medical Examiner in North Carolina, having been appointed as Medical Examiner in Catawba, Stokes and Forsyth counties.
As an experienced pilot, certified to the level of Airline Transport Pilot (B737), Dr. Glatz has extensive knowledge of Aviation Medicine and is a Consultant to the Federal Air Surgeon of the United States. He has also been appointed Lead Subject Matter Specialist in Otolaryngology for the Civil Aviation Medical Institute of the Federal Aviation Authority (USA). As a Master Scuba Diver Instructor, Dr. Glatz has worked at length with both free divers and scuba divers in Diving Medicine.
Memberships:
Hearing aids are a common non-invasive treatment option for hearing loss. A hearing aid is a small electronic device that is worn in or behind your ear and amplifies sounds so they can be heard better and listening and communicating with others is made simpler. The device consists of a microphone, amplifier and speaker. The sounds are received through the microphone and then increased in power by the amplifier, which then sends the signals to the ear through a speaker.
Hearing aids magnify sounds based on the severity of a patient's hearing loss. Hair cells within the ear detect these magnified sounds and convert them into signals to pass to the brain. There is a limit on how much amplification can be given to sounds, so hearing aids are not for everyone.
There are 3 basic s of hearing aids that vary in size, placement and degree of amplification. Determining which is best for you depends on the severity of your hearing loss.
Aside from the different s, hearing aids also work in different ways depending on how they are programmed electronically.
You can talk with your doctor to decide which type of hearing aid is best for you. Most manufacturers allow for a 30-60 day trial period to make sure that your hearing can benefit from a hearing aid. They can be a costly investment, but many people are willing to pay the price to relieve hearing loss and be able to communicate with others.
People with sleep apnea stop breathing while they sleep, sometimes hundreds of times per night, and sometimes for a minute or longer. Sleep apnea affects about 18 million people of all ages in the U.S. and takes three forms: obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common form, occurs when the soft tissue at the back of the throat closes, blocking (obstructing) the person’s airway. The airway remains open in central sleep apnea, but the brain does not send signals to the muscles involved in breathing. Mixed sleep apnea combines aspects of the obstructive and central types. A common warning sign of sleep apnea is snoring (especially snoring interspersed with gasps or lack of breathing) although it is not always as a result of sleep apnea.
A myringotomy is a surgical procedure in which a small incision is made in the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to remove fluid such as blood, pus, or water from the middle ear. The fluid is usually caused by an infection or allergies. In many cases, a small ear tube is inserted into the eardrum to maintain the drainage.
A myringotomy is performed to relieve pressure due to chronic fluid buildup in the middle ear that has not responded to other treatments. Although some adults may undergo this operation, myringotomies are most often performed on children. The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis with a general anesthetic. Some adults may only require a local anesthetic.
Tympanometry is a diagnostic procedure that examines the middle ear by applying varying air pressure in the ear canal to see how the ear responds. A probe is inserted into the ear to change the air pressure and produce a tone by making the ear drum move back and forth. The responses are then measured. The patient may not speak, move, or swallow during the test because these actions can affect the ear pressure.
Tympanometry measures the functionality of the ear drum, or tympanic membrane, by measuring the ear's response to sound and different pressures. Abnormal results may be the result of fluid in the middle ear, perforated or scarred ear drum, impacted ear wax, a tumor, or lack of contact between the conduction bones of the middle ear.
A tonsillectomy is the surgical removal of the tonsils (two oval-shaped pads located in the back of the throat on each side). A tonsillectomy is needed when an individual has recurring episodes of tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils) or an infection that has not gotten better with other treatment. In some cases, a tonsillectomy may be performed if enlarged tonsils block normal breathing. This can lead to problems such as sleep apnea and difficulty eating. Occasionally, a tonsillectomy may be performed to treat cancer.
A tonsillectomy is much more common for children than for adults. The surgery is most often an outpatient procedure and uses a general anesthetic for children. Adults may require only a local anesthetic to numb the area.
An adenoidectomy is the surgical removal of the adenoid glands. Adenoids are small lumps of tissue in the back of the throat that help fight ear, nose, and throat infections. The majority of adenoidectomies are performed in children. The adenoids usually shrink by adolescence, so adults rarely undergo the procedure.
