Medical Dialogues
  • Dermatology
Login Register
This site is intended for healthcare professionals only
Login Register
  • MD Brand Connect
  • Vaccine Hub
  • MDTV
    • Breaking News
    • Medical News Today
    • Health News Today
    • Latest
    • Journal Club
    • Medico Legal Update
    • Latest Webinars
    • MD Shorts
    • Health Dialogues
  • Fact Check
  • Health Dialogues
Medical Dialogues
  • Medical News & Guidelines
      • Anesthesiology
      • Cardiology and CTVS
      • Critical Care
      • Dentistry
      • Dermatology
      • Diabetes and Endocrinology
      • ENT
      • Gastroenterology
      • Medicine
      • Nephrology
      • Neurology
      • Obstretics-Gynaecology
      • Oncology
      • Ophthalmology
      • Orthopaedics
      • Pediatrics-Neonatology
      • Psychiatry
      • Pulmonology
      • Radiology
      • Surgery
      • Urology
      • Laboratory Medicine
      • Diet
      • Nursing
      • Paramedical
      • Physiotherapy
  • Health news
      • Doctor News
      • Government Policies
      • Hospital & Diagnostics
      • International Health News
      • Medical Organization News
      • Medico Legal News
      • NBE News
      • NMC News
  • Fact Check
      • Bone Health Fact Check
      • Brain Health Fact Check
      • Cancer Related Fact Check
      • Child Care Fact Check
      • Dental and oral health fact check
      • Diabetes and metabolic health fact check
      • Diet and Nutrition Fact Check
      • Eye and ENT Care Fact Check
      • Fitness fact check
      • Gut health fact check
      • Heart health fact check
      • Kidney health fact check
      • Medical education fact check
      • Men's health fact check
      • Respiratory fact check
      • Skin and hair care fact check
      • Vaccine and Immunization fact check
      • Women's health fact check
  • AYUSH
    • Ayurveda
    • Homeopathy
    • Siddha
    • Unani
    • Yoga
  • State News
      • Andaman and Nicobar Islands
      • Andhra Pradesh
      • Arunachal Pradesh
      • Assam
      • Bihar
      • Chandigarh
      • Chattisgarh
      • Dadra and Nagar Haveli
      • Daman and Diu
      • Delhi
      • Goa
      • Gujarat
      • Haryana
      • Himachal Pradesh
      • Jammu & Kashmir
      • Jharkhand
      • Karnataka
      • Kerala
      • Ladakh
      • Lakshadweep
      • Madhya Pradesh
      • Maharashtra
      • Manipur
      • Meghalaya
      • Mizoram
      • Nagaland
      • Odisha
      • Puducherry
      • Punjab
      • Rajasthan
      • Sikkim
      • Tamil Nadu
      • Telangana
      • Tripura
      • Uttar Pradesh
      • Uttrakhand
      • West Bengal
  • Medical Education
      • Ayush Education News
      • Dentistry Education News
      • Medical Admission News
      • Medical Colleges News
      • Medical Courses News
      • Medical Universities News
      • Nursing education News
      • Paramedical Education News
      • Study Abroad
  • Industry
      • Health Investment News
      • Health Startup News
      • Medical Devices News
      • Pharma News
      • Pharmacy Education News
      • Industry Perspective
  • MDTV
      • Health Dialogues MDTV
      • Health News today MDTV
      • Latest Videos MDTV
      • Latest Webinars MDTV
      • MD shorts MDTV
      • Medical News Today MDTV
      • Medico Legal Update MDTV
      • Top Videos MDTV
      • Health Perspectives MDTV
      • Journal Club MDTV
      • Medical Dialogues Show
This site is intended for healthcare professionals only
LoginRegister
Medical Dialogues
LoginRegister
  • Home
  • Medical news & Guidelines
    • Anesthesiology
    • Cardiology and CTVS
    • Critical Care
    • Dentistry
    • Dermatology
    • Diabetes and Endocrinology
    • ENT
    • Gastroenterology
    • Medicine
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstretics-Gynaecology
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Orthopaedics
    • Pediatrics-Neonatology
    • Psychiatry
    • Pulmonology
    • Radiology
    • Surgery
    • Urology
    • Laboratory Medicine
    • Diet
    • Nursing
    • Paramedical
    • Physiotherapy
  • Health news
    • Doctor News
    • Government Policies
    • Hospital & Diagnostics
    • International Health News
    • Medical Organization News
    • Medico Legal News
    • NBE News
    • NMC News
  • Fact Check
    • Bone Health Fact Check
    • Brain Health Fact Check
    • Cancer Related Fact Check
    • Child Care Fact Check
    • Dental and oral health fact check
    • Diabetes and metabolic health fact check
    • Diet and Nutrition Fact Check
    • Eye and ENT Care Fact Check
    • Fitness fact check
    • Gut health fact check
    • Heart health fact check
    • Kidney health fact check
    • Medical education fact check
    • Men's health fact check
    • Respiratory fact check
    • Skin and hair care fact check
    • Vaccine and Immunization fact check
    • Women's health fact check
  • AYUSH
    • Ayurveda
      • Ayurveda Giuidelines
      • Ayurveda News
    • Homeopathy
      • Homeopathy Guidelines
      • Homeopathy News
    • Siddha
      • Siddha Guidelines
      • Siddha News
    • Unani
      • Unani Guidelines
      • Unani News
    • Yoga
      • Yoga Guidelines
      • Yoga News
  • State News
    • Andaman and Nicobar Islands
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Arunachal Pradesh
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chandigarh
    • Chattisgarh
    • Dadra and Nagar Haveli
    • Daman and Diu
    • Delhi
    • Goa
    • Gujarat
    • Haryana
    • Himachal Pradesh
    • Jammu & Kashmir
    • Jharkhand
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Ladakh
    • Lakshadweep
    • Madhya Pradesh
    • Maharashtra
    • Manipur
    • Meghalaya
    • Mizoram
    • Nagaland
    • Odisha
    • Puducherry
    • Punjab
    • Rajasthan
    • Sikkim
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
    • Tripura
    • Uttar Pradesh
    • Uttrakhand
    • West Bengal
  • Medical Education
    • Ayush Education News
    • Dentistry Education News
    • Medical Admission News
    • Medical Colleges News
    • Medical Courses News
    • Medical Universities News
    • Nursing education News
    • Paramedical Education News
    • Study Abroad
  • Industry
    • Health Investment News
    • Health Startup News
    • Medical Devices News
    • Pharma News
      • CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) News
    • Pharmacy Education News
    • Industry Perspective
  • Home
  • News
  • Health news
  • Doctor News
  • Orthopaedic surgeons...

