P U B LI C AT I O N S
O F N OT E
N E W P HYS I C I A N s
Brian Kulbersh, MD, has joined
the faculty as a clinical associate
professor. He earned his medical
degree from the Medical College of
Georgia, Augusta, and completed
his internship and residency at
UAB before undergoing a pediatric
otolaryngology fellowship at
Children’s Memorial Hospital,
Chicago. His special interests
include the management of
complex vascular anomalies,
hemangiomas, and head and neck
masses, as well as airway lesions,
laryngotracheal reconstruction,
and pediatric sinus and chronic ear
diseases. Kulbersh has founded
the Vascular Anomalies Treatment
Group at Children’s of Alabama.
This multidisciplinary team was
created to identify and treat children
with head and neck masses, vascular
lesions, congenital birthmarks, and
hemangiomas.
Large UAB Pediatric
ENT Group Serves
Alabama and SE
UAB MEDICINE NEWS
Netterville Delivers Residents’ Day Lecture
James Netterville, MD, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center,
Wilkerson Center for Otolaryngology and Communication
Alabama, a state with a population of just
Brian Wiatrak, MD, examines a young patient.
under 5 million people. Over more than 20
Photo by Denise McGill, Children’s of Alabama
years, Wiatrak has helped build a formidable
array of programs at Children’s and its recently opened
to discuss new patients and plan case management. They also
Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children adjacent to the UAB
have input and services from a dedicated feeding team and
campus. The physicians also practice at a convenient pediatric
representatives from Nutrition, General Surgery, and others.
clinic in suburban Birmingham.
Other pediatric ENTs in the program include Peyton Shirley,
MD, Nicholas Smith, MD, and Brian Kulbersh, MD.
The Vascular Anomaly Program is directed by new faculty
sinuses, voice, and more. The practice’s clinical and research
member Brian Kulbersh, MD, and includes team members from
reputation, however, is based on four major program areas:
Pediatric Interventional Radiology, Dermatology, Hematology-
The Cochlear Implant Program, directed by specialist
Oncology, Gastrointestinal Medicine, and others. They meet
Audie Wooley, MD, is one of the largest in the nation, having
monthly to arrive at optimal management plans. Kulbersh
performed more than 350 cases since 1995. It also was one of
recently received IRB approval for a study of a new drug for
the test sites for bilateral cochlear implants in children aged
hemangiomas.
under 18 months.
Nicholas Smith, MD, has joined the
The Aerodigestive Program, directed by Wiatrak, provides
The Velopharengeal Insufficiency Program, directed by
the aegis of the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck
current president of the American Academy of Otolaryngology
because there are no other such programs in
The UAB Health System’s newest Allergy Clinic is under
voice disorders and in head and neck oncologic surgery. He is the
practice director Brian Wiatrak, MD, probably
ENT Develops Allergy Clinic
Sciences, Netterville promotes education and research in both
The group of six physicians is large, says
for the range of problems involving the ears, tonsils, adenoids,
participation.
of Head and Neck Surgery, and associate director of the Bill
health system, Children’s of Alabama.
They operate a general pediatric practice, providing care
faculty, with physicians to receive 25 hours of CME credit for
roles as professor of otolaryngology, director of the Division
in affiliation with Alabama’s only pediatric
will involve all staff from clerical assistants to residents and
Hicks Lectureship in Otolaryngology on May 18, 2013. In his
and operate a formidable array of programs
the moment of a patient’s initial phone call. ” The program
Residents’ Research Day and 8th Annual Ann B. and Julius N.
one of the largest such groups in the nation
UAB Health System to enhance the patient experience from
Nashville, Tennessee, delivered the keynote lecture at UAB
UAB pediatric otolaryngologists comprise
involved. This is a unique opportunity for our specialty and the
Surgery. It is directed by well-known allergy specialist and
– Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). An eminent researcher
otolaryngologist Richard Waguespack, MD, who recently
and clinician, he has published more than 100 papers in peer-
joined the faculty following 3 decades in private practice in the
reviewed journals and is a senior examiner for the American
Birmingham area. Waguespack served for years on the board of
Board of Otolaryngology.
directors for the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head
and Neck Surgery and is president-elect for the 2013-2014
Seeking to Improve the Patient Experience
term. He also is on the editorial board of the Laryngoscope. The
The Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is
Allergy Clinic is located in the multidisciplinary Kirklin Clinic
developing a performance improvement project to serve as a
at UAB. For information and referrals, contact Waguespack
pilot for clinics in the UAB Health System. Division Quality
through the UAB MIST operators, 800.822.6478.
