Prof. Patrick Sheahan

Areas of Expertise

He specializes in Head and Neck Surgery, including Thyroid surgery, Parathyroid surgery, Parotid and salivary gland surgery, laser surgery, vocal cord surgery, and Head and Neck Cancer. 

Education & Credentials

Professor Sheahan is a graduate of University College Cork and completed specialist training in Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgery) in Dublin and Cork as part of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Higher Surgical Training Scheme. 

He obtained his intercollegiate examination and Fellowship of the RCSI in 2006, and specialist registration with the Irish Medical Council in the division of Otorhinolaryngology in 2007. 

He completed advanced Fellowships in Head and Neck Oncological Surgery and Rhinology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, and the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, between 2007 and 2008. 

He was appointed consultant in Cork in 2009, and professor in 2017.

Professor Sheahan is an expert in Thyroid Surgery, Parathyroid Surgery, Salivary Gland surgery, laser surgery, and Head and Neck Cancer. 

Associations

In addition, Professor Sheahan is founder and President of the Irish Head and Neck Society (IHNS).  The IHNS is now one of the largest national multidisciplinary Head and Neck Societies in Europe, and holds an annual meeting every year in Kilkenny which is attended by over 200 delegates, featuring many of the top world experts in Head & Neck Cancer. 

Professor Sheahan is currently also on the Presidential Council of the Confederation of European Otorhinolaryngology (CEORL), currently serving as Treasurer-Elect. 

He is also the current director of the ENTO research unit at University College Cork.

Publications

He has published many high impact articles in international journals and written multiple book chapters.  He has been an invited guest speaker at many major international conferences and national ENT Society meetings, including national meetings of the German ENT Society (2025), Czech and Slovak ENT Society (2024), Israeli ENT Society (2023), and Royal Belgian ENT Society (2016). 

Recent international conferences where Professor Sheahan was an invited speaker include the International Academy of Oral Oncology (Liverpool, 2025), World Congress in Thyroid Cancer (Boston, 2025), International Federation of Head & Neck Oncological Societies summit (Dubai, 2025), Confederation of European Otorhinolaryngology (CEORL) (Dublin, 2024), European Congress in Head and Neck Oncology (Lisbon, 2023), Confederation of European Otorhinolaryngology (CEORL) (Milan, 2022). 

He has also been invited faculty to International Head and Neck teaching courses, including the Iowa Head and Neck Course in 2024.  Professor Sheahan has authored over 130 scientific publications.  To view publications by Professor Sheahan, please click here.  To view international invited lectures of Professor Sheahan, please click here.

Referrals

Professor Sheahan accepts referrals of patients with all ENT related complaints, including thyroid, parathyroid, and salivary diseases, hoarseness, swallowing or throat symptoms, throat pain, neck swellings, and sinus or nasal issues. Professor Sheahan performs a very high volume of specialized surgery, including over 2,000 thyroid and parathyroid operations, 500 parotid gland operations, 1,000 major operations for Head and Neck Cancer, and over 400 laser surgeries.