Gas Insufflation Less Laparoscopic Surgery Workshop at Midnapore Medical College

By: Dr. Sukumar Maiti and Dr. J. Gnanaraj

GILLS or Gas Insufflation Less Laparoscopic Surgeries is ideal for rural hospitals because it is possible under the easily available Spinal anesthesia, is less expensive, is easy to learn and does not have the logistic nightmare of arranging gases for surgery and anesthesia.

However it is also relevant for rural Medical Colleges where the equipment for traditional laparoscopic surgery and anesthesiologists are available. The cost of disposables, the problem of getting gases and necessary tubes and opportunities for learning are challenges that prevent regular use of traditional laparoscopic surgeries in rural areas
The Government Medical College at Midnapore was fortunate to have rural surgeons demonstrating the technique of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies. This video shows one of the first few GILLS Cholecystctomies carried out.

Dr. J. Gnanaraj MS, MCh [Urology], FICS, FARSI, FIAGES is a urologist and laparoscopic surgeon trained at CMC Vellore. He has been appointed as a Professor in the Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering Department of Karunya University and is the Director of Medical Services of the charitable organization SEESHA. He has a special interest in rural surgery and has trained many surgeons in remote rural areas while working in the mission hospitals in rural India. He has helped 21 rural hospitals start minimally invasive surgeries. He has more than 150 publications in national and international journals, most of which are related to modifications necessary for rural surgical practice. He received the Barker Memorial award from the Tropical Doctor for the work regarding surgical camps in rural areas. He is also the recipient of the Innovations award of Emmanuel Hospital Association for health insurance programs in remote areas and the Antia Finseth innovation award for Single incision Gas less laparoscopic surgeries. During the past year, he has been training surgeons in innovative gas less single incision laparoscopic surgeries.