Officer Glenn Peters, MD, says planning is underway and the
project will be implemented in the next year. “Patient satisfaction
Multidisciplinary Group Tackles Vascular Anomalies
scores are the best feedback we have to know we are providing
The Pediatric ENT Vascular Anomalies Treatment Group offers
the best quality to our patients. Furthermore, we know that
the latest diagnostic and medical and surgical treatments as
these results will be publically available and physicians will be
part of comprehensive consultation services to physicians and
held responsible for these metrics – so we need to be intimately
families. The group, located at Children’s of Alabama health
a multidisciplinary approach to diseases and conditions of
functional speech problems related to palate or pharyngeal
in Pediatric Otolaryngology – Head
the aerodigestive tract. Wiatrak’s codirectors are pediatric
anomalies. He works with speech pathologists and genetics
and Neck Surgery. Smith earned
gastroenterologist Reed Dimmit, MD, and pediatric
his MD degree from UAB School of
team representing ENT,
specialists to provide better management through special
pulmonologist Thomas Harris, MD. The team meets biweekly
therapies for this complicated disorder.
Medicine, where he also completed
an otolaryngology residency. His
pediatric otolaryngology fellowship
M easures of S uccess
Radiology, General Surgery,
Plastic Surgery, and
Orthopedic Surgery. Director
Brian Kulbersh, MD,
to identify patients eligible for local and national clinical trials,
Children’s Hospital Medical
and to establish clinical trials at UAB,” says Schmalbach.
says members have made
melanoma basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC)
comprise 90% of cases of cutaneous skin cancer. Schmalbach
Center, Ohio. At UAB, his specialty
The new tumor board will review new and complicated
interests include the endoscopic
cutaneous skin cancer cases in an evidence-based manner,
discuss available treatment protocols for advanced skin cancer
increased risk for neck metastasis, poor local control, and
airway reconstruction, voice and
patients, identify potential research collaborations, and review
further cancer recurrence.
swallowing disorders, sinonasal
pertinent journal articles and changes in practice guidelines.
Physicians who wish to refer a patient with head and neck
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US
the field, including the new
of patients who present with advanced disease and are at
management of airway lesions,
innovative contributions to
notes that the UAB specialists usually see the 5% to 10%
skin cancer for evaluation at UAB may contact Clinical Care
conditions, chronic ear disease, and
health outcomes research.
2
For Referrals: 800.822.6478
Hematology-Oncology,
Dermatology, Interventional
continued from cover
was completed at Cincinnati
with more than 3.5 million people diagnosed annually. Non-
Coordinator Paula Cooper, RN, at 205.801.8461.
Rosenthal EL, Kejner AE, Burch MB,
Sweeny L. “Bone morphogenetic
protein 6 expression in oral cavity
squamous cell cancer is associated
with bone invasion.” Laryngoscope.
2013 Jun 17. Epub ahead of print.
Day KE, Sweeny L, Kulbersh B,
Zinn KR, Rosenthal EL. “Preclinical
Comparison of Near-Infrared-Labeled
Cetuximab and Panitumumab for
Optical Imaging of Head and Neck
Squamous Cell Carcinoma.” Mol
Imaging Biol. 2013 May 29. Epub
ahead of print.
Chaaban MR, Illing E, Riley KO,
Woodworth BA. “Spontaneous
cerebrospinal fluid leak repair: A
five year prospective evaluation.”
Laryngoscope. 2013 Jun 20. Epub
ahead of print.
Chaaban MR, Illing E, Riley KO,
Woodworth BA. “Acetazolamide
for high intracranial pressure
cerebrospinal fluid leaks.” Int Forum
Allergy Rhinol. 2013 Jun 3. Epub
ahead of print.
system, is a unique physician
Peyton Shirley, MD, evaluates and treats young patients with
UAB faculty as assistant professor
Heath CH, Deep NL, Beck LN,
Day KE, Sweeny L, Zinn KR,
Huang CC, Rosenthal EL. “Use of
panitumumab-IRDye800 to image
cutaneous head and neck cancer in
mice.” Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.
2013 Jun;148(6):982-90.
drug rapamycin to treat
lymphatic malformations.
Hemangiomas and vascular
malformations are similar in
appearance, but biologically
* denotes annualized data
different and require
different treatment, he says.
F e at u r e d
c l inica l TR I A L S
Dynasplint for Trismus in Head and Neck
Cancer. This study will compare two types
of treatment for trismus. Subjects will be
randomized to treatment using Dynasplint
vs treatment using tongue depressors.
NCT00507208. PI: William Carroll, MD.
Contact: Lisa Clemons, 205.934.9714.
Safety Study of Adenovirus/PNP Coupled
With Fludarabine Phosphate to Treat Solid
Tumors. This phase 1, dose-escalating
study consisting of four cohorts with
three subjects in each cohort will evaluate
the safety and pharmacokinetics of a
new treatment, injected intratumorally,
in subjects who have failed standard
treatment. NCT01310179. PI: Eben
Rosenthal, MD. Contact: Lisa Clemons,
205.934.9714.
M o r e I nfo r ma t ion : u a b m e d i c i n e . o r g / p h y s i c i a n
3