Otorhinolaryngology for Children

Our Team      Photogallery

A brief overview of the Otorhinolaryngology for Children Specialized Center

At the Specialized Center of Otorhinolaryngology for Children, we ensure diagnosis and conservative treatment of the ENT diseases in children from 0 to 18 years of age. As the leader of the Czech pediatric otorhinolaryngology, we provide care for complicated and complex pediatric cases.

Annually, we provide around 2,000 surgeries and 19,500 outpatient examinations. The number increases per each year.

Our center focuses on super-specialized operations in the areas of cochlear implants or cases of  facial cleft defects in new-born patients.

How will your detailed schedule look like? What kind of surgeries, procedures, methods or treatment can you observe? Check what can you see by shadowing every member of the mentoring team.

Is this specialty placement ideal for you?

  • This placement is ideal for you if you are interested in a surgical specialty in the pediatric field as shadowing the mentoring team allow you to discover super-specialized surgical methods and procedures as well as the diagnostic ones. Check the daily schedule of your mentoring team to learn about the variety of the described fields.
  • This placement is a great opportunity for those of you, who want to become pediatricians one day. If you are interested in the ENT in adult patients, we suggest the option of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery.
  • When you are uncertain about your desired profession, but you are interested in this specialty, applying for placement in both sections of the hospital is an ideal solution.

Let's take a closer look at the specialties…

Our center covers a comprehensive spectrum of examination and treatment of diseases in the ENT and head and neck surgery fields. The otorhinolaryngology specialty deals with medical and surgical management and treatment of patients with disorders and diseases of the structures of ear, nose, and throat. The head and neck surgery focus on the areas where our most important senses as smell, sight, and hearing as well as our face are. 

Thanks to the top-notch equipment and the interdepartmental cooperation, our team can focus on the development of skills and knowledge base in super-specialties such as the treatment of tumors and congenital defects in the ENT area. We provide the phoniatric and logopedic care during the rehabilitation process as well as the diagnostics of the hearing disorders of newborn babies to older pediatric patients.

In the neonatal patients, we perform plastic surgeries in cases of facial cleft defects. And we focus as well on the sleeping disorders in children. One of the most exciting parts of our work is the super-specialized focus that we can offer to our patients whom colleagues send us from the whole Czech Republic, especially in the difficult cases to diagnose and also in cases of difficult curable diseases.

Our center is accordingly divided into the following sections – Operating Rooms, Inpatient wards where parents can partially accompany their children, ICU, Outpatient wards and Super-specialized centers.

We receive the patients who are candidates for endocrinological surgeries from the whole Czech Republic to the Center of surgical treatment of endocrinological diseases. Among our patients are children as well as adolescent patients and we have reached excellent results worldwide.

BAHA Implants Center is our flagship where patients can undergo a unique application of bone hearing aid during which a part of it is embedded into the skull behind the ear. After the osseointegration, a special external hearing aid can be connected. As a result, it provides significantly better auditory perception for indicated patients than conventional bone hearing aids.

One of the unique departments within our specialized center is the Department of Phoniatrics and super-specialized Center for Cochlear Implants in Children (the only one within the Czech Republic). We select from our patients the candidates for cochlear implants and we work with them intensely during the pre-operative and post-operative care as they require speech therapy and psychological care including rehabilitation. 

We perform around 1,000 endoscopies per year in the Endoscopic Center especially in the most difficult cases in the whole country, where we cooperate with our colleagues from the Children's Heart Center, too.

In the specialized outpatient wards the patients come for regular check-ups, to undergo diagnostic methods, and treatment procedures in the following areas:

  • Otorhinosurgery
  • Audiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Clinical evaluation of candidates for cochlear implants and the follow-up rehabilitation
  • Baha implants assessment
  • Developmental defects of the neck and the head
  • Monitoring of glandular swelling
  • Phoniatry
  • Lymphangia and haemangioma of the head and neck
  • Diagnostics of extraesophageal reflux disease
  • GERD diagnostics
  • Somnology
  • Plastic surgery

Who do we take care of?

