Ottavio Piccin

Medical degree, University of Bologna

Postgraduate Diploma in Otorhinolaryngology  with full marks (70/70) cum laude, University of Bologna 

Postgraduate Professional Master  in “Demolition and Reconstructive surgery in cranio-    facial malignancies with special concern to microsurgical techniques” , University of Bologna (in conjunction with  Sapienza University of Rome).

National qualification as Expert in Sleep related Breathing Disorders (licence issued under the patronage of the Italian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the Italian Association of Sleep Medicine and Italian Society of Maxillofacial Surgery)

Head and neck cancer surgery, thyroid gland and parathyroid glands surgery, diagnosis and therapy of adult and pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, pediatric otolaryngology.

Artificial Intelligence in otolaryngology

Regenerative medicine

Robotic surgery

• Responsibility in National research projects 

From 2021 to 2023, Team leader of the research group for Cervical-endocrine surgery

(Department of medical and surgical sciences, University of Bologna).

This research group is dedicated to the surgical treatment of thyroid and parathyroid diseases (benign and malignant). The team collaborates with endocrinologists and nephrologists for a multidisciplinary management of these patients. The team also collaborates with other national (Prof Dionigi-Milano) and international (Prof Randholf- Boston) groups. Research activities are mainly aimed at the treatment of thyroid carcinomas, the role of intraoperative parathyroid hormone assay in patients with hyperparathyroidism undergoing surgery, and methods for reducing the rate of complications, in particular, the use of laryngeal nerve-monitoring systems.

Research areas of the group

• Preoperative imaging in the diagnosis and selection of treatment for patients with   hyperparathyroidism (CT-4D, contrast-enhanced ultrasound)
• Surgical treatment and long-term oncological and functional results of thyroid carcinomas
• Intraoperative monitoring of the laryngeal nerves
• Intraoperative assay of parathyroid hormone

   Research projects of the group

• Monocentric experience with the management and survival of parathyroid carcinoma
• Evaluation of residual lymph node disease after thyroidectomy with central and latero-cervical neck dissection
• Role of intraoperative PTH assay in the surgical treatment of hyperparathyroidism; analysis of post-operative curves
• Urgent thyroidectomy: review of the monocentric experience in cases of thyroidectomy due to amiodarone intoxication, intolerance to thyrostatics and uncontrollable thyrotoxicosis
• Usefulness of the study of genetic mutations in the planning and individualization of surgery, especially in indeterminate lesions (Tir3b)
• Assessment of the percentage of persistence / relapse in primary hyperparathyroidism surgery

• Participation in National research projects 

1. Team member of the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome research group   (Department of medical and surgical sciences, University of Bologna)

This research group is dedicated to the study of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome , both in pediatric and adult patients. The team collaborates constantly with several national and international  groups.

 Research areas of the group

Study of the causes of OSAS; instrumental investigations and surgical treatments of the pediatric and adult OSAS patient. 

Research projects of the group

• Definition of the causes and mechanisms underlying the collapse of the airway in OSAS patients;
• Definition of anatomical and polysomnographic features for the phenotypic classification of the OSAS patient;
• Study of the implementation of sleep endoscopy ("Advanced sleep endoscopy") in order to improve the sensitivity of the diagnosis and to correctly classify the patient’s OSAS phenotype, for an appropriate personalized therapy;
• Study of the anatomical and functional results of oropharyngeal surgery in the OSAS patient, in particular of lateral expansive pharyngoplasty with barbed suture (barbed-functional expansion pharyngoplasty).

1. Team member of the Research group for Head and Neck Cancer Surgery (department of   medical and surgical sciences, University of Bologna)

This research group is dedicated to the research of modern multidisciplinary treatment modalities for head and neck tumors. The collaboration between surgeons, oncologists, radiotherapists, radiologists, and rehabilitation and palliative care teams adds further value to the group's multidisciplinary research activity. The efforts of the team are aimed at developing personalized treatments for the patient and applying minimally invasive surgical approaches and modern treatment methods, while seeking inclusion in experimental protocols.

