UK surgeon performs complex operations, trains local specialists

Nadira Gunatilleke

A neuro surgeon attached to Kings College Hospital, U.K. Dr. Nick Thomas is now in Colombo performing very complex operations at the Sri Jayawardhanapura Hospital following a request made by Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva.

He will perform several complicated operations free. He has already peroformed 15 operations successfully.

Dr. Thomas admired the dedication and talent of local surgeons and also commended the support extended to him by the medical staff of the Sri Jayawardhanapura Hospital during the operations. One complicated operation in the spine of a child took more than 12 hours. He thanked neuro surgeon Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne for her assistance.

Another objective of Dr. Thomas' visit is training Sri Lankan surgeons to perform difficult and complicated operations in local hospitals.

So far such operations have not been conducted in Sri Lanka.

He will stay in Sri Lanka for a month. He met the Director of Colombo National Hospital Dr. Hector Weerasinghe and inspected the new Neuro Surgical Unit there. They held discussions on further improvements in the field of neuro surgeries.

Dr. Thomas also held discussions with the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage.