Top-notch surgeons to converge in Varanasi from Dec 27

Varanasi, Dec 16 (UNI) Top-notch surgeons from across the globe will converge at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) here to attend 'ASICON-2006' -- the four-day annual conference of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) -- starting December 27.

Being organised in Varanasi for the second time -- previously in 1989 -- the conference is likely to be attended by nearly 4,000 surgeons from across the globe. It will focus on recent advances in the field of surgery with special emphasis on cancer surgery, particularly surgical management of pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, breast cancer and rectal cancer, ASICON-2006 organising secretary V K Shukla told newspersons here today.

Research papers on transplantation of pancreas in diabetics, bile duct and large bowel surgery, besides other emerging areas will also be presented by eminent surgeons at the conference, he added.

Prof Shukla further said the conference, to be attended by a galaxy of bigwig surgeons from the country, US, UK, Australia, Japan, Singapore will be inaugurated by Union Minister of parliamentary affairs Suresh Pachauri, while the keynote address at the inaugural function will be delivered by Rajya Sabha MP Karan Singh.

For the first time in the history of ASI, surgeries being performed in four operation theatres at BHU will be beamed live to the delegates on larger than life screens during a two-day workshop on December 25 and 26 ahead of ASICON-2006. More importantly, pioneering expert of Minimal Access/Laproscopic Surgery in the country C Pallanivellu will perform a surgery at the Gem Hospital in Coimbatore on December 25, which will be beamed live to the delegates in BHU during the pre-ASICON workshop, Prof Shukla informed.

Among the other surgeons who would perform surgeries to be beamed live will be Pradip Chaubey, Adarsh Chaudhary, Rajesh Khullar, Vivek Marwah (Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi), M C Mishra (AIIMS-New Delhi), Ramesh (Kocchi) and Dilip Parikh, an expert in robotic surgery in the US, he added.

A special workshop will also be held to focus on the surgical management of trauma cases, where Madhuri Gore -- President of National Trauma Association, Mumbai -- will perform surgery on those who have died in various types of accidents.

A series of lectures dealing with recent advances in laproscopic and conventional surgeries will also be organised for the surgeons living in remote areas on December 26.

A trade fair comprising stalls, put up by over 100 top national and international companies, displaying the latest instruments in surgery will also form part of the four-day surgeons carnival.

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