The meeting, organised by the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), will discuss the recent trends and developments in trauma surgery and its sub specialities like neurosurgery, spine surgery, plastic surgery, urology and vascular surgery, Dr Hani Al Qadhi, Chairman of the organising committee, said.

He said papers to be presented by experts would discuss important topics such as the latest in resuscitating trauma patients, management of specified injuries and operative approaches. Dr Khalifa Al Wahaibi, representing Oman Surgical Society, noted that Oman had been ranked among the top countries in the number of fatalities from traffic accidents by the World Health Organisation.

“The fatality rate from motor vehicle collisions exceeds the rate of those dying from heart attacks and cancer.

“This understates the importance of the conference’s objectives,” he added.

Topics being discussed include ‘Current diagnostics and treatment of abdominal trauma’, ‘Crash laparotomy’; ‘Hypotensive resuscitation’; ‘Contemporary neurosurgical management of head injury’; ‘Secondary brain injury’; ‘Management of severe head injuries’. A workshop on vascular anastomosis was held as part of the conference, and a post-conference advanced trauma life support course will be run for the first time in Oman under the auspices of the American College of Surgeons.

An art exhibition by renowned Omani artist Soheir Fouda is being held on the sidelines of the conference.

She donated 38 of her paintings to the Department of Surgery at SQU Hospital.

ravindranath@khaleejtimes.com