Jonathan Peter Giurintano, MD

Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

Jonathan Giurintano, MD, MS, FACS, is a board-certified head and neck surgeon at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center. A diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, he is also a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, an active member of the American Head and Neck Society, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is past president of the Washington DC Metropolitan Otolaryngology Society. Dr. Giurintano treats benign and malignant diseases of the head and neck, with a special focus on head and neck cancer surgery, salivary gland surgery, and microvascular reconstruction.

As a specialty-trained head and neck cancer surgeon, Dr. Giurintano forms part of a multidisciplinary team that offers tailored treatment to patients diagnosed with tumors of the head and neck. He is also trained in the reconstruction of head and neck surgical defects using local, regional, and microvascular “free” flap techniques. Additionally, he is trained in using sialendoscopy for the minimally invasive removal of stones from the salivary ducts and robotic surgery for tumors located in the back of the throat and voice box.

His clinical interests include the reconstruction of complex defects created by the removal of cancers from the head and neck, accessing tumors of the parapharyngeal space, and complex endocrine surgery. His research interests include improving post-treatment survival outcomes in head and neck cancer survivors, examining the impact of existing disease comorbidities and frailty in head and neck surgery, and identifying improved reconstructive options for head and neck defects.

A native of Jackson, MS, Dr. Giurintano received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He then completed internship and residency training in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where as a chief resident he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Finally, he completed a one-year fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology, anterior skull base surgery, and microvascular reconstruction at the University of California – San Francisco Medical Center. Dr. Giurintano has presented both oral and poster presentations at numerous national conferences, and he has authored approximately thirty peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.

Dr. Giurintano is dedicated to providing comprehensive surgical care of the head and neck, and he is excited to share his innovative skill set with the Washington, DC, region. He values the use of minimally invasive techniques when possible in order to minimize operative morbidity, decrease hospital length of stay, and increase patient quality of life in the post-operative period. He is passionate about working closely with his colleagues in the Departments of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Oncology, and Radiation Oncology in a multidisciplinary setting so that his patients can receive the highest quality of care from a team of trained experts.

Dr. Giurintano is accepting all patients who require a higher level of care for disorders of the head and neck, including advanced head and neck cancers, as well as patients who require reconstruction of defects caused by the removal of head and neck cancers.

Philosophy of Care

“My philosophy of care follows the teaching ‘cura personalis’ (care of the whole person). When patients are diagnosed with head or neck cancer, it’s a life changing diagnosis, one that can often alter their physical appearance as well as the ability to eat, speak, and breathe. A diagnosis of head and neck cancer can drastically affect a patient’s ability to enjoy the seemingly most basic activities