Vascular Surgeon’s Visit

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 16

Vascular Surgeon’s Visit

(N.Z. Press Association! AUCKLAND, Sept. 9. An Australian specialist in the comparatively new field of peripheral vascular surgery the reconstruction of arteries and veins and the remcval of obstructions —is visiting New Zealand to take part in operations, meetings and courses. He will visit Christchurch later this month.

He is Professor G. D. Tracy, associate professor of surgery at the University of New South Wales, who is here on a fellowship arranges by the

New Zealand Post-Graduate Medical Federation. One of the main reasons for his visit, he said today, was to see the work being done in cardiac surgery at Green Lane Hospital. The Green Lane unit, he said was rated as one of the world leaders in cardiothoracic surgery, especially in regard to its work in replacing defective aortic valves with homografts. Professor Tracy said the unit was doinog perhaps twice as much in this field as any other unit in the world. Some oustanding results had been achieved.

During his four-week visit, Professor Tracy will take part in operations, conferences and courses at Hamilton and Palmerston North.

It was possible, he said.

that one or more of these operations could involve the removal of damaged arteries or veins and the substitution of a type of plastic tube. Professor Tracy said this technique was of fairly recent origin—it was begun about 10 years ago—but its use was growing. In Christchurch later this month Professor Tracy will take part in a post-graduate meeing, arranged by the New Zealand branch of the Australasian College of Surgeons. Local and overseas surgeons have been invited to attend.

Professor Tracy was last in New Zealand five years ago for the foundation meeting of the Surgical Research Society of Australasia, of which he was president last year.