NAGPUR, Jan 25: The irony is striking. As the tonsured patient lies torpid in the overawing atmosphere of the operation theatre, his image flickers alive on a giant TV screen: thanks to computer graphics. The camera then pans in onto the scalpel-wielding surgeons who are overtaken by a sense of urgency for, the patient has suffered haemorrhage twice in the last month. A third bleed would be bad. It is a complicated and rare operation and the cerebral surgeon authoring it is Dr Robin Sengupta of New Castle General Hospital, UK.As the neurosurgeons make an incision to get to the grey cells of the patient, a relaxed Dr Sengupta, accompanied by Dr S N Bhagwati of the Bombay Hospital, Mumbai, dwells on the subtle nuances of corrective surgery. His commentary is bereft of jargon and medical parlance. The patient, in the prime of his youth, is from Seoni and has suffered internal bleeding of the brain necessitating urgent surgery. As Dr Sengupta himself puts it, the patient has aneurysm. The complicity of the
aneurysm calls for the expertise of Dr Sengupta, acknowledged as a brilliant neurosurgeon.
Dr Sengupta's air of speaking betrays the urgency and indispensability of such surgeries which are often life-saving. In an exclusive interview, the doctor, whose name is taken in reverential tones across the globe, spoke about the problems and challenges confronting Neurosciences today.
``Haemorrhages are like time bombs that keep ticking away inside the brain. The treatment needs elaborate and careful management -- within a day or even hours -- on the part of the neurosurgeon for, fatality always looms large. Despite the seriousness of the patient, cure is possible. But factors like the age of the patient, his condition and the extent of damage come into play,'' says Dr Sengupta.
Regretting the lack of awareness and education among the masses about the utility of neurosurgeries, Dr Sengupta says, ``In India, head injuries are the common culprits. The situation is compounded by ignorance. Neurologists and
surgeons should take it upon themselves to inform people because education should always percolate from the top.''
Dr Sengupta has no doubt about the competence of the Indian and local neurosurgeons in dealing with labyrinthian surgeries. ``The reason why I am here is to enable Nagpur surgeons comprehend how I handle this aneurysm,'' says he. Dr Sengupta says Indian people must take a leaf out of the West where awareness is exemplary and inhibitions none in facing the mental rigours of an impending surgery. ``This is because of the excellent health care systems the West offers vis a vis India. In India, an overwhelming majority being poor, have limited access to clinics and hospitals. And when they do, they cower at the very thought of a surgery. Burgeoning population confounds the situation. It is like having more cars and fewer streets that inevitably leads to congestion and confusion,'' says the doctor.
He reflects the Indian ethos in his conviction that Indian neurosurgeons are comparable with the
best. ``Lack of infrastructure and facilities hampers them..''
The surgeon feels this is an area in India where the government and the governed can contribute alike in terms of materials and education. ``The stress should be on the preventive side and it should be ensured that no one is deprived of proper medicare for want of facilities, although this would pose a major challenge as far as Neurosciences are concerned''.
He is articulate about academics and private practice. ``Those into academics should be allowed to dabble in private practice and vice versa. Academicians too have a right to make a little money via private practice,''
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
