forty minutes before the scheduled meeting Mykola Oleksandrovych called: “Just got out of surgery. Because coming half an hour late.” A common situation? That it pleases? And the fact that in this Coveney pandemic, when it seems that all medicine is converted to fight against СOVID-19, physicians continue to provide routine and emergency assistance. And people suffering from chronic illnesses, patients in need of emergency care, not abandoned. And our conversation with Nikolai Alexandrovich began with information about the operations.
Nikolai, it was a scheduled or emergency surgery? Normal or unique? What?
Nikolai Konovalov: Today it was the second operation. Both planned. The first lasted about forty minutes. Second more than two hours. Who was on the operating table? At first the young Muscovite with the sharpest pain in my leg caused by herniated disc in the lumbar spine. We conducted minimally invasive removal of the prolapsed hernia. By the way, when I went to do the second surgery, the operated patient is already raised. And tomorrow he goes home. The second operation is more complex. The woman had thyroid cancer with metastases to the twelfth thoracic vertebrae. This caused compression of the spinal cord affected by pain in the legs. In total it took us four hours.
What you’ve been doing?
Nikolai Konovalov: We removed the tumor. Releasing this spinal cord. Instead of the removed tumor put titanium construction, which ensures stability of the spine.
So simple? Where the titanium design? Domestic or…?
Nikolai Konovalov: When as. Can’t accurately give someone preference. Sometimes more fit imported design, sometimes ours.
Nikolai, so it “viral” you continue to work normally and you have not touched the conversion?
Nikolai Konovalov: is not Directly touched. But we work in a quarantine mode.
СOVID-19 affects our spine? It does not get virus? Or such data yet?
Nikolai Konovalov: information about, that the coronavirus affects the spine, almost yet. But evidence that it affects the Central nervous system, unfortunately, is.
what to do?
Nikolai Konovalov: this is not the time of commenting the data. They have to carefully study.
Spine, I think such a body, which, like the brain, will never discover all their secrets. Here is how to explain that the man who always walked normally, was leading a healthy life, and then began to move with difficulty? He began to suffer from pain in the spine. Even consideredmelts, what about the age of the person can be judged according to his behavior. A gait depends on its spine.
Nikolai Konovalov: Not only from the spine. Unfortunately, I can’t say that healthy people with age will come some changes in the spine. To say that this happens with all wrong. But the probability is high.
We are sentenced to the stick?
Nikolai Konovalov: in No event! Very important genetic prerequisite for the development of changes in the spine. If we do the MRI people at the age of sixty years, then one will not be any changes. In others they will be so pronounced that can lead to profound disability. The risk factors here and the way of life, and a tendency to stress, and sports, and weight. Even in people engaged in physical culture who takes care of his health, may develop pronounced changes not only in elderly but also in young age.
Picture is not oil! So, almost all of us at risk. And you can help us? After all, there can be no speech about a certain vaccine or other drug which will relieve us from vertebral troubles. There are, of course, pain medication. A lot of them. But they are not indifferent to our health.
Nikolai Konovalov: Pain is not treated. They only temper the symptoms, not eliminating causes.
You are a recognized expert not only in our country. Once you are trained in leading centers in the U.S. and Europe. There are better cope with problems vertebrates?
Nikolai Konovalov: the Answer is not just to be witty. For the sake of truth. Believe me, at the moment our specialists are not inferior, and in some ways superior to foreign counterparts. And the technology… now How much would abused globalization, it exists. Peace is indivisible. And what appears in one country has been consistently used in the other.
Those robots in spinal surgery? You are in their operations, the Da Vinci robot, a different robocoaster use?
Nikolai Konovalov: the Da Vinci, which so came to the court in many areas of surgery in spinal neurosurgery is not applied. We are not less outstanding devices for operating the visualization and navigation. Spinal cord and nerve endings – such a delicate structure, requiring very delicate handling. And that no one robot. Only the hands of a neurosurgeon.
Where are those hands? You are the son of the great neurosurgeon, Labor Hero, academician Alexander Nikolayevich Konovalov. It turns out, God himself gave you these hands? Or that you can still teach? Are you a graduate of Moscow medical Academy named after Sechenov. You trained at the best nejrohirurgicheskietheir clinics around the world. When I watch such an operation, I could not help the feeling of a unique talent of the surgeon. Am I not right? Uniqueness can be replicated?
Nikolai Konovalov: I would first put the many years of learning and training. I think that with due diligence, most surgeons can achieve any outstanding results. Which proves our center of neurosurgery named Burdenko. We have many outstanding world-class specialists in various fields of neurosurgery.
But it is the General rule: there is no prophet in his own country. Can even say that Konovalov studied at foreign centers…
Nikolai Konovalov: Just don’t know what nowadays a lot of young foreign experts from different continents of the earth want to train in our centre. We participate in the European Association of neurosurgical societies, the world Federation of neurosurgical societies. This allows us not only to acquire international knowledge, but also to introduce Russian design and technology in clinics around the world.
And that you, Nikolai Alexandrovich, Board member of European Association of neurosurgical societies, responsible for postgraduate education and referral protocols in Europe somehow affects the education of our specialists? Or is it only for the benefit of foreign colleagues?
Nikolai Konovalov: our priority is To the education of Russian neurosurgeons, enhancement of the traditions of Russian neurosurgical school. And we have the opportunity to introduce the Russian practice of neurosurgery reasonable aspects of foreign.
Everyday issues possible? The man was diagnosed with a spinal tumor. Stop working legs, arms. Where to go? To look on the Internet foreign clinic?
Nikolai Konovalov: in No event! While ideally everyone has, or at least should have the right of choice of treatment doctor recovery. But… By and large – and he’s proven practice – this is not necessary. We have, believe me, there are experts, there are possibilities to cope with this terrible disease. In our centre it is done on a daily basis.
Say my favorite heroine aunt Masha from the entrance need surgery for hernia of the cervical spine. How to get to your center? Or you can do another medical facility of Moscow? Or similar operation to the right person, who lives thousands of miles away from Moscow?
Nikolai Konovalov: we Have a good out-patient Department. There can address any need of treatment.
Telemedicine in neurosurgery involved?
Nikolai Konovalov: Involved for a long time. We hold councils with the participation of patients and other professionals.
still… still: sticks to throw? Or gait gives age today, and forever?
Nikolai Konovalov: do Not answer “forever”. And today… With a strong desire all. But with age, embarrassed of sticks is not necessary. It should be seen as an additional point of support that helps continue to live happily.
And Nordic walking? It is really useful or is it another fad?
Nikolai Konovalov: I Think that’s good. Two sports club improve coordination and include in the walk the muscles of the whole body.
You from an early age to ski. Cost old age without sticks?
Nikolai Konovalov: this no one knows for sure. But I will aspire to.
Nikolai Konovalov was born in Moscow in 1971.
In 1994, he graduated from the MMA named after Sechenov. After graduation began working in the Institute of neurosurgery named Burdenko.
Passed qualification upgrading and training in the United States, four-year courses of the European Association of neurosurgeons, courses world Association of neurosurgeons.
a specialist in the field of spinal neurosurgery. Under his leadership, developed the direction of minimally invasive procedures using endoscopic techniques, intraoperative imaging, robotic navigation for complex neurosurgical operations.
the Author of more than two hundred scientific works, 5 monographs in neurosurgery.
the Wife of Nicholas Alexandrovich Sofia the economist. The family has three children: eight-year-old Sasha, a five year old and four year old Eva Nicole.
