Mr Zahoor Ahmad
MBBS, MS, FRACS
Consultant Otolaryngologist-Head & Neck Surgeon, Counties-Manukau DHB; Auckland University Hospitals, Auckland, NZ


Member of the New Zealand Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (NZSOHNS) and American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck. He is also a life-member of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India.

Previously served as President of the Northern Regional Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, New Zealand.

Dr Ahmad practices general otolaryngology with clinical interests in head and neck, Salivary, thyroid, Nasal and sinus diseases. He is an experienced sialendoscopist and is a member of international society of Sialendoscopists, Geneva, Switzerland.

His thesis for MS (masters in surgery) was on adenoids and middle ear disease in children.
He has lectured in a number of scientific meetings and has been a Key-Note Lecturer in several International Meetings. He participates and instructs in international workshops focussing on management of salivary diseases and sinus problems. He has about 75 Publications in peer reviewed international journals and written chapters in few books. He is the Chief Editor of recently published 3-volume book entitled “Symptom Oriented Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery”

He is actively involved in teaching and examining undergraduate and postgraduate medical students

Dr Ahmad was born in Kashmir (India) and after graduation and post-graduation left and has travelled widely before falling in love with New Zealand and made it his home.

Supported by his wife, two sons, and two granddaughters. Has passion to play golf and enjoys playing the game on most of the weekends. Enjoys listening to classical music and at times enjoys singing in social gatherings. Loves to watch rugby and cricket.


Challenges in Sialendoscopy and How to Manage Them

Mr Zahoor Ahmad MBBS, MS, FRACS
Prof Randall P Morton MBBS, MSc, FRACS

In the last 15 years much has changed in managing obstructive salivary gland problems. Plain x-rays and traditional sialography for investigating the problems in salivary glands are outdated and have been replaced by MR Sialogram that uses saliva as its contrast, and CT scanning. Challenges in assessment of patients with salivary gland dysfunction and how to address these challenges are discussed in this presentation.

The miniature endoscopes used in the management of these problems are fascinating and have revolutionized the management of Obstructive salivary diseases. The technique of sialendoscopy could be both diagnostic and therapeutic. In treating obstructive salivary disease it has improved the quality of life of the patients by organ preservation, by avoiding scars, and by avoiding risks of gland sacrifice- like facial nerve injury. 

This presentation also identifies the challenges one faces in performing the sialendoscopy procedure and how they can be managed.  Challenges range from finding a submandibular duct natural opening because of difficult access or stenosed punctum and dealing with different sized stones that could not be retrieved by simple basket use or open approach. The medium sized stones are generally the main challenge and using laser, stone breakers and burs could be an option for managing this problem.

While larger stone retrieval by combined techniques is also discussed, including the challenge of preserving the ductal integrity and avoiding the damage to lingual nerve.  Dealing with multiple or long-segments of stenosis particularly in the parotid duct could be a challenge and managing them by use of stents or grafting the segment of stenosis could be an option.  Our results are compared with those published in the international literature.