Our Team
The Center for Facial Nerve Disorders team consist of highly trained facial reconstruction and rehabilitation physicians and therapists.
Laura Hetzler, MD, FACS
Laura Hetzler, MD, FACS is a native of Opelousas, LA. She received her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine and subsequently completed an internship in general surgery at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. She completed her residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Loyola University in Chicago, IL. Dr. Hetzler then pursued advanced training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery by completing a fellowship at University of California, Davis in Sacramento, CA. She joined Our Lady of the Lake after completion of her Fellowship in June 2010.
Dr. Hetzler is dual Board Certified in facial plastics and reconstructive surgery as well as otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. She is an associate professor and program director for Louisiana State University Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.
Clinically, Dr. Hetzler’s interests include facial reanimation for individuals suffering from facial paralysis. Surgical management of these patients includes direct nerve repairs, nerve grafting, cranial nerve transposition techniques as well as free tissue transfer for long-standing facial paralysis.
Dr. Hetzler’s clinical interests also include cleft lip, cleft palate and congenital deformity management and surgery. She is the founder and director of the Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Cleft and Craniofacial team. Dr. Hetzler avidly participates in humanitarian missions around the world including China, South and Central America for cleft lip and palate surgical teams.
Dr. Hetzler’s practice is based out of Baton Rouge at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute. Dr. Hetzler manages a variety of facial aesthetic and reconstructive concerns. These include patients requesting age-related facial rejuvenation surgery and minimally invasive procedures including fillers and botox, rhinoplasty, and reconstruction for skin cancer of the head and neck, victims of facial trauma, as well as scar revision.
Sara MacDowell, DPT
Sara MacDowell, PT, DPT, is a native of Baton Rouge, LA. She received her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas in Austin and completed her doctor of physical therapy degree at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO in 2008. She then pursued advanced training and certification in the treatment of patients with vestibular and facial nerve disorders.
She is adjunct faculty in the Department of Physical Therapy at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. She has traveled nationally to teach continuing education courses and give lectures regarding treatment for vestibular and facial nerve disorders.
Dr. MacDowell’s clinical and research interests include translating vestibular rehabilitation evidence into clinical practice, nonsurgical management of facial paralysis, and the role of anxiety and depression on treatment outcomes.
Dr. MacDowell practices at the Hearing and Balance Center at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge. She treats patients with a range of vestibular and facial nerve disorders with symptoms such as dizziness, imbalance, vertigo, visual motion sensitivity, facial paralysis, and synkinesis.
Moisés A. Arriaga, MD, MBA, FACS
Moisés A. Arriaga, MD, MBA, FACS, earned his degree in medicine from Brown University in Providence, R.I. and went on to complete an internship at Ochsner Health Foundation in New Orleans. He performed his residency training at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by his Fellowship training at both the House Ear Clinic and House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, Calif. He is Board Certified in otolaryngology and neurotology. Dr. Arriaga serves as Clinical Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurosurgery as well as Director of Otology and Neurotology at the LSU Health Sciences Center Department of Otolaryngology.
Daniel W. Nuss, MD
Daniel W. Nuss, MD earned his degree in medicine from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine. He performed residencies at Charity Hospital of Louisiana in New Orleans (general surgery), MD Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at the University of Texas in Houston (surgical oncology of the head and neck), and Louisiana State University Medical Center (otolaryngology). Dr. Nuss did his Fellowship training in surgery of the cranial base at the University of Pittsburgh in Pa. He is Board Certified. Dr. Nuss was recently ranked in the top 1% of Ear, Nose and Throat Physicians by U.S. News & World Report.
Alexander Sevy, MD
Following graduation from Harvard University and years as researcher focused on Tissue Engineering and Spinal Cord Regeneration, Dr. Sevy earned his medical degree and residency from Baylor University in Houston, TX and completed his fellowship in Otology, Neurotology and Lateral Skull Base Surgery at the Stanford Medical School Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery in Palo Alto, CA. Dr. Sevy is Board Certified in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Board eligible for Neurotology certification. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on complex hearing and balance disorders and presented his work a numerous national research meetings. Dr. Sevy serves as Assistant Professor of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology at LSU.
Rahul Mehta, MD
Rahul Mehta, MD, earned his degree in medicine from Utkal University and went on to complete his residency in otolaryngology at the Northern Ireland Higher Surgical Training Program. He passed Intercollegiate Specialty Boards/Fellowship exams in otolaryngology head & neck surgery from Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He also completed his Diploma in otolaryngology head & neck surgery from Royal College of Surgeons of England. Dr. Mehta then pursued two clinical Fellowships – one in rhinology from Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore and the other in skull base surgery and advanced otology/ neurotology from Our Lady of the Lake Hearing and Balance Center. He holds an academic position of Assistant Professor of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology at Louisiana State University.