Valeria Silva Merea, MD
Head and Neck Surgeon
My Role at MSKWe post reviews for MSK healthcare providers who have at least 30 patient experience surveys completed. If you do not see reviews for a provider, it may be because they do not yet have enough survey responses, or the provider may not be part of the group of healthcare providers included in the survey.
Only outpatient providers are included in the survey. Healthcare providers who only work in the hospital or in urgent care are not included in the survey. Pathologists or researchers who do not provide direct care to patients do not have reviews.
Areas of Expertise
My Specialties
- Vocal Cord Cancer
- Vocal Cord Leukoplakia
- Vocal Cord Paralysis
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About Me
- Director, Speech and Hearing Center
I am a surgeon who specializes in caring for people with early laryngeal cancer, and voice, airway, and swallowing disorders. Managing these conditions requires a multidisciplinary approach, so I work closely with speech-language pathologists, head and neck surgeons, interventional pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, thoracic surgeons, and radiation oncologists to provide the best care possible.
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Treatments for head and neck cancer can cause complications and side effects that impact essential functions, like breathing, swallowing, and speaking. As a laryngologist, I can treat these problems and help improve my patients’ quality of life.
I am experienced in both minimally invasive endoscopic and open procedures, mostly performed with general anesthesia in the operating room. In addition, I have a special interest in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that can be performed in the office with local anesthesia. This means that patients are awake for the procedure and go home after the office visit.
The concept of being awake for a surgical procedure may lead to questions and concerns for some patients. Before the procedure, I thoroughly explain what is involved and spend as much time as necessary to address any questions. My goal is to help patients and their families feel fully confident in their care plan. During the procedure itself, patients are made as comfortable as possible and I walk them through each step in real-time.
A head and neck surgeon is a doctor with special training in surgery on the head and neck. This includes the larynx, lips, mouth, nose, salivary glands, and throat.
My Specialties
- Vocal Cord Cancer
- Vocal Cord Leukoplakia
- Vocal Cord Paralysis
- Benign Vocal Cord Lesions
- Spasmodic Dysphonia
- Voice Disorders
- Swallowing Disorders
- Zenker’s Diverticulum
- Airway Disorders
- Subglottic Stenosis
Education
- MD, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
Residencies
- Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery – NewYork-Presbyterian at Columbia Medical Center/Weill Cornell Medical Center
Awards and Honors
- The Coakley Memorial Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Otolaryngology, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons (2012)
Fellowships
- Laryngology – Cleveland Clinic
Board Certifications
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Insurance Information
Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
MSK has a tentative agreement with Cigna to continue coverage in 2024.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.
If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.
If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.
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New Patients
Current Patients
Contact and Location
Dr. Silva Merea sees patients at one location.
Looking to see a doctor at a different location? See all MSK locations.
Colleagues
Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.
Clinical Trials
Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.
You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.
Search clinical trialsResearch and Publications
Silva Merea V, Kacker A. Nasal Neoplasms. In: Kacker, A. RhinologyHandbook. 1st ed. New Delhi, India: Jaypee BrothersMedical Publishers (P) Ltd; 2015.
Silva Merea V, Kacker A. Electronic cigarettes. In: LalwaniAK, Pfister MHF, eds. Recent Advances in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery:Volume 5. 1st ed. New Delhi, India: Jaypee BrothersMedical Publishers (P) Ltd; 2016.
Awad MI, Silva Merea V, Stachler RJ, Shibuya TY, Golub JS, Pasha R. General Otolaryngology. In: Pasha R, Golub JS, eds. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Clinical ReferenceGuide. 5thed. San Diego,CA, USA: PluralPublishing Inc; 2017.
Silva Merea V, Pitman MJ. Anatomy and Physiology of the Upper Esophageal Sphincter. In: Chhetri D, Dewan K, eds. Dysphagia Evaluation and Management in Otolaryngology. 1st ed. St. Louis, MO, USA: Elsevier; 2018
Silva Merea V, Nelson RC, Benninger MS. Laryngeal Dysplasia and Early Glottic Cancer. In: Allen J, Nouraei SAR, Sandhu GS, eds. Laryngology: A Case-Based Approach. 1st ed. San Diego, CA, USA: Plural Publishing Inc; 2019.
Patient Reviews
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Disclosures
Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.
MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.
Valeria Silva Merea discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
No disclosures meeting criteria for time period
If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.
The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.
This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2022 through disclosure submission in spring 2023). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.
Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].
