Collaborating to Deliver Specialized Care

Kellogg continues to expand its subspecialty services and leverage technology to connect providers across disciplines in order to provide exceptional, coordinated care for patients with the most complex eye health challenges.

Neuro-Ophthalmology

In response to growing patient needs, “Kellogg’s neuro-ophthalmology service has expanded to five neuro-ophthalmology specialists, with Sangeeta Khanna, M.D., and Tatiana Deveney, M.D., joining Wayne Cornblath, M.D., Lindsey De Lott, M.D., M.S., and Jonathan Trobe, M.D.

As one of the few neuroophthalmology programs in the region, many patients are referred to Kellogg with complex conditions such as intracranial hypertension, ischemic optic neuropathy, eye movement disorders, optic neuritis related to infections and neuro-immunologic disorders and double vision resulting from myasthenia gravis or brain tumors.

Whether an eye problem arises from a known neurological event or is the first symptom of a neurological disease, the right team of Kellogg specialists will collaborate to deliver outstanding, patient-focused care.

“Our treatment plans often reflect the input of our colleagues in neurology, neurosurgery, and neuroradiology,” says Dr. Deveney. “And we regularly collaborate with neurosurgery regarding the care of patients with brain tumors that impact the visual pathways.” “Patients benefit from having their care coordinated by a team that includes both neurology-trained and ophthalmology trained neuro-ophthalmologists,” adds Dr. Khanna. “We rely on that complementary expertise to evaluate and treat patients referred to us with the most complex symptoms.”

Oculoplastics

Kellogg is one of the few centers in the Midwest with a dedicated pediatric oculoplastics service. Hakan Demirci, M.D., Denise Kim, M.D., and Christine Nelson, M.D., F.A.C.S., care for both children and adults. Kellogg is also known for providing the highest level of specialized care for the full range of defects and injuries to the eyelids and sockets, including ptosis and other eyelid malpositions, lacrimal disorders and conditions affecting the orbit, such as benign and malignant tumors, and notably, thyroid eye disease (TED). Victor Elner, M.D., Ph.D., and Shannon Joseph, M.D., M.Sc., focus on adult patients as part of our oculoplastics team, in addition to our other oculoplastic surgeons.

Virtual multidisciplinary care conferences guide TED treatment planning. Attendees include specialists in oculoplastics, strabismus, and neuro-ophthalmology, thyroid surgeonsfrom general surgery and otolaryngology, and colleagues from adult and pediatric endocrinology, nuclear medicine, and neuroradiology.

Denise Kim, M.D.

Cross-disciplinary dialog is especially important in the era of teprotumumab (Tepezza), the first and only FDA-approved treatment specific for TED. Originally formulated as a cancer treatment, the drug was translated for use in TED by Kellogg endocrinologist Terry Smith, M.D.

“Patients with moderate to severe Thyroid Eye Disease can benefit from teprotumumab; at U-M these complex patients are supported by a team involving ophthalmologists, endocrinologists, thyroid surgeons, and nuclear medicine specialists,” says Dr. Kim, who coordinates the conferences. “Our patients appreciate that so many providers are involved in their care.”

An ongoing series of virtual multi-disciplinary teaching conferences is also helping Kellogg providers share best practices in the diagnosis and treatment of orbital disorders with colleagues in the departments of plastic surgery and otolaryngology.