On
13 October 2014, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) will
present their most prestigious award, the Excellence in Research Award,
for the 28th time. For the first time ever this internationally
recognised distinction is not only being awarded to a surgeon rather
than an anaesthesiologist, but the recipient is also a Dane.
Prof.
Kehlet is being presented with the award for his long-term work in
developing and implementing the fast-track principles in surgery. This
work began with Prof. Kehlet's research in Denmark in the 1990s, and has
since been spread all over the world. Today the majority of surgical
specialist areas are working under the fast-track principle.
Research with enormous impact
On
the face of things, it seems incongruous to present a surgeon with one
of the finest anaesthesiological distinctions. However, in many ways the
fast-track philosophy has revolutionised how post-op recovery is
viewed, focusing on all components in the patient pathway. Therefore
Prof. Kehlet's research has also had an enormous influence on
anaesthesiologists' contribution to safer post-op recovery with fewer
side effects and fewer late complications.
- Prof. Kehlet is
perhaps the most well-known surgeon among anaesthesiologists around the
world due to his substantial contributions toward the understanding of
surgical pathophysiology. His work has been cited thousands of times and
he has also been invited to lecture worldwide. Since its introduction,
Prof. Kehlet’s 'fast-track' concept has been met with universal acclaim,
resulting in the implementation of 'fast-Track surgery' protocols
throughout the Western hemisphere, said Prof. in anaesthesiology
Francesco Carli from Montreal, Canada.
New collaboration on cancer surgery
Most
recently Prof. Kehlet has initiated collaboration with the MD Anderson
Cancer Center in the US, because the departments of anaesthesiology and
surgery at MD Anderson want to introduce the fast-track concept in
complicated cancer surgery. In the wake of this, Rigshospitalet and the
MD Anderson Cancer Center have started a research collaboration in which
they will be exchanging data on optimisation of post-op recovery, for
example for patients with cancer of the liver, pancreas, oesophagus,
bladder and lungs.
The ASA Excellence in Research Award will be
presented to Prof. Kehlet at an official ceremony on 13 October in New
Orleans. Afterwards Prof. Kehlet will be the guest editor for a special
edition of ASA's scientific journal which solely includes original
research in fast-track surgery.
Facts
Henrik Kehlet in brief
Prof.
Henrik Kehlet is a clinical Prof. in surgical pathophysiology at
Rigshospitalet. He is the author behind more than 950 scientific
publications in international journals and is an honorary member of the
Royal College of Anaesthetists, American College of Surgeons, American
Surgical Association, German Surgical Society, German Anaesthesiological
Society and the Faculty of Pain Medicine in Australia.
Prof. Kehlet
has previously received the Novo Nordisk Award, the August Krogh Prize,
the KFJ Award and the Global Excellence Award.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists Award for Excellence in Research
is presented every year to a researcher with outstanding research
achievements which have had - or will have - an important impact on the
field of anaesthesiology in the Western world. This is the first time
ever the award is being presented to a surgeon, and this is also the
first time the award is being presented to a Scandinavian. The ASA Award
for Excellence in Research has been awarded since 1986.
Fast-track surgery in brief
Fast-track
surgery focuses on painless and risk-free operations. This involves
accelerated patient pathways based on evidence-based research in all
components in post-op recovery; from the introductory examinations to
the surgical procedure itself and subsequent rehabilitation.
Fast-track
surgery results in shorter admission periods, faster restitution, fewer
complications and greater patient safety. Focus is primarily on
cross-disciplinary cooperation and the principles include all specialist
areas in and around post-op recovery.