Sohit P. Kanotra, MD

Dr. Sohit Paul Kanotra is a Pediatric Otolaryngologist and nationally and internationally recognized Pediatric Airway Surgeon holding  dual board certification by American Board of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery and Complex Pediatric Otolaryngology (CPO). He is the founder and Director of the Complex Pediatric Airway, Swallowing and Airway Reconstructive program at UCLA including the Centre for management of Tracheomalacia and Tracheal disorders, which is one of the few programs worldwide providing comprehensive  multidisciplinary management of children with complex airway and swallowing issues. He is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Prior to this, he served as an Associate Professor at the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa.

Dr. Kanotra specializes in management of pediatric airway and swallowing disorders and has been pivotal  in successfully developing 2 aerodigestive programs in highly ranked tertiary care pediatric hospitals including University of Iowa and Louisiana state university. His expertise extends to the management of Head and Neck vascular anomalies, pediatric thyroid disorders, minimally invasive endoscopic ear surgery, and innovative robotic airway procedures. In addition to directing complex airway programs, he has served as Director for various other specialized programs including the vascular anomalies program, Pediatric Thyroid Program, Fetal Airway management Program, and Pediatric Swallowing disorders program. He has over 100 invited talks and presentations including keynote addresses in various National and international conferences. He has close to 80 peer reviewed publications, abstracts and book chapters. He serves on multiple institutional and national committees. His commitment to excellence has earned him a collection of awards and honors, and has been awarded the distinguished 'Top Doctor' in Otolaryngology.

He has developed numerous innovative techniques in the field of pediatric airway surgery including techniques for the management of epiglottic prolapse and the use of ultrasound guided interventions in pediatric laryngeal and airway disorders.  His passion for teaching and training is evident by training numerous residents and fellows in pediatric otolaryngology who have gone on to achieve academic pursuits. Dr. Kanotra has mentored attending physicians and surgeons from across the world by  organization of various courses and international workshops focused on Pediatric airway disorders including one of the largest virtual gathering attended by 1000 attendees. He has a passion for patient quality and safety and has led various patient safety initiatives focused on Pediatric tracheostomy and airway which has led to the implementation of comprehensive system-wide policies and protocols.

 Dr. Kanotra's educational journey encompasses dual fellowships in Pediatric Otolaryngology from the the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and Thyroid Parathyroid surgery from St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital within Columbia University, New York.

Beyond his thriving clinical practice, Dr. Kanotra is active in basic science research. His pursuits include investigations into tissue engineering and use of  three-dimensional bioprinting and its applications in airway reconstruction, airway injury models, and computational fluid dynamics. His dedication to advancing medical knowledge is equally evident in his outcomes research, which delves into open airway reconstructive techniques, pediatric dysphagia, and pioneering interventional laryngeal sonography. Furthermore, Dr. Kanotra has been a driving force behind the development of innovative endoscopic airway surgical techniques, and his involvement in patient safety initiatives

Dr. Kanotra's impact reaches beyond clinical and research realms. He is a prominent advocate for humanitarian efforts on a global scale and dedicates his time to community-level engagement, spearheading education programs for children with tracheostomy needs.

His international teaching and training efforts and contribution to the field of pediatric otolaryngology led him to be endowed with  an honorary fellowship by the Indian academy of otolaryngology in 2023.