Wockhardt Hospitals Blog

Doctors at Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore led by Dr. Ganeshakrishnan Iyer, Consultant Cardiovascular Surgeon, gave a news lease of life to 68 year old man who was suffering from Chronic Type B Dissection of the Aorta with rupture in the Plura (space around the lung) a condition with high fatality rate. He was returned to normal life after a marathon ten hour surgery to repair the breached aorta.

Sampangi, a retired employee of BHEL, first complained of pain in the chest, back and knee as early as 2003. After, initial treatment at a hospital in the city, he was sent home as the doctors felt that his condition was too risky for surgery. He was normal for a while and then the symptoms resurfaced within a couple of years. Once again he started complaining of pain in the knee, back and chest which his family ignored it initially. As time went by the pain became unbearable and he found it difficult to walk a few steps. He was confined to bed for more than 3 months. Later, he stopped taking solid food because of pain while swallowing.

At this stage he was brought to Wockhardt Hospitals to consult Dr. Ranganath Nayak, Consultant Cardiologist, who diagnosed him with Chronic Type B Dissection of the Aorta with rupture in the Plura. He was loosing blood in the chest (plural cavity) and his lung was compressed necessitating surgery. He was then referred to Dr. Ganeshakrishnan Iyer, Consultant, Cardiovascular Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals who performed the surgery.On 7th November 2009 Sampangi underwent the surgery which surgery lasted for more than 10 hours.

Post surgery, Sampangi was kept under observation for 3 days and later shifted to the room. He started having solid food the next day and started walking for 5 minutes with minimal help.

Treatment

Mr Madhukar seen above with Dr Kaushal Malhan

For three years, a host of doctors were unable to diagnose Manju Talwar’s medical problem. The 24 year old school teacher complained of abnormal lactation, irregular menstrual cycles and was unable to conceive.

All symptoms suggested a possible gynaecological problem but despite heavy medication, Talwar’s condition did not improve. However, early this year, a MRI scan revealed a tumour in her pituitary gland.

The pea-sized gland situated at the base of the brain controls growth, metabolism and reproductive functions among others. In Talwar’s case, the tumour was pressing her optic nerve, which could lead to blindness. She was advised immediate surgery.

Talwar’s was not an easy surgery as while removing the tumour we had to ensure that the gland is preserved as she is in the child bearing age,” said Dr. Deepu Banerji, a neurosurgeon at Wockhardt Hospital,Mulund,Mumbai.

The Pituitary gland which is located at the center of the brain manufactures and secretes hormone that regulate growth ,sexual development and fluid balance in the body.

Pituitary adenomas(tumors) are abnormal growth on the pituitary glands which account for about 10% of intracranial neoplasms. They often remain undiagnosed, and small pituitary tumors have an estimated prevalence of 16.7% (14.4% in autopsy studies and 22.5% in radiologic studies). Tumor removal is usually done through transspheoidal approach. Endoscopic surgery is the new approach allowing a surgeon to gain maximum access within the narrow confines of the region avoiding extensive dissection.

Surgery is a common treatment for pituitary tumors. Trans-sphenoidal adenectomy surgery can often remove the tumor without affecting other parts of the brain. Endoscopic surgery has become common recently.

Dr Deepu Banerji, who operated on Talwar over three months, opted for a relatively new endoscopic trans-nasal technique for the delicate operation. This involved insertion of an endoscope through nasal cavity.

Banerji claimed that so far in Mumbai most doctors have been using microscopic transeptal technique, which involves a microscope inserted through the nasal cavity. This, he claimed has led to post-operative complications like numbness around nose and lips, nasal deformity or pain and incomplete removal of tumor.

In the new technique, an endoscope provides good view of the tumor to the doctor. Also, it makes it easier to differentiate between the tumor and the gland – leading to greater chances of complete tumour removal and preserving hormonal functions.

Talwar said she has so far not complained of any post-operative complications.For inquiries please contact us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

14th November,2009 was a special day for Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore.Apart from being Children s Day .. the day also celebrated as the day when Children from all over the city assembled at the hospital to say a big Cheers to Life. These Children were all at some point of their lives threatened by life threating congenital disorders,who managed to overcome their medical problems with a little help from the Hospital.

More than 50 children aged between 3 and 13 who had undergone cardiac surgery at Wockhardt Hospitals were treated to a variety of fun filled activities on the occasion of Children’s Day. Dr Devananda, Pediatric, Cardiac Surgeon Wockhardt Hospitals, who took part in the celebrations spoke on the prevalence of Congenital Heart Disease in India vis-à-vis the developed countries and stressed the need to create awareness among people that the Congenital Heart Disease is curable.

“Congenital Heart disease in a child is not the end of the world. This is a treatable condition with excellent success rate, the children present here today of all ages are a testament to this fact.” Dr Devananda, Pediatric, Cardiac Surgeon Wockhardt Hospitals

“Today, India has the expertise and the knowledge to treat this condition, however there are two major obstacles we need to overcome that is that lack of awareness of the disease and the non availability of finance as insurance companies in India do not cover pre-existing diseases” he added.

