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Home > CA Providers > Otolaryngologists / Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Doctors

Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD

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Specializes in: Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat)

Harvard Medical School (1993)

Professional interests include: cancer, thyroid surgery, parathyroid surgery, and more.

16950 Viaduct Tazon
San Diego, CA 92127

(858) 822-6197

Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD is an otolaryngologist in San Diego, CA specializing in otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat). He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1993 and has 31 years of experience. Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD is affiliated with Regents of the University of California.

Office Locations

Address:

16950 Viaduct Tazon
San Diego, CA 92127

Address:

200 W. Arbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92103

Address:

3855 Health Sciences Drive
San Diego, CA 92037

Some issues Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD can help you with:

Parathyroid Surgery

Parathyroid surgery is a procedure done to identify and remove diseased parathyroid glands. These tiny glands in the neck regulate calcium levels in the body. Occasionally, one or more of the parathyroid glands can become hyperactive, swelling and causing too much calcium to be moved from the bones to the bloodstream. This is called hyperparathyroidism, and it can cause problems including weakness, nervous system disorders, and kidney problems. To treat hyperparathyroidism, overactive parathyroid glands are removed.

One kind of parathyroid surgery is called bilateral neck exploration. The surgeon finds and looks at all of the parathyroid glands on both sides of the neck, visually identifying any that are diseased and removing them. Minimally invasive, or focused, parathyroidectomy is done to remove a single diseased gland. The gland causing problems is identified before surgery using localization techniques such as hormonal or radiology testing. Since in most cases only one gland is causing problems, focused parathyroidectomy is a common alternative to bilateral neck exploration. Both procedures are safe and effective.

In the rare case that all four glands are diseased, the surgeon will either remove three and a half glands and leave one half in place, or all four will be removed and part of one gland will be transplanted into the forearm. This is done to keep calcium levels where they should be.

After surgery, patients will have a bandage on their neck and a sore throat. Patients may only want liquids or very soft food for the first day, and thy may be asked to take calcium supplements for a while until their remaining parathyroid glands begin functioning well again. Recovery is fairly quick, and within a few days patients should be feeling like themselves again.

Thyroid Surgery

Thyroid surgery is a procedure to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the lower neck that regulates the hormones that manage metabolism. Thyroid surgery, also known as thyroidectomy, treats thyroid disorders such as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), goiters (noncancerous thyroid inflammation), and thyroid cancer. It may also be used to remove thyroid nodules or cysts that have a risk of becoming cancerous.

Both hypothyroidism and goiters are caused by an autoimmune reaction where the body produces antibodies that attack the thyroid cells for unknown reasons. The thyroid reacts by releasing too little or too much T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, impairing thyroid function and causing irregular metabolism. Goiters develop from the autoimmune reaction causing continued antibody damage to the thyroid over time. Thyroid goiters are large, swollen lumps that can be felt near the base of the neck. Obstructive goiters can cause pain, coughing, and abnormal breathing. Hypothyroidism may also be caused by iodine deficiency, as iodine is needed to produce thyroid hormones.

The exact cause of thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules or cysts is unknown. While thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules or cysts can occur in individuals with thyroid disorders, they are not associated with a malfunctioning thyroid.

Physicians may prescribe thyroid surgery if blood tests reveal patients' thyroid stimulating hormones (TSA) are outside of the acceptable range, indicating a malfunctioning thyroid. Thyroid biopsies (tissue samples) and tests for thyroid-attacking antibodies are also criteria for surgery.

An ENT or general surgeon performs thyroid surgery. While a patient is placed under anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision at the center of the neck and removes the thyroid gland. Two alternative methods of thyroid surgery are transoral (incision through the mouth) and endoscopic, where a surgeon operates a video camera for live footage to help guide the removal process.

Thyroid surgery requires minimal aftercare. Most patients recover quickly and resume normal activities within a few days of surgery. However, thyroid surgery patients must take daily synthetic thyroid medication (levothyroxine) for life to replace their removed thyroid.

