ENT Scott Burge working to commercialize ear wax removal medical device
By BECKY GILLETTE
Scott D. Burge, MD, FAAOA, FAAP, is Board Certified with the American Board of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and pursued additional Fellowship training in Pediatric Otolaryngology in 2017. He then began his career as an assistant professor for two years at Texas Children's Hospital until 2019 when he and his family moved to Memphis to be closer to their relatives. Since arriving in Memphis and then expanding his clinic to Mid-South ENT in Arlington, Burge has been welcomed for his expertise in caring for ENT and allergic conditions for both adults and children.
Burge manages common ENT issues including adult tonsillectomies, which he aims to perform in the most pain-free way possible. Adult tonsillectomies are sometimes required because of obstructive sleep apnea related to obesity, but now GLP-1 weight loss drugs have become a possible alternative to surgery.
"GLP-1s are a hot topic," Burge said. "I actually prescribe the weight loss medicines now for moderate to severe sleep apnea and also obesity. That is a medical treatment we are finding that really helps patients, not just from a vanity or self-esteem standpoint, but for quality of life. That is exciting! Obstructive sleep apnea can lead to heart and lung problems, and it is such an underdiagnosed problem. It is very significant to see these developments. If more insurance would cover the weight loss drugs, it could help reduce the cost of healthcare in the future."
That is just the beginning of what he considers many exciting developments in the field of ENT. One he has personally been involved in, is developing an ear cleaning device. When wax builds up in the ears, it can be difficult to remove. Burge has invented and patented a device to safely and effectively clean ears. He is working with a medical device company on this, and has also become one of their official medical consultants to help bring this and other cutting-edge technologies to the market.
"What I've seen out there is either not the safest or most effective way to clean ears," Burge said. "A lot of times saline irrigation is used to clear an ear. Sometimes that is effective, but I have seen patients come to me because it created a hole in the eardrum when the water pressure was too high. I'm not a fan of Q-tips either, as these tend to sometimes push wax deeper into the ear canal. With this invention, however, I hope to address both of these issues. It is close to being completed with manufacturing, and eventually we will be taking this to primary care docs who can use it in their clinics if they choose."
This time of year, physicians see patients with sinus drainage and spring allergies, as well. Burge often starts them on a nasal steroid spray and an OTC antihistamine spray. Sometimes patients even find that eating local honey can help.
"Most of the time those things are going to control the symptoms," Burge said. "People do that for three to four weeks and, if it is insufficient and has progressed to chronic sinus problems, as surgeons we have other ways we can then help."
Helping patients with allergies is an integral part of what they do at Mid-South ENT, where they do allergy testing and provide shots in the office. If chronic sinus problems persist, surgery might be necessary.
"Having an extra tool in the toolbelt helps give comprehensive treatment to patients," Burge said.
Some cutting-edge technologies and yet non-invasive solutions include RhinAer that is performed in the office with only local anesthesia and has long-lasting results addressing the underlying causes of chronic rhinitis providing relief from runny nose, post-nasal drip and congestion. There is minimal downtime after treatment.
"This might be particularly good for older patients who have comorbidities," Burge said. "The VivAer (R) by Aerin medical company is another newer technology where you treat the inside of the nose when the nostrils have collapsed by recontouring the nasal cartilage without changing the outer appearance. Another problem we can address is eustachian tube dysfunction by guiding a eustachian tube balloon to dilate the tube. All of these can be done in the clinic and avoid a trip to the operating room."
Burge grew up in the Texas Panhandle and was the son of school teachers. He started dating his wife in high school, and her family sparked his interest in medicine. He was inspired by her father, Russell Burns, MD, a cardiologist, and her mother, Cathy Burns, who is a PA.
He earned his MD from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Early on, he set his sights on a surgical subspecialty because he enjoyed working with his hands. However, it was his mentor, Christopher McMains, MD, a rhinologist instructor at UT, who helped him develop his interest in ENT. They worked on a project and developed a provisional patent for a model to teach residents sinus surgery. Burge found the subspecialty fascinating.
"I thought that was so cool working on something new and innovative, and seeing how complex ENT is really interested me," Burge said. "It was only in the 1980's that endoscopic cameras were introduced to the U.S. to use for sinus surgery. It has progressed to a point where patients now can get a CT scan prior to surgery, and those very images are used to navigate complex anatomy around the orbits and brain where you do not want to have complications."
After completing his ENT residency at Oklahoma University College of Medicine in 2016, he trained at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston and stayed on as faculty for two years. He had the opportunity to train new residents in all kinds of ENT surgery, and he really enjoyed seeing their growth as they progressed year over year.
In fact, relationships have always been important to him. Now that he is in private practice, Burge credits his staff with the growth of his practice.
"I really have great staff and great relationships with them," he said. "They do a wonderful job. They have been the main reason we've been able to grow as much as we have. Since I have been in private practice in Memphis, one of the reasons I have enjoyed the business side of medicine is because I get to be a part of supporting entire families as we work toward a common goal. Relationships are why I do the things I do. It's all about the people."
Burge and his wife, Lauren, a pediatrician, have two kids. He considers himself "very fortunate to have both an amazing 'home' family and amazing 'work' family.”