Live broadcasted spinal surgeries highlight medical convention
By Walter Ang
June 30, 2009
Manila Bulletin
Spinal surgical procedures were performed simultaneously in The Medical City (TMC)'s operating rooms for this year's Operative Course in Spinal Surgery and broadcast live via streaming video to at least 150 Filipino and foreign participating orthopedic and spinal surgeons.
The procedures performed were used as teaching demonstrations of different techniques in spinal surgery involved in the treatment of traumatic, degenerative, infectious, neo-plastic spinal ailments, and spinal deformities. Co-organized by the Asia Pacific Orthopedic Association (APOA) and the Philippine Spine Society (PSS), the convention was moderated by a panel of the best spinal surgeons in the Asia Pacific region.
"This convention showcases TMC's world-class facilities and demonstrates our medical and technological expertise in providing advanced surgical solutions in handling complex orthopedic and spinal surgical procedures," said TMC Department of Orthopedics Chair Dr. Rafael Claudio.
TMC's orthopedic department has a complement of more than fifty consultants in seven subspecialties related to spine problems. The cameras used to broadcast the operations for this convention have the capability to be used in operations that need to be broadcasted abroad in case procedures may need the inputs of international doctors.
Claudio added that Filipinos living abroad and foreign patients who seek orthopedic treatment can come to TMC to avail of orthopedic and spinal surgical procedures that are at par with the world's best but at competitive costs. The convention organizers said international magazines have reported that the cost of spinal surgeries done in Manila can cost up to 80% less than procedures done abroad.
PSS president Dr. Antonio Sison said, "The convention was aimed at significantly adding to the knowledge of the participating surgeons and contributing to the capabilities of Filipino surgeons and to the actual field of spinal surgery in the Philippines." The convention included speakers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and India.
TMC is a tertiary care hospital with over forty years experience and serves 40,000 in-patients and 380,000 out-patients annually. It has over 1,000 physicians who are established experts in their various fields of specialization. TMC is accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the world's most prestigious accrediting body for international health care organizations.