Magic shows, caricature, face-painting, interactive games and competitions enthralled the children who were eager to participate, adding to the happiness and joy of this special occasion.

But these were not your regular kids. All of them had suffered from life-threatening heart problems , at some point or the other and had gone through complicated surgeries at the Bannerghata Road,hospital at Bangalore.

"It was great to see these children doing so well and enjoying themselves at Children's Day. Seeing them so happy, no one would have guessed that they were suffering from fatal heart problem at one time," said Dr Devananda, pediatric cardiac surgeon.

The "reunion" party was as emotional for the families as it was for the doctors. And in between the celebrations, the parents recalled those difficult times when they were scared about their children safety.

Deepak Singh, father of Vikram Singh, who had a serious heart disease, said, "We had to take him to the hospital daily for checkups and after a lots of tests, we got to know that he had a hole in his heart. Those were the most difficult times of our life. But now that he is healthy, I have no words to explain how happy we feel."

A magic show, dance programmes and many other interactive sessions made the day special for the children. The enthusiasm of the kids soon inspired the adults too as many of them joined the little ones in the buoyant celebrations and some even shook a leg.

"Apart from the fun that we had, this event was a great platform to spread awareness about heart ailments. Also, families, which had gone through similar trauma, were brought together and the sharing of their knowledge and experiences, made the event a memorable one," said Dr Devananda.

He went on to add, "India, today, has the expertise and the knowledge to treat heart ailments, but we face two major obstacles. One is the lack of awareness and second is the non-availability of finance as insurance companies in India do not cover pre-existing diseases. We need to look into these issues now."

Prof. Dr. C.V Harinarayan, Chief Consultant Endocrinologist, Specialist in Metabolic Bone Disease and Osteoporosis, Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore has been conferred the prestigious Fellow of Academy of Medical Sciences (FAMS) degree for his outstanding contribution in the field of metabolic bone diseases.

Prof. Dr. C.V Harinarayan through his work on metabolic bone disease has documented through extensive population surveys, the high prevalence of low dietary calcium intake and varying degrees of Vitamin D deficiency in South India. His groundbreaking work could potentially contribute to revision of national guidelines of dietary allowances for calcium and Vitamin D.

The FAMS degree is one of the highest and most coveted hallmarks of distinction in the medical profession given for original academic work in India.

Prof. Dr. Harinarayan M.D. (Int. Med.), D.M. (Endocrinology)has completed his DM in Endocrinology from AIIMS, New Delhi. He has many National and International awards to his credit. Prof. Harinarayan is an excellent clinician, accomplished researcher and scientist, with over two decades of experience. He is specialized in Endocrinology, Diabetes, Thyroid and Metabolic Bone Diseases. He has won several laurels for demonstrating wide prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency, as the predominant cause for radiological bone changes in Primary Hyperparathyroidism in India.

November 17th is observed as World Epilepsy Day .Eplilepsy is the commonest serious neurological disorder; prevalence figures ranging from 2 to 5 per thousand people.The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 10% of people have a seizure at some point in their lifetime, with 50 million suffering from active epilepsy. A study conducted by the Christian Medical College in Vellore in 2006 estimated that neurocysticercosis is the cause of nearly one-third of all the cases of active epilepsy in both urban and rural regions of Vellore. The study estimated that "about 1 million patients in India with active epilepsy attributable to neurocysticercosis''.

Neurocysticercosis is a condition in which parasitic tapeworms, from contaminated water and food, find their into the brain of an unsuspecting individual. The colony of tapeworms, which are breed in the brain, can trigger headaches, epilepsy, imbalance and even sudden death. On National Epilepsy Day on Tuesday, most doctors feel the battle against epilepsy can be won to a great extent if two of the preventable causes, namely birth injuries and neurocysticercosis, are dealt with firmly and effectively.

About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, with almost 90% of these people being in developing countries. Epilepsy is more likely to occur in young children, or people over the age of 65 years, however it can occur at any time. Epilepsy is usually controlled, but not cured, with medication, although surgery may be considered in difficult cases. However, over 30% of people with epilepsy do not have seizure control even with the best available medications. Not all epilepsy syndromes are lifelong – some forms are confined to particular stages of childhood. Epilepsy should not be understood as a single disorder, but rather as syndromic with vastly divergent symptoms but all involving episodic abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

India accounts for the largest number of diabetic patients in the world with approximately 56 million people affected and the number is set to grow to 900 million over the next 20 years i.e. 9% of the countries population. This disturbing trend has set alarm bells ringing as a large population of India still does not have access to basic health care needs. Unlike other diseases diabetics lasts for a lifetime leading to many other complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, damaged arteries to name a few. Studies have estimated that two out of three diabetic patients are likely to die of heart disease or stroke.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the human body fails to produce enough insulin or when there is disruption in the process of insulin circulation. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that enables cells to utilize glucose and convert it into energy. Most of the food we eat is converted into glucose (a from of sugar) and dispersed in the blood stream to be used as energy. In the absence of insulin the cells in the body are deprived of energy and begin to starve. Consequently glucose levels rise in the blood stream leading to several other disabilities.