We take care of children from newborns to young people who are 18 years old. Our patients require the treatment of the ear, nose, throat, and head and neck conditions. We cooperate closely with the pediatric Specialized Center of Child Oncology and thanks to the capable and experienced members of our team we are able to treat ENT oncologic diseases in children with setting up standards of care at the European level. 

We use the diagnostic and surgical methods in endoscopic examinations of the larynx, tracheobronchial tree, and esophagus. A part of our patients suffers from the congenital defects such as the hypacusia or deformities and malformations of the external ear, ear canal, middle ear and inner ear and other areas. Have a look at the information about our super-specialized centers and methods and procedures.

Our methods and procedures

Among our newest treatment methods and procedures, you can observe, are:

  • Double-sided cochlear implants
  • The therapy of choanal atresia with the help of BD stent
  • Laryngotracheal reconstruction using LT-Mold stents Monnier
  • Esophageal pH-impedance measurement
  • Application of the BAHA system in clinical practice
  • The implementation of a high-frequency tympanometry in routine treatment of the tympanic cavity in the youngest children, where conventional devices show false negative results
  • Polysomnography monitoring (PSG)
  • A new diagnostic method on the basis of DPOAE – CochleaScan and the use of the bone (BC) module in the technology of the SSEP measurement were introduced. Both methods significantly contribute to refined acoustic diagnostics in youngest children.
  • Facial cleft defects program in newborns. The early detection and treatment of secretory otitis symptoms in children with cleft defects.
  • Establishment of a multidisciplinary working group for complex surgical and conservative solutions of lymphangiomas and head and neck hemangiomas
  • Neolaser has been in use with special ENT applications

And there’s so much more of what you can see!

How does the usual schedule look like?

  • You will spend at least 25 hours each week in the hospital, though the hours differ for each student. The specific number of hours depends on your mentors’ shifts and on your approach to the specialty. The hours spent in the hospital will differ daily according to the schedule and length of surgeries and other procedures. Always ask your mentor when and where you should meet him or her for the following day and you can also ask about their itinerary so you are prepared. 

If you are not sure whether this choice is suitable for you, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will discuss your experience and motivation and come up with the best solution for you.

Our Team


Photo Jan Šibík

Lucie Bukovčanová

Pediatric Nurse

Nurse


I have to admit that the choice of the ENT specialty was a coincidence. When I returned from abroad, I knew I wanted to continue with my career in healthcare and to work in a pediatric specialty. One of the free vacancies was here at the Specialized Center of ENT for Children. It is an ideal combination of internal medicine and surgery, and that is why I immediately liked the work, and I do not regret the decision ever since.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

My mom is a pediatric nurse, and I visited her very often at work. I liked her profession, and it influenced me while deciding on my future. I always inclined to work with children. That is why I was hesitating between the career of a teacher and a nurse, but nursing school was the final decision. I became a general nurse with an attestation in pediatrics which I finished while working.

The unpredictability of how the day at work will look like and that a relatively calm shift can change into the adrenalin boost is a side of my profession that I appreciate. You can observe and experience it yourself in the biggest hospital in Central Europe. As a little bonus that happens in one of the most beautiful European cities. 

What do I love the most about my specialty?

I like the diversity of my profession. Otorhinolaryngology covers the internal and surgical field, and our specialized center is the top workplace in the Czech Republic. The patients come to us from the whole country. What I enjoy personally is the daily challenge of gaining the trust of the child and the parents. The unpredictability of how the day at work will look like and that a relatively calm shift can change into the adrenalin boost is a side of my profession that I appreciate. It fulfills me to help the patients on their way to recovery and help them from pain. As a collective of nurses and doctors, we have all these things in common, and we support and help each other. 

What can you see by shadowing our team?

