Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department

1. Department Overview

The department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery (Dept. of Otolaryngology, HNS), the first otolaryngology specialized department founded in Northwest China, was established in 1938. It has been approved successively as National Key Clinical Specialty, Doctoral Degree Authorization Unit by the State Council，National Designated Department of Cochlear Implant, Accredited Specialty of National Drug Clinical Trial Institution，Key Disciplines in Shaanxi Province, Provincial Center for ENT Disease Control, Shaanxi Clinical Medicine Research Center of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Diseases, Provincial Hearing Screening and Diagnosis Center. It is a current member of Otolaryngology Branch of both the Chinese Medical Association and Chinese Medical Doctor Association; the chief committee member of the Otolaryngology Branch of Shaanxi Medical Association, Hearing Specialty of Shaanxi Rehabilitation Medicine Association, and Society for Head & Neck Tumors Surgery of Shaanxi Anti-Cancer Association. The department is divided into three sub-groups: Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology HNS, with 8 specialist clinics and one Multi-Disciplinary Treatment (MDT) clinic. The department owns 110 beds at present, having more than 110,000 outpatient visits and more than 5,500 hospitalization times per year. With 122 employees, including 23 with senior titles, 23 with doctoral degree, the department has cultured a large amount of excellent talents for Northwest China and the whole country during its own development.

2. Specialized characteristic

Distinctive treatment for larynx and acoustical disease

Professor Zhang Naihua is the founder, and also a pioneer, of acoustical disease in China. His book “Brief Introduction of Acoustical Disease” was known as the groundbreaking work in this field. In 1979, the Ministry of Health of China (MHC) approved the department to establish a larynx disease laboratory, in which the hyoid route pharyngotomy was applied for first time to treat the disease of tongue and throat in Northwest China. Other creative operations, such as recurrent laryngeal nerve compression to cure spasmodic dysphonia, postoperative laryngeal function rehabilitation by cervical flap transposition, were also carried out. The laboratory found a distinctive method in the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and many self-developed instruments got patent of invention. Its basic and clinical researches are supported by the National Found.

Forging ahead: Head and Neck Tumor Surgery

Since the first laryngectomy in Northwest China in the 1950s, our department has made excellent progress in the diagnosis and treatment of head & neck tumor, enjoying a great reputation especially in the surgeries and comprehensive therapies for laryngocarcinoma，hypopharyngeal carcinoma, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma,

West China pioneer: Basic and clinical researches, diagnosis and treatment of otopathy

Aiming at surgical or nonsurgical therapies of otitis media and hearing loss, The Institute of Otopathy of Xi’an Jiaotong University was founded in 2001. It is the National Designated Department of Cochlear Implant. Our researches of ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) are advanced in China. So is our treatment of dizziness.

Unparalleled in Northwest China: diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract with foreign matters

More than 8,000 cases of foreign bodies in the respiratory tract were treated in recent years, which ensures our department as top-class in China in it treatment quality, and the first in Northwest China.

Constant innovation: Diagnosis and treatment of rhinopathy and skull base diseases

Treatment for complicated endoscopic skull base surgeries achieved success at the same time with refine treatment for common diseases like rhinitis and sinusitis.

3. Scientific researches

The department holds the idea that scientific research is the pilot for medical technology. In 1970s, mechanical dynamic laryngoscope and electronic laryngoscope were invented by Prof. Zhang Naihua, which filled the blank in China and won Grade B scientific research achievement award by MHC. Prof. Fan Yulin and other doctors were awarded Second and Third Prize of Shaanxi Science and Technology Progress Award. In recent years, one second-prize and two third-prizes of Shaanxi Science and Technology Progress Award were gained in the basic research fields of otitis media, sensorineural hearing loss and stem cells. The department has over 60 national or provincial research programs and 6 international cooperation projects, more than 700 published scientific papers, including over 60 indexed by SCI, and over 30 national patents of invention and utility model.

4. Education work

The department undertakes teaching tasks for five-year, seven-year, eight-year medical students, covering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students, as well as the education of visiting scholars and the resident doctors. The curriculum of Otolaryngology was awarded as high-quality in Shaanxi Province. The department was the chief editor for six monographs, and co-editor of two state-compiled textbooks by MHC. Over 80 postgraduate students and 12 doctoral students have graduated up to now. With the training of about 20 visiting scholars and mainstay doctors per year, numerous excellent doctors are provided in nationwide.