Flying hospital now ready for eye and ENT surgeries

Following its maiden flight in September, a "flying eye and ENT hospital" — a joint project between the Shanghai-based Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China — has been upgraded with a Class 1 clean operating room, the hospital announced on Tuesday.

This significant enhancement enables the aircraft to support surgeries in both ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, marking a key step in building a high-level aviation medical system in China and boosting the nation's capability to deliver precision medical services via an aviation platform.

"Initially focused on ophthalmology, the service has now expanded to include ENT, setting a global precedent," said Zhou Xingtao, president of the hospital.

The flying hospital, operating out of a domestically manufactured aircraft, completed its inaugural mission on Sept 5. Equipped with state-of-the-art, domestically developed eye, and ear, nose and throat diagnostic devices, it transported more than 30 medical workers from Shanghai to Shihezi city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. This trip explored a new model, integrating a mobile clinic, comprehensive examination, training and practice, and 5G remote consultation, effectively bringing specialists and cutting-edge medical technologies to grassroots areas.

Nearly 50 patients received advanced, one-stop diagnostic and consultant services aboard the aircraft, right at their doorstep. Patients included elderly individuals with retinal diseases, young people seeking laser surgery for myopia, and allergy sufferers with nasal congestion. Crucially, the use of 5G remote technology allowed some patients to receive consultations from experts in Shanghai, improving access to quality healthcare in distant regions.

The addition of the operating room was a direct response to directives from the National Health Commission to enhance cataract surgery capabilities in county hospitals and to speed up the development of in-flight surgical capabilities, Zhou explained.

The operating room project features customized domestic equipment and a bolt-free connection design, allowing for the quick installation of panels and purification equipment within the aircraft cabin, achieving installation within eight hours without damage.

By innovatively developing a variable wind speed laminar flow module, the hospital successfully integrated eye and ENT surgical functions into the aircraft cabin. These overcome the technical challenges of constructing a Class I clean operating room in an aviation environment, specifically addressing the limitations posed by cabin height.

"This setup of equipment compatible with the homegrown C909 aircraft type and being able to be quickly assembled is also intended for potential use in emergencies, contributing to the country's reserve capabilities," said Wen Wen, deputy director of the hospital's administrative office.

Wen, who is also head of the blindness prevention and epidemiology disciplines at the hospital, said that surgeries performed at the flying hospital will begin with cataract procedures due to the high demand for this service in grassroots regions. The flying hospital will also conduct common ENT surgeries, such as nasal polyp and sinusitis operations.