An adenoidectomy may be needed if the adenoids become infected and swell up, blocking the nose and making it difficult to breathe. Swollen adenoids may also result in sleep apnea, chronic snoring, ear infections, and difficulty swallowing. Adenoidectomies are usually performed on an outpatient basis using a general anesthetic.
Swollen adenoids are often associated with tonsillitis and may be removed as part of an operation to remove the tonsils. This procedure is called an adenotonsillectomy.
Located in front of the ears, the parotid glands are one of the body’s major salivary glands. They extend to the area beneath the earlobe along the lower border of the jawbone. Of all the salivary glands, about 80 percent of all tumors are found in the parotid glands. Most parotid gland tumors are noncancerous.
Parotidectomy is the surgical removal of a parotid gland. The paratoid gland is typically removed because of a tumor, a chronic infection, or a blocked saliva gland. A number of tumors can develop in the parotid gland. Many of these are tumors that have spread from other areas of the body, entering the parotid gland through the lymphatic system. Among the tumors seen in the parotid gland are lymphoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
A bronchoscopy is a diagnostic procedure used to examine the airways of the lungs, called the bronchi and bronchioles, for any abnormalities or to determine the cause of symptoms such as bleeding, difficulty breathing or a chronic cough. This procedure can diagnose lung disease, remove objects blocking the airway, evaluate and treat growths, control bleeding and treat cancer.
Bronchoscopy is performed with a bronchoscope, a long, thin tube with a camera and light on the end that is fed through the mouth to the airways in order to examine the throat, larynx, trachea and lungs for any abnormalities. Your doctor can view the area in real time on a video monitor as he controls the bronchoscope.
An esophagoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used to diagnose and treat conditions of the esophagus. This procedure can identify diseases of the esophagus, determine the cause of symptoms, remove growths and swallowed objects or stretch narrowed areas.
This procedure uses an esophagoscope, which is a thin tube with a light and camera on the end that is fed through the mouth to the esophagus. Your doctor is able to view the area in real time on a video monitor in order to identify any abnormalities in the area that may be causing difficulty breathing, swallowing or eating.
Consultation for free dive and pressure problems including Barotrauma.
Vestibular evaluation is a variety of tests used to examine and diagnose the vestibular portion of the inner ear, which is responsible for balance. These tests can determine find the cause of dizziness, and help patients find the most effective treatment. Some vestibular tests include:
Mastoid surgery, known as a mastoidectomy, is the surgical removal of an infected portion of the mastoid bone (the prominent bone behind the ear) when medical treatment is not effective. Although this surgery is considered rare today because of the effective use of antibiotics, it is still used in unresponsive or very severe cases.
Mastoidectomy is performed to remove infected air cells within the mastoid bone caused by mastoiditis, ear infections, or cholesteatoma (an inflammatory disease of the middle ear). The air cells are open spaces containing air that are located throughout the mastoid bone. They are connected to a cavity in the upper part of the bone which is connected to the middle ear. Infections in the middle ear can therefore spread through the mastoid bone, making surgery necessary if antibiotics do not work. A mastoidectomy may also be performed to repair paralyzed facial nerves.
The ear is made up of three basic parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The middle ear is an air-filled cavity which consists of an eardrum and three tiny, interconnected bones called the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. Middle ear surgery is used to treat a variety of conditions in any of these parts. Most ear surgery is microsurgical, performed using an operating microscope to enable the surgeon to view the very small structures of the ear.
Types of middle ear surgery include stapedectomy to repair hearing loss by replacing a middle ear bone with a prosthesis; tympanoplasty to reconstruct the eardrum after partial or total conductive hearing loss caused by an infection; myringotomy to drain ear fluid, preventing infection and normalizing middle ear pressure; repair of a perforated eardrum; and removal of middle ear tumors.
Minimally invasive laser surgery for middle ear procedures is increasing in popularity. Laser surgery reduces trauma, improves blot clotting, and allows the surgeon to operate more easily on hard to reach places in the middle ear.
Although children are often affected by the same ear, nose and throat conditions as adults, they often require special care to treat these complex conditions.Children are often more susceptible to ENT conditions and are commonly affected by chronic ear infections, tonsillitis, congenital defects, voice and speech disorders, sleep apnea and more.Our doctors are specially trained to diagnose and treat the unique conditions that affect children.We strive to provide the most effective treatment while taking into consideration the comfort of our patients and concerns of their parents.