You will shadow me during the morning ward rounds when I assist the check-ups and any follow-up procedures. You will be able to help during the transfers to the OR which are not that easy with children. Everything requires patience and a reasonable level of communication with the parents. We will do the physiological measurement, examine the patient after the OR transfer and navigate the parents of the child on the post-operative tasks. We will feed the patients with the nasogastric tube, insert the peripheral catheter, prepare and administer the medication. We will take the blood and other biological samples and assist with endoscopic examinations.

A specific part of care is the manipulation of the tracheostomy tube in children. What you will realize soon during the shadowing is the necessary ability and importance of cooperation and communication with patients apart from the one with your patients. The parents' comfort is essential for the treatment process, too. The content of my tasks differs according to the type of my shift. During the night shift, apart from taking the care of our patients, we prepare the department for the next day's plan. 

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

I like to do sports in my free time. I love to read a good book, watch a movie or be with my family and friends. 

My motto…

Every day is just once in a lifetime.

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Michal Jurovčík

Head of the Otorhinolaryngology for Children Department

Doctor


I started to work at our Specialized Center in 1992 and since the year 2008, I am the head of the Otorhinolaryngology for Children Department. Another part of my job is also teaching the Czech and international medical students within the 2nd Medical Faculty of Charles University. My interests are also academic career and research on the national and international level. I am the member of the Committee for Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic and also the member of the European Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology. 

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

My father was a doctor, biochemist at the Czech Academy of Sciences, and my mother was a pharmacist. So healthcare was not an unknown area and to study medicine was a logical choice to me. During my studies at the medical faculty, I change the preferences of the future field very often as my fellow students. It was always the specialty I attended that was my favorite one. But in the course of time, I realized I would like to continue in a surgical specialty. The Otorhinolaryngology interested me since I was a student and even though I am not a pediatrician, I didn't hesitate for a bit and accepted the vacancy at the ENT for Children Specialized Center in the University Hospital in Motol.

Step by step during my professional career I focused on endoscopic approach regarding the congenital defects of the respiratory tract and swallowing disorders, the problematics of cochlear implants and the diagnostics of the hearing disorders of newborn babies and in the last year the cooperation with plastic surgeons in cases of facial cleft surgery.

A prominent hospital in a relatively small country has enormous positives. Come and experience them. Otorhinolaryngology is a vibrant medical field.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

Otorhinolaryngology is a vibrant medical field. It covers conservative treatment, surgeries, super-specialties and outpatient wards. Its variety is unique. The pediatric otorhinolaryngology has many specifics, and in the last years, enormous progress was made in the endoscopic possibilities of treatment. It deals with two primary senses - hearing and smell. In the sphere of diagnostics and treatment of hearing disorders, we reach an immense step forward in cochlear implants. Today it is a routine solution for kids under two years of age. The treatment of congenital defects in the aerodigestive tract is another of our domains where we cooperate closely with other specialists.

The results of our work are sometimes instant; sometimes it is a solution in the long run. There is a lot of action in the ENT area; the urgent cases are a regular part of our work tasks - foreign bodies, chemical burns, traumas in the facial area, breathing problems or acute bleeding. Another part is the facial cleft cases where thanks to our work newborns are leaving the obstetrics department with an already corrected cosmetic defect. The most challenging part is always the work with people and the communication on all the levels you can imagine. If that works well, your profession can be a hobby for you.  

What can you see by shadowing our team?

My working day starts before 7 am to do the necessary tasks regarding my position at our center. At 7.15 the morning ward rounds begin and we check the patients for planned surgeries. You will observe the specialty as a whole. The super-specialized centers, from basic to the most advanced diagnostic methods in non-cooperative patients including the screening of newborns. You can see the comprehensive management of ENT cases from neonatal to adolescent patients. Thanks to our imaging equipment you will observe endoscopic diagnostics and the treatment of dysphagia and airway stenosis. You will shadow our team performing the cochlear implants and also routine surgical procedures like adenotomy, tympanostomy, tonsillectomy or tonsillotomy.

