Pioneering Minimally Invasive Neurosurgeon of Pakistan: Dr. Akbar Ali Khan (Part-2)
Parul Soni: What were the disappointments during your professional journey?
Dr. Akbar Ali Khan: Metaphorically, neurosurgery is not a fine game and is quite straightforward. You might end up doing your best for the patient but these things happen. Patients don't survive at times, despite your best efforts. Sometimes we can't save patients and that is the reality of life in neurosurgery.
Because I do remember a guy who was shot in the head. That young chap was 17 years old. His father brought him to me in the emergency room. The way he was shot, I could not do anything. His father was sitting with me saying," Listen now I have only one son, can you do anything?"
There was nothing I could offer. But then he said to me can you do a brain transplant or is that possible? He was so simple and naive. When I said again there was nothing that could be done. It broke him, it affected me so much. There are limitations in neurosurgery, we need more research.
Priya Bairagi: Sir, what difference do you feel in yourself between your first surgery and your latest surgery?
Dr. Akbar Ali Khan: If you work in a place where everything is very accountable, accountable for the surgery that you do. In the majority of developing countries, there is no accountability. So when I was getting trained in surgery. My boss/mentor used to stand next to me and instruct me. I don't have anybody standing right next to me now. The surgery I do is probably the same, of course.
One other thing is that my boss told me,"a surgeon has a lifespan". The peak is around 45 to 50 years of age. And then after 60 years, there is a complete decline. But I have seen that surgeons whether in Pakistan or India, surgeons do not leave/retire. If some new procedure comes up, I'll probably go get trained and bring it back to Pakistan.
There are still surgeries happening. Which should not be happening, but the surgeons in their 80s are still doing major neurosurgery.
Dr. Akbar Ali Khan, MBBS, MD(USA), FRCS Ed, FRCS Neurosurgery
Parul Soni: What is the age group of patients you operate on?
Dr. Akbar Ali Khan: This is 2023, I get patients as young as 6 months old to 100 years old. So this patient came to me, he fell on the floor and had spondylolisthesis. He was in his late nineties, you can't put a 12-inch surgical cut on him. We need a minimally invasive procedure for a person this old. I took the decision and did endoscopic spinal surgery on that patient.
Parul Soni: What are you goals for future?
Dr.Akbar Ali Khan: My aim is to further consolidate this field of neurosurgery in Pakistan. There is a lot to do here. I want my fellows (Doctors doing fellowship under him) to be able to start their own practice.
What are your passions outside of neurosurgery practice?
Dr. Akbar ali Khan: I am a very outdoorsy kind of person. I like mountains and the sea. When I get sick of doing surgeries I pack one bag and go. I like to travel. I love to exercise. Squash and swimming are two activities that keep me physically fit. It's important for me to be fit to perform neurosurgeries.
Parul Soni: What would you do if you were not a doctor?
Dr. Akbar Ali Khan: I think I am meant for it. Your destiny takes you where you belong. I am not good at business!
