Raquel Alvarado is an Otolaryngologist (ENT) based in Sydney, NSW. She works out of St Vincent's Centre For Applied Medical Research, where she balances patient care with a close link to medical research. That mix can matter when someone needs both day-to-day treatment and a longer view on recovery.
In her clinic and through surgery, Raquel looks after people with ongoing nose and sinus issues. This can include allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyps, including chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). At times, symptoms like blocked noses, post-nasal drip, facial pressure, and breathing trouble can drag on for months, and that is where consistent management helps.
She also treats sinusitis and nasal polyps more broadly. For some people, medicines don’t fully solve the problem, and the next step can be procedures aimed at improving airflow and reducing inflammation. Depending on what’s going on, this may involve endoscopic work inside the nose, where the goal is to get a clear view and help the sinuses drain properly.
When there is a need to understand tissue changes, Raquel can organise a tissue biopsy. It’s often part of checking what a growth or ongoing problem might be. In many cases, patients just want clear answers and a plan they can follow.
Raquel’s work also covers more complex conditions. Her service list includes endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal surgery, which is used for areas you can’t easily reach from the outside. This can apply when people have things like a brain tumour, cerebrospinal fluid leak, or conditions such as Cushing’s disease and diabetes insipidus (DI). These are not everyday problems, and treatment usually needs careful planning and a team approach.
Because of the research setting at St Vincent's Centre For Applied Medical Research, there is a focus on how treatments can be improved over time. That can mean staying up to date with what’s working, watching outcomes closely, and using evidence to guide decisions. She keeps things practical, too—explaining options in plain language and focusing on what matters for each person’s situation.
Overall, Raquel Alvarado is there for people dealing with stubborn nasal and sinus symptoms, plus those who need specialist ENT care for more unusual and complex conditions. The common thread is clear assessment, careful treatment, and steady follow-up.