Throat
Tonsil and Adenoid Surgery with Coblation Technology
Radiofrequency technique that removes tissue with less heat, associated with less postoperative pain and a faster recovery than conventional electrocautery.
Otolaryngology · São Luís — Brazil
ENT Specialist in São Luís, Brazil,
focused on Otology and Cochlear Implants
Otology fellowship and PhD at the University of São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), and more than 15 years devoted to ear, nose and throat surgery — with special focus on cochlear implants and implantable hearing devices.
Every consultation starts the same way: understanding your case fully, planning treatment carefully, and explaining each step before we decide together.
4.9 / 5 · 92 Google reviews
Dr. Aline Bittencourt
CRM-MA 7562 · RQE 1832
USP
Otology fellowship and PhD at FMUSP
UFMA
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology since 2016
15+ years
Clinical and surgical practice in ear, nose and throat
2,000
Over 2,000 surgeries performed
2 languages
My consultations are conducted in Portuguese or English
My area of focus
Cochlear implants and implantable hearing devices
This is the core of my training — from my fellowship at HC-FMUSP to annual training at leading centers around the world. I performed the first cochlear implant surgeries in the state of Maranhão and have since performed more than 100 implants. Helping people hear again after they were told nothing could be done is what moves me most in medicine.
Implantable hearing device
Indicated for conductive or mixed hearing loss, or when a conventional hearing aid is insufficient or poorly tolerated. It picks up sound and transmits it through the bone to the inner ear (cochlea), which still works.
Cochlear implant
Indicated for severe to profound hearing loss, when the cochlea no longer responds to sound amplification. The device stimulates the auditory nerve directly, providing access to sound.
Who may be a candidate
- Children with congenital hearing loss identified through newborn hearing screening
- Adults with progressive hearing loss no longer helped by conventional hearing aids
- Patients with ear malformations or injuries that prevent the use of a conventional hearing aid
- Older adults with severe hearing loss affecting communication and safety
International training in cochlear implants
- Surgical training — Sentio implant, Oticon Medical
- International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Technologies
- XXI Hearing and Structure Preservation Workshop
- OSSEO Congress
- X GICCA — Global International Cochlear Conference and Activities
- ESPCI — European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
- Valencia Educational Visit — Powerful Women
- Medtronic ENT Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Course
- Cochlear Clinical Skills Institute
- Hearing Training Course MED-EL - Level 3
Surgical technology
Tonsil and Adenoid Surgery with Coblation Technology
For children who need their tonsils or adenoids removed, the surgical technique can make a real difference in recovery. Coblation uses radiofrequency energy to remove tissue at relatively low temperatures — a gentler alternative to conventional electrocautery, designed with the recovery period in mind. Clínica Rhinus has its own Coblation equipment: an investment in technology and safety to offer a procedure associated with less postoperative pain and a quicker return to normal eating.
When surgery is indicated
- Recurrent tonsillitis — several infection episodes throughout the year
- Enlarged adenoids causing nasal obstruction, snoring or mouth breathing
- Obstructive sleep apnea in children and adults
- Recurrent, symptomatic tonsil stones (tonsilloliths)
- Peritonsillar abscess
- Very enlarged tonsils making swallowing difficult
Less swelling
Coblation works at much lower temperatures than traditional electrocautery, reducing heat injury to the surrounding tissue. Less swelling helps the patient swallow and breathe more comfortably in the first days.
Lower risk of dehydration and fewer missed school or work days
Because the patient can drink fluids sooner and with less pain, the risk of dehydration drops considerably. With a faster recovery, the return to school and work — and to the family's routine — happens sooner.
Less pain, minimal bleeding during surgery
Lower temperatures mean less thermal injury to the tissue, which is associated with less postoperative pain and minimal bleeding during the procedure.
Specialties
ENT Specialties: From Diagnosis to Surgery
Office visits, testing and surgery by the same physician — from the first visit through postoperative follow-up.
Focus
Cochlear implant
Indication, surgery and follow-up of cochlear implants and implantable hearing devices in children and adults.
Rhinology
Nose and sinuses
Septoplasty, turbinate reduction and endoscopic sinus surgery for obstruction and recurrent sinusitis.
Hearing
Hearing loss and tinnitus
Comprehensive hearing evaluation, hearing aid guidance and management of persistent tinnitus.
Otology
Ear surgery
Tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy and lateral skull base surgery using microsurgical techniques.
Sleep and voice
Snoring, apnea and larynx
Sleep evaluation, persistent hoarseness and care for professional voice users.
"Medical expertise doesn't replace listening. Together, they change the outcome."
About me
Dr. Aline Bittencourt — Otolaryngologist and Professor at UFMA
I'm an otolaryngologist focused on otology — the subspecialty devoted to the ear and hearing. I earned my medical degree from Faculdade de Medicina de Petrópolis, completed my residency at Hospital Central da PM-RJ in Rio de Janeiro, and completed a fellowship in otology and lateral skull base surgery at the University of São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), where I also earned my PhD in Medical Sciences (Otolaryngology).