In addition to that, you can see the facial cleft surgeries and the congenital malformation of the ENT area like cysts and fistulas. We often cooperate with plastic surgeons and other colleagues from different specialties. Another portion of the cases you can observe is the acute one; patients come to our center with burns caused by swallowed chemicals or foreign body in the ENT region with the need for immediate extraction. On Monday and Friday mornings we are at the disposal of our colleagues at the Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Specialized Center to consult the cases of hospitalized and outpatient patients. And then we start the operation plan.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

I like music, and I play guitar and bass guitar in 2 bands. I enjoy reading, riding a bike and skiing. I also reconstruct - very slowly smile - the heritage of my ancestors, a 600 years old millhouse.

My motto…

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Rami Katra, Ph.D.

Head of the Otorhinolaryngology for Children ICU and Inpatient Department

Doctor


The ENT specialty was a logical choice thanks to my parents. The pediatric field requires an individual approach to every patient. I knew that a surgical specialty would suit me. I previously took care of adult patients and in the course of my career, I started to work more with children. We focus on pediatric patients suffering from congenital defects, and the spectrum of my work is vast. I concentrate mainly on the surgical approach. 

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

Both of my parents are doctors, and I wanted to become a doctor ever since I was a child. One of my dreams was to study at the medical faculty. I chose the ENT specialty in pediatrics partially because of the profession of my parents, and I was interested in the pediatrics as I used to be a camp leader for several years. My interest in the neck surgery specialty developed during the time, and it has been a wise choice from today's perspective. I started to teach at the faculty and to share my professional experience with my colleagues at the ENT center. I continually learn while visiting the international and national conferences and I work in the academics and science, too. Simply put my work is my hobby as well. 

You have a unique chance to observe how a real day of complex care of children in ENT specialty looks. At the same time, you can see difficult and rare diagnoses that you wouldn't be able to see anywhere else in the country. I focus on severe cases and untraditional surgical approaches. 

What do I love the most about my specialty?

Medicine is my hobby. And the ENT specialty enables me to have a super specialized focus on soft tissues in the head and neck area. I like the complex cases which require more experience and thinking through all the next steps ahead. In these situations, you must have a good overview of the most effective approaches, methods, and procedures according to the results of international clinical studies and to be able to choose the most appropriate one for the specific patient. Another challenge is the patients who underwent surgery in a different workplace, and they come to me with a relapse of their condition. These patient cases are difficult but fascinating from the professional point of view. Another thing I like is the people and colleagues that I become close friends with. From my perspective, I look at my job as a source of addiction for its exciting content and the adrenalin coming with it.  

What can you see by shadowing our team?

Every day should begin positively, I come to the department after 7 am we will start together with sharing a cup of coffee, and then we will visit the hospitalized patients at the ENT ICU in the morning ward round. At 8 am we start with our surgery plan, and you will be able to shadow all the procedures at the OR as well. If I am not at the OR, I am in the Intensive Care Unit. We perform a wide range of surgeries. From the basic ones like the removal of tonsils and adenoids, serous otitis media to the cases of extirpation of cyst in the neck area and oral cavity, endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and airway endoscopy. The surgical treatment of congenital defects as the removal of lymphangiomas and hemangiomas in head and neck are among the more severe cases. You will observe oncologic surgeries, especially the ones concerning the thyroid gland and the affected lymph nodes.

You can see quite extraordinary diagnoses while shadowing our team as granulomatous inflammation and its surgical treatment. We further cooperate with other specialized departments and a well as in other specialties we must deal with acute cases with the need for quick decision making, patients sometimes do swallow batteries, breath in a foreign object or emphysema. On Tuesday afternoons I am at the outpatient department dealing with the neck surgery cases, and a part of my duties is as well to consult the patient cases of hospitalized patients within the University Hospital in Motol.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

My family, skiing and traveling. I do enjoy gardening and craftwork, and I wouldn't say no to a fast ride in a good car.

My motto…

Nothing is impossible.

Photogallery

LOVE WHAT YOU DO WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT