100 High Street Buffalo, NY 14203

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Thursday, June 17, 2004) - David A. Sherris, M.D., a former Chair of the Mayo Clinic's Division of Facial Plastic Surgery, has been making international news in his new role with Kaleida Health.

Dr. Sherris, Kaleida's Interim Chief of Service for Otolaryngology, also serves as an Associate Professor, and the Interim Chairman, of the University at Buffalo's Department of Otolaryngology. His practice is focused in facial plastic surgery and rhinology (sinus and nasal disorders).

Dr. Sherris recently returned from London, England where he was a guest speaker on rhinoplasty at the International Federation of Facial Plastic Surgery Societies. He spoke to more than 300 facial plastic surgery specialists from around the world about how rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, can improve both the appearance and the function of the nose.

Dr. Sherris, a Buffalo native, stressed the importance of assessing patients for both cosmetic and functional concerns, because a cosmetic surgery that ignores airway obstruction can be detrimental to the patient by worsening or causing other nasal problems. In addition, he presented techniques that focused on the most difficult of these cases.

In March, Dr. Sherris presented a new study that suggests that when antibiotics fail, a nasal spray to fight fungus may reduce inflammation in the sinus cavity.

He says the researchers found decreased inflammation in the lining of the sinuses in people with chronic sinusitis. Dr. Sherris presented his findings at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

About 14 percent of the population suffers from chronic sinusitis, which is characterized by inflammation of the nasal lining, congestion and nasal discharge lasting more than three months. Many sufferers also complain of chronic cough, particularly at night or upon awakening. People with chronic sinusitis frequently suffer from seasonal allergies as well, and often fail to get better with antibiotics.

"We hope this study will lead to the first treatment aimed at the root cause of chronic sinusitis, rather than a treatment just to mask the symptoms," said Dr. Sherris.

As a director of Rhinofest 2004, Dr. Sherris will team up with other experts in rhinology and organize a multi-day lecture and dissection course sponsored by the University at Buffalo and Graz University in Austria.

This International Continuing Medical Education (CME) course focuses on sinus and nasal disease, functional and cosmetic disorders of the nose, and the treatment of chronic sinusitis and applications of the most modern equipment for sinus surgery. The program will bring ear, nose and throat specialists and facial plastic surgeons from all over the world to Buffalo this August.

In addition to the educational and clinical components, Dr. Sherris is actively working to make an impact in the community.

Dr. Sherris is the Buffalo area's catalyst for a program called "Face to Face: the National Domestic Violence Project" sponsored by the Educational and Research Foundation for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) in cooperation with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).

The program provides a victim of abuse with a surgeon to repair damaged facial features for free in order to alleviate the painful memories of past abuse.

After an individual is safely removed from the violent relationship and counseled for one year, the shelter refers the eligible patient to the AAFPRS and then the patient is referred to a participating surgeon in the area.

Dr. Sherris participated in this program at the Mayo Clinic and wants to do the same at Kaleida Health by providing complimentary surgical reconstruction services to victims of domestic violence who do not have the appropriate insurance coverage to remove the effects of physical abuse, like scars.

The Kaleida Health Foundation and the United Way have agreed to find local shelters to participate in "Face to Face." Kaleida Health is providing free hospital services for the program's facial reconstructive surgeries and hopes that the successful program will be implemented in the WNY area soon.

Kaleida Health is the largest health care provider in Western New York. More than one million patients are seen annually at Buffalo General Hospital, DeGraff Memorial Hospital, Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, The Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo and numerous community health care centers. The system includes long-term care facilities, as well as visiting nurse, behavioral health and home care services.