Introduction / History of the Department :

The Department of Neurosurgery was established in J N Medical College, in the year 1982. The department was established by Dr. S. S. Mahantashetty, who joined as Assistant Professor after completing his training in Neurosurgery at NIMHANS, Bangalore which is the premier institute for Neurosurgical training in India. Since then it has served the people of this region including those of adjoining states in the management of various neurosurgical conditions including craniospinal trauma, tumours, infective and congenital disorders of the nervous system.

Facilities available in the Department :

Department of Neurosurgery is well equipped with the Zeiss operative microscope, various neurosurgical equipments like high speed drill, craniotomes, microsurgical instruments, Sugita and Mayfield clamps, Maquet operating table, C-arm X-ray machines with image intensifiers etc. Efforts are being made to procure equipment for stereotactic neurosurgery, neuroendoscopy and cavitron ultrasosonic surgical aspirator. The department is also aided by the state of the art imaging modalities like 1.5T MRI, 64 slice spiral CT, angiography facilities and round the clock laboratory services at KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital & Medical Research Centre. Developing the department to provide state of the art Neuro-surgical care which will help cater to the population of North Karnataka, Goa & South western Maharashtra.

OPD services are provided 06 days a week. The in patient services include a well equipped 10 bedded intensive care unit with ventilator and continuous monitoring facilities. Apart from these facilities, there are General ward, Semi-private, Private and Deluxe wards. The wards are well equipped with various monitoring facilities as well as for tracheotomy, ventricular tap, external ventricular drainage, cervical traction with Gardner Wells traction and Crutch Field tongs.

List of consultants in the Department :

Dr. S S Mahantashetty completed his MBBS and M.S. (General Surgery) from Karnataka Medical College, Hubli. He subsequently completed his M.Ch (Neurosurgery) from NIMHANS, Bangalore. He joined J N Medical College, Belgaum as Assistant Professor in 1982 and subsequently got promoted to Associate Professor in 1985. He became Professor

in 1990 and has since been heading the department. He has participated in various National and international conferences and presented scientific papers in various journals. He has been the thesis guide for general surgery post graduate students. He has participated and delivered lectures on basic neurosurgical problems like head injuries, spine injuries, hydrocephalus, intracranial space occupying lesions, spina bifida etc at IMA meets at about 22 places.

Dr. Praful S Maste joined the department of Neurosurgery as Assistant Professor in April 2008. He has completed his MBBS from J N Medical College, Belgaum, M.S (General Surgery) from B J Medical College, Ahmedabad and M.Ch (Neurosurgery) from NIMHANS, Bangalore. He has participated and presented papers in national and international conferences and in scientific journals.

Dr. Rajesh Y Shenoy joined the department of Neurosurgery as Consultant Neurosurgeon & ‘B Unit’ In-charge in 2005. He has completed his MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore University - Mangalore, M.S (Orthopaedics) and M.Ch (Neurosurgery) from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal. He has participated and presented seminars in national & home conferences.

Dr. Raviraj S Ghorpade joined the department of Neurosurgery as Consultant Neurosurgeon & ‘C Unit’ In-charge in 2005. He has completed his MBBS from J N Medical College, Belgaum, M.Ch (Neurosurgery) from NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) Bangalore. He has participated and presented papers in national and international conferences and in scientific journals / seminars.

Since 1982 classes are being engaged for 3rd Phase II term students for 01 term to appraise or sensitize them regarding neurosurgical aspects. UG (Ratio) à 2 : 111. And training is done for M.S (Gen. Surg.)/ M.S (Ortho)/M.S (D.Ortho)/OMFS for as a part of PG training curriculum. Both the staff members have undergone training in modern teaching methodology by the Department of Medical Education and University Department of Education for Health Professionals (UDEHP) for enhancement of modern teaching tools and techniques.
 

Achievements by the faculty in the Department :

Scientific Poster Presentation “Splenial Hematoma following high voltage electrical injury – A Case Report” by Dr. Praful S Maste @ 17th Annual conference Neurotrauma Society of India in 2008 was awarded 1st Prize.

“Frontal intraparenchymal Schwannoma - Case Report & Review of literature” by Dr. Praful S Maste has been published in The British Journal of Neurosurgery in the month of February 2009.