Indian Anesthetists to be Empowered With Advances in Knowledge and Latest Skills

The duty of an anesthetist begins from induction of anesthesia and ends when the patient comes out of its influence and becomes conscious.

A two-day convention of India's anesthesiologists was hosted at Agra. The Indian Society of Anesthesiologists has called for the community to transit to newer techniques and medications to avert problems arising out of general anesthesia routinely administered during surgery. They also announced a vision to empower every anesthetist with advances in knowledge and latest skills.

The specialists said, "The time has come to transit to new techniques and medications to avoid problems arising due to general anesthesia routinely administered to patients requiring surgery."

General Anesthesia - Risks, Post Operative Recovery & Complications
General anesthesia is treatment with medications that induce a state of deep sleep and unconsciousness in the patient in order to be pain free during surgery.

The conference discussed the efficacy of minimal invasive treatment options for low back pain due to disc herniation which has become a growing concern for physicians.

Dr. Shiv Pratap Singh Rana and Dr. Sangeeta Singh said, "If one has experienced low back pain or leg pain, then one is not alone since more than 800 million Indians have had an episode of back- or spine-related pain. The annual prevalence of chronic low back pain ranges from 15 to 45% with a point prevalence of 30%."

The doctors said, "Among the working population (20 to 64 years) more than 26 million Americans have low back pain, while almost 60 million Americans aged 65 and older have frequent low back pain."

Spinal Anesthesia - Indications, Advantages, Disadvantages, Complications & Side Effects
Spinal anesthesia, a form of regional anesthesia involves the injection of certain anesthetic drugs into a fluid-filled space in which the spinal cord and the nerves arising from it are suspended using a fine long needle.

Dr R.K. Singh of SGPGI, Lucknow, said, "Another area of concern was 'sepsis', which is unreasonably high in critically ill patients and represents a major challenge in treatment. Though treatment and medicines were available, the key to successful therapy still remains early detection of septic patients."

Discussing recent advancements in day-care anesthesia, Professor Qazi Ehsan Ali of Aligarh Muslim University's medical college said, "New techniques have reduced the need for hospitalization, as facilities of ambulatory anesthesia are now available. The convenience and low overhead costs continue to attract more surgeries to be conducted in an ambulatory setting."

Dental Anesthesia - Types - Modern Anesthetics - Administration - Contraindications And Complications - FAQs
The advent of anesthesia may be regarded as a cornerstone in the development of modern dentistry.

Another common health problem, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), can result in prolonged suffering and even death, if not recognized and treated effectively. Dr. Dharmendra Yadav of MLN Medical College, Allahabad, said, "Death can occur if venous thrombi breaks off and form pulmonary emboli which obstructs the arteries of lungs."

Discussing about the role and medico-legal responsibilities of anesthetists, Dr. Devendra Gupta said, "The duty of an anesthetist begins from induction of anesthesia and ends when the patient comes out of its influence and becomes conscious. The anesthesiologist becomes liable for not attending to the patient during this period."

Anaesthesia history - Milestones - Recent Development
An insight into the history of anesthesia, if not for which surgery sans pain would have remained a dream of the yester years.

The speakers said, "Through a wide range of techniques and medicines now available, anesthetists have made surgery easier and less complicated."

However, trauma still remains the world's number one killer among 18 to 44 years age group. Experts said, "Unfortunately, trauma was the most neglected area in our society. This calls for major expansion of facilities and educational exercises."

Source-IANS