Dr Sean Flanagan

Dr Sean Flanagan is a dual fellowship trained ENT surgeon (otolaryngology, head and neck surgery), sub-specialising in diseases of the ear, tumours of the skull base and in surgical correction of hearing loss including cochlear implantion and bone anchored hearing aids. He is equally comfortable in the management of general adult and paediatric ENT disorders.

He is currently a VMO at St Vincent’s Public and Private Hospitals as a member of the ENT and skull base surgery department, and is a conjoint lecturer at the University of New South Wales. He consults on the St Vincent’s Hospital Campus as well as in Miranda, located in the Sutherland Shire. Once a month he conducts a sub-speciality otology and skull base clinic in Wollongong.

Dr Flanagan joined Professor Paul Fagan in practice at the beginning of 2008, following extensive training both in Australia and overseas (see below). Professor Fagan is responsible for developing the field of skull base surgery in Australia, and has set up the pre-eminent skull base unit in Australia at St Vincent’s Hospital.

Training

Following completion of his ENT training, he spent two further years pursuing post-fellowship sub-specialisation in otology, neurotology and skull base surgery. The first year was spent at St Vincent’s Hospital under supervision of Professor Paul Fagan, the pre-eminent otologist and skull base surgeon in Australia. The second year was spent at the Gruppo Otologico, in Piacenza, Italy, under the supervision of Professor Mario Sanna. This unit is the busiest skull base and neurotology unit in Europe.

Presentations

Dr Flanagan regularly presents to the public, patient groups, GPs  and ENT trainees, as well as to local and international conferences.

Upcoming presentations:

• Update in the Management of Meniere’s Disease, including medical and surgical techniques. To the Meniere’s Association of NSW, May 18th 2011.
• Otology Overview: The Ear Inside and Out. Sydney GPCE 20th May.

Recent presentations have included:

• Presentation at the ASOHNS (Australian Society of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery) annual conference titled “Update on the conservative management of vestibular schwannomas”, and chaired a free paper otology session at the same conference.
• Garvan Institute’s Seminar on aging in terms of the impact of age and noise exposure on hearing loss.
• A series of lectures to the Kogarah Division of GPs on aspects of ear disease and hearing loss.
• Co-Covener at the St Vincent’s Hospital Audiology Conference including lectures to audiologists and performance of live ear surgery.
• Co-Convener at the St Vincent’s Hospital Temporal Bone Course including lectures to ENT surgeons, ENT trainees and performance of live surgery.
• Presentation to the Acoustic Neuroma Association of Australia
• Presentation to the GPCE, a large GP conference, giving an overview of ear disease.
• Presentation at the Spring Emergency Medicine Conference giving an overview to Emergency Medicine Physicians regarding emergency ear nose and throat and head and neck problems.