Miller School’s Dr. Michael Hoffer Leads 2025 Triological Society Combined Sections Meeting
Summary
- Miller School otolaryngologist Dr. Michael Hoffer gave the presidential address at the 2025 Triological Society Combined Sections Meeting.
- Half of Miller School’s Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery faculty are members of the Triological Society.
- Dr. Maria Suurna presented on her area of expertise, sleep apnea.
The 2025 Triological Society Combined Sections Meeting was particularly significant for faculty members from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery
“We have long enjoyed making meaningful scientific and research contributions to Triological Society meetings and journals, as about half of the department faculty are society members. That, alone, says a lot about the quality of people in this department,” said Fred Telischi, M.E.E., M.D., the James R. Chandler Chair in Otolaryngology and professor of neurological surgery at the Miller School and biomedical engineering at the University of Miami. “This year, however, was extra special. Slightly more than halfway through his two-year term as president of this national academic society, Michael Hoffer showed not only his leadership, but also his commitment to our multifaceted specialty.”
An Elite Otolaryngology Organization
Founded in 1895, The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc., known as The Triological Society, is an elite organization representing academic and clinical otolaryngology. Members are admitted to the society based on a thesis in the specialty and election by membership. The society’s national members pick its presidents based on a candidate’s service to the specialty and the Triological Society.
Dr. Hoffer, professor of otolaryngology and neurological surgery and the first Triological Society president from the Miller School, said leading the society is an important and impactful responsibility.
“This is a society that encompasses the entire otolaryngology specialty and society membership requires a high level of accomplishment. The number of members you have represent the accomplishment of a department, and I am proud to say that the University of Miami has the highest percentage of faculty members in the society in Florida and one of the highest percentages in the nation,” Dr. Hoffer said.
Miller School Ethos at the Triological Society Meeting
In his presidential address at this year’s meeting, Dr. Hoffer explained that succeeding in medicine requires simple things like kindness, respect and love, “things we learn when we’re in kindergarten.”
“The presentations emphasized not just the science of otolaryngology, but also issues that directly affect patient care and diversity among people in the specialty, as well as in the patients we see,” Dr. Hoffer said. “As the academic care hub for many in Miami-Dade, we’ve learned to better represent our patients and improve their access to care in a place known for its rich diversity.”
Dr. Hoffer was a panelist in a discussion about longevity and resilience in the field. He and colleagues addressed how to achieve career-long satisfaction.
“How do we continue to thrive rather than punch a clock? How do we develop resilience even in the face of such things as changing payment or record systems? We talked about pearls and perils, and hopefully armed those who attended with actionable solutions,” Dr. Hoffer said.
Sleep Apnea and Sleep Medicine
Maria Suurna, M.D., professor of clinical otolaryngology in the Division of Sleep Medicine and director of sleep surgery at the Miller School, presented on and took part in a panel discussion about sleep apnea and surgery.
“I have established my career and reputation on treating patients with obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, and today there are new treatments, combination treatments and surgical options for these patients,” said Dr. Suurna, a Triological Society member since 2021. “We talked about how to evaluate patients who can’t tolerate or benefit from traditional sleep apnea treatments, such as continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP.”
Sleep medicine is top of mind for doctors and patients alike, Dr. Suurna said.
“Patients’ awareness of the importance of sleep and its potential impacts on health and quality of life have grown. The prevalence of sleep apnea is really high in the adult population, estimated to affect 30 million people in the U.S., many of whom do not know they have the condition,” she said.
Treatment innovations, according to Dr. Suurna, include a technology that addresses underlying neuromuscular tone with implantation of a neurostimulation device.
“There is one FDA-approved neurostimulation treatment now, which is by Inspire. A few other companies are working on getting FDA approval and trying to bring more and advanced technologies and make it smaller, smarter and more user-friendly for patients and surgeons,” she said.
Cochlear Implants
Simon Angeli, M.D., director of the UHealth Ear Institute and professor of clinical otolaryngology and neurosurgery at the Miller School, participated in a panel discussion about cochlear implantation in children and adults with single-sided deafness.
“Cochlear implants offer a groundbreaking solution for individuals with severe hearing loss in both ears. While technology and surgical techniques have significantly advanced, their use for patients with hearing loss in only one ear remains a subject of debate,” Dr. Angeli said. “I addressed how to answer unresolved questions about the evaluation process, selection criteria and surgical approach for cochlear implants in single-sided deafness, in order to achieve optimal outcomes in this subset of patients.”
Miller School Resident Presentations
Miller School resident Eshita Singh, M.D., presented on a novel, automated vestibular system that allows patients to perform physical therapy without the presence of a live therapist.
“The AVRS shows promise as a supplemental tool for enhancing vestibular therapy and accessibility, given the current shortage of vestibular therapists,” Dr. Singh said.
Miller School resident Eve Bowers, M.D., presented the poster, “Speech Language Pathologist Early Involvement in Postoperative Tracheostomy Care is Associated with Significant Hospital Cost Savings.”
M.D./M.B.A. student Nicholas DiStefano presented the poster, “Postoperative Tracheostomy Order Set with Speech Language Pathology Consult Results in Improved Tracheostomized Patient Care and Confidence.”
Tags: cochlear implants, Department of Otolaryngology, Dr. Maria Suurna, Dr. Michael Hoffer, Dr. Simon Angeli, obstructive sleep apnea, otolaryngology, sleep apnea, sleep medicine, The Triological Society