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Join us for a fascinating evening delving into the operating theatre. What causes people to be accidentally ‘awake’ during an operation? How can we help the liver regrow after surgery? And how can a simple new invention save lives? Our host for the evening pathology registrar and researcher Dr Alex Haragan will guide you through the world of medicine, with some added mystery half-time activities!
Accidental awareness during general anaesthesia: Is it a laughing matter?
Dr Janette Greenhalgh
(Senior Research Fellow (Clinical Reviews))
Many people fear waking up during a surgical procedure, a scenario played out in psychological thrillers. The risk of awareness during surgery is quite small, but the effects psychologically damaging. Nitrous oxide (aka laughing gas), is an anaesthetic used as part of almost 1/3 of general anaesthetics in the UK. Some studies have linked it to an increased risk of awareness during anaesthesia, whilst others have reported a decreased risk of awareness. Join Janette as she talks about her work reviewing the evidence of the role of nitrous oxide on the risk of accidental awareness during surgery
How can a butterfly save lives?
Professor Andrew Weeks
(Professor of International Maternal Health)
Bleeding after childbirth kills a woman somewhere in the world every 6 minutes. Although there are drugs available to treat this they need refrigeration and are difficult to get into the rural African settings where many women die. A team in Liverpool have invented a device called the PPH Butterfly, which provides a simple & rapid treatment. It has been tested in our own Liverpool Women’s Hospital, but it remains to be seen whether it can save lives in other parts of the world where it’s most needed. Join Andrew to learn about this fascinating device & how it can help save new mothers’ lives.
Regrowing the liver
Dr Benjamin Chan
(MRC Clinical Research Fellow & Honorary General Surgical Registrar)
The liver has a remarkable ability to recover after injury; up to 70% of the liver can be safely removed in patients with liver tumours. However in some patients with large or multiple tumours so much of the liver would need to be removed that the risk of liver failure would be too high for the patient to undergo surgery. New ways of detecting if the liver is failing after surgery & new strategies for helping the liver regenerate more quickly could allow more patients to be safely cured of their cancer through surgery. Join Ben as he talks you through the latest innovations in regrowing livers
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