Ph.D. Katarzyna Stańska-Kowalik is an otolaryngologist whose professional practice and scientific activity focus primarily on rhinology, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing. She consults both children and adults, providing diagnostics and conservative treatment for otolaryngological diseases, as well as surgical treatment for conditions of the nose and paranasal sinuses. She pays special attention to issues related to nasal obstruction, chronic sinus diseases, snoring, and sleep-disordered breathing.

Dr. Stańska-Kowalik combines clinical experience with scientific activity and continuous professional development. She developed her surgical and clinical expertise through numerous courses and fellowships in Poland and abroad. A particularly significant stage of her career was an 8-month rhinology fellowship at UMC Amsterdam, where she honed her skills in nasal and sinus surgery. Since 2017, she has participated in national and international rhinology conferences as both an attendee and a speaker.

Education

Ph.D. Katarzyna Stańska-Kowalik is a graduate of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, where she completed her medical studies and obtained her medical degree. She subsequently completed her specialization training and became a certified specialist in otolaryngology. In 2022, at the Medical University of Warsaw, she defended with honors her doctoral dissertation on the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis. She has developed her clinical and surgical experience through numerous courses and fellowships in Poland and abroad, including in England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States. She is a member of the Polish Society of Otorhinolaryngologists Head and Neck Surgeons and the European Rhinologic Society.

Certificates / Courses / Training

Ph.D. Katarzyna Stańska-Kowalik regularly takes part in specialized courses, training sessions, and conferences, continuously enhancing both her diagnostic and surgical competencies. She has refined her skills during courses organized in Warsaw, Poznań, Graz, Nijmegen, Zurich, and Dubai, among others. In 2024, her completed courses included the Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery Course and the Rhinoplasty and Facial Plastic Surgery Course in Zurich, as well as the 22nd Endoscopic Sinus and Advanced Frontal Sinus Surgery Cadaver Dissection Course in Dubai. She has also expanded her skills in facial plastic surgery, including blepharoplasty and otoplasty. Since 2017, she has actively participated in domestic and international rhinology conferences.

A Few Words About Me

In my daily practice, I handle both the diagnosis and conservative treatment of otolaryngological diseases, as well as surgical treatment. I consult children and adults, with a particular focus on issues related to nasal patency, chronic sinus diseases, and sleep-disordered breathing. I am interested not only in diagnosing the disease itself, but above all in finding the root cause of the problem and selecting a treatment method that will genuinely improve the patient’s daily functioning.

Surgery constitutes a large part of my work. I perform operations on the nose and paranasal sinuses, including functional rhinoseptoplasty, as well as procedures used to treat snoring and sleep-disordered breathing. I also deal with the surgical treatment of pediatric otolaryngological conditions, performing procedures such as adenoidectomy, tonsillotomy, and tympanostomy tube placement. In every case, I strive to tailor the scope of diagnostics and treatment to the patient’s age, health status, and individual needs.

Rhinology holds special significance for me—a field that I develop both in clinical practice and through scientific research. The opportunity to observe patients with various nose and sinus conditions and to learn new treatment techniques during international fellowships and training allows me to look at these problems from a broader perspective.

In my work with patients, I value an atmosphere of trust and open communication. I believe that effective treatment should be preceded by a thorough understanding of the problem and the patient’s expectations. My goal is not only to treat a specific condition, but primarily to improve the quality of life—ensuring free breathing, better sleep quality, and optimal daily functioning.

Outside of my primary professional activities, I am also interested in the otolaryngology of diving. Diving is my hobby, which is why I expand my knowledge regarding specific diving-related ENT problems, their diagnosis, and treatment.

Publications

  1. Katarzyna Stańska-Kowalik, Kamila Maliszewska-Olejniczak, Michał Fiedorowicz, Anna M. Czarnecka, Wojciech Kukwa, Interleukins as a potential link between obstructive sleep apnea and renal cell carcinoma, Współczesna Onkologia, 2025: vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 131–149.
  2. Katarzyna Kowalik, Elżbieta Sarnowska, Tomasz Sarnowski, Magdalena Popko-Zagor, Immune system elements – a puzzle in CRS, Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica, 2022.
  3. Katarzyna Kowalik, Magdalena Waniewska-Łęczycka, Elżbieta Sarnowska, Natalia Rusetska, et al., The SWI/SNF complex in eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis, Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica, 2021.
  4. Magdalena Waniewska-Łęczycka, Tomasz Cieślik, Katarzyna Kowalik, Jarosław Sierdziński, Magdalena Zagor, Comparison of Intranasal Steroid Application Using Nasal Saline Irrigation and a Mucosal Atomization Device to Treat Chronic Rhinosinusitis, Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery, 2021.
  5. Katarzyna Kowalik, Magdalena Waniewska-Łęczycka, Elżbieta Sarnowska, Natalia Rusetska, et al., Role of Chromatin Remodeling Complex SWI/SNF and VDR in Chronic Rhinosinusitis, ACEM, 2020.
  6. Małgorzata Tomaszewska, Elżbieta Sarnowska, Natalia Rusetska, Katarzyna Kowalik, et al., Role of Vitamin D and its receptors in the Pathophysiology of Chronic Rhinosinusitis, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2018.
  7. Katarzyna Kowalik, Andrzej Krzeski, The role of pepsin in the laryngopharyngeal reflux, Otolaryngologia Polska, 2017.
  8. Katarzyna Stańska, et al., Quantitative assessment of SWI/SNF remodeling in chronic sinusitis – preliminary results, Otorynolaryngologia, 2017.
  9. Katarzyna Stańska, Andrzej Krzeski, The umami taste: from discovery to clinical use, Otolaryngologia Polska, 2016.