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Research
Our research has had a real and significant influence on the development in Exeter of groundbreaking surgery and patient care.
A full time Upper GI Clinical Research Fellow has
been a member of the Exeter Oesophago-Gastric
Cancer team since April 2006. Raj Veeramootoo
is proud of the contribution research is making
to improving quality of life
for patients.
It only takes a few minutes for Raj, who has been the Research Fellow since August 2008, to dispel any notion of research being a number-crunching exercise far removed from patient experience and treatment.
Raj records and pulls together all the information being put on a bespoke Upper GI database from theatres, clinics, Mere Ward or the team offices.
A separate but complementary database holds information about thoracic surgery patients which contributes to the creation of a Europe-wide picture.
Interpreting real time data and sharing observations with the rest of the team has improved clinical awareness and understanding. The research has also provided the evidence crucial to improving surgical technique and other aspects of patient care.
Although his working life involves analysing computerised data, Raj also spends time listening to patients and colleagues to assist his interpretation of that data.
Raj explains: “What we are doing here is cutting edge and exciting. MIO is transforming the surgical approach – the surgeons are the creative genius behind it. This is a team eff ort. I am clear what my role is – as a facilitator – who informs and equips my colleagues with the latest information so that we can continue to change and improve what we do for our patients.
“For example, research into a simple blood test means we can now pre-empt a complication after surgery and take preventative measures.”
- Raj Parameswaran was the Upper GI Research Fellow since April 2006 and completed his fellowship in August 2008.
His main project, with Professor Jane Blazeby, was investigating health-related quality of life outcomes following MIO.
As a new and evolving technique, MIO has and continues to be a learning curve for the clinicians on a national and international scale.
The Clinical Research Fellow has been instrumental in sharing the research and experience in Exeter with a global healthcare community, through presentations and published reports in professional journals over recent years.
As well as highlighting the benefi ts of MIO, just as importantly, Exeter has raised awareness and improved professional understanding of the risk associated with this complex operation.
Many surgeons from around the UK and Europe attended two highly successful MIO conferences hosted by the RD&E in 2006 and 2007.
In addition, surgical teams visit the Exeter Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Centre to observe this technique and the standard of care received by patients.