CHANDIGARH, 3rd October: The second day of the workshop was dedicated to the millions deprived of vision and hearing. The session under the theme ‘Rehabilation of visual and hearing handicap’ was commenced by live demonstration of Endoscopic optic nerve sheath fenestration for benign intracranial hypertension by Professor Ashok Kumar Gupta. He has pioneered this technique and is considered an authority in this field. This operation is a novel and safe approach providing immediate symptomatic relief to the patient who has failed to respond to medical management. This technique involves making a slit in the optic nerve sheath thereby relieving the pressure around the optic nerve and thus leads to improvement in vision. Prof Ashok Gupta demonstrated each and every step of the procedure right from the basic principles of performing an endoscopic surgery. Around 90 patients of BIH from India and abroad have benefitted from this effective surgical technique. The session was live and interactive with never ending questions from the audience, as this novel technique was fairly new for most of the delegates.Cochlear implantation was demonstrated by Padamshree Prof J M Hans . Cochlear Implantation is an otologic surgery performed to restore hearing in those who have lost the function of the sensory organ of hearing, the cochlea. He has done pioneering work in the field of cochlear implant surgery and has done more than 600 cochlear implants in the country and in SAARC countries till date. He is presently Chairman Department of ENT and Cochlear Implant at Dr. B. L. Kapur Memorial Hospital, New Delhi. He demonstrated the ‘Veria technique’ of cochlear implantation and discussed its pros and cons compared to the conventional posterior tympanotomy technique.
The session also included live demonstration of Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy by Dr Davinder Rai , Senior consultant , Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi. Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy is an extended application of endoscopic sinus surgery used for treating patient with increased watering from eyes due to a block in the system which drains the tears from the eye to the nose. This though not a life threatening disease, often becomes a unacceptable nuisance to the patient. Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy is a day care surgery were the patient is relieved of the complaint, without any scar marks as with an external approach.More importantly the patient is discharged the same day. Dr Davinder Rai, explained the minute intricacies involved in performing an ideal endoscopic dacroyocystorhinostomy. The session also had a live demonstration of functional endoscopic sinus surgery by Dr Arvind Soni, Senior consultant ,Indraprastha Apollo Hospital , New Delhi and Dr Janakiram, senior consultant, Royal Pearl Hospital, Trichy.
The forenoon session was followed by the formal inauguration of the live surgery session by the Chief Guest Prof V Sakhuja , Acting Director , PGIMER, Chandigarh . Prof R C Deka, Director AIIMS, Delhi was the guest of honor to the occasion. Prof V Sakhuja highlighted the role played by the department of otolarnyngology , Head and Neck surgery in spreading the name of this institute . He said that constant updating of our knowledge is very important. Conferences like these serve this purpose , but this conference is different in that here knowledge is imparted through live demonstration rather than lectures. Prof R C Deka said that whenever a new technology is introduced into the field, there is always criticism from the society. People who strive these obstacles have always succeeded in developing the technology. Continous and problem based learning is the basis of contemporary learning. Such workshops help in such continous learning and buiding up competency and confidence. Special stress should be given to take care of the preventable causes of deafness. He said that the ENT department of PGIMER has produced great leaders in this field right from the institute’s beginning.Prof Ashok Gupta was awarded a Momento of Exellence by the All India Rhinology Society as a token of gratitude for his contributions in the field of rhinology. The ceremony was decorated by the esteemed presence of Prof SBS Mann and Prof Naresh panda.
A panel discussion on the topic,’ Management of Fungal Rhinosinusitis’ was moderated by Professor Ashok Gupta. Prof SBS Mann and Dr S C Pandhi were the chair persons.Prof Mohan Kameshwaran, Dr Ravi Nayar, Dr Davinder Rai, Dr Hemant , Dr Mohindro and Dr Madhusudan were chairpersons for the session. Fungal sinusitis is an endemic disease in North India, especially Punjab causing great morbidity and mortality irrespective of age and sex. The disease in its invasive form in immunosupressed patients is very acute and fulminant and the patient often lands up as an emergency. Whereas the allergic fungal rhinosinusitis which is the non invasive spectrum is slow spreading, but often presents late when the patient has invaded the orbit or the brain cavity. Even though our country has a large number of fungal rhinosinusitis patients we still do not have a unified protocol for the treatment of the disease. The panel discussion was highly informative were each of experienced faculty shared their experience with the disease. The panel discussion concluded after preparing afirst ever unified Indian protocol for fungal sinusitis.
The workshop on day 2 was concluded with a magnificent banquet at the Hotel R C Royal Park, Panchkula. All the delegates and organizing faculty enjoyed the evening with joy and merry. Glamour and glitter filled the air when everyone danced and dined the evening washing off their days sweat and toil.