Orthopaedic surgeons Competent to perform Spine Surgery- Doctors now look forward to NMC Gazette

Barsha MisraWritten by Barsha Misra Published On 2024-07-24T09:30:49+05:30  |  Updated On 24 July 2024 6:35 PM IST
Orthopaedic surgeons Competent to perform Spine Surgery- Doctors now look forward to NMC Gazette
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Email

New Delhi: After the recent clarification issued by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) specifying that both Orthopedic surgeons and Neurosurgeons are competent to perform Spine Surgery, the doctors are looking forward to a Gazette issued by the Commission in this regard.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that recently writing to Dr H.S.Chhabra, the Director of the Department of Spine & Rehabilitation Centre of Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, NMC Ethics Board clarified "that both the Orthopedic Surgeons and Neurosurgeons are competent to perform spine surgeries. In addition, spine Surgeons can also do the spine surgeries."

This comes in the wake of a lack of clear guidelines on who can perform spine surgeries, creating confusion among the concerned surgeons.

Confusion Regarding Competency of Orthopaedic Surgeons to Perform Spine Surgeries:

Explaining that this confusion has been going on for more than a decade, Dr H.S.Chhabra pointed out that in February 2013, some of the members of the Association of Spine Surgeons of India had brought to notice a decision by the State of Karnataka against the eligibility of Orthopaedic Surgeons to perform Spine Surgeries.

Under the Vajpayee Arogyashree Scheme, while rejecting the authorization of the treatment of the patient at Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Hospital, the letter dated 26.02.13 mentioned the reason, "As per VAS norms, doctors with MCH (Neurosurgery) / DNB (Neurosurgery) are only entitled to perform the Spinal surgeries. Doctors with MS (Orthopedics) are not entitled to perform the spinal surgeries at present".

"Spine surgeries have long been done proficiently by Orthopedicians as well as Neurosurgeons. They are equally qualified & competent to perform spine surgery. The curriculum for training in Orthopedics and Neurosurgery incorporates medical & surgical management of all spinal ailments. Dedicated Spine Surgery has emerged but has a long way to go before it spreads to all parts of the country. The public in general and some government agencies in particular, are not clear about this factual position. This had resulted in some confusion and even adverse decisions against orthopedic surgeons, merely for doing the spine surgery," Dr. Chhabra told Medical Dialogues.

To dispel any confusion in the minds of the patients, doctors, and the regulatory authorities, the association sought clarification from the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) now NMC in 2013, on the "eligibility of orthopaedic surgeons vis-à-vis neurosurgeons to perform spine surgery".

