UHSM anaesthetist joins pupils to perform 'heart transplant surgery'

Dr Julian Barker, Consultant Cardiothoracic Anaesthetist at UHSM has performed a ‘live heart transplant operation’ with Year 5 pupils at Cheadle Hulme School.

After an ambulance arrived with a ‘heart’, the pupils were gowned up and the operation was performed on a mannequin ‘patient’ used for training doctors and nurses.

Led by Dr Barker and assisted by Mr Paul Kennedy, who is a senior ODP (operating department practitioner), the pupils simulated a heart transplant and learned about the heart, anaesthesia, surgery, brain death, heart disease and organ transplantation and how a patient is cared for and monitored during the operation i.e. pulse, blood pressure, central venous pressure and ultrasound.

A multimedia presentation and operating equipment, including a surgical light and operating table, added to the authenticity of the experience and provided insight and guidance about life in an operating theatre for budding future medics.

Mrs Barbara Bottoms, Head of Cheadle Hulme Junior School, says: “The children are incredibly excited to do a heart transplant. They’ve been doing lots of research, and after the success of last year’s event, many of them have been looking forward to doing this for a long time."

This is the second year running that Cheadle Hulme School has hosted a ‘live transplant operation’ with Dr Barker.