ANZCA Bulletin - March 2006 - Australian and New Zealand College ...

March 2006 Bulletin 27
recovery room Why was prolonged preoperative
fasting required and oral intake
forbidden for an hour post-operatively Why
was local wound infiltration rare Why was a
coagulation screen required before a caudal
Obstetrics proved to be even more fascinating,
and by this stage I was minimally supervised. The
Level 3 unit had a 90% epidural rate and these
were administered early. LSCS rate was 23%,
regarded as very high in France - the French have
always known that obstetricians cause
caesareans, not epidurals. Discord between
midwife and doctor was almost unknown.
During the year I also visited two private
hospitals, a pre-eminent paediatric hospital in
Paris, a peripheral public hospital, and attended
three national conferences (and saw our general
practitioner several times). Drugs, equipment and
techniques were much the same as in any
developed country, but the organisation and
delivery continually surprised me. France suffers
a shortage of anaesthetists in part due to their
numerous major roles: pre-operative assessment,
post-operative care on the wards, medical and
surgical intensive care, pre-hospital care (the
infamous 'stay-and-play' approach), emergency
hospital services and pain services. Doctors work
long hours, satisfying the EU 35-hour/week
directive by taking nine weeks leave annually.
Specialists are resident on call yet this close
supervision did not necessarily create confident
juniors. Nurse anaesthetists often deprived them
of hands-on time. I missed our assertive
registrars with their constant questions that keep
me up to date.
We're glad to be back now at the end of the
world. We have had a myriad of rich and
sometimes difficult experiences, the children
speak French, but most importantly that mid-life
crisis feeling has been thoroughly buried - for the
moment.
Queries from readers are welcome.
(jtorrie@adhb.govt.nz).
Hong Kong Society of Anaesthetists
Golden Jubilee
Fellows of the College who have been involved
in the development of anaesthesia in Hong Kong
will be interested to read of the Golden Jubilee of
their Society held in August 2005.
Our College and its former Faculty assisted in the
recognition of anaesthesia in that region by
establishing examinations and providing tutors
for courses. Many will remember the
involvement and encouragement of the late
Professor Tan Sri G. B. Ong (Professor of Surgery,
University of Hong Kong,) and Zoltan Lett (better
known as Lefty) who pioneered our specialty in
the colony over many years. Lefty was G.B. Ong's
anaesthetist for many years, and was unremitting
in his efforts to further the development of our
specialty. Although now retired and living in
England, he attended the Jubilee and was
honored for his role.
The Council Members of the Society of Anaesthetist of Hong Kong and Past Presidents: (Back Row L-R) - Gigi Wong, Libby Lee, Vivian Ng,
Joseph Lui, CW Cheung, SK Ng, CF Fung, Joe Kwok, Steven Wong, Tommy Suen; (Front Row L-R) - YF Chow, Ronald Lo, ML Yeung, Zoltan Lett,
CT Hung and CK Chan
Dr Noel Cass, FANZCA