Dr Depak Patel
ENT, Head & Neck Surgeon
MBChB, FRACS (ORL-HNS)
Dr Depak Patel is a Melbourne-based ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon with a particular focus on head and neck cancer surgery, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, and salivary gland surgery.
He also manages a range of general adult and paediatric ENT conditions, including problems affecting the nose, sinuses, throat and voice.
Dr Patel holds public appointments at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Western Health. He participates in the head and neck multidisciplinary team meetings at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Western Health, where specialists from different disciplines review each patient's diagnosis and treatment options together.
Where appropriate, patients seen privately can also have their case discussed through these multidisciplinary meetings.
What Dr Patel treats
Head and neck cancer
Dr Patel assesses and treats cancers affecting the mouth, throat, larynx, skin and glands of the head and neck, including surgery and follow-up care.
Conditions and symptoms include:
• Neck lump persisting beyond three weeks
• Non-healing mouth ulcer or white patch
• Oral cancer, including cancers of the tongue and floor of mouth
• Tonsil and oropharyngeal cancer
• Laryngeal cancer or persistent hoarseness
• Skin cancer of the face, scalp, ear or neck, including cancer that has spread to lymph nodes
• Neck dissection and parotid surgery for metastatic disease
Thyroid and parathyroid
Dr Patel assesses thyroid and parathyroid conditions and performs surgery when appropriate.
Conditions include:
• Thyroid nodules
• Goitre
• Thyroid cancer
• Overactive parathyroid glands and raised calcium
Salivary gland
Dr Patel assesses and treats conditions affecting the parotid and submandibular salivary glands, including tumours, stones and recurrent inflammation.
Conditions and symptoms include:
• Lump in the parotid or submandibular gland
• Swelling or discomfort associated with eating
• Salivary gland stones
• Recurrent salivary gland infections
Voice and swallowing
Dr Patel assesses and treats voice and swallowing problems, including disorders affecting the vocal cords.
Conditions and symptoms include:
• Hoarseness persisting beyond three weeks
• Benign vocal cord lesions
• Impaired vocal cord movement
• Swallowing difficulty
Professional voice disorders are a distinct area of laryngology and may be better managed by a clinician specialising in professional voice care.
Nose and sinus
Dr Patel assesses and treats common nasal and sinus conditions, including nasal obstruction and sinus disease that has not improved with medical treatment.
Conditions include:
• Nasal obstruction
• Chronic sinusitis
• Nasal polyps
• Deviated nasal septum
• Recurrent nosebleeds
Children's ENT
Dr Patel treats common ENT conditions in children, including ear problems, tonsil and adenoid conditions, and sleep-related breathing problems.
Conditions include:
• Glue ear and recurrent ear infections
• Grommets (ventilation tubes)
• Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
• Snoring and sleep-disordered breathing
• Recurrent tonsillitis
• Neck lumps in children
Qualifications and fellowship training
• MBChB, University of Auckland, 2012
• FRACS in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 2022
• Head and Neck Oncology, Thyroid and Facial Plastics Fellowship, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, 2023–2024
• Head and Neck Fellowship, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 2025–2026
Teaching and research
Dr Patel teaches on the head and neck anatomy and dissection course at the University of Melbourne and contributes to the training of surgical registrars through his public hospital appointments.
His peer-reviewed research includes head and neck oncology, laryngology, salivary gland surgery, facial reconstruction and paediatric sleep-disordered breathing.
View Dr Patel's publications →
For referring doctors
Dr Patel welcomes referrals from general practitioners, dentists, dermatologists and specialist colleagues, including referrals for suspected head and neck cancer.
Urgent appointments are available for patients with a new or suspected head and neck cancer diagnosis.Your first appointment.
Referral information for doctors →
Dr Patel consults at Hawthorn ENT in Hawthorn East.
At your first appointment, Dr Patel will discuss your symptoms and medical history, examine you and review any relevant imaging or pathology. If further investigations are needed, these can be arranged.
If surgery is appropriate, Dr Patel will explain the proposed procedure, its potential benefits and risks, alternatives and expected costs so that you can make an informed decision about your treatment.
Please bring your referral, any relevant imaging or pathology reports, and an up-to-date list of your medications.