Wockhardt Hospitals Blog

We are now Fortis Hospitals

2010-03-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore,Mulund,Kalyan,(Mumbai) Kolkata is now Fortis Hospitals. To continue reading our blog . Pls follow us a http://fortis-hospitals.blogspot.com

Fortis Hospitals " Be a Fortisan Campaign"

View more documents from Sumit Roy.

Women's Health Check up at Marathahali Clinic,Bangalore

2010-03-11T03:17:00.000-08:00

Fortis Hospitals,Bangalore, Marathahali Specialty Clinic, is launching a 10 day health check up exclusively for women for 12 days starting on 8th March, Women's day.

Details about Health check up camp from 8th march to 20th march

The Health Checkup details are CBC with ESR

Urine routine
TSH
BB and Rh Type
RBS
VDRL
Paps Smear
USG abdomen/ Breast Scan
Gynecology consultation

Cost of Health check: Rs.1200

Additional test: USG abdomen or Breast scan - Rs. 300

Health talk on 21st march timings from 11.00 am to 1 p.m.

Cervical cancer and its prevention
Breast Cancer

Fortis Hospitals (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals & Kidney Institute) launches a Guide to Cancers of Kidney

2010-03-11T02:05:00.000-08:00

Patient Guide to Cancers of the Kidney

View more presentations from Sumit Roy.

Fortis Hospitals (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) & Kidney Institute today launched the “Guide to Cancers of Kidney” on the occasion of World Kidney Day – a day dedicated to creating increased awareness around kidney related diseases. The booklet a “Guide to understanding Different types of Kidney cancers and their causes and symptoms” was launched by noted Bengali film actress June Maliah in the presence of Dr. Aninda Chatterjee Centre Head, Dr. Shivaji Basu, Chief Urologist and Dr. R. K Gopalakrishna consultant Urologist Fortis Hospitals & Kidney Institute, Kolkata. Through this initiative Fortis Hospitals aims to create increased awareness of Kidney cancers and focus towards noting the symptoms and acting upon it as early as possible.

Speaking at the occasion Dr. Shivaji Basu, Chief Urologist, Fortis Hospitals Kolkata said, “Kidney cancer cases have risen phenomenally in the recent years. More people are seen to be affected of kidney cancer. Lack of awareness is the primary cause of the alarming increase in the number of kidney cancers in the country. If people are aware about the symptoms, a lot more lives could be saved.”

Around 208,500 new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed in the world each year, accounting for just fewer than 2% of all cancers. Kidney cancer is usually defined as any cancer that is determined to have arisen from the kidney. It usually does not include metastatic cancer of the kidney, i.e. cancer that arose outside of the kidney and has spread to it. The two most common types of kidney cancer, reflecting their location within the kidney, are renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) of the renal pelvis. The distinction between these two types (RCC and UCC) is important because their prognosis, staging, and management, i.e. treatment (e.g. surgery, chemotherapy etc.), is different.

Presenting a talk on Kidney Cancers, Dr R K Gopalakrishna, Consultant Urologist, Fortis Hospitals Kolkata said, “It is a fact that awareness on cancer in the kidney in our country is extremely low. Our intention of launching this booklet is to increase this awareness and make people more conscious about better Kidney Care.”

“For the Last two decades Fortis Hospitals and Kidney Institute has tried to ensure adequate patient education and awareness on Kidney diseases.

The Guide to Cancers of Kidney will be available at Fortis Hospitals & Kidney Institute, Rashbehari Road and Fortis Medical Centre, Sarat Bose Road and will also be available at website for download

About Fortis Hospitals & Kidney Institute (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals)

Fortis Hospitals (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) Kidney Institute is the first Hospitals in Easter Indian, which has a dedicated Super specialty center in Kidney Specialties and one of the oldest Hospitals for the group. Kidney specialty at Wockhardt Medical Centre (which is now a part of Fortis Hospitals) started in the year 1989 and the Wockhardt Hospitals & Kidney Institute (which is now Fortis Hospitals) was established in 1999. Over the years it has become the single point solution for all kind of Urology and Nephrology diseases for the whole of eastern and north eastern Indian including Bangladesh and neighbouring countries. It has emerged as a destination for world class clinical work in Urology and Nephrology as well as academic and research work in this field too.

The Kidney Institute is the only Kidney Hospital of Eastern India has many firsts to its credit.Among them are

It pioneered in Lithotripsy - the non-surgical non-invasive way of treating Kidney stones in India with the introduction of Lithotripter using ultrasonography and X-ray for localization of stones and electro-magnetic waves to crush them.