Since 2016 I've been an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at UFMA, and since 2012 I've been co-editor of the scientific journal International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology (Thieme Medical Publishers, Germany). I serve on the Board of the Brazilian Society of Otology (SBO). I am the founder and medical director (responsável técnica) of Clínica Rhinus, in São Luís, where on-site testing and surgical facilities allow me to follow patients from diagnosis through recovery.
What moves me is the moment a child hears their mother's voice for the first time — and the trust of someone who arrives after years of being told "there is nothing to be done." Often, there is.
International training
- 13th Symposium on Cochlear Implants in Children — Chicago, USA
- 2nd Meeting of the European Academy of ORL-HNS
- XIX ENT World Congress (IFOS) and Conventus Societas ORL Latina
- Latin America VISTA — visiting program with implant centers in Australia
- Hearing Training Center — advanced surgical training, level 3
- Surgical training — Sentio implant, Oticon Medical — Austria (September 2025)
- International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Technologies (November 2025)
- XXI Hearing and Structure Preservation Workshop — Bern, Switzerland (October 2024)
- OSSEO Congress — Vienna, Austria (2024)
- X GICCA — Global International Cochlear Conference and Activities — Costa Rica (2023)
- ESPCI — European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology — Rotterdam, Netherlands (June 2023)
- Valencia Educational Visit — Powerful Women — Advanced Bionics, USA (August 2023)
- Cochlear Clinical Skills Institute — Australia (2019)
- Hearing Training Course MED-EL - Level 3 — Córdoba, Argentina (2018)
- Ear Congress with Cochlear Training — Lisbon, Portugal (2016)
Edited books
- BENTO, R. F.; BITTENCOURT, A.G.; VOEGELS, R. L. Seminários em Otorrinolaringologia. 1st ed. São Paulo: Fundação Otorrinolaringologia, 2013. 564 p.
Book chapters
- 12 book chapters in Brazilian and international publications
- Implantable and Semi-Implantable Hearing Aids: Current Indications and Results — Paparella's Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery
- Post-Meningitis Deafness and Cochlear Implantation — Bacterial Meningitis: Clinical Characteristics, Modes of Transmission and Treatment Options
- Evolution of the Indications for Cochlear Implantation and New Frontiers — Cochlear Implants: Technological Advances, Psychological/Social Impacts and Long-Term Effectiveness
- Type 2 Neurofibromatosis — Treatise on Cochlear Implants and Implantable Hearing Devices
- Acquired Deafness — Treatise on Cochlear Implants and Implantable Hearing Devices
- Cochlear Implantation in Multiple Disabilities — Treatise on Cochlear Implants and Implantable Hearing Devices
- Facial Palsy of Neoplastic Etiology — Treatise on Peripheral Facial Palsy
- Facial Palsy of Metabolic Etiology — Treatise on Peripheral Facial Palsy
Published articles
- 34 scientific articles published in Brazilian and international journals
- Post-lingual deafness: benefits of cochlear implants vs. conventional hearing aids — Braz J Otorhinolaryngol, 2012
- Cochlear implants and bacterial meningitis: a speech recognition study in paired samples — Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 2013
- Cochlear implantation through the middle cranial fossa: a novel approach to access the basal turn of the cochlea — Braz J Otorhinolaryngol
- Cochlear implantation via the middle fossa approach: surgical and programming considerations — Otol Neurotol, 2012
- Retrolabyrinthine approach for cochlear nerve preservation in NF2 and simultaneous cochlear implantation — Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 2013
- Cochlear implantation through the middle fossa: an anatomic study for a novel technique — Acta Otolaryngol, 2013
- Programming peculiarities in two cochlear implant users with superficial siderosis of the CNS — Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 2012
- Microangiopathy of the inner ear, deafness, and cochlear implantation in a patient with Susac syndrome — Acta Otolaryngol, 2011
- Carina® and Esteem®: a systematic review of fully implantable hearing devices — PLoS ONE, 2014
Why my consultations are private pay
A sound diagnosis in otolaryngology takes time: hearing the full history, examining calmly, reviewing prior exams and explaining every treatment option before deciding together with the patient. Keeping consultations private pay is how I protect that time — and how I make sure every treatment plan is thought through in detail, never squeezed into a rushed schedule. Tests and surgery, when needed, can be done through the Brazilian health plans accepted at Clínica Rhinus.
Continuing education
Continuing education and international training
Ongoing participation in congresses, workshops and international surgical training in otology, cochlear implants and hearing technologies.
2025
Surgical training — Sentio implant, Oticon Medical
St. Pölten University Hospital, Austria · September 2025
2025
International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Technologies
Brazil · November 2025
2024
XXI Hearing and Structure Preservation Workshop
Bern, Switzerland · October 2024
2024
OSSEO Congress
Vienna, Austria · 2024
2023
X GICCA — Global International Cochlear Conference and Activities
San José, Costa Rica · 2023
2023
ESPCI — European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
Rotterdam, Netherlands · June 2023
2023
Valencia Educational Visit — Powerful Women
Advanced Bionics HQ, California, USA · August 2023
2019
Medtronic ENT Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Course
Jacksonville, Florida, USA · October 2019
2019
Cochlear Clinical Skills Institute
Australia · 2019
2018
Hearing Training Course MED-EL - Level 3
Led by Dr. Mario Zernotti — Córdoba, Argentina · 2018
2016
Ear Congress with Cochlear Training
Hospital Dona Estefânia, Lisbon, Portugal · 2016
Frequently asked questions
What patients ask before booking
A collection of the most common questions about consultations, cochlear implants, tonsil and adenoid surgery with Coblation, septoplasty and pediatric ENT — click any question to jump straight to the answer.
