NORTH SURGERY WARD: UNIT I MAYO HOSPITAL, LAHORE : A DETAILED GLIMPSE

NORTH SURGERY WARD: UNIT I 

MAYO HOSPITAL, LAHORE

A DETAILED GLIMPSE

         Chairman Prof Khalid Masood Gondal 
                                                                 (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz)

(Complied by Dr.Taroob Latif,  Unsa Athar,  Saad-ur-Rahman)

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader"   -   John Quincy

The walls of North Surgical Department have nurtured the most capable surgeons of Lahore who have gone on to make us proud around the world. The legacy that it holds has set a solid example for everyone to witness. It is with great pride that we give you a glimpse inside the most revered ward of Mayo Hospital to date. 

                                         

Photograph by KAINAT ZAFAR LAGHARI

Mayo Hospital is one of the biggest hospitals of Lahore. It caters to one of the busiest populations of Pakistan with patients being referred to Mayo Hospital from all over the country. Since 1870 when it was born to 2017 today, Mayo Hospital has maintained its prestige and name among all the hospitals of Pakistan. The entire credit goes to the extraordinary surgeons and physicians working day and night to help and save lives.

The Surgical Department of Mayo Hospital is divided into four units; North Surgery Unit I being the senior most followed by East Surgery Unit II, West Surgery Unit III and South Surgery Unit IV. The Surgical Dept is chaired by the imminent Professor Khalid Masood Gondal (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz) FCPS (PAK), FRCS (Glag), FACS (USA), MCPS(HPE), FCPS (BD), FCS (SL), Regional Director and Senior Vice President CPSP, Lahore.

Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal joined North Surgery as Chairman on 1st March 2015, preceding the celebrated Prof Dr. Arshad Cheema.

North Surgery has functionally always been the forerunner of Surgical Wards. The ward underwent numerous structural changes with renovations since 2005 making it the most hygienic and highly equipped ward of surgical department.

With implementation of newer standards of protocol, doctors are now involved in every aspect of patient care. Even dressing of patients is not wholly left upto the dressers. These have ensured swift patient recovery and excellent ward stats. Consultants and senior registrar perform morning and evening rounds as well as rounds on Sundays. Regular morbidity mortality meetings and internal audits are a must in this ward, to prevent complications and to encourage learning at all levels.

Each ward is known for the particular kind of surgeries it undertakes mostly. North surgery performs relatively more surgeries of cancers of Esophagus, Stomach, Pancreas than others taking up cases with poor prognosis that have been refused elsewhere. Alongside this, Laproscopic cholecystectomy is also a huge specialty of this ward. Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal has trained many doctors in his ward in this area. He was part of the team which performed the first  Laproscopic cholecystectomy in Pakistan in 1989, led by Dr.Zafarullah Chaudhary.

The team of surgeons in North Surgery is unparalleled. The consultants of NSW perform thyroid, routine hernia, breast, cancer surgery and laparotomy and provide international level of expert care to the patients.

"An example of North surgical ward’s emergency situation handling is the current blast. NSW received 29 patients, 6 with major injuries to stomach, liver, small and large intestine, pancreas. Out of these, 5 were in our ICU with one patient being critical. He was received gasping for air, with injuries to the subclavian vessel and brachial plexuses, bilateral chest injury and tracheal injury. His operation was continued for 5 hours. Vascular reconstruction was done. The plexuses were repaired along with tracheostomy and bilateral chest intubation. He remained on ventilator for 2 weeks. Today his chest tubes are out and his hands are working. We will take out tracheostomy today and he will be discharged after tomorrow. Our patients going safely home reflect the team work and management of the unit in crisis and emergency situations." - Prof Khalid Gondal

HERE IS A CLIP FROM CITY 42 COMPLIMENTING THE COMPETENCY OF NORTH SURGICAL WARD DURING THE RECENT BOMB BLAST:

PROFESSOR KHALID MASOOD GONDAL (Chairman) 

I graduated in 1986 and from 1988 till today I have been associated with Mayo. Mayo has always been famous for dealing expertly with crisis. Whenever we have received patients inflicted with natural or unnatural hazards, they have been managed in a record time of first 2-3 hours. The team of NSW has always reached the ER within 15 minutes of any disaster hitting Lahore. In this last blast of 13th Feb 2017, all the consultants were present before the arrival of the first patient! Dr. Yar Muhammad himself received the first patient.

What teaching methodologies are adopted in NSW?

Here in NSW, we not only focus on Final year but also on 3^rd year and 4^th year. I think the latter 2 are more important. I personally interact with all 3^rd year and 4^th year batches. The batches have to reach the ward by 10:30 am and prepare a case. The batch representatives are supposed to text me at 11 AM sharp if their class does not begin. 

Along with this daily report, I also have a feedback system on weekly basis. BRs are supposed to text me what they learnt during the week and their complaints or questions. Our priorityhave always been students in NSW. In OPDs and OTs I ensure that I demonstrate atleast one case every day.

What do you think is the difference in being Professor of South Surgery and Chairman of North Surgery.

Well, now I am responsible for co-coordinating with all 4 units. Also the academic activities have increased. BDS and Allied classes, formation of syllabus for M.B.B.S. clinical years and modular syllabus for pre-clinical years have all become partly my responsibilities.

How do you manage CPSP and NSW together?

My priority is Student -Teaching and patient care here at NSW. CPSP affects my family life a bit but not my work at NSW.

What are the extra curricular activities at NSW?

