The feeling of being constantly unable to breathe can be agonizing, with significant implications for one’s quality of life. While medications may provide relief to many, some patients experience persistent sinus issues that require an expert approach and more advanced interventions.
The field of Rhinology is dedicated to solutions for nasal and sinus conditions – helping patients breathe easier with the most effective and up-to-date options. Last September, UTMB’s Department of Otolaryngology added this expertise to its roster with the hiring of Scott Hardison, MD.
“One big distinction with seeing a fellowship-trained Rhinologist is, we have the enhanced capability to take someone who doesn't feel like they'll ever be better from a nasal standpoint and actually get them to where they want to be,” he says.
Dr. Hardison sees patients with a variety of conditions related to the nose and sinuses. He specializes in the treatment of nasal obstruction, recurrent and chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps, smell/taste disorders, nose bleeds, and benign/malignant tumors of the skull base. He can also provide comprehensive care to patients who have failed prior sinus surgery.
An MD graduate of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Dr. Hardison completed his Otolaryngology internship and residency at Virginia Commonwealth University. He returned to his home state, North Carolina, and entered a general ENT practice that provided comprehensive care for much of the eastern part of the state.
Upon being selected to be Director of Allergy for the clinic, Dr. Hardison pursued additional allergy training through the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA). Through this experience, he uncovered a new passion.
“During that process I really found that I had a love of Rhinology in dealing with the nose and the sinuses and the nasal airway,” Dr. Hardison says. “I always enjoyed that in residency, but as I did that additional allergy training and as I was able to implement that into my general practice, I really found that that's what got me the most excited.”
This revelation led Dr. Hardison to make a big life change and pursue an Advanced Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery fellowship at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine, an institution renowned for its rhinology program and skull base expertise.
There he enjoyed the opportunity to take on more complex cases, to be able to help sicker patients, and to collaborate with other specialties. It also reminded him how much he thrived in an academic setting. As he explored faculty positions for his next move after training, he found that UTMB was the right fit for his interests and expertise.
“One thing that got me especially excited about this program was that our Department of Otolaryngology collaborates with the Aerospace Medicine program, and that opened up some interesting research and clinical opportunities to help contribute to the space program,” he says. Dr. Hardison’s research interests include the effects of spaceflight on the nose and sinuses.
With two clinic locations, he provides some in-office procedures, and he performs surgeries at UTMB’s Galveston, League City, and Clear Lake hospitals. The procedures he performs range from straightforward to highly complex.
On the more straightforward end, he names septoplasty and turbinate reductions to improve the nasal airway, including radiofrequency ablation (known as VivAer) to treat the internal nasal valve. He also performs all types of sinus surgeries, including revisions.
“Some patients may have had sinus surgery years ago and maybe aren't quite where they want to be symptomatically,” he says. “I can take a look inside their nose by doing a nasal endoscopy in the clinic, and I can see where there might be some areas for improvement. We can also do CT scanning to evaluate the sinuses.”
He has also worked alongside colleagues from Neurosurgery, Radiation Oncology, Hematology/Oncology to treat benign and malignant tumors of the sinuses, pituitary, and anterior skull base.
Dr. Hardison collaborates with Dr. Farrah Siddiqui, his colleague in Otolaryngology, to treat individuals with allergy and inflammation issues. He says a Rhinology consult can be beneficial for anyone whose breathing difficulties are not controlled by simple interventions like medication.
“There's a lot of nuance within allergy treatment. It may range from nasal rinses and nasal sprays all the way up to surgical intervention. It might involve allergy testing and immunotherapy,” Dr. Hardison says. “If medications are not doing the trick, there is really no disadvantage to coming to see us.” | Scott Hardison, MD, sees patients at the UTMB Health ENT Clinics in League City and Galveston. Learn more about nasal and sinus care services at UTMB Health. |