At the Forefront of ENT
ENT and Allergy Specialists adopts innovative therapies and advanced procedures designed to solve serious issues that imperil patients’ quality of life.
From severe allergies and sinusitis, to snoring and sleep apnea, to tinnitus and hearing loss, to cancer of the head and neck, disorders associated with the ear, nose, and throat have the potential to disrupt people’s lives in various and significant ways. Thankfully, relief is within reach.
ENT and Allergy Specialists’ team of physicians and other professionals has spent the past 25 years helping patients resolve all manner of otolaryngologic conditions. Co-founded in 1999 by Brian J. Broker, M.D., and Laurence V. Cramer, D.O., FAOCO, ENT and Allergy Specialists has grown to four offices in the Philadelphia suburbs. Each office is equipped with the latest medical and surgical advancements needed to address the full gamut of ENT conditions, from chronic to acute.
The practice treats patients of all ages, from infants to older adults. No matter the patient, the practice’s team of physicians—Drs. Broker and Cramer, plus their colleagues Paul B. Swanson, M.D., and Christopher D. Pool, M.D.—and their team of Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and Doctors of Audiology strive to deliver the optimal outcome. “And don’t forget to mention our incredibly dedicated Medical Assistants and administrative staff who work tirelessly to ensure that our patients get the personal attention that they expect,” Dr. Broker emphasizes.
“ENT is an unusual specialty in that it’s half medicine and half surgery,” adds Dr. Broker, an ENT physician who serves as the practice’s president. “Some doctors enjoy working with patients to find medical solutions to their problems, while other doctors are more interested in surgery. We’re fortunate in that our providers excel at both, using every tool at their disposal to help patients find the relief they need.”
The practice has stayed at the forefront of the specialty by adopting innovative solutions to serious ENT and allergy issues that alter, if not hinder, patients’ quality of life. Notable examples of such solutions include sublingual immunotherapy, neuromodulation for tinnitus, Inspire for sleep apnea, and minimally invasive procedures to address sinusitis, among others.
* Sublingual immunotherapy. In 2006, ENT and Allergy Specialists became one of a handful of U.S. ENT practices to participate in clinical trials for the FDA to determine if the sublingual method could be an effective alternative to inoculations for treating environmental allergies. Sublingual-immunotherapy trials are ongoing, including for its use in treating food allergies.
“Sublingual immunotherapy is now considered the standard of care,” says Dr. Swanson. “The shots were very effective in terms of treating allergies to things like dust, mold, pollen, and pet dander, but they were also inconvenient. The drops have removed the inconvenience factor, and the therapy is much more effective as a result.”
* Inspire for sleep apnea. This ballyhooed surgically planted device is among ENT and Allergy Specialists’ many solutions to address obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Broker considers Inspire a fantastic option for those who are considered good candidates; candidacy is determined largely by the results of a sleep endoscopy to see how and where the obstruction occurs. Other effective options include the highly effective yet often despised CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine and a more traditional surgical procedure known as a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, or UP3 surgery.
“There is an epidemic of sleep apnea in this country, and having Inspire means we have one more tool in the toolbox to treat it,” adds Dr. Cramer. “Whether you’re using Inspire or old-fashioned surgery, the goal is to get the patient sleeping well in their normal posture. Both are effective, but neither one is a 100 percent cure. CPAP works pretty much 100 percent of the time, but a lot of people can’t tolerate wearing it. That’s why it’s so important to have options.”
* Neuromodulation for tinnitus. In addition to providing affordable, high-level hearing aids, ENT and Allergy Specialists is an innovator in the treatment of tinnitus. Tinnitus results from hearing loss, when damaged ear cells no longer provide signals to the auditory area of the brain as they should. As a result, the brain cells become hyperactive and “make their own noise.” A therapy known as neuromodulation stimulates the nervous system to alter the recipient’s perception of tinnitus, decrease the volume, and improve habituation. In other words, the brain gradually learns to ignore the tinnitus and, in the process, the person becomes less bothered by it.
“What we can do with neuromodulation is make the tinnitus softer and more in the background,” Dr. Swanson says. “When it’s in the forefront and to the point where someone can’t ignore it, that’s when it’s a problem. Through the combination of sound therapy and anxiety therapy, we can really calm things down.”
* RhinAer and VivAer for nasal and sinus problems. Both RhinAer and VivAer are minimally invasive radiofrequency procedures to treat disorders of the nasal passages and sinuses. The former addresses chronic rhinitis, or continuous inflammation in the lining of the nose, while the latter tackles nasal obstruction, which can prevent proper airflow through the nostrils.
“The procedures are similar and they do overlap, with one (VivAer) focusing on the front of the nose, and the other (RhinAer) focusing on the back of the nose,” says Dr. Cramer. “Some patients are candidates for both procedures. Most people walk out of the procedure feeling better right away, with no significant downtime.”
ENT and Allergy Specialists will continue to lead from the front by vetting new technologies, procedures, and treatments with the utmost care. When and if future advancements show significant evidence of providing real and lasting relief for patients, they will in all likelihood be added to the clinicians’ armamentaria.
“We’ve made our practice as comprehensive and convenient as possible,” Dr. Broker adds. “Because we have a mix of physicians, audiologists, and mid-level providers, we’re able to do same-day appointments and walk-ins so patients can be seen quickly and get the care they need. We’re always available, and when [patients] come here they can expect to receive personalized service that focuses on resolving whatever issue is troubling them.”
ENT and Allergy Specialists
For more information about treatments, procedures, and the practice’s offices in Blue Bell, Bryn Mawr, Pottstown, and Phoenixville, visit entandallergyspecialists.com or call (610) 415-1100.
For more information about treatments, procedures, and the practice’s offices in Blue Bell, Bryn Mawr, Pottstown, and Phoenixville, visit entandallergyspecialists.com or call (610) 415-1100.
Photo by Jody Robinson
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, February 2025.