Accordingly, the MCI Board of Governors in its meeting held in 2013 had some detailed discussions on the issue and decided that Orthopaedicians may also provide spinal care including surgery to the patients.

Suspension of Orthopedic Surgeon by Andhra Pradesh Medical Council:

However, despite this clarification from the erstwhile MCI, this confusion continued. Andhra Pradesh Medical Council previously suspended an Orthopaedic Surgeon following alleged complications in a case of spine surgery conducted by him. The incident was also covered by the media.

The incident goes back to March 2014 when the concerned doctor performed the surgery on a patient, who suffered all limbs paralysis after the operation. APMC suspended the concerned doctor's license to practice medicine for one year with effect from June 25, 2016. Further, the hospital, where the surgery was conducted, was asked to pay a penalty of Rs 3,30,000.

"With this, an erroneous message was sent out that Orthopedic surgeons were not qualified to perform spine surgery," said Dr. Chhabra.

Request to NMC to Issue Clarification:

Consequently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) replaced the erstwhile MCI and became the Apex Medical Body in India. Following this, the doctors urged the Commission to clarify regarding the competency of doctors to perform spine surgeries.

"Since NMC had replaced MCI we had written to them to clear this ambiguity and declare that both Orthopedic surgeons and Neurosurgeons are equally qualified and have the equivalence in terms of competence and skills to perform Spine Surgeries," Dr. Chhabra told Medical Dialogues.

As per the recent clarification issued by NMC on 15.07.2024, discussions regarding the competency of doctors performing spine surgeries were held last year on 24.11.2023 at a meeting held by the Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of NMC.

Consequently, the PG Board of NMC informed that in addition to spine surgeons who can conduct spine surgeries, both Orthopedic Surgeons and Neuro surgeons are competent to perform spine surgeries.

"The Board examined the representation of the Association of spine surgeons of India. In this regard the internal meeting was held by PGMEB on 24/11/2023 and it has been stated by the Postgraduate Medical Education Board that both the Orthopedic Surgeons and Neurosurgeons are competent to perform spine surgeries. In addition, spine Surgeons can also do the spine surgeries," NMC mentioned in the letter dated 15.07.2024 directed to Dr. H.S.Chhabra.

Doctors Wait for Gazette Notification:

When asked about his reaction to the clarification issued by NMC stating that both Orthopedic surgeons and Neurosurgeons are competent to perform spine surgeries, Dr Chhabra informed that they will now request the Commission to issue a Gazette notification.

"We now intend to request the NMC for issuing a Gazette Notification in this regard," he informed Medical Dialogues.

Also Read: Who can perform spine surgeries? NMC specifies eligibility

spine surgerynational medical commissionEthics and Medical Registration BoardEMRBneurosurgeonorthopaedic surgeonSpine Surgeondoctor
Barsha Misra
Barsha Misra

Barsha completed her Master's in English from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal in 2018. Having a knack for Journalism she joined Medical Dialogues back in 2020. She mainly covers news about medico legal cases, NMC/DCI updates, medical education issues including the latest updates about medical and dental colleges in India. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.

Show Full Article
Next Story

Editorial

Real-World Case study: Darbepoetin Alfa for Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia in Metastatic Breast Cancer - Dr Aditya Murali

Real-World Case study: Darbepoetin Alfa for Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia in Metastatic Breast Cancer...

Aspirin in Primary Prevention- When to Consider?

Aspirin in Primary Prevention- When to Consider?

Featured image representing medico legal

What's the Role of Expert Opinion in Medical Negligence?

7- Point Discharge Protocol for AECOPD: Time to Inculcate in Practice

7- Point Discharge Protocol for AECOPD: Time to Inculcate in Practice

Aspirin Use in Women Aged 40-50 with Diabetes and Hypertension: Identifying the Ideal Candidates

Aspirin Use in Women Aged 40-50 with Diabetes and Hypertension: Identifying the Ideal Candidates

View All

Journal Club Today

Real-World Case study: Darbepoetin Alfa for Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia in Metastatic Breast Cancer - Dr Aditya Murali

Real-World Case study: Darbepoetin Alfa for Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia in Metastatic Breast Cancer...

View All

Health News Today

Health Bulletin 09/ May/ 2025

Health Bulletin 09/ May/ 2025

View All
© 2022 All Rights Reserved.
Powered By: Hocalwire
X
We use cookies for analytics, advertising and to improve our site. You agree to our use of cookies by continuing to use our site. To know more, see our Cookie Policy and Cookie Settings.Ok