Elisabeth Ference, MD, MPH

Attending Physician
Assistant Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology, Keck School of Medicine of USC

Dr. Ference is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology. She treats all diseases of the ears, nose and throat and specializes in sinus and skull base disorders. She has a special research and clinical interest in minimally-invasive sinus procedures including balloon sinuplasty, steroid eluting implant placement, inferior turbinate reduction, eustachian tube dilation, and nasal valve repair. She has published extensively on evidence-based antibiotic usage, balloon sinuplasty and outcomes of sinus surgery. She is dedicated to improving the quality of life of both adult and pediatric patients with sinus problems and allergies.

Clinical Interests

Chronic sinusitis, acute sinusitis, epistaxis, deviated septum, cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, sinus tumors, transnasal access to intracranial tumors, CSF leak repair, skull base repair 

Education

Medical School

Harvard Medical School

Internship

McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Otolaryngology 

Residency

McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Otolaryngology

Fellowship

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery

Accomplishments

Certification

Otolaryngology, American Board of Otolaryngology

Medical Awards

Northwestern Department of Otolaryngology: Resident Research Award- 2nd Place, 2016

American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery: AAO-HNS Resident Research Core Grant, 2014-2015

Northwestern Memorial Hospital: Goldberg Family Trust Travel Grant, 2014

American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery: Best in Show Poster, 2014

Publications

Regarding: A prospective study for treatment of nasal valve collapse due to lateral wall insufficiency: Outcomes using a bioabsorbable implant Laryngoscope. 2019 Jul; 129(7):E227.

Analysis of the operative utilization of concurrent rhinoplasty and endoscopic sinus surgery Laryngoscope. 2019 May 11.

Zoonotic Staphylococcus pseudintermedius sinonasal infections: risk factors and resistance patterns Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2019 Mar 25.

Clinical Guidelines on Chronic Rhinosinusitis in Children Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2019 Feb 22; 19(2):14.

Assessment of Trends in Utilization of Nasal Endoscopy in the Medicare Population, 2000-2016 JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019 Jan 31.

Successful Treatment of Scedosporium Sinusitis in Two Lung Transplant Recipients: Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Management Allergy Rhinol (Providence). 2019 Jan-Dec; 10:2152656719827253.

Epistaxis health disparities in the United States pediatric population Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2018 Nov; 114:20-25.

Pediatric Benign Paranasal Sinus Osteoneogenic Tumors: A Case Series and Systematic Review of Outcomes, Techniques, and a Multiportal Approach Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2018 Nov; 32(6):465-472.

Evaluation of patient nasal saline irrigation practices following endoscopic sinus surgery Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2018 01; 8(1):32-40.

Evaluation of patient nasal saline irrigation practices following endoscopic sinus surgery Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2018 Jan; 8(1):32-40.

How often is sinus surgery performed for chronic rhinosinusitis with versus without nasal polyps? Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2018 Jan 01; 32(1):34-39.

Presentation, workup, and management of penetrating transorbital and transnasal injuries: A case report and systematic review Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2017 Mar 01; 31(2):29-34.

Can Chronic Sinusitis Cause Cancer? JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Jan 01; 143(1):32-33.

Can Chronic Sinusitis Cause Cancer? JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 01 01; 143(1):32-33.

Antibiotic Prescribing by Physicians Versus Nurse Practitioners for Pediatric Upper Respiratory Infections Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2016 Dec; 125(12):982-991.

Open versus endoscopic medial orbital decompression: Utilization, cost, and operating room time Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2016 Sep; 30(5):360-6.

Measurement and comparison of health utility assessments in chronic rhinosinusitis Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2015 Oct; 5(10):929-36.

Surgical anatomy and variations of the infraorbital nerve Laryngoscope. 2015 Jun; 125(6):1296-300.

Trends in the management of pediatric peritonsillar abscess infections in the US. , 2000-2009. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2015 Apr; 79(4):527-31.

National trends in retropharyngeal abscess among adult inpatients with peritonsillar abscess Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Apr; 152(4):661-6.

The prevalence of bacterial infection in acute rhinosinusitis: a Systematic review and meta-analysis Laryngoscope. 2015 Jan; 125(1):57-69.

Operative utilization of balloon versus traditional endoscopic sinus surgery Laryngoscope. 2015 Jan; 125(1):49-56.

Commentary on gender differences in prevalence, treatment, and quality of life of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis Allergy Rhinol (Providence). 2015 Jan; 6(2):82-8.

Current utilization of balloon dilation versus endoscopic techniques in pediatric sinus surgery Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Nov; 151(5):852-60.

Perioperative dexamethasone administration and risk of bleeding following tonsillectomy in children: a randomized controlled trial JAMA. 2012 Sep 26; 308(12):1221-6.

The clinical presentation and surgical management of adnexal torsion in the pediatric and adolescent population J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2012 Apr; 25(2):109-13.

The clinical presentation and surgical management of adnexal torsion in the pediatric and adolescent population J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2012 Apr; 25(2):109-113.

Combination treatments for psoriasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis Arch Dermatol. 2012 Apr; 148(4):511-22.

Heavy metals exposure and hearing loss in US adolescents Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 Dec; 137(12):1183-9.

Histopathologic investigation of the dimensions of the cochlear nerve canal in normal temporal bones Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2011 Apr; 75(4):464-7.

Prevalence of noise-induced hearing-threshold shifts and hearing loss among US youths Pediatrics. 2011 Jan; 127(1):e39-46.

Role of patient education level in predicting macrosomia among women with gestational diabetes mellitus J Perinatol. 2006 Jun; 26(6):328-32.

Research

Surgical outcomes and quality of life, surgical devices, epidemiology, emerging infectious diseases, cystic fibrosis