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Clin Assoc Prof Toh Song Tar

Clin Assoc Prof Toh Song Tar

MBBS(S’pore), MRCS(Edin), MMED(ORL), MMED(Sleep Med), FAMS(ORL)

Head & Senior Consultant

Singapore General Hospital

Specialty: Otorhinolaryngology/ENT, Surgery & Surgical Oncology

Clinical Interest: Snoring, Sleep Apnoea Surgery

Conditions Treated by this Doctor:
Acute Pharyngitis and Tonsillitis, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (CPAP), Head & Neck Reconstructive Microsurgery, Myofunctional Therapy and Nasal Breathing Exercises, Myofunctional Therapy and Nasal Breathing Exercises, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), Oral Appliance for OSA, Orthognathic Surgery for OSA, Snoring, Swallowing Difficulties, Tonsils and Adenoids, Transoral Robotic Tongue Base and Epiglottis Surgery for OSA.

Clinical Appointments

  • Head & Senior Consultant Otorhinolaryngology - Head &Neck Surgery Singapore General HospitalSingapore General Hospital
  • Head & Senior Consultant Division of Surgery & Surgical Oncology National Cancer Centre SingaporeNational Cancer Centre Singapore
  • Senior Consultant SingHealth Duke-NUS Sleep Centre

Profile

Dr. Toh Song Tar is the Head & Senior Consultant in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery, Singhealth Duke-NUS Sleep Centre. He is appointed Adjunct Associate Professor for NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Duke-NUS Medical School. He is appointed Clinical Physician Faculty of the Singhealth Residency Program for Otolaryngology, General Surgery and Family Medicine. 
 
Dr. Toh graduated from the National University of Singapore and completed his specialty training in Otolaryngology in Singapore. He obtained the Ministry of Health’s Health Manpower Development Plan (HMDP) scholarship to sub-specialize in Sleep Medicine and Sleep Apnea Surgery in Stanford University, School of Medicine. He obtained his Master of Medicine ( Sleep Medicine) from University of Sydney in 2014. He is trained as a console-surgeon in performing transoral robotic surgery (TORS) using the da Vinci robot and Medrobotic system for obstructive sleep apnea. He and his team have done the most cases of TORS for sleep apnea and have the most experience in Transoral Robotic Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Singapore and Southeast Asia to-date. He is often invited to share his experience in this surgical technique in Asia.
 
Dr. Toh has published various scientific articles in notable peer reviewed journals as well as book chapters. He is volume editor of the March 2019 issue of Sleep Medicine Clinics on Screening, Prevention and Treatments of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Beyond Positive Airway Pressure. He is an invited reviewer for international scientific journals including Sleep Medicine, The Laryngoscope, Archives Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. He held SingHealth Foundation Grant and Singhealth Academic Clinical Program Seed Grant to explore innovative surgical technique in the treatment of sleep apnea. He is often invited as an expert speaker at local, regional and international scientific meeting and conferences on obstructive sleep apnea and its’ surgical management. 

Education

  • ​MMED (Sleep Medicine): University of Sydney, 2014
  • FAMS (ORL): Singapore, 2009 
  • MMed (ORL): Singapore, 2006 
  • MRCSEd: Edinburgh, 2004 
  • MBBS: Singapore, 1998

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships

  • ​President, Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2015-2017
  • National Examiner, Ministry of Health, 2016- Present
  • Exam Committee, Joint Committee Specialist Training, Academy of Medicine, 2015-present
  • Exam Committee, Master of Medicine (Otolaryngology), Postgraduate Medical Studies, National University of Singapore, 2016-present 
  • Chairman, SGH Medisave Audit Committee, 2017- present
  • Chairman, Singhealth Residency Program Evaluation Committee, 2016-present
  • Board Member, CIRB review board, SingHealth, NHG, NUJS, 2013- present
  • Board Member, Chapter of Otolaryngology, Academy of Medicine, Singapore, 2011- Present 
  • Exco Member, Singapore Sleep Society, 2010 - Present 
  • Member, Singapore Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 2008- Present 

Awards

  • Dean’s Award AY2015/2016 for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring. National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
  • Singapore Health Quality Service Award 2014, Superstar Finalist Award
  • SGH CEO Award 2013 – Singapore General Hospital 
  • Dean’s Award AY2011/2012 for Excellence in Teaching. National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine 

Research Interests

Publications

1: Toh ST. Prevention, Screening, and Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
Beyond Positive Airway Pressure (PAP). Sleep Med Clin. 2019 Mar;14(1).

2: Toh ST, Phua CQ, Loh S. Holistic Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
Translating Academic Research to Patient Care. Sleep Med Clin. 2019
Mar;14(1):1-11.

3: Goh KJ, Soh RY, Leow LC, Toh ST, Song PR, Hao Y, Lee KCH, Tan GL, Ong TH.
Choosing the right mask for your Asian patient with sleep apnoea: A randomized,
crossover trial of CPAP interfaces. Respirology. 2019 Mar;24(3):278-285. 

