New Ideas In Neurosurgery (NAPSA)—Australians who need cerebrovascular surgery for strokes, aneurysms, brain tumors or head injuries may be better off thanks to an enterprising Australian doctor studying in the U.S. “In Australia, it is common for doctors to participate in surgical fellowships outside the country, especially in neurosurgery where new techniques develop constantly,” said Dr. Richard Parkinson from St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. “As a resident, St. Vincent’s asked me to gain expertise in cerebral vascular disease and cranial based surgery.” “Manypeople don’t realize that neurosurgery and cerebrovascular radiology (ultrasound) are intimately interrelated,” said Parkinson. He pursued a fellowship at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (NUFSM) Department of Neurological Surgery in Chicago, under Dr. H. Hunt Batjer, Neurosurgery Chairman. “No other fellowship combines cerebrovascular radiology and cranial base experiencesat this advancedlevel,” said Parkinson. Hosting an Australian fellow benefits the NUFSM program. “Other fellowship specialties like spine surgery have existed for years, but cerebrovascular surgery is new for the department,” said Joe Malapitan, Finance/ Operations Analyst for Northwestern’s Department of Neurological Surgery. “The fact that Dr. Parkinson is a foreign national provides program visibility to a worldwide community of neurosurgeons.” a . i 1 (ite tae FS at — Fellowships help doctors learn life-saving techniques developed in other parts of the world. A foreign national must meet rigorous requirements to perform surgery in the U.S. “Through careful planning and the fact that the fellowship was funded by our surgical microscope supplier, Leica Microsystems, an international manufacturer/distributor of microscopes and scientific instruments, the guidelines were met,” said Malapitan. Today, the prognosis for an aneurysm is excellent. According to Parkinson, the two main reasons for this are improved neurosurgical techniques and improved combined therapies. “More surgeons would like combined training, but not all have access to a world-class facility like Northwestern,” Parkinsonsaid. Dedicated doctors such as Parkinson with specialized skills and top quality equipmentfulfill a great need in their home countries for improved medicalcare.