Endoscopic sinus surgery, also known as sinoscopy, is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to remove blockages in the sinuses for recurring or non-responsive sinus infections.
During the procedure, a thin lighted tube with a camera on the end is inserted into the nose to let the doctor visually examine the area. Tiny surgical instruments are then inserted to remove the obstructive tissues. Endoscopic sinus surgery does not require any incision, as the whole procedure is performed through the nostrils. Most procedures are performed on an outpatient basis and patients can go home the same day.
Most patients experience a major relief in symptoms such as facial pain and swelling, difficulty breathing and headaches. Aside from sinus surgery, endoscopic sinus surgery can also treat a deviated septum, polyps or tumors.
One of the most common plastic surgery procedures, rhinoplasty is performed to reshape, reduce or augment a person’s nose, remove a hump, narrow nostril width, change the angle between the nose and the mouth, or to correct injury, birth defects, or other problems that affect breathing. Results depend on the patient’s nasal bone and cartilage structure, facial shape, skin thickness and age (teenagers should have had their growth spurt). Insurance may cover rhinoplasty if it is done for reconstructive or medical reasons, but likely not for cosmetic purposes.
Rhinoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure performed under either local or general anesthesia and lasts one to two hours unless more extensive work needs to be done.
Surgeons use one of two techniques: the incision is either made within the nostrils, thus hiding scars after surgery, or across the columella (the vertical strip of tissue separating the nostrils) in an "open" procedure, where scars are small and hidden on the underside of the base. In both procedures the skin is lifted, the bone and cartilage sculpted, and the skin replaced and stitched closed.
For a short time after surgery you may experience puffiness, nose ache or a dull headache, some swelling and bruising, bleeding or stuffiness. Most patients feel like themselves within two days and return to work in about a week. Contact lenses can be worn immediately but glasses will have to be taped to your forehead or propped on your cheeks for up to seven weeks.
Complications are rare and, when they occur, minor. These may include infection, nosebleed, or a reaction to the anesthesia.
Septoplasty is a surgical procedure to correct defects or deformities of the septum. The nasal septum is the separation between the two nostrils. In adults, it is composed of both cartilage and bone. The nasal septum has three functions: support the nose, regulate air flow, and support the mucous membranes of the nose. A number of medical conditions may indicate a need for the procedure including nasal air passage obstruction, a deviated septum, tumors, chronic and uncontrolled nosebleeds, or the presence of polyps, etc. Additionally, a septoplasty may be performed in conjunction with a rhinoplasty in order to ensure that the reshaping of the nose does not result in a reduction of the amount of breathing space.
Patients who receive septoplasty can usually return home the same day or in the morning after following surgery. Risks or complications are relatively rare. Recovery symptoms may include bleeding, swelling, bruising, or discoloration.
Nasal polyps are a common condition that involves localized swelling in the nose or opening of the sinuses that develop as a result of chronic nasal and sinus inflammation. While not usually cancerous, polyps cause nasal obstruction, breathing difficulties and frequent sinus infections. Many polyps can be decreased in size through medication, but others may require more advanced treatment.
A polypectomy is a surgical procedure that completely removes polyps to relieve symptoms and reduce the chance of recurrence. This procedure can be performed in your doctor’s office with a small mechanical suction device or a microdebrider. After removal, a biopsy of the polyp is taken to make sure it was not cancerous.
After a polypectomy, patients can return to work and other regular activities right away. You may be given a nasal douche and nasal steroids to help keep the area clear and prevent the polyps from quickly returning.
Millions of people are affected by allergies each year, a common condition that causes mild but irritating symptoms of the eyes, nose and throat. Allergies are an abnormal response of the immune system triggered by a typically harmless substance, and each person may be affected by a different substance. It is important to determine the specific substances, known as triggers, which cause your allergic reactions. Identifying the specific cause of your symptoms lets you avoid these triggers as often as possible to reduce the frequency of symptoms.
There are several different tests available to determine the specific cause of allergies:
Skin tests involve placing or injecting certain possible allergens on the skin for a period of time to see if a reaction develops. These allergens can be taped, scratched, pricked or injected into the skin and then observed after 24 to 72 hours for any signs of a reaction. These tests are very sensitive, but may require extensive testing in order to determine specific triggers.