4. John Loh, Toh ST. Rethinking Neck Circumference in  STOP-BANG for Asian OSA. Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare. 2018 :1-5

5. Ong JSB, Kai Chua AJ, Toh ST, Suppurative thyroiditis in a pregnant patient,
Otolaryngology Case Reports (2018)

6: Goh JC, Tang J, Cao JX, Hao Y, Toh ST. Apnoeic and Hypopnoeic Load in
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: Correlation with Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Ann Acad Med
Singapore. 2018 Jun;47(6):216-222. 

7: Chan CY, Han HJ, Lye WK, Toh ST. Complications and Pain in Obstructive Sleep
Apnoea - Comparing Single and Multilevel Surgery. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2018
Mar;47(3):101-107. 

8: Neo WL, Ng ACW, Rangabashyam M, Hao Y, Ho KL, Senin SRB, Toh ST. Prevalence of
Cardiac Arrhythmias in Asian Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Singapore
Sleep Center Experience. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017 Nov 15;13(11):1265-1271. 

9: Toh ST, Hsu PP. Robotic Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery. Adv Otorhinolaryngol.
2017;80:125-135. doi: 10.1159/000470882. Epub 2017 Jul 17. Review. 

10: Ng AC, Neo WL, Rangabashyam M, Hao Y, Ho KL, Toh ST. Relation of Cardiac
Arrhythmias to Hypoxic Time and Lowest Oxygen Saturation in Patients with
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in an Asian Context: A Singapore Sleep Centre Study. Ann
Acad Med Singapore. 2017 May;46(5):210-212. 

11.Toh S.T., Agrawal V. (2016) The Far Eastern Asian Experience. In: Vicini C., Hoff P., Montevecchi F. (eds) TransOral Robotic Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Springer, Cham

12: Huang W, Rangabashyam M, Hao Y, Liu J, Toh ST. Quality of Life in Obstructive 
Sleep Apnoea: A Role for Oxygen Desaturation Indices? Ann Acad Med Singapore.
2016 Sep;45(9):404-412.

13: Rangabashyam M, Huang W, Hao Y, Han HJ, Loh S, Toh ST. State of the art
transoral robotic surgery for obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. Robot
Surg. 2016 May 25;3:13-28. 

14: Low D, Loh JZ, Lim KH, Toh ST. Facial nerve palsy secondary to Küttner's
tumour of the parotid gland: a case report. Singapore Med J. 2016 Apr;57(4):217. 

15: Tan KB, Toh ST, Guilleminault C, Holty JE. A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of
Surgery for Middle-Aged Men with Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Intolerant of
CPAP. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015 Apr 15;11(5):525-35.

16: Toh ST, Han HJ, Tay HN, Kiong KL. Transoral robotic surgery for obstructive
sleep apnea in Asian patients: a Singapore sleep centre experience. JAMA
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Jul;140(7):624-9. 

17: Teo EH, Toh ST, Tay HN, Han HJ. Transoral robotic resection of lingual
thyroid: case report. J Laryngol Otol. 2013 Oct;127(10):1034-7. 

18: Toh ST, Hsu PP, Tan KL, Lu KS, Han HJ. Hyoid expansion with titanium plate
and screw: a human cadaveric study using computer-assisted airway measurement.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013 Aug 1;139(8):817-21. 

19: Toh ST, Lin CH, Guilleminault C. Usage of four-phase high-resolution
rhinomanometry and measurement of nasal resistance in sleep-disordered breathing.
Laryngoscope. 2012 Oct;122(10):2343-9. 

20: Toh ST, Yuen HW, Lim KH, Goh YH, Goh HK. Residual cervical lymphadenopathy
after definitive treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: fine needle aspiration
cytology, computed tomography and histopathological findings. J Laryngol Otol.
2011 Jan;125(1):70-7. 

21: Toh ST, Lee JC. Onodi cell mucocele: rare cause of optic compressive
neuropathy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2007 Nov;133(11):1153-6. 

22: Toh ST, Hsu PP, Ng YH, Teo TW, Tan KL, Lu KS. Incidence of complications
after temperature-controlled radiofrequency treatment for sleep-disordered
breathing: a Singapore sleep centre experience. J Laryngol Otol. 2008
May;122(5):490-4. 

23: Toh ST, Yuen HW, Goh YH, Goh CH. Evaluation of recurrent nodal disease after 
definitive radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: diagnostic value of
fine-needle aspiration cytology and CT scan. Head Neck. 2007 Apr;29(4):370-7.

24: Toh ST, Yuen HW, Goh YH. Actinomycetes colonization of tonsils: a comparative
study between patients with and without recurrent tonsillitis. J Laryngol Otol.
2007 Aug;121(8):775-8.

25: Low WK, Toh ST, Wee J, Fook-Chong SM, Wang DY. Sensorineural hearing loss
after radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy: a single, blinded, randomized study. J 
Clin Oncol. 2006 Apr 20;24(12):1904-9. 

26. Toh ST, Eng SP, Chan YM. External Acoustic Cholesteatoma in Asian. Mediterr J. Otol 2005; 1:122-127

27: Toh ST, Lu P, Ong M, Seet B. Prevalence of hearing disorders in Singapore
military conscripts: a role for routine audiometry screening? Singapore Med J.
2002 Dec;43(12):622-7. 

28: Low WK, Toh ST, Lim CM, Ramesh G. Schneiderian papilloma of the nasopharynx. 
Ear Nose Throat J. 2002 May;81(5):336-8. 

Research Trials