Research areas of the group

• Implementation of endoscopic and robotic systems for the treatment of malignant tumors of the head and neck area
• Quality of life after curative treatment of the head and neck area
• Parotid surgery
• Laryngeal surgery
• Reconstructive surgery

Research projects of the group

• NEVER - national multicenter study - Radiotherapy on non-elective sites in the head and neck area in vulnerable elderly patients
• IDENTIFY - national multicenter study for the role of liquid biopsy in malignant tumors of the head and neck area
• ARYFIX - national multicenter study for the evaluation of the management of laryngeal carcinoma with fixed arytenoid
• LNR - national multicenter study for evaluating the impact of lymph node density, ratio and yield in laryngeal carcinomas
• Parotid surgery: retrospective multicenter study of complications, oncological outcomes and quality of life of patients undergoing parotidectomy
• Free vs pedunculated flaps in head and neck cancer surgery

• Participation in International research projects 

From 2013 to present, member of the multidisciplinary european panel for drug induced sleep endoscopy. This collaboration resulted in the publication of two european position papers on the topic (European position paper on drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE): 2017 update. Clin Otolaryngol. 2018; 43:1541-1552. European position paper on drug-induced sedation endoscopy (DISE). Sleep Breath. 2014 Sep;18:453-65). 

Currently, the group is working on a european position paper about palate surgery for obstructive sleep apnea.

• Clinical trial

From 2011 to 2013 promotor and principal investigator of the clinical study : Prospective randomized clinical trial on the efficacy of the Harmonic scalpel  tonsillectomy versus cold steel tonsillectomy in adult population (study denomination: OTO 11-01; code: 046/2011/O/Disp)

This study was planned to compare harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy to the traditional cold knife tonsillectomy with particular regard to intraoperative bleeding, operative time, postoperative pain and rate of bleeding.

From 2017 to 2019 participant to the clinical study: Intraoperative intermittent neuromonitoring and staged thyroidectomy. (study denomination: I-IONM-2017; code:278/2017/O/Oss).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of the intermittent neuromonitoring of the inferior laryngeal nerve in avoiding bilateral palsy during thyroidectomy.

From 2008 to 2010 participant to the clinical study: Intraoperative Neuromonitoring of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Versus Neurostimulation.

The purpose of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate if intraoperative neuromonitoring associated to neurostimulation of recurrent laryngeal nerve reduce the rate of recurrent laryngeal palsy respect to neurostimulation alone during thyroid surgery. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01163045)

Member of the faculty of the Italian Association of Dissective Anatomy (AIAD).

It is a scientific society based in Turin,  founded from the unity of purpose of a group of ENT professionals who had already been actively working for many years in the organisation of anatomical dissection courses abroad and in Italy. The multidisciplinary professional skills within the group allowed to create a faculty of international standing, capable of offering a large number of anatomical dissection courses in all fields of ENT surgery and related disciplines.

Member of the National  faculty and Examination Committee of the training course for the qualification of Expert in Sleep Related Breathing Disorders ( qualification issued under the patronage of the Italian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Italian Society of Sleep Medicine and Italian society of Maxillofacial Surgery)

From 2014 to 2015, member of the Scientific Committee for Training and Updating (CoSFA) of the Italian Association of Hospital Otolaryngologists (AOOI). 

This scientific committee is dedicated to the updating and continuing education for ENT specialists.

2007:  member of the National Board for the drafting and audit of the guidelines on  surgical management of snoring and sleep apnea in adults  (board appointed by the Italian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and Italian Association of Sleep Medicine)

• Participation in international scientific committees 

From 2011 to 2016,  member of the  faculty and examination committee of the international training course for the Continuous and integrated training in sleep disordered breathing surgery .

• National honours and awards:

1) First prize for the best video presentation entitled "3D anatomical reconstruction of the frontal recess . XLI National conference of the Italian Association of Hospital Otolaryngologists (AOOI).  Milano Marittima, 13-14 october  2017.

2) Italian Association of Hospital Otolaryngologists (AOOI) 2012 award for the Best paper published on an international journal (Laryngeal neuromonitoring and neurostimulation versus neurostimulation alone in thyroid surgery: a randomized clinical trial, published by Head and Neck).

3) Bilancioni - Ferreri – Gradenigo Prize for experimental work of ENT interest, from the Italian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in the year 2007.  Title of the work: PTH essay for early identification of post thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. I.J. Fernandez, C. Bordonaro, O. Piccin. 

4) Italian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2004 award for the best poster presented at the 91° national congress, (title: from uvulopalatopharyngoplasty to the extended flap: update on sleep surgery). Torino, 26-29 may 2004.

• International honours and awards:

First prize for the best poster presented at the

  5th ISSS International Symposium Surgery, Sleep & Breathing Diagnosis and Treatment in Sleep Disordered Breathing:Up to Date, (title: Drug induced sleep endoscopy with MAD: our experience). Venezia, 12 march 2012