SURGERY

The department remains the largest clinical department, with 4 wards (wards 2,4, 6, and 14A) and 3 intensive care units ( SICU, NSSCU, and Burn ) . Elective operations are performed daily in both the Operating Room Complex at the Central Block and the Outpatient Department, in addition to the regular emergency load. Currently, close to 1500 operations are performed annually. The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory which opened in 1998 has greatly increased the capacity of the department to handle cardiac cases. The opening of the Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantation Operating Complex in 2003 will further put the open heart program in high gear. The Complex, located at the 6th floor, boasts of 2 operating rooms, a six bed recovery room , and 5 beds for telemetry.

The Central Endoscopy Unit in the Central Block OR Complex , which accommodates all the endoscopy equipment of the hospital, allows diagnostic, therapeutic and interventional procedures to be performed by highly trained and motivated individuals. Choledochochoscopy, bronchoscopy, and other endoscopic procedures are readily accessible. Percutaneous gastrostomy tube insertion, colonoscopic polypectomy and biopsies can be performed in this highly specialized area.

The Surgical Research Unit remains the hub of all research activities of the department. All proposals are coursed through the Unit, and grants and other means of funding are sourced through the unit.

The Breast Care Center, which was created to improve the delivery of care to patients suffering from all types of diseases of the breasts, particularly malignancies, was spearheaded by the department. A multidisciplinary and compassionate approach to patients with diseases of the breast is advocated. Information dissemination on early detection and self -breast examination has been its early battlecry.