Appointments
Pediatric ENT
Cochlear Implant
Tonsil and Adenoid Surgery
Septoplasty
Hearing and Tinnitus
Testimonials
Patient Reviews — ENT Specialist in São Luís
“I'd like to share my excellent experience at this clinic. From the very first contact, I was very well received by the receptionist, who was extremely polite, attentive and helpful, making the whole visit feel welcoming. The space is top quality: modern, comfortable, impeccably clean and very well organized, giving patients confidence and peace of mind. A special thank you to Dr. Aline, whose care was excellent. Very competent, attentive, patient and human, she listened to my concerns carefully, explained everything clearly and showed great knowledge and care throughout the visit. Congratulations to the whole team for their professionalism and the quality of care. I fully recommend the clinic and Dr. Aline!”
“Dr. Aline is exceptional. The best we have! Her competence gave us great confidence in the surgical procedure our son needed. You can trust her!”
“Thank God for putting Dr. Aline in our lives. An excellent doctor and an excellent person, very attentive, truly human. I ask God to always bless Dr. Aline's life — there should be more doctors like her. I don't give 5 stars, I give more than a million. Absolutely outstanding.”
“The best ENT who has ever treated me in my whole life! I highly recommend her! I'd had bad experiences with laryngoscopy, but she did it so gently that the discomfort was minimal. Very attentive and human.”
“Exemplary care: from the first consultation through the post-operative period! Dr. Aline is an excellent professional! My sleep was terrible… lots of snoring and apnea. From the very first moment, Dr. Aline explained the causes of the problem, ordered tests and identified improvements for my "respiratory system". I had my tonsils removed and had septum surgery, and today I breathe MUCH better. Recovery was outstanding thanks to COBLATION technology! Now I sleep more soundly and have more energy day to day. Thank you so much for improving my life, Dr. Aline! Thank you, truly!!!”
“Dr. Aline Bittencourt, an excellent professional. I have enormous affection for her — whenever I need her, she always takes care of me with such warmth. I went to her clinic and made my daughter's dream come true: her cochlear implant surgery, now a year and 5 months ago. Thank you, Dr. Aline Bittencourt, and your whole team.”
“Thank you to Clínica Rhinus and all the staff. "Dear Dr. Aline Bittencourt, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your attention and care during my treatment. Your professionalism and kindness were essential to my recovery process. Thank you so much for helping me get through this difficult time. Sincerely, Leila Boás."”
“Perfect clinic, the best in São Luís. I had been to many others for my sinusitis, and this was the only one that actually solved my problem, thank God and thanks to this Clínica Rhinus team — top marks. Dr. Aline is an excellent professional with enormous care for her patients, I highly recommend her. Thank you to the whole team, and especially to Dr. Aline Bittencourt — everyone here is outstanding.”
Book Your Consultation with an ENT Specialist in São Luís
Scheduling is handled directly with the Clínica Rhinus front desk. Our front desk team speaks Portuguese only, so WhatsApp is the easiest way to reach us — messages in English are welcome. For your first visit, bring prior exams and your current medication list — it shortens the path to a diagnosis.
Private consultations only: this is how I reserve the time needed to fully understand each case, plan treatment in detail, and explain everything clearly. Tests and surgery can be done privately or through the Brazilian health plans accepted at Clínica Rhinus (list in Portuguese; some tests are private pay only). Hearing implant surgery — cochlear implant and bone-anchored hearing device — has mandatory coverage and can also be done through plans the clinic does not accept.
Hours
Consultations with Dr. Bittencourt, by appointment only — in person in São Luís or by teleconsultation (video visit):
Mondays and Fridays: 9:30–11:30 a.m. and 2:30–5 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 2:30–5 p.m.
Clínica Rhinus is open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Consultations and health plans
Consultations: private pay. Tests and surgery: also through the Brazilian health plans accepted at Clínica Rhinus.
First visit
Comprehensive evaluation, including nasal endoscopy and video otoscopy when indicated.
Where I practice
Clínica Rhinus — ENT Clinic in São Luís, Brazil
Rua das Andirobas, 10 — Edifício Executive Lake CenterSuite 405 — Jardim Renascença
São Luís — MA, Brazil · ZIP 65075-040
Clinic website (in Portuguese): clinicarhinus.com.br
Surgery is performed at Hospital São Domingos, UDI Hospital and Dom Hospital Dia, in São Luís.
Service area: in-person consultations in São Luís, Brazil, and teleconsultations (video visits). To book a teleconsultation, use the same channels as for an in-person visit: phone call or online booking.