Tag Archives: Dr. Mauricio Pelaez

In the operating room with Dr. Mauricio Palaez, thoracic surgeon

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Clinica del Country,

Caught up with Dr. Palaez one evening to accompany him to the operating room. As we previously mentioned, he is completing his vascular surgery fellowship this fall, and is a busy fellow indeed.  He has an upcoming trip to Barcelona, Spain for two months training in endovascular surgery prior to completing his fellowship this Nov/Dec.

When I caught up to him, Dr. Palaez was seeing consulting in the emergency room prior to heading to the operating room for a bilateral sympathectomy.

In the operating room,  all standard time out, and pre-operative protocols were followed.  Anesthesia in attendance with good heart rate control – and appropriate hemodynamics, no hypoxia.

Case completed quickly, surgical sterility maintained. No intra-operative issues.

Surgical apgar score 10 at completion of case.

Dr. Francisco Cabal, Orthopedics

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Met with Dr. Francisco Cabal, orthopedic surgeon and international medical advisor (for Colombia) again, and he bids me to extend a warm welcome on his behalf to all North American patients coming to Colombia.  He also states that he is here to help ANY patient, interested in going to ANY city in Colombia for surgery including Medellin, Cali, Cartagena, Bogota and all parts in between.  I’ll be following him to the OR soon – more later.. 

Lest you think surgeons aren’t sympathetic to your discomfort – Dr. Cabal recently had ankle surgery, so he is definately walking a mile in your shoes..

Also met with Dr. Tito Tulio Roa, plastic surgeon, who has the distinction of having taught most of the plastic surgeons here in Colombia.

Filled up my date book with more interviews, and surgeries for the next few weeks..

Meeting with Mauricio Pelaez, Thoracic Surgeon later this afternoon, so I’ll post and let you know how that goes..

Rescheduled with the famous Dr. Hoyos – more on that next week.

Chasing Thoracics: the greying of America’s thoracic surgeons

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Note: post updated 26 March 2011
In the middle of all my interviews with bariatric surgeons, plastic surgeons and the other specialities – I am in the midst of chasing down some elusive thoracic surgeons.. (Thoracic surgery is surgery of the chest, and structures of the chest – esophagus, lungs, mediastium). 

Why the obsession with Thoracic surgeons, you ask?  Well, the answer is two-fold..

 For one – it is part of my home specialty, so it’s where I feel the most comfortable – after all, I can read a CT scan of the chest any where in the world, and immediately develop rapport and understanding with whatever surgeon I happen to be speaking to.. It’s not so easy with plastics, ortho or neurosurgery.

But secondly, and most importantly – thoracic surgery in the United States currently has the oldest average practicing surgeons (and is not maintaining adequate volumes for replacement – thoracic surgery programs are facing vacancy rates that would have been unheard of 10 or 15 years ago..)  So – in just a few short years – thoracic surgery (and other specialties) may be difficult to find in the United States, so it’s important to establish and maintain international networks..

 Thoracic surgery is too specialized and too important to be delegated to general surgeons without the necessary additional training – yet, in the USA, that’s exactly what’s happening in small towns across the country.  It is better, AND safer to travel to a board-certified, specialty trained thoracic surgeon than to have an unqualified surgeon..

Average age of US thoracic surgeons: 55 – Report from 2010

This phenomenon of aging surgeons hasn’t gone unnoticed (and it isn’t new) – Report from 2008, AORN

Cardiothoracic Surgeon shortage looms in USA

Also trying to catch up with some busy, busy, busy plastic surgeons; Dr. Alan Gonzales,  Dr. Camilo Prieto and Dr. Ivan Santos..(update: see interview with Dr. Ivan Santos).