2024-03-28 18:24:44
“The work is hard, but partly rewarding. We treat people who are terminally ill. However, there are cases when we can save the patient.
It is especially nice to see a person 3-4 years after surgery. And the best moment happens when it turns 5 years old. Then we can tell the patient that our last meeting was here – you are healthy”, says A. Baušys.
The news portal lrytas.lt is preparing the project “Thank you to the doctors”, the accompanying series of publications will introduce health care specialists who are sensitive to patients’ problems. You can write a thank you to your favorite doctor in the inviting subpage: Thanks to the doctors.
– “Professionalism, responsibility, empathy, compassion for people: both young and old… – everything fits in this personality, because the doctor’s profession is a way of life for this young person”, – an excerpt from last year’s thank you note. Do you see your profession as a way of life?
– This is already accepted. The profession of surgeon is really becoming a way of life. You are tied to work, you often have to think about it in your free time. After all, there are people who recover after medical interventions.
Therefore, it is better to choose this profession only if it is absolutely dear to the heart.
– The Special Investigations Service (STT) in cooperation with the Association of Young Doctors (JGA) has been running the social campaign “Give or not?” for some time now. People think that without a bribe the doctor will not operate well….
– It really isn’t. We want a good result and we always treat the patient as well as possible. Of course, surgical oncology is a complex field and success is not 100% possible. cases.
I think that the mentioned myth may have been wild before, but now both doctors and patients understand that no additional thanks are needed. Residents know that if they want to receive a service without waiting in line or if they need special comfort, there is a wide choice of private medicine. Therefore, there is no need to engage in illegal activities.
Doctors take bribes and patients give them – this is a vernacular relic from ancient times.
– Maybe you could share an example of a well-remembered thank you?
– A patient was treated with us, and after some time, a charity and support fund managed by his employer allocated funds to our institution with a specific goal: to conduct scientific research in the field of the disease that the patient suffered from.
This expression of patronage has enabled our group to perform significantly more experiments and advance treatment. I know that research patronage is a very common practice in leading Western universities.
– Your father Rimantas is also an abdominal surgeon. How did you end up following his example?
– Dynasties are not a rare phenomenon in many professions. I think this is natural. At home, you can hear what your parents are talking about from an early age. Those topics arouse curiosity. Growing up in a medical family, it can be hard to even imagine that there are other jobs (laughs).
But parents never encouraged or forbade me to choose medicine. I was left free.
– Musicians and actors say that they experience excitement before the performance. And how does the surgeon feel before the operation?
– I doubt if there are any surgeons who do not experience excitement at all. You always think about the situation you will find during the operation, how you will be able to help the patient as much as possible, contribute to his recovery or alleviate the symptoms.
You are never 100 percent before surgery. sure what the situation is in the patient’s abdomen. There is also excitement after the operation, because even then we take care of the patient’s recovery. In my field – oncological surgery – operations are often large-scale and accompanied by complications. Managing them is the task of the surgeon. It only gets calmer when the patient goes home.
– How would you describe the daily life of an abdominal surgeon? Are operations becoming routine or remain challenging?
– Both an advantage and a disadvantage, but there is very little routine in my work. A typical day starts very early, well before 7am. We take care of and visit patients, hold joint consultations, and have work in the operating room. We prepare patients for intervention and take care of those who have already undergone surgery.
We have modern radiological methods, but even the most modern tests do not answer what we will find during surgery. Situations are very individual, so there is no routine.
In addition, oncological diseases are characteristic of the elderly population. Therefore, we have complex situations when the patient not only has cancer, but also a whole bunch of concomitant diseases.
– So you see the patient not only on the surgical table?
– Yes, the surgeon is the first person who meets the patient upon his arrival at the institution, examines him, diagnoses the disease. Then, together with his colleagues, he chooses the optimal treatment tactics, and when a surgical operation is required, he performs it.
The surgeon also takes care of patients after the intervention and carries out long-term monitoring. Surgery is only a small part of a surgeon’s work.
– Stomach cancer is your area of specialization. Are the eating habits of Lithuanians favorable in order to avoid this disease?
– Stomach cancer incidence in Lithuania is one of the highest in Europe. Why? We don’t have a clear answer, but we can assume that our eating habits contribute to it.
The risk of stomach cancer is known to be increased by various fermented, smoked and preserved products that are often found in our kitchen. I could not say that Lithuanian eating habits are favorable for preventing stomach cancer.
In addition, smoking and heavy alcohol consumption are bad habits that significantly increase the risk of stomach and esophagus cancer.
– In January, you defended your thesis to obtain a doctorate in medical science. Could you briefly explain its essence?
– We have conducted several studies to check whether our strategy for preparing a patient for major surgery is effective. This is the so-called pre-operative rehabilitation strategy – the merit of a large team. I worked with NVI colleagues and scientists from Vilnius University and Santara Clinics.
Our strategy is for patients with gastric cancer. It includes steps to prepare the patient physically, nutritionally, and psychologically for surgery.
Major abdominal surgery is like running a marathon. It is a physical challenge. You need to prepare properly for this: strengthen your body, improve your physical condition and prepare yourself psychologically. Then the probability of success is significantly higher.
We have proven that by applying such medical intervention, we can reduce the frequency of postoperative complications and speed up the patient’s recovery. Having assessed that it works, we implemented such a program in clinical practice at NVI. If we see a need, we offer this procedure as standard to all patients.
– After becoming a doctor of medical science, maybe you have more time for other activities?
– Not really. I am actively engaged in academic medicine, that is, scientific research. This is an interesting and meaningful activity. Only academic medicine can bring innovation and better outcomes for patients. We initiate more and more clinical trials, so the work schedule is not empty.
Of course, I try to have quality free time, to rest and recover my strength, to spend time with my family.
2024-03-28 18:24:44