Anaesthesiology

The Department of Anaesthesiology at St. John’s Medical College Hospital was first started in the 1970s. The department then, had a small group of dedicated faculty and only 3 post graduates in training each year. Since then, the department has grown tremendously, both in number and in expertise. The team now has over 22 faculty members, 18 residents and 42 Postgraduates, all playing a vital role in the safe and ethical perioperative management of patients.

Many accomplished faculty members have trained and worked across the country and globally. There is a continuous learning and teaching program in place where students are encouraged to work, practise, and master the skills and knowledge needed to be proficient in their field. The team is committed to evidence-based practices with continuous quality improvement, so that our patients may receive the latest, best, and affordable health care possible.

The OT complex has 23 theatres spanning over three floors with approximately 50-60 surgeries per day. Each OT is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure including the latest anaesthesia workstations, monitors, airway equipment, and regional equipment along with surgical equipment for safe clinical practice. In addition, the anaesthesiology department extends their services to procedures outside of the Operating Room - MRI, Endoscopic procedures, Interventional Neuroradiology and Cardiac interventions, CT cisternograms, Electro-convulsive therapy and CT guided Epidural Blood patch therapy.

The department also oversees patient management in the 20 bedded Surgical and Neuro ICU, for the continued monitoring and management of surgical patients in the postoperative period.

All of this is achieved through collaboration with various surgical specialties with the higher purpose of providing patient-centric care.

Our Vision:
1. The Department Vision statement is to function as a super specialty department with specialist anaesthesiologists caring for all surgical specialties with specific needs.
2. To shape the future of peri-operative patient care by providing high quality evidence-based anaesthesia and pain services.

Our Mission:
1. To provide safe and affordable anaesthetic care to all our surgical patients through our team of highly qualified professionals who are driven by compassion, continuous research and progressive learning.
2. To provide a nurturing learning environment to improve the quality of present and future post graduates.
3. To provide a continuum of perioperative care, together with the Surgical ICU.

Facilities

Pre- anaesthesia clinic

The PAC clinic is where each patient is evaluated for their pre-operative status with comprehensive assessment tools, following which anaesthesia plans are discussed with patients and their families. Surgical teams are encouraged to send patients for early assessments so that adequate optimization and referral care may be done prior to surgery. This enhances surgical and post operative outcomes.

Operating room
The department has faculty adept to handle a wide range of surgical specialities. A combination of anaesthetic techniques are used for patients depending on the comfort of the patient and the requirement of the surgeon.

Some of these specialities include-

General surgery- gastro intestinal, hepatobiliary, endocrine, laparoscopy

Obstetrics and gynaecology

ENT- nasal endoscopy, tracheal surgeries, laser surgery

Ophthalmology- cataracts, vitrectomies, laser surgeries.

Paediatric surgery- GI, spina bifida corrections, VP shunt surgeries, paediatric thoracotomies, trauma surgeries.

Urology- laser surgery, renal stenting, lithotripsy, tumour resections, nephrectomy

Plastic and reconstructive surgery- trauma, burns care, congenital malformations correction, cosmetic surgery.

Neurosurgery- tumour resections with neuronavigation systems, trauma care, craniectomies for bleed evacuations, spine surgeries.

Orthopaedics - adult and paediatric, trauma care, joint replacements, corrective surgeries for congenital conditions.

Cardiothoracic and vascular surgery– CABGs, valve replacements, thrombectomies, lobectomies, thoracotomies.

Oncology surgeries- oral and facial cancer, breast cancer, GI cancer surgeries.

Gynaecological oncology- uterine, ovarian and cervical cancer surgeries

Renal transplant- live and cadaver transplant

Post operative care

Patients who require continuous monitoring and clinical support after major surgeries are shifted to our Surgical ICU for recuperation.

Acute pain services

Patients who receive epidural analgesia or require IV PCA pumps are followed up regularly in the first 72 hours of the post-operative period.

Non- operating room anaesthesia

While most of our work involves perioperative care, anaesthesia is now also a part of diagnostics, interventional procedures, and treatment in collaboration with specialities outside the operating room. The department has fully functional and recent equipment along with trained faculty in the field of remote anaesthesia.

Some of the common specialities include-
-Interventional procedures in neurological conditions with neuroradiology.
-MRI and CT imaging and interventions with radiology
-Endoscopic procedures with gastroenterology
-Radiotherapy procedures with radio-oncology
-Electroconvulsive therapy with psychiatry.

Surgical ICU
SICU and Neuro ICU caters to all critically ill peri-operative patients and neurology and neurosurgery patients respectively.

Teaching
The undergraduates and interns rotate through the department and are taught the importance of anaesthesia along with basic airway management, life support and regional anaesthesia techniques.

The post graduate training program was first started in 1985 and has since been one of the most sought after post graduate degree programs in the country. Currently 14 aspiring post graduates are inducted each year. They are trained by faculty members with adept expertise and knowledge in the field of anaesthesiology, peri-operative medicine, pain management non-operating room anaesthesia and critical care.

The large number and the complexity of cases seen in our hospital allows ample opportunity for hands-on training techniques and research. Innovative teaching methods like simulation and skills lab training, integrated teaching with other departments, regular case discussions, seminars and journal critiquing are a large part of the curriculum.

Neurocritical care fellowship and Nursing practitioner in critical care (NPCC) courses are run by surgical ICU.

The BSc Anaesthesia- OT technology course is the latest offering from the department to increase the numbers of qualified OT personnel towards providing thorough perioperative care.

The department of anaesthesiology is an integral part of code blue services in the hospital, including auditing and training of all interns, PGs and faculty in BLS and ACLS.

Our department takes initiative in conducting conferences and workshops with active participation in regional and national conference, workshops and CME’s. Inter –department meets and classes are also conducted regularly for exchange of knowledge.