Hannah Burns BSc, MBBS, FRACS

Dr Hannah Burns completed a BSc at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand before moving to Brisbane to study medicine. She graduated from the University of Queensland, and completed her internship and residency at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. She undertook advanced specialty training in otolaryngology and gained her fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2008. The following year she spent 18 months at Evelina Children’s Hospital in London sub-specialising in paediatric ENT, with a special interest in airway disorders. Following her return to Brisbane she held appointments at both the Mater and Royal Children’s Hospitals. She is now a visiting medical officer at the newly opened Lady Cilento Children's Hospital (LCCH) in Brisbane and runs her own private practice. Dr Burns is an senior lecturer with the University of Queensland.

Working as part of a team, both at the LCCH and also within the Otolaryngology community at large, Dr Burns is involved in a wide range of projects.These involve supervising medical students and junior staff, as well as collaborating with other departments and specialist groups. In doing so she has presented papers, locally, nationally and internationally. The POSTA research group is a collaboration between ENT and Paediatric respiratory and Sleep Medicine, it aims to study the neurocogntive deficits of children with sleep disordered breathing. The results will provide pivotal information in regards to the indication and timing of adenotonsillectomy.

Within the LCCH ENT department ongoing research continues to audit and examine airway surgery. A ten year tracheostomy audit has been completed and work continues looking at the epidemiology and treatment options for subglottic stenosis. Paediatric tonsillectomy analgesia is being studied. A nationwide survey of tonsillectomy analgesia has been presented at a recent meeting and we are now exploring the role of acupuncture as adjunct therapy.

Other projects that are currently underway include; A review of ENT manifestations of Ehlers Danlos, Contemporary management of microcytic lymphangioma of the tongue, Paediatric laryngeal amyloid, A review of PTEN gene mutations and its ENT manifestation and Sigmoid Sinus Thrombosis secondary to mastoiditis. Following a death from an ingested battery button, Dr Burns is working with Emergency Medicine colleagues to produce position statements which can be used to lobby for improved regulation on the battery safety. With an interest in teaching, an annual paediatric workshop has been developed.

This uses live animal and high fidelity simulation to teach safe paediatric airway techniques to ENT trainees and fellows and is the first of its kind in Australia. This will run for a 5th year in 2015. Dr Burns is a member of the LCCH multidisciplinary vascular anomaly team, and a founding member of the newly initiated Australasian Vascular Anomaly Network. She will attend the International Society for the study of Vascular Anomalies meeting this year in Amsterdam. She is also an active member of ASOHNS and ANZSPO and attends meetings regularly in Europe and the USA.