Andrew Vahabzadeh-Hagh, MD
- Otolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeon
- Associate Professor of Surgery
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Andrew Vahabzadeh-Hagh, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist/head and neck surgeon who treats disorders of the ear, nose and throat. As a fellowship-trained laryngologist, Dr. Vahabzadeh-Hagh specializes in treating diseases of the larynx in both the clinic and in surgery, including complex airway, voice and swallowing disorders. This includes vocal fold paralysis or paresis, dysphonia secondary to benign or malignant laryngeal lesions, neurolaryngologic disorders such as spasmodic dysphonia, laryngeal tremor, vocal cord dysfunction, paradoxical vocal fold motion, professional voice, voice masculinization and feminization, and chronic cough. Dr. Vahabzadeh-Hagh has expertise in providing gender-affirming care to transgender and nonbinary patients.
He provides advanced diagnostic tools for swallowing disorders, including awake transnasal esophagoscopy. He also surgically treats these disorders, including Zenker's diverticulum, cricopharyngeal dysfunction/achalasia, epiglottic dysfunction, and pharyngeal and/or esophageal stenosis. In addition, he provides endoscopic and open surgical treatment options for airway stenosis and laryngeal cancer.
Dr. Vahabzadeh-Hagh's work is driven by compassion for patients and an understanding that there is no substitute for truly listening to them. Through his expertise in laryngology, he aims to restore daily functions vital to the quality of life: speaking, swallowing, and breathing.
In addition to his clinical care, Dr. Vahabzadeh-Hagh is an associate professor in the Department of Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine. His research interests include vocal fold physiology and understanding the key ingredients to clear and effortless voice production. He is also interested in novel therapeutics to treat vocal fold scar and optimizing durable minimally invasive treatments for dysphonia resulting from glottic insufficiency. He has also worked to treat swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) resulting from head and neck cancer and its treatment side effects with novel approaches using regenerative medicine.
His academic work has resulted in many podium presentations at national meetings, including invited grand rounds, poster presentations, published research articles in peer-reviewed journals, and book chapters.
Dr. Vahabzadeh-Hagh completed his laryngology fellowship at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he learned to perform the selective laryngeal adductor denervation-reinnervation (SLAD-R) operation pioneered at UCLA by Dr. Gerald Berke. He also did his residency at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He is board certified in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery.
In his spare time, Dr. Vahabzadeh-Hagh enjoys biking, hiking, running, photography, music and the performing arts, and spending time with his wife, Samantha, and dog, Harley. He speaks Spanish in addition to English.
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