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Photo of Redleaf, Miriam I.

Miriam I. Redleaf, MD, JD, FACS, CAQ

Clinical Professor

Department of Otolaryngology

Contact

Building & Room:

EEI Building, Suite 3.87

Address:

1855 W. Taylor St., Chicago, Illinois 60612

Office Phone:

312.996.6582

Otolaryngology Clinic

Building & Room:

Specialty Care Building, 6C

Address:

1009 S. Wood St., Chicago, Illinois 60612

Office Phone:

312.996.6555

About

Miriam I. Redleaf, MD, JD, FACS, CAQ is a Clinical Professor of Otology/Neurotology at the University of Illinois Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. She specializes in the ear, the facial nerve, and the nerves and canals leading to the ear. Dr. Redleaf is extensively published, having authored more than 95 scholarly articles. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology, holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Neurotology, and in April 2021 became the second female ever to be awarded the American Otological Society Award of Merit.Since 2012 she has been traveling to Ethiopia and teaching their ENT residents and graduates how to manage ear disease and operate on ears. Since 2014 she has been organizing Visual Amharic training for Deaf children, their parents and their teachers. Currently there are programs in 3 cities, and 5 sites. She is the co-director of a 2-year Ethiopian otology fellowship which had spanned Mekelle, Gondar, Haramaya, Hawassa and Bahir Dar Universities- currently on hold due to obstacles on the ground. She and her UIC colleagues, South African colleagues, and Ethiopian colleagues have created the first audiology programs in Ethiopia.

At the University of Illinois, she has conceived and executed articles in peer-review journals with over 35 University of Illinois medical students, residents, staff and faculty. She has created the “Buckingham Virtual Tympanum” iPhone app for teaching the landmarks of the tympanic membrane. She has created multi-disciplinary programs for evaluation and care of patients with cochlear implants, vestibular and balance problems, and facial nerve weakness. She was ENT education director for 5 years until her work in Ethiopia needed more attention. In March and April 2020 she organized and staffed UIC employee health high volume COVID testing with colleagues Fahey and DeVar, daily COVID inpatient testing with colleague Deskin, and COVID practitioner training with colleague Kerolus. Relevant peer-review publications are attached.

 

Specialties & Services

  • Chronic Disease of the Ear and Mastoid
  • Hearing Loss
  • Otosclerosis
  • Cochlear Implants/Bone anchored hearing aids
  • Skull base surgery
  • Facial Nerve Disorders

 

Education

Board Certification
American Board of Otolaryngology

Certificate of Added Quality
Clinical Neurotology

Residency
University of Iowa - Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

Internship
University of Iowa - Department of Surgery - General Surgery

Fellowship
University of Iowa - Clinical Neurotology

Medical School
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine

Selected Publications

PRACTICAL CLINICAL OTOLOGY AND NEUROTOLOGY.

  • Mishu C, Klodd D, Redleaf MI. Spontaneous extrusions of cochlear implant arrays. ENT J 2017. 96:E40-E43. PubMed PMID: 28719718.
  • Hassan A, Patel RM, Redleaf MI. Intraoperative skull x-ray for misdirection of cochlear implant array into the vestibular labyrinth. J Laryngology and Otology 2015. 129: 923-927.
  • Lieberman E, Redleaf M. The “Otalgia Point” a novel clinical gesture in otolaryngology. Annals Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 2015. 124: 953-956.
  • Valika TS, Redleaf MI. Middle cranial fossa dehiscence as an incidental finding on CT. Annals Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 2016. 125: 729-733. PubMed PMID: 27242365.
  • Rao N, Redleaf M. Spontaneous middle cranial fossa cerebrospinal fluid leak. Laryngoscope 2016. 126: 464-468.
  • Bedri E, Bitew A, Redleaf M. HIV positivity per se does not affect tympanoplasty outcomes. Annals Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 2018. 127: 249-252.

COVID-PERIOD PUBLICATIONS

  • Redleaf MI, Kerolus J, Fahey-Graff MM, DeVar WM. Pick up an oar – or swab – and row. Online J Otolaryngol Rhinol 2020. Volume 2 – Issue 4. DOI: 10.33552/OJOR.2020.02.000541. ISSN: 2688-8238.
  • Kerolus J, Korra B, Ali Ahmad T, Moukhtafi A, Redleaf M. Real-time interactive telementoring between Ethiopia and the United States. Online J Otolaryngol Rhinol June 2020. ISSN: 2688-8238. DOI: 10.33552/OJOR.2020.02.000546.
  • Abud BT, Hajnas NM, Lee V, Redleaf M, Kerolus J. Assessing the impact of a training initiative for nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabbing for COVID-19 testing. OTO Open. 2473974X20953094. doi: 10.1177/2473974X20953094. PMCID: PMC7432968. PMID: 32864547.
  • Redleaf MI, Welling DB, Wackym PA. Expanded use of tele-services in otology-neurotology in response to the COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2) pandemic. Laryngoscope Invest Otolaryngol. Article ID: LIO42466. Internal article ID: 16898251. DOI: 10.1002/lio2.466.
  • Redleaf MI. “…hmm….5,000 tele-swabs, and so far not one positive….” Peer reviewed caption award CMO Leadership Update. October 2020. University of Illinois Health.

IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL OTOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY EDUCATION with documentation of the effects of intervention.

  • Shull T, Hailu M, Nega A, Gebrehiwot T, Redleaf M. Introduction of Visual Amharic to Educate Deaf Students in Ethiopia – A Pilot Study. Commun Disord Deaf Stud Hearing Aids 2016.4:153. doi:10.4172/2375-4427.1000153
  • Redleaf MI, Hagos NK, Tessema G, Tassew YZ, Redleaf HH. Otologic surgery training in a rural Ethiopian community. Rwandan Journal of Medicine 2016. 3: 11- 1311-13. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/rj.v3i1.2F
  • Bedri E, Teferi N, Redleaf MI. Stapes release in tympanosclerosis. Otology & Neurotology 2018. 39: 184-188. Doi: 10.1097/MAO. 0000000000001639. PubMed PMID:29210944.
  • Bedri E, Bitew A, Redleaf M. HIV positivity per se does not affect tympanoplasty outcomes. Annals Otology, Rhinology & Larynogology 2018. 127: 249-252.
  • Girma B, Bitew A, Kiros N, Redleaf M. High density surgical camps in regions of sparse expertise. Annals Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2018. 127: 327-330.
  • Uys M, Selesho E, Swiegers D, Redleaf MI. The role of online education in the expansion of audiological services in Ethiopia. Commun Disord Deaf Stud Hearing Aids 2018. 6:187. doi: 10.4172/2375-4427.1000187
  • Bedri E, Korra B, Worku A, Redleaf M. Double-layer tympanic membrane grafts in type 1 tympanoplasty. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2019. 3489419843551. doi: 10.1177/0003489419843551. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30991811.
  • Honnurappa V, Ramdass S, Mahajan N, Vijayendra V, Redleaf M. Effective inexpensive management of necrotizing otitis externa is possible in resource poor settings. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2019. 3489419846143. doi: 10.1177/0003489419846143. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31043072.
  • Honnurappa V, Vijayendra V, Mahajan N, Redleaf M. Facial nerve decompression after temporal bone fracture – the Bangalore protocol. Frontiers in Neurology 2019 Oct 4;10:1067. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2019.01067. eCollection 2019. PubMed PMID: 31636601; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6788495.
  • Lee KK, Vijayendra V, Bedri E, Honnurappa V, Redleaf M. Concerns of patients with Meniere disease in Ethiopia, India, and the United States. JAMA OHNS- 2020 Apr 9:e192663. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2019.2663. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32271360; PMCID: PMC7146529.
  • Birhanu B, Gebremeskel F, Shimeles A, Cager G, Redleaf M. Prevalence of hearing loss and middle ear disease in 1,351 school age children in Mekelle, Ethiopia. Accepted Ann ORL September 2020.
  • Honnurappa V, Vijayendra V, Mahajan N, Redleaf M. Thickness of the intra-temporal facial nerve sheath with clinical implications. Accepted Ann ORL March 2021. https://doi.org/10.1177/00034894211007241
  • Honnurappa V, Mahajan N, Vijayendra V, Ramdass S, Redleaf M. Unmitigated negative nasopharyngeal pressure is associated with attic retraction pocket formation. Accepted JLO March 2021.
  • Honnurappa V, Mahajan N, Vijayendra V, Redleaf M. A unified classification system of congenital cholesteatoma. Accepted Internat’l J Advanced Otology October 2021.

STRESS/BURNOUT VS THEIR OPPOSITES – ENJOYMENT/HAPPINESS

  • Wickemeyer J, Redleaf M. Stapedectomy is rewarding – but how to prove it? Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2019. 3489419849615. doi: 10.1177/0003489419849615. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31081345.

Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of OHNS
  • Chicago Laryngology and Otology Society
  • American Neurotology Society
  • Triologic Society – Thesis accepted December 2011
  • American Otological Society
  • International Hearing Society
  • American College of Surgeons

Research Currently in Progress

  • Practical clinical otology and neurotology - recognition and treatment of common but little-recognized disorders.
  • Implementation of international otology and audiology education with documentation of the effects of intervention.
  • Temporal bone histopathology.
  • Stress and burnout and their opposites- enjoyment and happiness - for clinical otologists.