Otology + Neurotology
From initial assessment, through medical or surgical treatment, the professionals at Puget Sound ENT are there for you.
All of our doctors at Puget Sound ENT are trained to diagnose and treat disorders of the ear and balance system. Dr. Douglas D. Backous has additional training and extensive experience to manage people with advanced forms of ear disease, brain stem and ear tumors, acoustic neuromas, infections and unusual problems with the skull base. As a neurotologist, Dr. Backous is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery in both general Otolaryngology and in Neurotology. He completed his residency at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, Texas) and a sub-specialized, two-year fellowship in Neurotology at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland). When needed, he partners with neurosurgeons to manage complicated tumors of the brainstem, facial nerve and temporal bone. Dr. Backous is certified in Gammaknife and Cyberknife treatment of brain tumors and collaborates with radiation oncologists and physicists at the Swedish Radiosurgery Center to treat patients with complex conditions.
Our program offers the latest in hearing aids, cochlear implants, osseointegrated devices (Baha and Ponto) and brainstem implants. We continue with research projects focused on clinical issues and patient care delivery.
Dr. Backous directs the Puget Sound Otology Fellowship. We are committed to training the next generation of ear specialists who will return to their communities focused on improving patient care and on creating opportunities for people with hearing loss to thrive. Dr Backous travels nationally and internationally to offer continuing education for surgeons, audiologists and students. He is the Co-Director of the Seattle Otology and Advanced Rhinology Course.
Our partners are members of the Northwest Hearing Consortium, which consists of audiologists in Richland, Aberdeen, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Federal Way, Edmonds, Wenatchee, and Olympia, Washington. Our goal is to offer the same high quality service for patients closer-to-home while also affording them expert surgical care from Dr. Backous. Our consortium offers full hearing services, hearing aids, osseointegrated implants (Baha and Ponto), and cochlear implants. We regularly provide seminars and learning opportunities for all of our communities in order to better inform people of their options for hearing.
Our community-based but comprehensive, multi-disciplinary team of audiologists, surgeons, radiotherapists, speech/language pathologists, nutritionists, and physical therapists to develop personalized care plans to meet your individual needs. We offer surgery in our outpatient surgery center of excellence, (The Proliance Center for Specialty Surgery (Provide Link here) and at Hillside Surgery Center and in the in-patient setting when needed. We see patients at our clinics in Edmonds and in Puyallup so you can see a specialist closer to home. Our care team works hard so you can relax and take comfort knowing you have the finest expertise and care coordination to support you and your family.
Our clinical and administrative teams strive to exceed your expectations with efficient scheduling of appointments, necessary tests and surgery. We understand that not feeling well is stressful and we do all we can to get you back on your feet as soon as possible. Our practice prides itself on providing expert and personalized medical care while respecting your time and we do our bests to keep the cost of care as low as possible.
We treat the following conditions:
- Acoustic neuromas
- Meningiomas
- Neurofibramatosis
- Brain fluid (CSF) leakage
- Encephalocoeles
- Facial nerve and Bell’s Palsy
- Hearing loss
- Superior semicircular canal dehiscence
- Sensorineural hearing loss and Deafness Conductive hearing loss
- Otosclerosis
- Ear infections
- Ear fluid
- Ear popping and stuffiness
- Sudden hearing loss
- Chronic ear infections and disease
- Cholesteatoma
- Glomus tumors
- Endolymphatic sac tumors
- Meniere’s Syndrome Vertigo
- Vestibular migraine dizziness
- Vestibular schwannoma
- Congenital ear atresia
- Eustachian tube dysfunction
- Disorder of the ear canals
- Ear drainage
- Eardrum holes
- Ear and temporal bone trauma
Tests and treatments we offer:
- Traditional ear surgery and endoscopic ear surgery
- Cochlear implants, brainstem implants
- Stapedectomy
- Bone-anchored hearing devices (Baha and Ponto)
- Superior semicircular canal repair
- Cholesteatoma surgery (mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty)
- Eardrum repair (tympanoplasty)
- Acoustic neuroma/meningioma surgery and radiation treatments
- Skull base surgery
- Repair of brain fluid leaks
- Surgery to correct conductive hearing loss
- Single-sided deafness treatment
- Balance evaluation and treatment
- Evaluation of tinnitus
- Surgical treatment of facial nerve disorders and tumors
- Congenital ear atresia repair
- Vestibular rehabilitation physical therapy
I experienced Sudden Hearing Loss (SSL) in my left ear at the age of 53, followed by the early stages of hearing loss in my right ear. I’m a vocalist who relies heavily on her ability to hear music to perform. Dr. Doug Backous understood the magnitude of the potential for permanent damage to my hearing should the prednisone injection not take place. However, what gave me confidence to go through with the injection was how Dr. Backous assured me that many people before me have received the same injection from children to adults. After the injection and a two-hour drive home, I realized my hearing had returned at full strength in my right ear. Having a sensitive, caring staff – from the receptionist to the audiologist to Dr. Backous – made all the difference with my confidence in Puget Sound ENT! Their kindness and compassion to my situation, and ability to be empathetic to how I might be feeling was impeccable. Singing is all I know! Having my hearing restored has helped me regain confidence in performing. Any physician can give care. But to provide quality care, to treat patients truly as individuals, be direct in their diagnosis and prognosis, instill faith and confidence about their abilities in their patients… if ever the situation were to arise again, I would make a beeline right back to Puget Sound ENT. They really are the best of the best!
FAQs
How do you become a neurotologist?
Dr. Backous graduated from college at Seattle Pacific University, obtained his medical degree from the University of Washington, completed a six-year residency at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX) and did his two-year Neurotology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD).
What does a neurotologist do?
A neurotologist focuses their practice on treating conditions of the ear, facial nerve and skull base. The take care of advanced conditions related to hearing, balance and facial nerve function.
Will a cochlear implant restore normal hearing?
Although cochlear implant technology is rapidly advancing, the device does not restore someone with severe-to-profound hearing loss to normal hearing.
Performance with the device varies from person to person. Properly selected patients will do much better with a Cl than with a hearing aid. Patients who work hard to listen with their Cl will continue to improve many ears after device switch on.
Do children outgrow the internal device requiring an additional surgery after their bodies grow?
The inner ear (cochlea) is full size at birth and the skull is nearly completed growth by ages7-9 years. The internal device is designed to adapt as people grow and rarely needs to be replaced. The external component of the Cl device will be replaced as new advances reach the market.
What is an osseointegrated hearing device?
An 01 is a titanium fixture placed in the skull behind the ear with a minor surgery, which then fills with growing bone. At roughly four to six weeks, our audiologist will connect an external device which will by-pass the middle ear to correct a conductive hearing loss on the same side or will transmit a signal to the opposite side if the same side is deaf. We offer Baha and Ponto at Puget Sound ENT.