LIFE OF DOCTORS - PATIENTS, MEDICINE AND BEYOND...
We would all agree that the life of a medical professional is a challenging one. What's more intriguing is that, many of them not only efficiently balance between their personal and professional lives but also do tremendous work in different other arenas of life as well. This section will take you beyond a doctor's routine and familiarize you with some of their lesser known facets.
Prof. Dr. N. Sekar
Chief Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon
Kauvery Hospital
Dr Sekar grew up at Trichy. He did his schooling at E.R.High School and P.U.C at St. Joseph's college. Since his family had many engineers but no doctors his father was very keen that he becomes a doctor. He got selected after a tough entrance exam and interview joined MBBS at JIPMER Pondicherry. He graduated in 1974 and stood first in Surgery and was awarded the Dr. Nair Memorial Gold Medal by the Madras University. He then got selected for MS General Surgery at PGIMER Chandigarh another premier central institute. He completed surgical training in flying colours 1978 and worked as a senior registrar for 3 more years.
In 1981 he got married and joined the Madras medical college, the oldest medical college in the country, as an Assistant Professor of general Surgery. He was actively involved in teaching both undergraduates and surgical postgraduates. Here he saw a large number of patients suffering from arterial blocks. The only treatment that was offered to them was amputation. Many young men, the only bread winners of the family were crippled and their families ruined after major amputation of the legs. He started doing vascular reconstruction to save the limbs of these patients. What started as a part time hobby became his full time work and he realized that vascular surgery should be his chosen career. He joined the department of Vascular Surgery at the Madras Medical College in the year 1986. MMC was the only college in India where specialization in Vascular surgery was available. In 1988 he successfully completed the M.Ch course and passed the exam in the first attempt and became the first MCh in Vascular Surgery in the country. In 1993 he went to the Arizona heart Institute and the Mayo Clinic in USA on an overseas fellowship to learn about the recent advances in vascular surgery.
In 2009 he went to Royal hospital Perth, Australia for training in Endovascular Surgery.
He has been instrumental in standardizing the surgical techniques, organizing the treatment protocol and teaching program for the students in vascular Surgery. During this time the outpatient numbers increased many folds and MMC had the highest number of Vascular reconstructions in India.
All complex vascular reconstructions were being done with excellent results. He interacted with the Orthopedic department and helped them to do Limb salvage procedures for bone tumours who would have otherwise ended up as amputees.
He has personally helped them salvage limbs in more than 500 patients. Hence the Orthopedic association of India gave an Award of Excellence during the annual conference at Chennai in the year 2003.
He has done over 2000 Kidney transplants and over 8000 access surgeries. He played an important role in getting vascular surgery separated from cardiothoracic department and get independent identity and recognition by the Medical Council of India. He has been actively involved in popularizing this branch and creating awareness amongst the public and medical community.
He has been teaching both undergraduate and post graduate medical students at various medical colleges in Tamil Nadu. In recognition of the work done he was awarded the Best Doctor Award by the Dean of Madras Medical College in the year 2000. Almost all the practicing vascular surgeons in Tamil Nadu have been trained by him.
He has one of the largest series of vascular reconstructions in diabetics, Buerger's Disease and in Aortoarteritis in India. He has published more than 30 articles in both National and international Journals.
He was asked to write the chapter on Buerger's disease in a popular book Emergency vascular and Endovascular Surgery published from UK. He was asked to give the prestigious Dr.H T Vira Reddy oration on Changing concepts in treating Buerger's disease. He was promoted and posted as the Professor and Head of the department of Vascular surgery at Madurai Medical College in 2003.
After 23 years of service in the Government sector he took voluntary retirement in 2004 and joined private practice. He is one of the few vascular surgeon in our state to do both open surgery and endovascular procedures. He continues to teach after retirement and has been appointed Professor Emeritus by the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University.
The TamilNadu Dr. MGR Medical University has also honoured him with the "Best Doctor Award "for the year 2011. He organised the First National conference of Vascular Surgeons of India in the year 1994 and was the brain behind the formation of the Vascular Society of India and was elected its Founder Treasurer.
Dr. Sekar was unanimously elected as President -Elect of the Vascular society of India in 2007 and took over as President in the year 2009. During this period he did extensive travel around India and gave lectures in various medical colleges to create awareness about vascular surgery. He is an external examiner for the Vascular surgery Fellow ship and MCh courses conducted by various Medical Universities.
He has been associated with the movement for prevention of amputation in the diabetic patients along with the Diabetologists.
He is also a member of the Indian DVT experts group that has released a consensus statement for DVT prophylaxis for India. As the president of the Vascular Society of India he visited many vascular centres abroad. He was invited to attend the Meeting of the World federation of vascular Societies at San Diego, USA to give a presentation on "Education In Vascular Surgery - Critical Issues facing India which was received well. Recognizing the contribution made to furthering Vascular surgery the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical university honoured him with an Honorary Doctorate (D.SC- Honorary Causa) in 2012.
He was conferred FRCS by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow in 2013. He was honoured at the Times of India enclave as a "Stalwart in Vascular surgery".
Dr. Sekar has always been an avid sportsman during college days. He was captain of the JIPMER cricket team which won the championship in Pondicherry first division. He still does daily walks and exercises to keep himself fit. He likes to listen to Carnatic music for relaxation.
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