The physicians at ENT Carolina have privileges at the following quality hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. We maintain active privileges at both CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia and Atrium Health Cleveland.
Nasal breathing normally delivers 70% of airflow to the lungs. More than 20 million Americans suffer from nasal airway obstruction (NAO), which limits airflow through the nose with significant quality of life consequences. Symptoms may include:
Your doctor can determine the cause of your NAO. If your symptoms improve when you wear nasal strips, or when you perform a simple breathing test called the Cottle Maneuver (see illustration to the right), you may benefit from support for your lateral wall.
The LATERA Absorbable Nasal Implant is used to support upper and lower lateral cartilage in your nose. It is placed inside the nasal wall in a minimally invasive way. Supporting the cartilage in this manner may reduce nasal airway obstruction symptoms and help patients breathe better. The LATERA implant is made of a material that absorbs over a period of approximately 18 months, so can deliver support without limiting future treatment options.
LATERA showed significant quality of life improvement for nasal obstruction patients with lateral wall or nasal valve collapse. While individual results may vary, LATERA patients saw the following improvements in:
Patients experienced a reduction in nasal obstruction symptoms of 56% at 6 months, as measured by the NOSE survey. Patients got these results without negative cosmetic effects. Risks included temporary symptoms such as:
Candace was a thin-skinned patient who had dealt with breathing problems since her high school years, and discusses her initial concerns she had prior to procedure about wanting a breathing solution but not a cosmetic surgery, appearance, exercise/sleep factors, and overall thoughts post-LATERA
Frederic E. Levy, MD, is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign where he majored in biology. He earned his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago.
Having grown up in Chicago, Dr. Levy is a huge fan of Chicago sports teams and played most team sports. He participated in track and field in high school and currently runs 50-60 miles per week. Along with other physician friends, he runs 15 races, including 5 marathons, per year. He's run 10 Boston Marathons and has run marathons in 6 countries, including Israel and Japan.
Dr. Levy is a proud father of a UNC Chapel Hill graduate (computer science major) son who plays soccer and guitar and a daughter who is a student at Appalachian State University (graphic design major).