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Indian Journal of Surgery, Vol. 67, No. 2, March-April, 2005, pp. 110 Letter To Editor Mobile phone and surgeons Mohta Anup Department of Surgery, Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital and University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi - 110095 Code Number: is05030 Dear Editor, View point by Kaushik Bhattacharya[1] made an interesting reading. While admitting that mobile phones are a versatile method of communication either by SMS, MMS or talking, its presence in the operating theatre is certainly disturbing to the surgeon and other clinical colleagues. Mobile telephone can be used as a mode of communication by the operating surgeon in case need arises; more distracting part is the incoming telephone calls that are most of the time unsolicited and unwelcome while one is operating. Many a times your patients, friends and family members call up for some trivial matter when you are at a crucial stage of a procedure. Even more disturbing are the telephone calls by the ever aggressive telemarketing agencies who will like to sell you a loan or advance while one is sweating it out in a difficult case. Adding to this, it is the number of mobile telephones that will be ringing in the operating rooms that will be source of nuisance. At any given time, there are at least two to three surgeons, two or more anaesthesiologists, two staff nurses and two paramedical personnel. If each one carries a mobile phone in the operating room, there is bound to be distraction by interesting ringtones that mobile companies now a days offer. The controversy whether mobile technology interferes with proper functioning of medical equipment will continue. To avoid all this, the surgeon may use a land line that can be made available in the theatre for any consultation. References
Copyright 2005 - Indian Journal of Surgery |
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