Matthew Campbell, Otolaryngologist - head and neck surgeon

Matthew Campbell graduated from the University of Melbourne Medical School in 1984. He completed his Fellowship in ENT Head and Neck Surgery in 1995 and won the Jean Littlejohn medal for research (1994) and the Hugh Noel Puckle Prize (1996).  Matthew then went to Europe for further training in middle ear surgery (Würzberg, Germany), vocal disorders (Lyon, France) and Head and Neck Surgery (Dublin, Ireland) before returning to Melbourne.

Matthew was appointed director of the ENT Head and Neck Surgical Unit at Austin Health in 2000 and additionally of the Northern Hospital in 2005.

While he is loved by his paediatric patients and their families, he also relishes his work in snoring and sinus surgery, middle ear surgery and head and neck surgery. He is currently involved in research in obstructive sleep apnoea with an international multi-centre study and the respiratory unit at Austin.

The Respiratory Medicine Unit and the Institute of Breathing and Sleep both at Austin Hospital are world leaders especially in the areas of sleep disturbance and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). These institutions and Matthew are currently approaching completion of testing of a new device for OSA in a multicentre trial with centres in Australia, USA and Europe. We hope that the results from this second phase will reflect the excellent results from the first phase or pilot study and that we will soon be able to offer this device as one of the many treatments for OSA.

Most snoring and OSA problems can be improved by simpler types of surgery or with non-surgical treatments. These devices include mandibular advancement splints (MAS) or CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) masks. The essential step is an experienced initial assessment of airway patency, with possible sleep study assessment afterwards.