STI: Mr Fix-it

March 26, 2009

The Pro

Mr Fix-it

Heart and lung specialist Wong Poo Sing, 45, tells POON CHIAN HUI his work resembles that of a plumber or mechanic

 

I decided to specialise in heart and lung surgery because...

 

I wanted to be a surgeon when I was a final year medical student in London. I tried several specialties as a trainee surgeon after graduation.

 

I was inspired most by the surgeons at the Royal Brompton Hospital and London Chest Hospital where they do heart and lung surgery. Their clinical and surgical skills, bedside manners and communication skills impressed me.

 

The heart and lungs are fascinating because...

 

Neither can exist without the other. The heart and lungs are the organs of life - the lungs deliver oxygen to the heart and the heart in turn pumps blood that is full of oxygen to the rest of the body.

 

If I were to give an analogy for what I do, I'd be a...

 

Plumber or mechanic. For the heart, I do coronary bypass surgery to fix blockages in the coronary arteries. I repair and replace heart valves with artificial ones. For the lungs, I fix them when there is a leak and remove parts that are infected or cancerous.

 

I have come across all types of cases...

 

Not all cases are the same because the social circumstance of each patient is unique. For example, a young patient may not want his parents to know that he requires major heart surgery.

 

I learn from every patient and every case is an enriching experience.

 

A typical day for me would be...

 

I wake up at 6am to take my 14-year-old daughter to school and then I go to the hospitals to see my patients.

 

My housekeeper takes my two sons, aged eight and 12, to school. My wife, 42, an ophthalmologist, gets to sleep a bit more.

 

After morning ward visits, I perform surgery. In the afternoon, I see patients in my clinic, write reports and check my e-mail. I visit the wards again to check on patients before heading home. If I get home before dusk, I do some brisk walking in the neighbourhood.

 

I love patients who are...

 

Thankful and appreciative of my work. I am on call 24/7 to help my patients get back on their feet as soon as possible after surgery.

 

Patients who get my goat are...

 

I hardly come across such patients. As my patients are faced with serious and sometimes life-threatening illnesses, they may react unpleasantly due to distress or fear. As a doctor, I have to understand how they feel.

 

One little known fact about the lungs is...

 

The air that we breathe into our lungs ends up in tiny air sacs. Our lungs contain about 600 million air sacs which would occupy an area as large as a tennis court.

 

Things that put a smile on my face are...

 

When patients thank me for making a difference in their lives. When my wife tells me that she has helped the kids with their homework.

 

When my daughter chats non-stop with me in the car on the way to school. When my older son tells me that he has done another personal best with his Rubik's cube. And when my younger son tells me that he hasn't quarrelled with his older brother.

 

It breaks my heart when...

 

Patients get unexpected complications after surgery.

 

I wouldn't trade places for the world because...

 

I have parents who fully supported me to help me achieve my ambition. Also, I have a great wife who put her career on hold for a while to take care of our children.

 

My best tip...

 

Don't smoke and avoid going to smoky areas. I always tell my patients that it is never too late to give up smoking. Also, try to exercise three times a week - be it walking, cycling, or climbing stairs.