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Douglas C Bigelow, MD

Otorhinolaryngology

4.9 with 440 ratings

Sees patients age 15 and up

Douglas C Bigelow, MD

Otorhinolaryngology

4.9 with 440 ratings

Sees patients age 15 and up

Director, Division of Otology/Neurotology
Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Bigelow is a Penn Medicine physician.

Call 800-789-7366 Request Appointment

Meet Dr. Bigelow

Douglas C. Bigelow serves as chief of the Division of Otology and Neurotology within the Department of Otolaryngology at Penn Medicine. He has worked in this area for 30 years and has vast clinical expertise in the treatment of ear disorders, hearing loss and skull base tumors. He has more experience in managing patients with acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas) and other skull base tumors such as glomus tumors (paragangliomas), meningiomas etc. than any other physician in the region.

He has great expertise in treating patients with chronic ear disease including cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media as well as patients with hearing loss due to otosclerosis, middle ear disease and sensorineural (inner ear or nerve) hearing loss. He has performed hundreds of stapes surgeries for otosclerosis and cochlear implants for patients with sensorineural hearing loss. Dr. Bigelow has also been involved in cochlear implant research and clinical trials for many years and has been listed in Best Doctors in America since 1998.

Recognized by America's Top Doctors, 2017

Recognized by Best Doctors in America 2003 - 2023

Recognized by Guide to America's Top Physicians 2004, 2005

Recognized in Philadelphia magazine's annual Top Docs issues, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2018 - 2023

Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma)
Adenocarcinoma of the Head and Neck
Asymmetrical Hearing Loss
Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease
Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
BAHA Implant
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Benign Schwannoma
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid Assessment
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid Surgery
Central Hearing Loss
Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak from Ear
Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak from Nose
Cerumen Removal
Cholesteatoma
Chondrosarcoma
Chordoma
Cochlear Implant Hearing Aid Assessment
Cochlear Implant Hearing Aid Surgery
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear Nerve Damage
Conductive Hearing Loss
Crackling Sound in Ears
CSF Leak Repair
Ear and Temporal Bone Cancer
Ear and Temporal Bone Tumors
Ear Canal Lesion
Ear Cleaning
Ear Cyst
Ear Discharge
Ear Drainage
Ear Exam
Ear Fullness
Ear Infection - Middle Ear (Otitis Media)
Ear Mass
Ear Pressure
Earache
Encephalocele
Encephalocele Repair
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Facial Asymmetry
Facial Deformities
Facial Nerve Decompression
Facial Nerve Disorders
Facial Nerve Injury
Facial Nerve Palsy
Facial Nerve Schwannoma
Facial Paralysis Surgery
Facial Paresis
Foreign Body in Ear
Glomus Tumor
Head and Neck Cancer Surgery
Head Mass
Hearing Aids
Hearing Evaluation
Hearing Loss
Hyperacusis
Hypoglossal Nerve Disease
Impacted Cerumen
Inner Ear Trauma
Itchy Ear
Labyrinthitis
Lip Droop
Malignant Schwannoma
Mastoiditis
Meniere's Disease
Meningioma
Microsurgery
Middle Ear Exploration
Missing Eardrum
Mixed Hearing Loss
Muffled Hearing
Myringoplasty
Myringotomy
Neural Hearing Loss
Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis Type 2
Nystagmus
Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
Osteoma
Otalgia
Otoacoustic Emissions Test
Otosclerosis
Ototoxicity
Paraganglioma
Perforated Ear Drum
Perforated Eardrum
Perichondritis
Positional Vertigo
Preauricular Fistula
Skull Base Tumor
Small Ear Canal
Stapedectomy
Sudden Deafness
Superior Canal Dehiscence
Swimmer's Ear (Otitis Externa)
Swooshing Sound in Ears
Temporal Bone Cancer
Temporal Bone Fracture
Tinnitus
Tympanic Membrane Perforation
Tympanometry
Tympanoplasty/Mastoidectomy

Show All Expertise

Programs and Centers

Penn Medicine's programs and centers combine doctors from many disciplines to coordinate care from start to finish. Dr. Bigelow is part of these programs:

Board Certification

Otolaryngology, 1990
Otolaryngology/Neurotology, 2008

Education and Training

Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency: Hennepin County Medical Center; Barnes-Jewish Hospital - Washington University, St. Louis; Saint John's Mercy Medical Center

Primary Location

Penn Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Perelman

Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
South Pavilion, 3rd Floor
3400 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104

A facility of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Map Call 800-789-7366

View details

Penn Medicine Hospital Privileges

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Pennsylvania Hospital: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.

