Andrew J McWhorter
Dr. McWhorter is a Professor in the LSUHSC Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in New Orleans Louisiana and is the Director of the Our Lady of the Lake-LSU Voice Center in Baton Rouge. He completed his residency at Johns Hopkins and his Laryngollogy Fellowship at Vanderbilt. His practiec encompasses the breadth of laryngology with a focus in conservation laryngeal surgery. His research is conducted with Dr. Melda Kunduk and the LSU Voice Laboratory in high speed digital imaging and acoustic analysis.
Sessions
One case. Many options. Plenty of opinions.
Zenker’s diverticulum can be treated in several ways—and experienced surgeons do not always agree on which approach is best. Starting with a foundational case, this fast-moving session will explore the full spectrum of treatment through short questions, practical pearls, and candid “hot takes” from an experienced international faculty.
In just 30 minutes, we will cover a lot of ground: patient selection, open and endoscopic approaches, technical controversies, difficult anatomy, recurrence, complications, and what our faculty actually do in practice. Expect clear opinions, friendly disagreement, and useful takeaways rather than a series of traditional lectures.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
Compare the major treatment options for Zenker’s diverticulum.
Identify the patient and anatomic factors that guide selection of an approach.
Recognize areas of agreement—and ongoing controversy—among experienced surgeons.
Apply practical faculty insights to challenging cases, recurrence, and complications.
My title: PGA sheet sealing to prevent scarring after vocal fold mucosal resection. I will talk about our approach using a clinically available polyglycolic acid, or PGA, sheet to prevent vocal fold scarring after mucosal resection. The main question is whether this wound-sealing material can help preserve vocal fold vibration and postoperative voice.