Chandigarh: PGI panel for 2 new anaesthesia depts

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, April 9

Given the rising number of complex heart and neurosurgical cases, the Standing Academic Committee of the PGI here has approved a proposal for creating standalone departments — department of cardiac anaesthesia and intensive care and department of neuroanaesthesiology and neurocritical care.

What committee proposes

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• As per the proposal, establishing a separate cardiac anaesthesia & intensive care department will significantly contribute to the advancement of cardiovascular surgical specialties and allied services.
• The panel says to establish state-of-the-art facilities, ensure optimum patient care and provide quality education and training to the students of doctor of medicine, the institute must have a full-fledged department of neuro-anaesthesiology and neurocritical care

The committee has stated that faculty members in the new departments will maintain their responsibilities in the main anaesthesia department until vacancies in the parent department are filled. Junior Residents/SRs will continue to rotate between the two departments as per the existing policy.

As a premier referral centre for North India, the PGI receives numerous referrals for cardiovascular diseases, leading to a surge in the caseload of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery and cardiac catheterisation procedures. The “Division of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Intensive Care” has been meeting this escalating demand since its inception.

Managing these cases necessitates well-trained cardiac anaesthetists with comprehensive knowledge and skill in perfusion management. The division possesses the expertise required to provide perioperative anaesthetic and critical care support for these intricate surgical procedures.

As per the proposal, establishing a separate cardiac anaesthesia & intensive care department will significantly contribute to the advancement of cardiovascular surgical specialties and allied services at the Advanced Cardiac Centre, thus improving patient care.

There has also been nearly threefold increase in neurosurgical cases. The division of neuroanaesthesia has also assisted in neurosurgical procedures. The experience, knowledge and technical skills of trained neuro anaesthesiologists help neurosurgeons to carry out complex surgical procedures with ease and finesse. It has also helped in the management of neurological patients with stroke and other critical illness.

The division of neuroanaesthesia has also been involved in the perioperative management of heart and lung transplants, as well as providing critical care services for postoperative neurosurgical and neurologically ill patients.

The proposal stated that in order to establish state-of-the-art facilities, ensure optimum patient care and provide quality education and training to the students of doctor of medicine, the institute must have a full-fledged department of neuro-anaesthesiology and neurocritical care. It will cater to the special needs of neurological and neurosurgical patients and make its mark in the national and international arena.