Peter Belafsky

Peter Belafsky

Position Title
Associate Professor Director of Voice and Swallowing UC Davis Health System Department of Otolaryngology

Bio

Education:

  1. *
  2. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, B.A. (Cum Laude)
  3. Tulane University School of Medicine, MD, New Orleans, LA June, 1994
  4. Tulane University School of Public Health, MPH, New Orleans, LA June, 1994
  5. Tulane University Dept. of General Surgery Surgical Internship (PGY1), New Orleans, LA June, 1996
  6. Tulane University Graduate School PhD Epidemiology, New Orleans, LA December, 1997
  7. Wake Forest University Dept. of Otolaryngology Fellowship Laryngology, Winston-Salem, NC June, 2001

Dr. Belafsky's primary clinical interests are the comprehensive diagnosis and management of voice, swallowing, and airway disorders. As Medical Director of the Voice and Swallowing Center at UC Davis, Dr. Belafsky treats a wide array of laryngeal and esophageal disorders. These disorders include but are not limited to vocal fold paralysis and paresis, vocal fold dysfunction (VCD), laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), chronic cough, and dysphagia caused by stroke, ALS, Zenker's diverticulum, esophageal motility disorders, Parkinson's disease, and swallowing problems suffered as a consequence of the treatment of head and neck cancer. Dr. Belafsky has pioneered minimally invasive treatments of voice and swallowing disorders. Minimally invasive in-office procedures performed by Dr. Belafsky at the Center include unsedated treatment of laryngeal polyps, leukoplakia, and papillomas, subglottic, tracheal, and esophageal strictures, and office-based vocal fold medialization. Dr. Belafsky's primary research focus is the development of an artificial swallowing mechanism. He has created a medical device that can manually control the upper esophageal sphincter and is working on a comprehensive swallow propulsion system. He is also pursuing his interest in bloodless surgery through the use of radiofrequency probes and non-contact lasers. It is his ultimate goal to establish a bloodless surgery center.

Research Focus

Novel and minimally invasive treatments for swallowing disorders, transcutaneous electrical stimulation for dysphagia therapy, esophageal and extraesophageal reflux disease, esophageal cancer.