Turkish doctors teach colleagues via satellite

ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News

Hacettepe University Hospital’s neuroradiological endovascular treatment team’s operation was broadcasted live by satellite to U.S. Baylor Medical Faculty’.

Almost 600 doctors from around the world gathered together in the U.S. on Dec. 6 to watch a brain operation performed in Turkey’s Hacettepe University.
Hacettepe University Hospital’s neuroradiological endovascular treatment team, which has been working on their endovascular treatment technique for cerebrovascular diseases, broadcasted live an operation by satellite to U.S. Baylor Medical Faculty’s interventional neuroradiology course (LINC).
“We operated on three of our patients successfully, and their health is now improved,” Professor Işıl Saatçi from Hacettepe University Hospital told Hürriyet Daily News.
“We have been using this live broadcast method since 2006 for educational purposes,” Professor Saatci said.
While watching Saatçi perform the operation in Ankara, the technique was explained in Houston by Professor Saruhan Çekirgealso, also from Hacettepe University. Neuroradiologists from around the world attended the course to watch the technique that avoids potential brain hemorrhaging during surgery, Saatci said.

Revolutionary
Hacettepe University’s Rector Professor Uğur Erdener said the improvements the team created in their fields were “revolutionary.”
“With the techniques we improved, our hospital is becoming known as one of the best in the world for treatment of cerebrovascular diseases, which are the cause of paralysis,” he said, adding that many doctors from all around the world join their radiology department’s workshops.
So far, the Hacettepe team went to more than 30 countries to treat patients during emergencies, Erdener said.
“Over 300 patients were treated on site by our team, and this waves our flag in the arena of medicine,” he said.