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Dr. Christopher Garvey, MD

Bio

Christopher M. Garvey, MD, is trained to provide comprehensive medical and surgical treatments for both adult and pediatric patients with simple and complex diseases of the ear, nose and throat. Dr. Garvey has special interest in head and neck cancers, nasal/sinus surgery, sleep apnea, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. He is experienced with minimally invasive surgical techniques for thyroid/parathyroid disease, skull-base processes, and transoral laser microsurgery for head and neck malignancies, vocal cord lesions, swallowing disorders and sleep apnea.

Dr. Garvey came to Aurora from Mayo Clinic, where he was an assistant professor and clinical instructor at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He graduated from Harvard University with honors before earning his medical degree. His residency training was completed at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which traditionally ranks as one of U.S. News and World Report’s top hospitals in the category of ear, nose and throat medicine (otolaryngology).

Dr. Garvey currently is chairman of the Infection Control Committee at Aurora Medical Center in Summit. He also serves as chairman of the Cancer Conference Committee at Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic in Summit.

Dr. Garvey has privileges at Aurora Medical Center in Summit, the Aurora Health Center Ambulatory (outpatient) Surgery Center in Waukesha and at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. (07/11)

Specialties:

Affiliation:

  • Aurora Health Care

Location:

Group Memberships:

Activity

  • Sharecare News
    Sharecare News posted a story about Otolaryngology:
    Hearing Restored in Mice With Noise-Induced Deafness

    WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Although loud noise can result in irreversible hearing loss, researchers in Boston partially restored the hearing of mice with noise-induced deafness by regenerating damaged sound-sensing hair cells in the inner ear.

    The study authors said their find...Full Article

  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    What is oropharyngeal cancer?
    Oropharyngeal cancer is a cancer arising from the oropharynx which includes your tonsils, soft palate, and back of your tongue. It typically implies a cancer arsing from the cells that line your oropharynx called squamous cells. The most common cause of developing this cancer is tobacco use. There...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    How is oropharyngeal cancer diagnosed?

    Oropharyngeal cancer is treated based on the stage of the tumor. Higher staged tumors are typically larger, have invaded into surrounding tissues and/or have metastasized (spread) to local lymph nodes in the neck or to distant organs such as lung, liver or bone.

    Surgery is a treatment option for

    ...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    Can nasal polyps turn into cancer?
    Nasal polyps are benign, non-cancerous inflammatory growths. They develop from the lining of your nose and sinuses in response to an inflammatory reaction, usually environmental allergies such as hay fever. Nasal cancer is rare. True nasal polyps do not turn into cancer, but cancers of the nose and...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    How is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated?

    Squamous cell carcinoma is by far the most common type of head and neck cancer. Squamous cells are the cells that make up the lining of your mouth, throat and nose.

    Treatment of head and neck squamous cell cancer can be complicated.  The location of the cancer (lip, mouth, tongue, tonsil, nose, voice

    ...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    How is laryngeal cancer diagnosed?

    Cancer of the larynx is diagnosed by a tissue biopsy. Some laryngeal biopsies are performed with the patient awake in clinic using a special flexible fiber optic telescope. Others require a general anesthetic and are taken in the operating room. The biopsy specimen is sent to a pathologist who examines

    ...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    How is hypopharyngeal cancer diagnosed?

    Hypopharyngeal cancer is diagnosed by a tissue biopsy. Some hypopharyngeal biopsies can be performed with the patient awake in clinic using a special flexible fiber optic telescope. Others require a general anesthetic and are taken in the operating room using different scopes and instruments. The

    ...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    Are there new developments for spasmodic torticollis?
    Botox is a very effective treatment for spasmodic torticollis. Botox is a medicine that is injected into the involved neck muscle(s) causing paralysis of that muscle. The paralysis lasts 3-6 months and prevents spasm.  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    Can I use a neti pot if I have a deviated septum?
    Yes, you can use a neti pot with a deviated septum. If your septum is severely deviated, you may have difficulty getting the saline from the neti pot to the back of your nose on the side of the deviation. In most cases, the neti pot can still be helpful with your symptoms despite a crooked septum.  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    How can I prevent return of Zenker's diverticulum post-surgery?
    Unfortunately, there is nothing a patient can do to prevent a Zenker's diverticulum recurrence.  Reported recurrence rates range from 3-19% with recurrence rates being higher in patients with larger diverticulum pouches.   Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    What is a vocal cord evaluation for thyroid cancer?

    The thyroid gland rests on a nerve (recurrent laryngeal nerve) that moves your vocal cords.  Some advanced thyroid cancers can invade the recurrent laryngeal nerve causing a weakness or paralysis of your vocal cord and a change in your voice. 

    It is important to evaluate the function of your vocal cords before

    ...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    What is a vocal cord evaluation for thyroid cancer?

    The thyroid gland rests on a nerve (recurrent laryngeal nerve) that moves your vocal cords.  Some advanced thyroid cancers can invade the recurrent laryngeal nerve causing a weakness or paralysis of your vocal cord and a change in your voice. 

    It is important to evaluate the function of your vocal cords before

    ...  Full Post
  • Christopher Garvey, MD
    Christopher Garvey, MD of Aurora Health Care answered:
    Is otitis media with effusion a viral ear infection?
    Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a condition where inflammation of the tissues in the middle ear space (behind the ear drum) has caused an escape of fluid into this space. Many factors such as viruses, bacteria, allergies, trauma (pressure from a flight), can cause this inflammation resulting in an effusion....  Full Post