High blood sugar over a period of time leads to damaged nerves and blood vessels. There is hardening of the blood vessels and increased deposit of cholesterol on their walls – a process termed as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can lead to narrowing of blood vessels with increased tendency of blood clot formation. The narrowing of blood vessels and the formation of blood clots are the leading causes of heart disease and stroke.

• Since diabetes is a chronic disease that can only be controlled, it is very important to stick to the advice given by the doctor and to take your daily dose of medication at the right times. Go for regular check ups and monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar regularly.

• Quit smoking: it could be the worst thing for you

Normally a very active home-maker Mrs. Rina Gupta for whom multitasking at her household management was a vital and enjoyable job, had to gradually restrict her activities due to continuous shoulder & arm pain, stiffness and weakness of her shoulder muscle. Struggling to get the basic household work done, Mrs. Gupta restored to various medications and regular physiotherapy for pain relief but saw no signs of improvement. When the pain refused to go and her dependency on her family increased, Mrs. Gupta decided to visit Wockhardt Hospitals for a final opinion for her shoulder pain. At Wockhardt Hospitals she was diagnosed with subacromial impingement with bursitis and acromio-clavicular joint osteoarthritis – inflammation and pinching of the tendon of the rotator cuff and was advised to undergo arthroscopic surgery of her shoulder.

“Failing to bear the excruciating pain and being in a condition where I was dependant on my family members to perform basic household activity, I became frustrated and depressed not knowing how to get rid of this pain. During our routine visit to Wockhardt Hospitals, I decided to go for a final round of check up and that’s when we consulted Dr. Keyur Buch who explained accurately what problem I was suffering from and offered the option of key-hole, minimally invasive surgery” said Mrs. Rina Gupta.

“Subacromial impingement with bursitis and frozen shoulder are very common problems amongst the Indian population of 35 to 65 years; women more than men. Currently, most patients have no choice but to go for the medicinal therapies only, which don’t help a considerable number of patients. These patients end up either suffering long term, or visiting several doctors, specialists and alternative therapists, causing them much suffering, confusion, waste of time and also unrewarding expense” said Dr. Keyur A. Buch, Consultant Upper Limb & Arthroscopic Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals.

The four muscles that raise and lower the arm (and their respective tendons) are collectively known as the rotator cuff. The function of the rotator cuff is to push the main part of the shoulder down and away from the acromion when the arm is elevated. The space between the acromion and the rotator cuff tendons is filled by the subacromial bursa. This bursa is a fluid filled sac that allows for smooth gliding of the rotator cuff under the acromion with overhead movements of the shoulder.

Subacromial impingement develops if either the rotator cuff is injured (strained) or some bone deformity (usually a bone spur) is present under the acromion. The rotator cuff and acromion will then rub against one another, causing a painful condition known as impingement. Each time the arm is raised there is a bit of rubbing on the tendons and the bursa between the tendons and the acromion, which may cause pain and inflammation.

“Mrs. Gupta’s problem wasn’t an uncommon one, however usage of medicinal therapy over a period of time had masked her real problem and worsened her condition and she came to us with sever shoulder pain and complete stiffness of her right arm and we decided to perform arthroscopic surgery with coblation technique to correct her condition” added Dr. Keyur Buch.

Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an examination and treatment of damage of the interior of a joint is performed using an arthroscope, a tiny camera inserted into the joint through a key hole incision. Arthroscopic procedures can be performed either to evaluate or to treat many orthopedic conditions including torn floating cartilage, muscle or tendon repair, ligament reconstruction, and treatment of shoulder dislocation, healing damaged cartilage etc.

The advantage of arthroscopy over traditional open surgery is that the joint does not have to be opened up fully. Instead a number of small incisions are made - one for the arthroscope and one or two for the surgical instruments. This reduces recovery time and may increase the rate of surgical success due to fewer traumas to the soft tissues. It is especially useful for athletes and also for the common populations, who frequently injure their shoulder & knee joints and require through diagnosis & proper treatment. There is also less scarring, because of the smaller incisions.

While arthroscopic surgeries are not new to India, Dr Keyur Buch is an orthoapedic surgeon with significant experience of using the most patient friendly new technology called Coblation technique at Wockhardt Hospitals. With the Coblation technique, Wockhardt Hospitals is able to offer treatment for various kinds of shoulder pains, frozen shoulder, torn muscles, tennis elbow, jumper’s knee, heel pains to name but a few conditions. The unique advantage of coblation technique is that the diseased tissues of various joints can be treated for the first time in India without any damage to the surroundings healthy tissues. It is definitely more tissue-friendly than laser or conventional radiofrequency or mechanical instruments.

“Today after the surgery my hand movement has improved to a great extent and I am able get my confidence and independence once again. With an extensive physiotherapy regime post surgery recovery has also been very speedy” said Mrs. Gupta.

The advantages of arthroscopic surgery of the joint with coblation technique are phenomenal – surgical pain is exceptionally reduced, post surgery recovery is very fast as compared to the traditional method, the hospital stay is reduced to a great extent, movement of the joint post surgery is almost back to normal and the patient can get back to his / her routine work within a very short span of time.