Extra curricular activities come way after patient care and ward duties. I discuss each case with my SRs daily after their rounds. I have given categorical instructions to accommodate 80% patients in OT list who do not have any reference. After patient care comes student teaching. And after that to keep my doctors fresh and fit, we keep physical activities in our routine too. Football, Badminton, Races. I involve my doctors and students in all these sports. Such time management is possible because Allah has blesses my time with "barkat".

We also throw welcome and farewell parties to every new HOs batch.

What do you think makes one a good surgeon?

I learnt two things from my Professor, Dr Zafar ullah Ch. How to be a good surgeon and a good human being. A good teacher transfers his legacy to his students. A good surgeon should be a good craftsman. He must have these qualities.

A good human being should be empathetic towards his patient with good communication skills.

What further developments you wish to bring in NSW?

Completion of surgical towers and shifting of units there, advanced laparoscopic surgery, post graduate programs in specialities like transplant, minimal invasive etc. Also the development of simulators and skill labs for trainees. I believe that when you touch a patient with skill, the patient and you both feel the power of it.

Any message for other professors/chairpersons

Make students and patients your priorities. Feel your responsibility religiously. This is one profession where you can earn both the world and hereafter. 

DR. YASEEN RAFI (Associate Professor)

"I have been associated with North Surgery since forever. From graduation to house job and PGship, Mayo has been my home. I worked here as Senior Registrar and Assistant. When Prof.Gondal became HOD, he asked me to join him. He was associate when I was a PG. Working with him now as a consultant is an honor in itself."

What makes NSW special from the other surgical wards in other hospitals?
It is the best ward when it comes to patient care standards and traditions. Every person in the periphery knows about Mayo Hospital. Mayo Hospital especially NSW has the beautiful tradition of teacher-student/senior-junior respect and thorough learning. The students crave to learn here.

What more improvements do you want in NSW?
To ensure maximum quality of patient care, government should provide us with international facilities. It’s the biggest teaching hospital, but we do not have an ERCP which is heart breaking!
To the students, I’d like to say that please work hard. Because it will be beneficial both for you and the patients. Pleaae realize that doctors are symbols of morality and ethics in the society. So one should be honest and sympathetic as a doctor.



DR. IMRAN ASLAM (Assistant Professor)

I joined NSW in Sept 2011. I am graduate of Allama Iqbal Medical College. I worked in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery in Services Hospital and was promoted as Assistant Professor in Mayo Hospital. When I came here, I spent months just staring at the walls of Mayo. It felt like I had been shifted from a small apartment to a huge Haveli. The untidiness here bothered me but I saw that Mayo, especially NSW is a seat of learning. I had never imagined that one day I'd be repairing Aorta and Vena Cava in emergencies. I had never even seen a major vascular repair in Services! It is a pity that MRI and ERCP are not available here. It kills me when I have to refer patients to other hospitals for these procedures.

"Professional satisfaction here is beyond words. The critical patient from this recent blast surgery shook my hand today and went home on his own feet. I cannot describe how amazing that felt. I enjoy the opportunity of performing complicated cases in NSW. All credit goes to my Professor. Giving opportunities to perform and boosting morale is what makes Prof. Gondal an unparalleled mentor."

What makes NSW special from the other surgical wards in other hospitals?
Our Professor knows every single detail about this ward! It amazes me how well he supervises everything despite his busy schedule. He knows which doctor conducted what round at what time in what manner. He has a hawks eye on all patients and he maintains a follow-up for all of them.

What more improvements do you want in NSW?
Completion of surgical tower!



DR. YAR MUHAMMAD (Assistant Professor)

"I joined North surgical ward 2 years back as Assistant Professor. I came with the ward when it shifted from East to North surgical. Previously I have worked here as House officer, Medical officer, registrar and senior registrar so I have had a long relationship with this ward.

"I have worked here in Pakistan and abroad as well. The leadership of Professor Dr Khalid Masood Gondal makes working here more rewarding and fulfilling."

How is your experience in NSW so far?
It has been an amazing experience. I have the best mentor in Professor Khalid Masood Gondal and I am really looking forward to enhancing my surgical skills under his kind guidance. 

What more improvements do you want in NSW?
Hiring more Information Technology staff. People with computer skills will make our work load easier. Also a Skills Lab will be advantageous for both the doctors as well as students. 

Dr. Ahmad Kaleem (MO, Registrar NSW 2015-2016)             

                          

“I joined it officially in 2009. My first experience with Prof. Gondal was in my final year. He inspired me to join him in house job and train with him. I shifted from South to East to North with him and have worked under Prof.Gondal as a registrar.  What makes north surgical ward, north surgical ward is the patient care attitude. The pre-op, post-op, follow-up care here is incredible. What gels everything together is the trickle down effect from our seniors. Our Professor performs wide varieties of operations, Lap.choles, Whipples, Transhiatal esophagectomy, you name it. In the blast incident, Professor himself came and divided us all into teams even before the arrival of patients. ER, OR and first-aid teams were formed and this division of labour made it easier to deal with the work load.

I would urge people to join NSW because the working environment here is the best. Prof Gondal listens to your problems, showers you with individual attention and you get to learn from the best of the best! He has taught us that even if you mess up a case, the most important thing is your attitude towards it and how you deal with it.”

Dr. Usama Shabbir (PGR, Registrar NSW)

I joined NSW on 27th Jan 2016. What sets NSW apart from other wards is our leader, Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal. The whole ward rotates around him. Despite his busy schedule, Sir is always involved in everyone's minor affairs. From attending our ceremonies to solving our problems, from patient management to administrative skills, Prof Gondal is an example in every sense of the word. In addition he is a role model for us in matters of deen and dunya and how to balance them together. 

Team KemUnited. King Edward Medical University. Lahore.