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Surgery Program
During the last 12 months the program has treated over 5000 patients. Ophthalmology
admissions and surgical cases have increased from 400 to 1200 and over 3500 ENT patients
have been seen. Some 60% of ENT work involves children and teenagers.
The ENT (ears, nose and throat) unit is the biggest in Australia. The Program
has a public/private partnership with the Sir John Monash Centre (which is a
private centre and not part of Southern Health. This partnership provides high quality and lower cost care for
urology and ophthalmology patients.
Services are provided as follows:
Monash Medical Centre in Moorabbin
– Urology, ophthalmology and adult ENT
Monash Medical Centre in Clayton – ophthalmology and ENT, complex children’s
Kingston Centre – some ophthalmology work
Dandenong Hospital – urology, ophthalmology and ENT, children’s
Sir John Monash Centre (not part of
Southern Health) – some urology
and ophthalmology
Ophthalmology Unit
The Ophthalmology Unit has ten consultant
ophthalmologists, a Fellow and a registrar, both accredited trainees and two
orthoptists.
The Unit mainly provides general ophthalmology surgical services but has sub-specialty
interests in paediatric ophthalmology as well as cornea, orbit and vitreo-retinal surgery.
The Unit has improved access to its services over the last four years with the result that
surgical services have grown at an annual rate of more than 25%.
The Unit provides pre-admission and specialty consulting clinics and paediatric
surgical services Monash Medical Centre in Clayton with all adult and surgical services
being provided at Monash Medical Centre in Moorabbin. Emergency ophthalmology services are
provided at all Southern Health Care Network hospitals. Community ophthalmology services
are provided to Kingston Centre and will be available at Cranbourne Community Centre from
mid 1999.
The Unit is affiliated with Department of Surgery, Monash University and has a strong
commitment to undergraduate student teaching in all years of the medical course. It is
accredited for the training of ophthalmologists by the Royal Australian College of
Ophthalmologist. The Unit has active research interests in diabetic eye diseases, melanoma
of the eye, glaucoma and refractive surgery and is a regular contributor to scientific
publications.
Urology
Unit
The Urology Unit consists of the Medical Unit Head,
six Urologists, one full time Registrar and a Resident.
Approximately 2,500 patients are seen through the Outpatient clinic annually. Urologic
services are predominantly carried out at Monash Medical Centre in Moorabbin, although
consultative advice is provided for both emergency and referrals at all other Network
hospitals.
There is extensive collaboration between the Urology Unit and the Institute of
Reproduction and Development, Monash University into biologic markers of prostate disease,
and also with the Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Monash University in
the area of male infertility. There is also a close collaboration with the Urology Unit of
the Peter McCallum Cancer Institute, which is based at Monash Medical Centre in Moorabbin
and provides a comprehensive urologic cancer service.
Four main areas covered by the Urology Unit are prostate cancer; benign prostatic
hyperplasia; and urinary stone disease; and male factor infertility.
ENT
Unit
The ENT Unit of Southern Health is
unique in Victoria in that it is the only major hospital treating both children and adults
for diseases of the ear, nose and throat. The Unit looks after patients from early infancy
to old age and cover the whole range of diseases of the ear, nose and throat effecting
those age groups. One of the large programs within the Unit is the care of patients who
develop cancers of the head and neck.
The ENT Unit of Southern Health has a very large patient base, almost
one third of the population of Victoria. There are eight senior consultants, two
registrars in training, and three international fellows currently working to look after
patients who come under the Unit’s care. In excess of 3,500 operations are performed
within the Network’s hospitals on ear, nose and throat patients per year, and a good
many more non-surgical problems are looked after. The adult services are located at Monash
Medical Centre in Moorabbin and children are looked after at Monash Medical Centre in
Clayton and Dandenong Hospital.
Some of the common ear, nose and throat conditions treated are: tonsillitis, all manner
of ear diseases, airway problems in very small babies, patients who develop cancer in the
mouth, or throat, or elsewhere in the head and neck. This is the only comprehensive
program in Victoria caring for both children and adults in the one Unit. The Unit has a
large team of dedicated specialists and nursing staff whose aim is always to provide the
very best of care possible.
Quite apart from looking after patients with ear, nose and throat problems the Unit
also has other responsibilities, for example, medical student, doctor, and trainee surgeon
education and research. Also research projects are under way in the area of snoring and
upper airway obstruction and in new treatments for head and neck cancer.
Head and Neck
Oncology Services at Monash Medical Centre
We would like to update you on the services available to head and
neck cancer patients at Monash Medical Centre.
The Head & Neck clinic has been operating for approximately ten years and is one
of the largest head and neck clinics in Australia.
The clinic operates weekly at Clayton Campus of Monash Medical Centre and is
attended by E.N.T., plastic and faciomaxillary surgeons, radiotherapists and
allied health professionals.
Expertise is available to manage a full range of tumours and conditions
including:
- Upper aerodigestive tract tumours
- Skull base tumours
- Tumours and disorders of the neck
- Salivary gland tumours
- Thyroid and parathyroid conditions
- Cerebropontine angle lesions (e.g acoustic
neuromas)
- Tumours and disorders of the jaws
- Parapharyngeal tumours
The various specialists review all new patients,
with a management plan formulated for each individual patient's needs.
This clinic provides a full range of services to patients with head and neck
tumours including:
- Diagnostic services
- ENT, faciomaxillary and plastic &
reconstructive surgery
- Radiotherapy and chemotherapy, through the
Peter MacCallum services at Moorabbin campus or in East Melbourne
- Speech and swallowing assessment and
rehabilitation
- Dietetic services
- Social services
- Specialist nursing services
- Palliative care through the Monash Medical
Centre palliative care service
The clinic also has a commitment to continuing
education and research. As well as being a training facility for two accredited
E.N.T. trainees, the department regularly employs overseas clinical &/or
research fellows. Second weekly radiology and monthly pathology review meetings
are held to review diagnostic decisions and assess results. A comprehensive
database is in place to help monitor patient management and outcomes.
If you have patients with proven or suspected head and neck tumours,
appointments may be made by dialling (03) 95942372.
New patients can expect to be seen at the next scheduled clinic, ensuring a
maximum waiting time of one week. If you have difficulty obtaining an
appointment in this time frame or require further information regarding the
needs of a specific patient you should contact the ENT registrars through Monash
Medical Centre switchboard on 95946666. It is requested that a referral
letter and any other relevant information is faxed to the clinic on fax no.
9594 6925.
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