Overview
Alexander Hillel specializes in the medical and surgical management of patients who have scar tissue blocking their larynx and/or trachea, a condition called laryngotracheal stenosis. This condition occurs in patients who have had prolonged intubation, an autoimmune disease or a rare disease called idiopathic subglottic stenosis. He also treats patients with voice and throat problems, including spasmodic dysphonia and swallowing difficulty. After he earned his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Hillel completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a fellowship in laryngology and airway surgery at the Emory Voice Center. Dr. Hillel directs a laboratory that seeks to better understand why scar forms in the larynx and trachea. In an effort to improve treatment, he and his team investigate the relationship between the immune system, bacteria and other antigens and scar formation in the airway. He has led a number of clinical trials to improve treatment for subglottic stenosis, including the first interventional study for idiopathic subglottic stenosis. Researchers in Dr. Hillel’s lab are also testing drugs that may halt the progression of, or reverse, scar formation, and they have engineered a drug-eluting stent that is being tested to translate to patients with subglottic stenosis. He holds sponsored grants to conduct his research from the National Institutes of Health, surgical foundations and the medical device industry. In addition to clinical and research work, Dr. Hillel has a leadership role within the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, serving as the vice director of education.
Dr. Hillel is highly rated in 17 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Subglottic Stenosis, Perichondritis, Laryngectomy, and Endoscopy.
His clinical research consists of co-authoring 143 peer reviewed articles and participating in 2 clinical trials. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years.
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Locations
601 North Caroline Street, Floor 6, Floor 6, Baltimore, MD 21287
6420 Rockledge Drive, Suite 4920, Bethesda, MD 20817
10803 Falls Road, Pavilion III STE 2500, Lutherville, MD 21093
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
2 Clinical Trials
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Head and neck surgeon David Eisele specializes in surgery for malignant and benign tumors of the head and neck, with a focus on salivary gland neoplasms and disorders of the salivary glands that can be treated surgically. He is an expert in minimally invasive surgical approaches, including sialendoscopy. Salivary gland neoplasms and disorders are also the focus of Dr. Eisele’s research. He has published more than 300 research papers and edited multiple books related to head and neck surgery. Dr. Eisele earned a medical degree from Cornell University Medical College and completed residency training in general surgery and in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the University of Washington. From 2012 to 2025, he served as director of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Eisele is highly rated in 16 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Salivary Duct Stones, Salivary Gland Tumors, Throat Cancer, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Lee Akst, M.D., specializes in treating the larynx (voicebox), in particular the treatment of voice and swallowing disorders. He is a leading laryngologist in office-based procedures such as vocal fold injection augmentation, pulsed KTP laser treatment, and laryngeal botox injection. In the operating room, Dr. Akst specializes in phonosurgery for the treatment of vocal cord disease, with emphasis on voice restoration and improvement. A strong focus of his practice involves the use of pulsed angiolytic lasers, which allow for subspecialized care of laryngeal papillomas, laryngeal dysplasia, and early vocal cord cancers while preserving the quality and strength of the voice. Dr. Akst is a national leader in the field of laryngology and serves in leadership roles for the American Laryngological Association, the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He lectures extensively on the treatment of laryngeal disease, teaching other physicians how to care for patients with voice and swallowing concerns. His research interests include the development of robotic laryngeal surgery, the study of voice and swallowing complaints in the elderly, and the advancement of pulsed lasers for the treatment of laryngeal diseases with a focus on leukoplakia. This provider is registered with the Florida Department of Health to perform telehealth services for patients in Florida. Dr. Akst is highly rated in 17 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Perichondritis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Neurotologist John Carey specializes in the health and diseases of the inner ear that affect both balance and hearing mechanisms. He is a national expert in superior canal dehiscence syndrome, Menière’s disease, vestibular migraine, acoustic neuromas and other causes of vertigo, and serves as chief of the Division of Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Carey earned a medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine and completed two years of training in general surgery at Virginia Mason Medical Center. This was followed by residency training in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at University of Washington Medical Center and fellowship training in neurotology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research interests include superior canal dehiscence syndrome, Menière’s disease, vestibular implants, and the mechanisms of vestibular migraine. He has a particular interest in superior canal dehiscence syndrome, and, with Lloyd Minor, department director from 2003 to 2009, he helped develop the operation used to repair the superior canal. Dr. Carey has been funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, part of the National Institutes of Health. He has authored or co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications, 10 book chapters, and 11 reviews. Dr. Carey is highly rated in 17 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Vertigo, Meniere Disease, Acoustic Neuroma, Mastoidectomy, and Endoscopy.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Distinguished
- Acquired TracheomalaciaDr. Hillel isDistinguished. Learn about Acquired Tracheomalacia.
- Laryngeal Nerve DamageDr. Hillel isDistinguished. Learn about Laryngeal Nerve Damage.
- LaryngitisDr. Hillel isDistinguished. Learn about Laryngitis.
- PerichondritisDr. Hillel isDistinguished. Learn about Perichondritis.
- Spasmodic DysphoniaDr. Hillel isDistinguished. Learn about Spasmodic Dysphonia.
- Subglottic StenosisDr. Hillel isDistinguished. Learn about Subglottic Stenosis.
- Advanced
- Autonomic NeuropathyDr. Hillel isAdvanced. Learn about Autonomic Neuropathy.
- HyperventilationDr. Hillel isAdvanced. Learn about Hyperventilation.
- Laryngeal CancerDr. Hillel isAdvanced. Learn about Laryngeal Cancer.
- LaryngectomyDr. Hillel isAdvanced. Learn about Laryngectomy.
- Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2)Dr. Hillel isAdvanced. Learn about Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2).
- Painful SwallowingDr. Hillel isAdvanced. Learn about Painful Swallowing.
- Experienced
- Acoustic NeuromaDr. Hillel isExperienced. Learn about Acoustic Neuroma.
- AnosmiaDr. Hillel isExperienced. Learn about Anosmia.
- Bell's PalsyDr. Hillel isExperienced. Learn about Bell's Palsy.
- Chronic CoughDr. Hillel isExperienced. Learn about Chronic Cough.
- EndoscopyDr. Hillel isExperienced. Learn about Endoscopy.
- Facial ParalysisDr. Hillel isExperienced. Learn about Facial Paralysis.