In The News (see more mentions in the news)

“The study used insurance data to look at the association of cannabis use disorder with head and neck cancers, said Dr. Joseph Califano, the Iris and Matthew Strauss Chancellor's Endowed Chair in...”—"Daily marijuana use linked to deadly head and neck cancers, study finds", CNN, August 2024

“To be in this group, people would have had to tell a health care provider during a visit that they used cannabis very frequently - the equivalent of smoking about a joint per day, said Dr. Joseph...”—"Heavy cannabis use may increase risk of certain cancers, new study finds", Yahoo News, August 2024

“"Fortunately, we have really good data that's been published over the past decade that NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers provide better survival for patients with cancers," says Dr....”—"Where to Go For Cancer Treatment", Washington Top News, August 2024

**Gender**
Male	132
Female	82

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	185
Black	18
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	109
From 75 to 84	62
85 and over	19
Less than 65	24

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	25
Dementia	6
Cancer	10

dissection	14
doctor visit	292
excision	14
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	60
lymph node procedures	14
minimally invasive procedures	60
neck surgery	14

**Gender**
Male	128
Female	78

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	177
Black	16
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	114
From 75 to 84	64
85 and over	12
Less than 65	16

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	17
Chronic Kidney Disease	16
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	9
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	21
Dementia	0
Cancer	10

doctor visit	179
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	28
minimally invasive procedures	28

**Gender**
Male	200
Female	86

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	238
Black	26
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	166
From 75 to 84	78
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	71
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	33
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	8
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	24
Dementia	0
Cancer	13

doctor visit	84
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	30
minimally invasive procedures	30

**Gender**
Male	48
Female	39

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	66
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	36
From 75 to 84	24
85 and over	13
Less than 65	14

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	18
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	18
Dementia	0
Cancer	16

dissection	12
doctor visit	88
excision	12
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	82
lymph node procedures	12
minimally invasive procedures	82
neck surgery	12

**Gender**
Male	83
Female	57

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	108
Black	0
Hispanic	12
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	65
From 75 to 84	44
85 and over	16
Less than 65	15

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	41
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	42
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	20
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	24
Dementia	11
Cancer	14

dissection	10
doctor visit	134
excision	10
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	88
lymph node procedures	10
minimally invasive procedures	88
neck surgery	10

**Gender**
Male	109
Female	56

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	117
Black	0
Hispanic	23
Asian	0
Other	11
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	76
From 75 to 84	47
85 and over	22
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	51
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	44
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	20
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	19
Dementia	10
Cancer	13

dissection	10
doctor visit	137
excision	10
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	58
lymph node procedures	10
minimally invasive procedures	58
neck surgery	10
rehabilitation	25

**Gender**
Male	113
Female	55

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	117
Black	0
Hispanic	26
Asian	13
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	95
From 75 to 84	33
85 and over	18
Less than 65	22

Hypertension	57
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	24
Dementia	9
Cancer	17

doctor visit	144
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	51
minimally invasive procedures	51

**Gender**
Male	82
Female	52

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	100
Black	0
Hispanic	15
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	66
From 75 to 84	37
85 and over	16
Less than 65	15

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	41
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	31
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	24
Dementia	11
Cancer	16

doctor visit	260
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	104
minimally invasive procedures	104

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD treated as an otolaryngologist in San Diego, CA were minimally invasive procedures, laryngeal (voice box) procedures, rehabilitation and diagnostic procedures.

diagnostic procedures	14
dissection	12
doctor visit	185
excision	12
laryngeal (voice box) procedures	65
lymph node procedures	12
minimally invasive procedures	65
neck surgery	12
rehabilitation	25

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD.

**Gender**
Male	89
Female	50

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	6
Asian / Pacific Islander	1
Non-Hispanic White	110
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	7
Other	1

**Age**
75 to 84	38
85 and over	11
Less than 65	10
65 to 74	72

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	50
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	30
Depression	18
Chronic Kidney Disease	19
Asthma	5
Osteoporosis	4
Heart Failure	12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	17
Atrial Fibrillation	10
Cancer	10
Dementia	4

Education & Training

Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1993. He has a state license in California.

Medical School: Harvard Medical School (1993)

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Regents of the University of California

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Joseph A. Califano III, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.	$1,043 Da Vinci Surgical System $1,043
Entellus Medical, Inc.	$103 XprESS Multi-Sinus Dilation System $103
Tactile Systems Technology Inc	$65 ENTRE $65
Atos Medical Inc	$25 TheraBite ActiveBand $25
Stryker Corporation	$20 SPIROX - LATERA $20

**Types of Payments**
Travel and Lodging	$1,026
Food and Beverage	$230

Biography

Dr. Joseph Califano is a specialist in otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat). Dr. Califano's areas of clinical interest consist of minimally invasive surgery, thyroid surgery, and head and neck cancer. He is affiliated with Regents of the University of California. He graduated from Harvard Medical School.