A week after nat’l panel notice, city workshop to air surgeries
Times of India | 6 February 2024
Kolkata: A fortnight after the National Medical Council (NMC) sought a review of the practice of live broadcasting surgeries in medical conferences, a city private hospital will host a global meet of cardiothoracic surgeons on Tuesday where surgeries will be livestreamed from the city and viewed by the medical fraternity across the world.
Several eminent cardiac surgeons from USA and Canada will attend the meet, ‘International Cardiac Surgery Workshop’, being hosted by Medica Superspecialty Hospital in collaboration with The American Association of Thoracic Surgeons.
On Jan 23, the NMC had issued a notice which said private hospitals are ‘showcasing their capabilities, doctors flaunting their skills and companies promoting their products through live broadcast of surgeries’ and recommended the formation of an expert committee for a review. It also sought opinion from stakeholders within 10 days.
Five surgeries, including four at Medica, will be livestreamed on several cardiac body websites. The other one, to be conducted by renowned Greek cardiac surgeon Theo Kofidis, will be beamed from Athens. Thousands of surgeons, doctors, students, healthcare workers and hospitals around the world are expected to log in and view them.
“We will conduct four complex cardiac surgeries one after another at three OTs in Medica. These will include a complex aortal valve repair operation, a minimally invasive bypass surgery and mitral valve surgery. The one to be conducted by Kofidis will demonstrate the use of a new technology in cardiac surgery and is set to be eagerly followed and discussed,” said Medica vice-president and cardiac surgeon Kunal Sarkar who will be taking part in the procedures and also join discussions on them in between the surgeries and after they conclude.
The NMC notice said ‘pre-recorded surgical videos, edited to meet educational needs can achieve the same objectives with far less risk’. But city surgeons felt they were not the same thing and live demonstrations were needed to impart advanced techniques. It is necessary to stick to medical ethics, ensure that patients and their families are informed about the livestreamings, said Rupak Barua, advisor - strategy & planning of Manipal Hospitals and president of Association of Hospitals of Eastern India (AHEI).
“Advancements in surgical techniques are happening so fast that it’s impossible for surgeons and other doctors to keep abreast without live demonstrations. This is equally important for medical students as well as veterans, especially the latter since they must upgrade their knowledge and grasp the new techniques,” said Barua. He said, AHEI always makes sure that a patient’s consent is taken and that the identity is never revealed. “Usually, surgeons don’t charge fees for a livestreamed surgery. We try and make sure it is never used by sponsors to promote a product. Since the NMC has recommended an expert committee, we will review and enforce the existing guidelines strictly,” he said.
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