Our Services

A family-centered surgical program

The Aerodigestive Center’s family-centered model reduces the burden on patients and their families as they juggle multiple clinic visits, diagnostic tests and operating room procedures that are often required in the management of complex airway and esophageal disease.

To most effectively and compassionately assist families, the Aerodigestive Center provides:

  • Assistance from a caring and personable scheduler.
  • A pre-visit phone interview with a specialized nurse practitioner.
  • A complete review of medical records.
  • Comprehensive same-day visits in one clinic space with experts from fields including otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, pediatric surgery, and speech language pathology.
  • If needed, diagnostic testing, including swallow studies, breathing evaluations, chest imaging, laboratory tests and sleep studies.
  • Coordinated medical procedures that minimize the need for multiple sedation and anesthetic exposures.
  • A team consensus that features a working diagnosis, an explanation of treatment options and a comprehensive and organized treatment plan.
  • Consultations with other services such as social workers and nutritionists, available if needed.
  • An approach that has the ability to reduce overall procedural costs; increase the precision, efficiency, and quality of care; and minimize time off from work and school for patients and their family.

Voice and Swallowing Program

Stanford Children’s Health is also home to the Pediatric Voice and Swallowing Program, one of the most advanced specialty clinics in California. Otolaryngologists and speech pathologists in this clinic use modern techniques and software to analyze the child’s voice, assess swallowing function and diagnose and treat the child’s condition. Practitioners in this clinic often work closely with the pediatric aerodigestive team throughout every step of your child’s care.

Learn more about our Voice and Swallowing Program >

Services

Otolaryngology

  • Flexible laryngoscopy
  • Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing
  • Laryngeal stroboscopy
  • Microdirect laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy
  • Microlaryngeal phonosurgery
  • Surgical treatment of upper airway obstruction or sleep apnea
  • Surgical treatment of tracheal stenosis
  • Complex laryngotracheal reconstruction
  • Tracheostomy training and follow up support

Speech Language Pathology

  • Instrumental Evaluation of Swallow (VFSS and/or FEES)
  • Clinical Feeding Evaluation
  • Evaluation of Voice, Resonance, and Speech
  • Instrumental Evaluation of Voice/Resonance:
    • Acoustic/aerodynamic measures of voice resonance
    • Videostroboscopy of vocal fold function
    • Nasoendoscopy of velopharyngeal function

Gastrointestinal

  • Enteral nutrition training and follow-up support
  • Evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux
  • Endoscopic evaluation of gastrointestinal tract
  • Gastrointestinal tract imaging

Pediatric General Surgery

  • Anti-reflux procedures
  • Gastrostomy tube placement
  • Surgical treatment of achalasia (dilation, laparoscopic myotomy, PerOral Endoscopic myotomy-POEM)
  • Thoracoscopic and open tracheoesophageal atresia repair
  • Esophageal dilations
  • Esophageal reconstruction
  • Redo esophageal and gastric operations
  • Thoracoscopic and open pulmonary lobectomy

Pulmonary

  • Airway clearance treatment training and follow-up support
  • Assisted ventilation
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Lung function testing and exercise laboratory
  • Lung imaging
  • Oxygen therapy
  • Sleep studies (Polysomnograms)