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Neurosurgical Education & Research @ TCH
ANNOUNCEMENT: On May 6, 2008, The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Hon. Mr Jon Stanhope MLA, and the ACT Health Minister, the Hon. Ms Katy Gallagher MLA, publicly announced the ACT Government's multimillion dollar investment in the development of a state-of-the-art neurosurgical operating suite at The Canberra Hospital. This level of government funding, together with the support of our Community's benefactors, should see this vision through to completion in the near future. It is anticipated that this suite, with intraoperative MRI, cutting-edge neuronavigation, image projection and telemedicine capabilities, will be one of the most advanced operating rooms in Australasia, thereby representing an essential technological platform from which we can continue to deliver worldclass neurosurgical care.
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Medical Students and Junior Medical Officers: Under the leadership of Professor Guan Chong, Professor of Surgery at the Australian National University Medical School (ANUMS), Dr Khurana supervises the surgical component of training of final (fourth) year medical students at ANUMS. For a list of some of the tutorials given by Dr Khurana, visit: www.brain-surgery.us/medstudent.html (or just Senior medical students from ANUMS regularly rotate through TCH Neurosurgery in 4-week blocks. Junior medical officers are also an essential part of our overall team, and are trained in the basic principles of neurosurgical patient investigation and care during their rotation with us. The Department also welcomes medical students visiting from other universities. For inquiries, please contact our Office Manager, Ms Vicki Gardiner, per the details posted on the Consultation & Appointment page: Our visiting medical students (2007-)
Australasian Trainees: The Canberra Hospital Neurosurgery Department, like its counterparts across Australia and New Zealand, is responsible for the education and training of accredited and prospective trainees of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' (RACS) Surgical Education and Training (SET) Program. This responsibility means that our trainees have access to the teaching and supervised operative experience they need to make them competent neurosurgeons, per the requirements and expectations of the RACS and its Executive Board of Neurosurgery. Through links with the presitgious John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR; Our Registrars (2006-)
GP Articles: Published in Canberra Doctor, the Official print publication of the ACT Division of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), these articles have been written for a diverse audience, including general practitioners, junior medical officers, senior medical students and nursing and paramedical staff. Their downloadable PDF versions are available by clicking on the titles below.
For the Official Website of Canberra Doctor: Neurosurgical Research at TCH: A number of clinical research projects have been commenced in 2007 at TCH under Dr Khurana's supervision. These projects, all well under way, include:
Dr Khurana is also collaborating as an Associate Investigator with Dr Caryl Hill (Principal Investigator and Professor of Neuroscience at the Australian National University) on a project funded by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Some New Brain Surgery Technologies in Australasia: Some new intraoperative technologies to enhance the safety and success of neurovascular surgery are shown below. These technologies were recently introduced to the Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) region by Dr Khurana's team at The Canberra Hospital. Images and technologies courtesy Transonic Systems Inc., Leica Microsystems Inc., Michael Bryant/Lifehealthcare and The Canberra Hospital.
Upper three panels: Quantitative neurovascular microultrasonography, first carried out in ANZ by Dr Khurana's team on March 23, 2007. The small hand-held ultrasound probe (upper-middle) and flowmetre (upper-right) measure blood flow across "at risk" vessels (upper-left) during brain aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation and tumour surgery. Detection of any substantial differences in flow measurements before and after surgical treatment of these conditions allows the surgeon to make any necessary corrections before the patient leaves the operating room. Alternatively, the device can confirm the success of disconnection of arteriovenous malformations and fistulae. Use of the device has been proposed to significantly decrease the risk of postoperative stroke. Lower four panels: Fluorescence cerebral angiography first carried out in ANZ by Dr Khurana's team on August 9, 2007. The new Leica OH4 operating microscope (lower-left panel) at The Canberra Hospital allows neurosurgeons to conveniently image blood vessels in real-time using fluorescence technology. An example is shown in the remaining lower panels (15 mm "fusiform" brain aneurysm of the internal carotid artery seen through the operating microscope during "normal" and "fluorescence" imaging modes immediately prior to surgical clipping). Imaging the same area in fluorescence after surgical treatment allows the surgeon to more clearly confirm the effectiveness of the procedure, including the desired cessation of blood flow through the aneurysm or malformation, and preservation of blood flow through surrounding "at-risk" vessels, even the smallest "perforating" vessels as shown above. This technology represents a major advance in safety during neurovascular surgery. |