Ophthalmology and ENT "cross-border" action, Hubei and Shanxi experts join forces to solve "chronic diseases" for patients

The five sense organs are connected, and the orifices are connected. Last weekend, in the comprehensive operating room of Wuhan University Aier Eye Hospital, ophthalmologists of the hospital and the team led by Vice Dean Wang Xiang from the Department of Otolaryngology of Shanxi Aier Eye Hospital successfully completed two cross-border operations of eye and nose specialists, solving the trouble of "tears" for patients.

Ms. Huang (pseudonym), 67 years old this year, began to experience epiphora more than 10 years ago, accompanied by stuffy head, headache, nasal congestion and nasal purulent secretions. She underwent tear duct irrigation treatment in the hospital, but the effect was not good. Last week, she came to the Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University for treatment.

After receiving the patient, Zhang Jiang, director of the hospital's tear duct/eye and nose related department, said that Ms. Huang had bilateral sinusitis, nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum, left tear duct obstruction, and right eye nasolacrimal duct stenosis. To completely solve the problem of excessive tears, it is necessary to solve the problems of sinusitis and nasal polyps at the same time. This will increase the success rate of tear duct surgery and solve the problems of tearing, nasal congestion, purulent nasal discharge, and loss of smell.

Coincidentally, Ms. Liu (pseudonym), 42 years old this year, had nasal congestion in her right nose without obvious cause more than a year ago, accompanied by tearing and occasional secretions in both eyes. After seeking treatment at the Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University, Director Zhang Jiang told her that she had a severely deviated nasal septum, narrow tear puncta in both eyes, stenosis of the nasolacrimal duct in the right eye, bilateral maxillary sinusitis, and left ethmoid sinusitis. Similarly, to completely solve the problem of tearing, it is also necessary to solve the problem of the nose at the same time. Due to severe deviation of the nasal septum, combined surgery can completely solve the problem of tearing and the headache caused by the deviation.

"Eye problems are actually related to the nose?" The two patients were very puzzled.

Director Zhang Jiang explained that the eyes and nose are not "separate roads". Some eye diseases need to be treated through the nose, while some nasal treatments need to pay special attention to the eyes. From an anatomical point of view, the eyes and nose are neighbors. But they are not separated by a "wall", but by a "gauze curtain". The eye sockets, eyeballs, eye muscles, optic nerves, lacrimal sacs, nasolacrimal ducts, nasal cavities, sinuses and other organs are closely related in physiology and pathology, and they often overlap in treatment.

In order to provide more comprehensive treatment for the two patients, Director Zhang Jiang immediately contacted Shanxi Aier Eye Hospital, which has an ENT department, within the group. The team led by Wang Xiang, deputy director of the ENT department of Shanxi Aier Eye Hospital, came to Wuhan and worked with Director Zhang Jiang's team to tailor surgical plans for the two patients, including full-group sinus fenestration under bilateral nasal endoscopy, nasal polypectomy, bilateral nasolacrimal duct recanalization, nasal endoscopic septoplasty, and right eye nasolacrimal duct recanalization.

After the operation, Ms. Huang and Ms. Liu recovered well. Ms. Huang said happily: "My head is no longer stuffy, I feel relaxed and comfortable."

It is understood that when facing more complex eye and nose related diseases, it is difficult for a single professional to "fight" independently to fully solve the patient's problems, while "cross-border" cooperation can benefit more patients. Wuhan University Aier Eye Hospital fully utilizes the expert resource advantages of Aier Eye Hospital Group to complete cross-border surgery in a one-stop multidisciplinary joint operation, allowing more patients to recover and travel less.