Mark Bianchi, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology)Cards
About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology)
Biography
Mark S. Bianchi, MD, is Board Certified in Otolaryngology Surgery and Sleep Medicine. He is passionate about helping patients who have sleep breathing disturbances and health issues due to nasal and sinus problems. He offers his patients advanced, minimally invasive surgical treatment and management of their conditions, specializing in sleep disorders, rhinology, general otolaryngology, sinus surgery, and sleep apnea.
Dr. Bianchi earned his medical degree from Yale University and completed his residency in Otolaryngology at Yale-New Haven Hospital. His current research includes the use of ultrasound to measure the upper airway in sleep apnea patients.
Appointments
Otolaryngology Surgery
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- General Pediatric Otolaryngology Surgery
- Otolaryngology Surgery
- Pediatric Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose & Throat)
- Pituitary Program
- Surgery
- Yale Medicine
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Resident
- Yale-New Haven Hospital (1996)
- MD
- Yale University (1991)
Research
Clinical Care
Overview
Mark S. Bianchi, MD, is a surgeon who specializes in sleep medicine, and nasal and sinus surgery, as well as other ear, nose and throat issues, caring for both adults and children. He provides advanced, minimally invasive surgical treatments for a range of conditions, including nose and sinus issues, obstructive sleep apnea, and health issues due to sinus blockages, with treatments that include balloon sinuplasty. All of these problems affect quality of life, sometimes more than people realize, Dr. Bianchi says. “It turns out that sleep is a very important part of our experience, and if it's not good sleep, then we really suffer during the day.”
An important reason to see a specialist for snoring or other sleep issues is the risk of obstructive sleep apnea, which causes sporadic interruptions in breathing during sleep. A sleep medicine expert can diagnose sleep apnea with a sleep study and prescribe nonsurgical treatment with a CPAP machine, which keeps the airway open through the night. “I get involved with people who may be candidates for surgical intervention,” Dr. Bianchi says. “Occasionally, it’s something simple, like large tonsils or a deviated septum. Then there are more specific surgeries for snoring and sleep apnea.”
Dr. Bianchi provides the latest treatments, including the hypoglossal nerve stimulator, which involves implanting a pacemaker-like device with a sensor that detects when you are breathing, and a stimulator that responds by making the muscles of the tongue protrude or stick out when you breathe in, keeping the airway open. “The stimulator is remarkably successful at treating certain people with sleep apnea,” Dr. Bianchi says. He also performs uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) procedures, which have been used for years to remove excess tissue from the soft palate to open the airway, and is involved in research to make that procedure less invasive and minimize side effects.
An assistant professor of otolaryngology at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Bianchi says he became an ear, nose and throat surgeon for two opposite reasons. One is that he can help many people quickly, almost immediately if they have such simple problems as nosebleeds or clogged ears. The other is that it gives him the opportunity to practice patience and communication in managing complex problems.
“As I get older, I especially like being able to help a person who has such a difficult problem that they set you back on your heels,” he says. “As a doctor, you have to be willing to go through it with them, and in the process of helping them you're also learning about yourself. That aspect tends to be the most gratifying.”
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection)
Learn More on Yale MedicineSeasonal Allergies (Allergic Rhinitis)
Learn More on Yale MedicineNosebleeds (Epistaxis)
Learn More on Yale MedicineThroat Cancer
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Otolaryngology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Otolaryngology
- Original Certification Date
- 1997
Yale Medicine News
News & Links
News
- May 02, 2024
Yale Surgeons Recognized by Connecticut Magazine's 2024 “Top Doctors” List
- March 28, 2014
Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. lists Yale Otolaryngology surgeons among 2014 Top Docs
- January 19, 2014
Dr. Bianchi Named one of Fairfield County Magazine's Top Doctors
- April 22, 2013
U.S. News lists Yale Otolaryngology surgeons among Top Docs