A continuing medical education (CME) program was organized by the Indian Society of Study of Pain (ISSP) Chandigarh City Branch, and the Department of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care, Govt. Medical College & Hospital (GMCH), Chandigarh, on 7th August 2018 at GMCH Chandigarh.
The theme of the CME was: Chronic Pain Management – Perspectives from East and West.

Prof. BS Chavan, Director Principal of GMCH, was the Chief Guest. The Meeting was addressed by Prof. YK Batra, President of ISSP Chandigarh, Prof. S Gombar Head of anaesthesia department GMCH, and Prof. Sukanya Mitra, Secretary ISSP Chandigarh.

Dr ML Sharma, consultant Anaesthetist and pain specialist from the Walton Centre in Liverpool, UK, provided the western perspective on pain management in cancer and trigeminal neuralgia. He used video clips of ballon ablation of trigeminal neuralgia to make his lectures lively and directive. Both the talks were very informative and they provided the audience with the much needed western perspective. On the other hand, eminent speakers from PGIMER and GMCH Chandigarh presented the eastern perspective. Prof. YK Batra, President of ISSP Chandigarh, Consultant Anaesthetist in Max Super speciality Hospital Mohali, and Former Head, Department of Anaesthesia, PGIMER Chandigarh, gave a captivating and topical talk on “Pain and addiction – keeping our eyes open”. Dr Uma Rathi from GMCH Chandigarh presented “A curious case of unilateral mastalgia”. Dr Jeetinder Makkar from PGIMER Chandigarh spoke on central vs. lateral canal stenosis. Finally, there was an informative panel discussion on pain management in pancreatic cancer, where multidisciplinary speakers spoke on different aspects of management of this very painful condition. All the sessions were chaired by eminent academicians from GMCH, PGIMER and other senior consultants from the Tricity.

The CME was attended by nearly one hundred professionals from the Tricity including orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, radio therapists, oncologists, psychiatrists and pain physicians.

Dr Sukanya Mitra

Secretary, ISSP Chandigarh City Branch