About us

Head and Neck Surgery Associates was founded in 1978 by Ronald Hamaker, MD. Dr. Hamaker was a leader and an innovator in head and neck surgery, establishing Indianapolis as an international center in the aggressive treatment of complicated tumors involving the head and neck.

Shortly thereafter, Mark Singer MD and Eric Blom PhD joined Head and Neck Surgery Associates to bring their expertise in restoring speech to cancer victims who had their voice box removed. Dr. Singer now is a professor in San Francisco and Dr. Blom has continued his life work in voice restoration and device development with Head and Neck Surgery Associates. These international leaders established one of the premier fellowship training programs in the world to pass their knowledge and skills to surgeons seeking to sub-specialize in head and neck cancer. Stephen Freeman MD, Richard Borrowdale MD, and Tod Huntley MD learned under their mentorship and have continued to provide dedicated management of tumor patients with Head and Neck Associates. Several years ago, Edward Krowiak MD brought his experience to broaden the scope of cancer treatment and voice care.

The relationship with other associates involved in the care of cancer patients resulted in the multidisciplinary head and neck tumor clinic, which gathers every Wednesday to provide timely evaluation and treatment of patients with head and neck tumors. The application of radiation during surgery, intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) was adapted to treating patients with advanced cancers of the head and neck in 1982 by Dr Hamaker and his radiation oncology colleague, Newell Pugh MD. Over 700 patients have been treated with this concept, which provides Head and Neck Surgery Associates with the largest experience in the world.

Building on their immense knowledge of the head and neck, the surgeons have applied their expertise to other aspects of their specialty. Microvascular transfer of tissue from other parts of the body to rebuild the head and neck has placed them among the leaders of reconstructive surgery of defects related to cancer and trauma. Dr. Huntley has emerged as one of the Midwest experts in sleep disorders, ranging from interpretation of sleep studies, to managing CPAP and being on the cutting edge of surgical management of sleep apnea. Working closely with endocrinologists, Dr. Borrowdale has become central Indiana’s foremost thyroid and parathyroid surgeon. Using his extensive knowledge of the skull base and paranasal sinuses, Dr. Freeman has developed one of the largest practices in sinus and allergy disease in the state. Voice and swallowing disorders fall under the directorship of Drs. Krowiak and Blom. Dr. Scott Phillips who is known as Indiana’s flight surgeon for the astronauts of NASA, manages the pediatric aspects of the ears, nose and throat. He also heads our allergy department.

To ensure that each cancer patient who faces surgical removal of their cancer receives optimal care and information our nurse practioner, Karen Bunnell will accompany you through each step of your outpatient and inpatient care. She is an extraordinarily caring and experienced person who demands excellent care for our patients.

Amanda Luecke, nurse practioner has brought her previous allergy experience to enable us to extend our comprehensive care to adult and pediatric patients.

As of September 1st, 2007 Head and Neck Surgery Associates and the Sinus & Allergy Center broadened their title to the Center for Ears, Nose, Throat and Allergy (CENTA) to encompass all the sub-specialty expertise within the group.