Dr Deepthi Attygalle

Education and qualifications

General education	Ladies College, Colombo 1944-1957 Faculty of Science, University of Ceylon 1958 Faculty of Medicine, University of Ceylon 1959-1964
Primary medical qualification(s)	MBBS (Ceylon), Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo 1964
Initial Fellowship and type	FFARCS by Examination
Year of Fellowship	1972
Other qualification(s)	DA (RCP&S),1966 Fellow of the College of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of Sri Lanka, 2016

 

Professional life and career

Postgraduate career

Anaesthetist, General Hospital, Kandy 1968-1971

Consultant Anaesthetist, General Hospital, Colombo (GHC) 1972-2000

Consultant Anaesthetist in charge of Recovery Unit, GHC 1984-2000

Professional interests and activities

National

Ceylon College of Anaesthetists: Founder member in 1972.

College of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of Sri Lanka (COAISL): Founder member since 1973, thereafter council member, secretary, editor, vice-president, and president in 1989 and 1990.

Post Graduate Institute of Medicine of Sri Lanka (PGIM): Founder member of the Board of Study in Anaesthesiology in 1980 and Chairperson 1990 to 1999.

Examiner for Part 1 and Part 2 MD Anaesthesiology examinations from 1983 to 2000.

Member of the Board of Management of the PGIM from 2000-2003.

Played a crucial role in developing a comprehensive, highly structured training program with detailed documentation of skills, attitudes, knowledge and performance for the MD Anaesthesiology examinations and ensured that examiners from the RCoA would be co-examiners and those obtaining the degree were exempted from the Primary FRCA at a time when some other countries were refused this privilege.

International

South Asian Confederation of Anaesthesiologists: Founder member since 1991 and president 1995-1997.

World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA): Board member of the Asian Australasian Section 1990-1994, Executive committee member of WFSA 1996-2000, Deputy vice president 2000-2004 and Vice president WFSA  2004-2008.

Reputed speaker/resource person at international conferences in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Taiwan and Australia.

Conducted one-week workshops in Physiology in Malaysia for 3 years and Nepal one year.

Examiner in Physiology for the Part 1 Anaesthesiology, University of Malaysia.

Orations & Awards

Sri Lanka Medical Association oration in 2001 on the management of tetanus with magnesium sulphate infusions to avoid deep sedation, paralysis and artificial ventilation in an attempt to keep patients awake and alert, avoiding psychological effects – a novel concept in the 1990s.

Murugesu Sinnathamby oration on spinal anaesthesia in 1987.

Colombo Medical College 150th anniversary commemoration: the only anaesthesiologist to receive an award for outstanding services.

Publications

The Handbook of Anaesthesia she first authored in 1990 continues to be popular 35 years later – now a 530-page book in its 6th edition with many contributors.

Handbook of Regional Anaesthesia.

Several articles published in local and international journals.
 

Other biographical information

President of the Old Girls Association of Ladies College, Colombo (2007-2008) and School Manager (2009-2016).

On the Board of Management of the Deaf and Blind School.

Daughter of the renowned pioneer scientific historian Dr. G.C. Mendis.

Wife of Dr. Lakshman Attygalle, reputed genito-urinary surgeon, son of Sir Nicholas Attygalle, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon.

Deeply devoted to their son and two daughters (one of whom, Ayoma Attygalle, is a Consultant Histopathologist at the Royal Marsden), three grandsons and granddaughter Maya.

Author and sources

Author: Dr Nalini Rodrigo MBBS, FRCA, FCOAISL - Past President, College of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of Sri Lanka 

Sources and comments:

• Personal communication
• College of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of Sri Lanka website
• Sri Lankan Journal of Anaesthesiology
• Journal Anaesthesia 2002; 57: 811-17.