Dr Leba Michael Sarkis is a dual international fellowship-trained Head and Neck and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgeon. He initially completed a degree in Dentistry with Honours at the University of Sydney, followed by a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with First Class Honours, also from the University of Sydney. He then pursued a Master of Surgery, specialising in Head and Neck Surgery, before undertaking five dedicated years of training in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, achieving Fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Dr Sarkis further honed his expertise with two additional years of fellowship in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction. His first fellowship was completed at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, after which he was accepted into the highly competitive University of Toronto Head and Neck Surgical Oncology program under the auspices of the American Head and Neck Society, North America’s largest organisation for the advancement of research and education in head and neck oncology. During his time in Toronto, Canada, he gained significant experience in skull base surgery, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, robotic surgery, melanoma, and complex head and neck reconstruction.

His extensive training allows him to practice the full spectrum of Head and Neck Surgery and integrate his dental background to facilitate the dental rehabilitation of patients undergoing tumour resection, having practised as a dentist for more than five years prior to his medical training.

Dr Sarkis holds consultant Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) positions in Head and Neck Surgery at both Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and Royal North Shore Hospital.

Outside of his surgical career, he enjoys playing and watching cricket, fishing, and has recently taken up fly fishing in Canada. His greatest achievements, however, are his wife Joyce and their two beautiful children.

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
Australian and New Zealand Head and Neck Cancer Society

1. Sarkis LM, Zaidi N, Norlén O, Delbridge LW, Sywak MS, Sidhu SB. Bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in a specialized thyroid surgery unit: would routine intraoperative neuromonitoring alter outcomes?. ANZ J Surg. 2017; 87 (5) 364-367

2. Sarkis LM, Norlen O, Aniss A, Watson N, Delbridge LW, Sidhu SB, Sywak MS, Gill AJ. The Australian experience with the Bethesda classification system for thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsies. Pathology. 2014; Dec;46(7):592-5

3. Sarkis LM, Norlen O, Sywak M, Delbridge L. Minimally invasive thyroid nodulectomy reduces post-operative hypothyroidism when compared with thyroid lobectomy. ANZ J Surg. 2017 87 (5) 360-363

4. Sarkis LM, Treble A, Wing LW, Ramsey-Stewart G. Retention of topographical anatomical knowledge following surgeon-facilitated whole-body dissection. ANZ J Surg. 2014; Nov;84(11):820-2

5. Norlén O, Popadich A, Kruijff S, Gill AJ, Sarkis LM, Delbridge L, Sywak M, Sidhu S. Bethesda III thyroid nodules: the role of ultrasound in clinical decision making. Ann Surg Oncol. 2014; Oct;21(11):3528-33

6. Norlén O, Charlton A, Sarkis LM, Henwood T, Shun A, Gill AJ, Delbridge L. Risk of malignancy for each Bethesda class in pediatric thyroid nodules. J. Pediatric Surgery. 2014; 50 (7): 1147-9

7. Sarkis LM, Lee D, Grunstein R, Stow NW. Modified uvuluopalatopharyngoplasty and coblation tongue channelling in the management of OSA: A single surgeon’s experience. Aust J Otolaryngol. 2019; 2:30

8. Sideris AW,Sarkis LM, Lam ME, Mackay SG. Low morbidity high anterior neck approach for removal of a deep intraglossal foreign body: A case report. Int J Surg Case Rep.2021 Apr;81:105823.

9. Every JD, Sideris AW, Sarkis LM, Lam ME, MacKay SG, Pearson SJ. Hypocalcaemia in pharyngolaryngectomy: Preservation or autotransplantation of parathyroid glands. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology. 2021; https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.627

10. Lindsay B, Sideris A, Sarkis LM, Lam ME, MacKay SG. Modified. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and radiofrequency-in-saline tongue in the management of snoring. Aust J Otolaryngol. 2022;

11.Sarkis LM, Jones AC, Ng A, Pantin C, Appleton SL, MacKay SG. Australasian Sleep Association position statement on consensus and evidence based treatment for primary snoring. Respirology. 2023 Feb;28(2):110-119

12. Treble A, Do T, Sarkis L, Newey A, Naidoo SY, Saxby A, Kong J, Patel NP, Jufas N. Caution in Transnasal Balloon Dilation of the Eustachian Tube: Middle Ear Penetration of Catheter Tip in a Cadaveric Model. Otol Neurotol. 2023 Jan 7. doi: 10.1097 Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36622652

13.Sarkis LM,Clifton-Bligh R, Veivers D, Gill AJ. SDH deficiency is very common in carotid body paragangliomas: Genetic counseling and testing should be offered to all patients. Head Neck. 2023 Apr 3

14.Sarkis LM, Yao CM, Hendler A, Mohan R, Au M, Zhang H, Eskander A, Higgins K, MacNeil D, Tzelnick S, Goldstein D, Hosni A, de Almeida JR. A multi-institutional feasibility lead-in trial of lymphatic mapping with SPECT-CT for evaluating contralateral disease in lateralized oropharynx cancer using 99m-technetium sulfur colloid. Head Neck. 2024 Jul 17. doi: 10.1002/hed.27871. Online ahead of print

15. Sarkis LM, Jones AC, Ng A, Pantin C, Appleton SL, MacKay SG. Reply: Up-to-date data on NightLase laser treatment of snoring for discussion. Respirology. 2024 Apr;29(4):349

16. Sarkis LM, Higgins K, Enepekides D, Eskander A. A novel guided approach to radiofrequency ablation of thyroid nodules: the Toronto Sunnybrook experience. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Jul 24;15:1402605.