Interventional Radiology Sitting Down?

[biers6]

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Anyone know if you can do VIR/NIR while sitting? I've had a few surgeries and it's difficult for me to stand in one place for an extended time period. While we're on the subject, what procedure-oriented specialties can one do while generally sitting?

Thank you for your advice.

 

[bente]

Often hand surgeons sit...very small field, arm extended out so easy to work from seated position. That is the only procedures I've seen repeatedly done from a seated position.

 

[biers6]

but you've got to go through ortho to get there. I've heard ophto is all sitting? Come on folks, I know someone out there knows about VIR/NIR. Thanks.

 

[Idiopathic]

Let me just be the first to say that I hope that you arent going to choose a specialty based on whether you can do it sitting down or not. With all due respect, perhaps 'procedure-oriented' specialties just arent made for you?

 

[biers6]

Idiopathic -- let me see if I understand you correctly.

"Let me just be the first to say that I hope that you arent going to choose a specialty based on whether you can do it sitting down or not. "

I assume that by this you mean to say that you should do what you like, not what happens to work for you physically.

"With all due respect, perhaps 'procedure-oriented' specialties just arent made for you?"

Now you seem to be reversing entirely. Forget about what you like; stay as far away from procedures as you can! With all due respect to you, I fail to follow your logic.

The only sense I can make of this is that you believe that there's not a fundamental difference between doing procedures and not doing procedures, and that I should find another specialty without procedures which I would like just as much. I don't know for certain yet, but I believe that I will strongly prefer doing procedures. It's unfortunate, but I will be restricted by what I can physically stand (no pun intended). Hence, my search....

 

[ears]

I think Idiopathic was genuinely trying to be helpful, and I understood his logic perfectly.

If you have a genuine physical disability such that long periods of standing are impossible for you, then you probably aren't going to do well as a procedure-oriented clinician. But if you don't have such a issue, then ruling specialties out because you just don't like to stand is pretty silly.

In any event, if you're an attending, you will be probably be granted any reasonable accommodation. But as a trainee (student, resident, fellow), you're likely to run into problems if you require anything out of the ordinary. That isn't necessarily insurmountable, but it will require more work on your part.

 

[Idiopathic]

No offense intended, but its like me asking, "what kind of specialty can I do where I dont have to wear a tie." You would really invest all this time and then base a decision on something that can be adapted to.

I know that my statement blows this out of proportion, and for that, I am sorry.

 

[Docxter]

Have you considered that in IR, you will be wearing heavy lead shields? Many people without a back problem cannot tolerate the weight of lead for long. The stress on your back will be much more that just standing. A couple of IR attendings that I know have quit IR because of developing back problems secondary to wearing lead day in and day out. Some radiology residents that are very interested in IR don't do it because of this very reason. If just standing up causes problems for your back, then the lead will kill your back. Imagine a 7 year-old kid sitting on your shoulders for hours on end every day. In that case, it really doesn't matter if you're standing or sitting. If anything, the sitting may be worse for your back biomechanics if you're wearing lead.

 

[doc05]

the lead isn't that heavy; unless you are very small or weak.

 

[barone ROCKS]

biers, let me start off sayin that i feel for you. I know what its like as I have had spine surgery and standing for a long time is very painful.

I have to disagree with idio this time as something like back pain is very limiting and not controllable whereas wearing a tie is an option.

I am looking at rads or gas because I feel it would be less demanding physically. The fact I love radiology and I have worked in radiology for many years helps.

No offense intended, but its like me asking, "what kind of specialty can I do where I dont have to wear a tie." You would really invest all this time and then base a decision on something that can be adapted to.

I know that my statement blows this out of proportion, and for that, I am sorry.

 

[itchyscrot]

Anyone know if you can do VIR/NIR while sitting? I've had a few surgeries and it's difficult for me to stand in one place for an extended time period. While we're on the subject, what procedure-oriented specialties can one do while generally sitting?

Thank you for your advice.

You will NOT be able to do VIR or NIR from a sitting postion. Both fields are very technically and physically demanding. You need to be standing and there is quite a bit of movement from the i-i to the cath table. I have not encountered an angio suite that would accomodate a sitting/handicaped physician as primary operator. NIR is totally out of the question as the cases can be VERY long.

You need to be mobile standing and have resonable dexterity in BOTH hands. Bad knees? Bad backs? Look to a different field. Even many non-disbaled smaller/shorter people have difficulty with angio secondary to inability to control and handle the long wires and catheters.

You should stick to diagnostic rads, path, gas, or psych if you have a debilitating back. I am not sure if you will even be able to complete the angio requirements of diagnostic rads residency. As has been mentioned standing is one thing, standing with lead is whole different ballgame, it sucks.