This happened in one of the cardiology work shops I recently attended , which beamed live cath lab procedures from across the country.
An interventional cardiology team in a bright sky blue suit was preparing a patient for graft angioplasty in a degenerated SVG graft to left circumflex . The patient had apparently had CABG few years ago (LIMA to LAD still functional ) . His LV EF was reported to be 40 %. The procedure was about to begin. The femoral artery was being cannulated . . .
As the audience were encouraged to ask questions. A young cardiologist wanted to know what was the indication to open up the graft / And what was his symptom ?
“Do not ask such silly question” . Prompt came the reply from one of a senior interventional cardiologist from within the cath lab. He further said such questions can not be entertained as the forum is meant for tips and tricks to cross a degenerated vessel graft . When he insisted for an answer , the entire panel joined the ridicule and the questioner quietly went out of the hall !
What do you infer from such reaction?
What makes this question silly ? Why the cardiologist got annoyed and amused ?
This odd reaction implies , the cardiologist has something to hide or has guilt of doing inappropriate procedure.
Such is the transparency in cardiology workshops transmitted live all over the country imagine what one can expect in regular cath labs .
No doubt JAMA has come out with most important article for us. http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/306/1/53.abstract
Live workshops are not simply to train our hands . It is supposed to teach us the “what is right” and “what is wrong” , “what is good” and “what is bad” for our ailing patients. The senior cardiologists who administer these workshops should realise this fact. Very often a bad example is set . When asking for patient’s true symptoms looks silly for us . . . guess where our profession is heading for !
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 