THE WORKSHOP (D1) INTO THE CROWDS

Today was the official first day in the workshop, though I have so much to say yet I can not afford but writing a summarised highlight.

first of all professor Penia and dr.Bischoff did a case of rectourethral-bulbar fistula, it took sometime to prep the patient, because, as in over 20 % of cases the catheter went up the wrong route and because there was no lacrimal dilator they decided to leave the catheter in the rectum and proceed. The operation went on as in the text book but when they reached the fistula they had to incise it to accommodate the catheter back in the urethra, otherwise it was uneventful i.e straight forward no adverse events, but ofcourse it was good to watch the ideal operation as in the textbook.

Though we had a rough start, there were some technical problems in the MIC when prof. Penia was speaking and people where late for the lecture as everyone was thinking that he would go straight to theaters, including me that I didn't even notice they were sitting at the front row, yet generally speaking it was a good day.

the post operative lectures where really good, which I particularly enjoyed as I already read the books.

people see what they want to see

you can choose to believe the reality or live in your fantasies

one can see the reality yet fabricate it to suit his/her own fantasy

guess what was all these quotes about, they were about the anatomy of the anorectum, prof penia does not believe in the pubo rectalis, does not believe in the external anal sphincter and internal anal sphincter and other muscular subdivisions, he just believes in one continuos muscle complex that runs perpendicular in continuum with the levator muscle(look up his book for the picture and anatomy description) there were some disgrunted people among the audience but I am glad that I found out a reason why I never fathomed the anatomy of the anorectum when I was a medical student and even as a resident and attributed that to lack of imagination.

he also spoke of the fountain of inspiration in Colorado springs I guess,that he sits in front, this spring helps him reflect on his work. I believe many people have this special get away at which they sit and think freely.

every single white hair is because of a mistake, if you repeat that mistake the hair falls

surprisingly I heard something similar from a colleague but in the neurosurigcal field though he was young in his late twenties, yet his head was covered in white hair, neurosurgeons have this kind of out of the blue in a genius way personality he bragged

every single white hair has a price it is the price of experience

dr. Bischoff also spoke about many interesting issues, when she spoke about prenatal diagnosis of fetal anorectal malformations she brought up a drawing by Frida Kahlo's husband Diego Rivera for a fetus in utero, I personally enjoy artistic interpretation of complex scientific matters, for what is art but a trial to percieve the unknown dimensions of our world.

It was also a great opportunity for dr.Bischoff to flag up our defective distal loopograms which we carry out here, for those loopograms are quentissential in the management of colorectal problems and I already spoke about that yesterday's post. There were many other interesting things that she spoke about but she said that the vaginal atresia that she will operate on tomorrow in our center will be the 10th in their 3000 patient series. She also advised us to find out a question that we are passionate about answering and to pursue it just like prof Penia did when he questioned the existence of the puborectalis and look where it led him.

finally the day was wrapped up and in a glance there was a big crowd around the couple. I prefer to share the picture rather than describe the scene as they say a picture speaks a thousand words. Every one was hanging around waiting for something a picture, a smile, a compliment or to catch a ray of sunshine.

Hopefully I would be able to write about day 2

I haven't spoke about a couple of important details like meeting up with professor Enaam Raboei lady professor and head of pediatric surgery department in Saudia Arabia Jedda military hospital with great work in MIS and the question she asked me that me pose and think, yet this is will need to be discussed in a separate post.

Every day is a good day, yet this is one of the best