Overall Ratings

out of 5 ; Ratings;

The Patient Satisfaction Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related question shown above from our internal platform, PMX Feedback. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. Scores reflect either the most recent 12 months of surveys or the most recent 30 surveys overall. Data is updated monthly and comments remain on the profile for 12 months.

Comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Penn Medicine.

Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys.

Please contact the practice and/or the member services department of your insurance company for specific details before receiving services. Providers may participate in some, but not all, products offered by a health plan; providers may also accept plans at some practice locations but not others.

Aetna US Healthcare
Centivo Health Plan
Cigna
Cigna HealthSpring
Clover Health Plan
Devon Health Services (Americare)
Gateway Health Plan
Geisinger Health Plan
Geisinger Medicaid
Global Medical Management
HealthAmerica / HealthAssurance, a Coventry Plan
HealthPartners
HealthPartners Medicare
HealthSmart
Highmark Blue Shield
Homestead Smart Health Plans/Claim Watcher
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Humana / Choicecare
Humana / Medicare

Imagine Health 360
Independence Blue Cross (Keystone East)
Keystone First
Keystone First Medicare
NJ Medicaid
NJ Qualcare
Oscar Health Plan of PA
Oxford Health Plan
PA Health and Wellness (Centene) Medicare
PA Medicaid
PA Medicare
Provider Partners Health Plan
Rail Road Medicare / Palmetto GBA
Tricare
United Healthcare
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
US Family Health Plan
Veterans Choice Program

Description of Research Expertise

Otology, Neurotology, Cranial Base Surgery

Selected Publications

Wolfe S, Lai S, Bigelow DC:: Bilateral Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the External Auditory Canals Laryngoscope 112 : 1003-1005,2002.

Ruckenstein MJ, Prasthoffer A, Bigelow DC, von Feldt JM, Kolasinski SL:: Immunologic and Serologic Testing in patients with Meniere’s Disease Otology & Neurotology 23 : 517-521,2002.

Ruckenstein MJ, Hedgepeth C, Rafter KO, Montes ML, Bigelow DC:: Tinnitus Suppression in Cochlear Implant Patients. Otology & Neurotology 22 : 200-204,2001.

Ruckenstein MJ, Rafter KO, Montes ML, Bigelow DC: The Management of Far-Advanced Otosclerosis in the Era of Cochlear Implantation Otology & Neurotology 22 : 471-474,2001.

Grady MS, Judy KD, Bigelow DC, Sinson GP, Rostomily R, Winn HR:: Experts Corner: Posterior Fossa Ependymoma Skull Base 11 : 219-223,2001.

Bonhomme GR, Loevner LA, Yen DM, Deems DA, Bigelow DC, Mirza N: Extensive Intracranial Xanthoma Associated with Type II Hyperlipidemia. American Journal of Neuroradiology 21 : 353-355,2000.

Anderson TD, Loevner LA, Bigelow DC, Mirza N:: Prevalence of Unsuspected Acoustic Neuroma Found by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 122 : 643-646,2000.

Bigelow DC:: Glomus Jugulare Tumors. ASNM Monitor 8 : 33-37,2000.

Academic Contact Information

University of Pennsylvania
Department of Otorhinolaryngology
5 Silverstein
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 215-662-6970
Patient appointments: 800-789-7366

American Academy of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, National
American Board of Otolaryngology: HNS, National
American Neurotology Society, National
North American Skull Base Society, National
PA Academy of Otolaryngology:HNS, Local