CUTTACK: The incidence of oral cancer is increasing alarmingly in the country. Considering the steep rise in cases, there is an urgent need to build medical resources to deal with the problem and training of maxillofacial surgeons has assumed immense significance, said Head of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery department, SCB MCH, Prof Indu Bhusan Kar.
About 800 maxillofacial surgeons graduate every year in the country and if trained in oncology procedures they could share a major work load of prevention and treatment of oral cancer in India, Prof Kar said, while addressing a three-day national workshop on “Oral cancer and microvascular reconstruction” that concluded at SCB Dental College and Hospital here on Monday.
This was the sixth annual national workshop organised by the department in collaboration with the department of Anatomy under the aegis of Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons of India, International Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and Maxillofacial Study Circle, Odisha. As many as 32 external participants from across the country and 12 internal participants were exposed to lectures, cadaveric dissection, live surgery and hands-on practice.
“This year, we have focused on various aspects of oral cancer including multi-modality treatment and reconstruction of post-surgical defects. Focusing on various methods of early detection of oral cancer, the deliberation also imparted training on to improve the quality of life after resection of jawbones with reconstruction of the defect created with thin bone of legs, shoulder, skin and distant hidden of the part of the body through microsurgery,” Prof. Kar added.
Dr Atul Kusanale, Consultant Head & Neck Surgeon, UK and Dr Sudhir Nair, Professor, Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai along with other eminent national faculty including Dr Abdus Salam from Kolkata, Dr AK Singh from BHU and local faculty Dr SN Senapati, Dr Diptirani Samant of AHPGIC and Dr Niranjan Mishra shared their expertise and experience in the workshop.