AN UNSUNG HERO

AN UNSUNG HERO

Dr. Gangadhar Sahoo

Few months back Sindhu Madam and I myself after attending a CME at Bargarh about 40 km from Burla came to see Madam Satyabati Patel at her residence in Burla. She was a renowned gynaecologist in Western Odisha. She had retired as a Professor and HOD from VSS Medical College Burla. After retirement she had owned a nursing home and busy in rendering service to all concerned.  She was leading a healthy and peaceful life with her children and grandchildren. Professionally she was at her peak . But as ill luck would have it, she suffered from a stroke.
She was bedridden for around 4 years and living a vegetative life at the mercy of 4 tubes . She was occasionally responding which nobody can understand. Ojaswini, one of my students was working as a Prof ObGy in VSS Medical College Burla. She was her neighbor. She accompanied us to meet Satyabati Patel Madam at her residence . Her routine morning rituals were just finished. She was made to sit on a chair. She was looking fresh. We were expecting  every moment that she will utter a few words. That was not to be. We prayed Lord Jagannath for her and returned back. How time can change a man?
My memory was pulled back to 1988 when Madam Patel, Dr. Dipak Giri and I had gone to Wadia Hospital, Mumbai for ultrasound training for a month. One month was a long time. The training was good . In between classes we were utilizing our time to attend their Gynecology OT and observing the procedures. Our main attraction was the vaginal hysterectomy in non descent uterus.
Siris Seth, Purandare, Sunawalla etc were the pioneers in the field of vaginal hysterectomy not only in India but also in the world. So vaginal hysterectomy was commonly done in Mumbai in almost all reputed hospitals. Wadia hospital was one of the famous hospitals in Mumbai. Every day two to three such operations were done by different surgeons. We gained some experience in observing a good number of cases there . Not only gained experience but confidence to do it independently in our set up . After returning to Burla Madam Patel started doing non descent vaginal hysterectomy(NDVH) in her unit . It was  a historical day in the field of gynecological surgery not only in Burla but also in Odisha. The postoperative period was uneventful and patient was discharged after 72 hours of operation without any scar on the abdomen. Hysterectomy without a scar and getting discharged after 72 hours of a major surgery was a miracle. That was the story of the town on that day. That's the beauty of NDVH.
After a few days I started doing vaginal hysterectomy. My first case was an obese patient of 48 years with AUB.Next day morning when I was on ward round , I saw her sitting on her bed , smiling. I was so happy.
Myself and Madam Patel continued doing the surgeries which were uneventful. Other faculty members gradually learned. We were keeping a record of all cases and doing regular follow-up . We made a research paper of 51 cases and presented it in the 1st joint meet of all OG societies of Odisha held at Rourkela. Till then nobody in Odisha had done a single case of NDVH .
After 4 years the third  joint meet was held at VSS Medical College Burla . There a live workshop on NDVH was arranged. It was the 1st live workshop in Odisha. Dr. Sunawalla from Mumbai was the operating surgeon. Prof. Snehanjali Senapati, the HOD ObGyn and Dr. Raseswari Panigrahi were the two assistants. The live surgery was transmitted to the auditorium. Many great gynecologists were present to see the operation both in the OT and in the auditorium. It was a successful workshop, highly appreciated by all . It gave impetus for doing NDVH more skillfully.
From that day we had not looked back. OG department of VSS Medical College was the 1st in Eastern Zone to start NDVH and Dr Satyabati Patel was the mother of this procedure. I had the honor of being the 2nd surgeon of doing NDVH. Our institution must have trained thousands of skilled surgeons who are successfully doing that surgery across the country. But how many give recognition to the mother of NDVH surgery? How many have remembered her ?
It is just like a wild jasmine which blooms and withers away in the deep forest and its sweet fragrance can't percolate into the modern world environment. This is the usual fate of innumerable talents. Satyabati Patel Madam is one of such unsung heroes . I salute her brave soul .

Prof Gangadhar Sahoo is a well-known Gynaecologist. He is a columnist and an astute Academician. He was the Professor and HOD of O&G Department of VSS MEDICAL COLLEGE, Burla.He is at present occupying the prestigious post of DEAN, IMS & SUM HOSPITAL, BHUBANESWAR and the National Vice President of ISOPARB (INDIAN SOCIETY OF PERINATOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY). He has been awarded the BEST TEACHER AWARD of VSS MEDICAL COLLEGE,BURLA in 2013. He has contributed CHAPTERS in 13 books and more than 100 Scientific Articles in State, National and International Journals of high repute. He is a National Faculty in National Level and delivered more than 200 Lectures in Scientific Conventions.He was adjudged the BEST NATIONAL SPEAKER in ISOPARB NATIONAL CONVENTION in 2016.