It has performed the maximum number of PCNLs (stones extracted through a small hole at the back)

It performs the maximum number of kidney stone as well as kidney surgeries per month with success rate at par with leading hospitals in Eastern India catering to over 50 million people. It performed the first successful Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy in Kidney Transplant surgery in Eastern India.

It introduced Penile Implant surgery in the Eastern India for the first time.

Joint Pain Camp at Kalyan from 8th-15th March

2010-03-05T02:40:00.000-08:00

Fortis Hospitals ,Mumbai, Kalyan is organising a " Joint pain Relief Camp" at the Kalyan facilty from 8th March to 13th of March. Pls write to enquiries@wockhardthospitals.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to set up a appointment,or call 0251-6694100/4113

Join Pain : Reasons of having them :Our joints are our body are like shock absorbers. Each joint is cushioned by cartilage and supported by muscles, tendons and ligaments. Everyday activity places stress on the joints and causes the supporting structures to wear down over time.

Some of the causes of Joint Pains are

* Osteoarthritis (OA) :This condition is caused by the cushioning (cartilage) between the bone joints to wear away. As the disease gets worse, the cartilage disappears and the bone rubs on bone. Bony spurs form around the joint.

* Strains or Sprains: usual and repetetive exertions on a specific part of the joints causes this condition.

* External Injuries : external injuries like a fracture ,getting hurt and accidental damages can cause joint pain.

* Arthritis : Arthritis is a group of common conditions involving damage to the joints of the body.There are different kinds of arthritis and each has a different cause. Statistically the prevalence of arthritis is much higher among women than men.Rheumatoid Arthritis is an example of a specific type of arthritis.

* Tendonitis :Tendonitis is inflammation (swelling) of a tendon, which can cause pain in the affected area. It can affect tendons around the shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger, thigh, knee or back of the heel.

* Gout& Pseudogout: These are the two most common types of debilitating illness that is caused by the formation of crstals within the joint space

* Osteomyelitis:This condition is a bone infection often caused by bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus (pronounced: sta-fuh-low-kah-kus are-ee-us). Depending on how the bone becomes infected and the age of the person, other types of bacteria can cause it, too. In kids and teens, osteomyelitis usually affects the long bones of the arms and legs

24 Year Old's Damaged Knee healed with nature friendly knee surgery via keyhole technique

2010-02-23T23:04:00.000-08:00

~Fortis Hospitals puts 24 year old Salsa dancer back on her dancing feet with a biological implant through a keyhole surgery~

“If you are below 55 years and have a painful or damaged knee, a conventional joint replacement might be too early for you. Simply trimming a damaged cartilage and washing the knee joint & injecting it with keyhole surgery is only a temporary solution. That is up until now” says Dr. Keyur Buch, Consultant Arthroscopic Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals.

Younger people who suffer from chronic pain in the limbs which could be a result of a trauma or arthritis at a young age, often dread to undergo surgery and leave their damaged knees untreated further leading to a condition which might at a later stage result in replacement surgery.

“Any kind of knee cartilage damage or bone defect if not treated at the appropriate time could lead to further damage of the remaining fresh cartilage and bone area and thereby increase the possibility of advancements in arthritis and further damage of the knee joint impacting the mobility. With this newly introduced keyhole surgery we are looking at treating the damaged joint and cartilage which could be because of a sporting injury or an accident” added Dr. Keyur Buch, Consultant Arthroscopic Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals who recently treated a partially damaged knee of a 24 year old young salsa dancer. This advanced arthroscopic treatment offers solution to those problems which so far were not possible to treat with conventional arthroscopic surgery.

24 year old Deepika Dubey who is working as a business analyst in a travel technology firm in Bangalore and also a professional dancer was suffering from excruciating pain in her knee that restricted her mobility and daily activities to a great extent. Deepika who has been quite active in sports and dance since her school days, had a fall during her annual sports day in her college sometime in 2005 and hurt her(right) knee. The fall was not massive at that time and she left her knee without proper treatment and continued with her physical activities. “I have been a choreographer since my school days and followed my passion for dance all throughout and joined a professional Salsa course here in Bangalore.

It was just about the time when I was finishing my course to become a trained Salsa dancer; I tripped on a wet floor one day and hurt my right knee badly again badly. That’s’ when I consulted Dr. Keyur Buch and the MRI revealed that I had a cyst in my knee which had almost eaten up an area of my bone and I needed to undergo a surgery to correct my problem and get rid of the pain. The first thing I asked Dr. Buch was "When would I be able to walk properly again and would the surgery leave a big scar on my knee? And Dr. Buch had the solution. A minimally invasive surgery which sorted my problem got me out of the pain and at the same time my knee doesn’t look ugly”

“A cyst had formed in Deepika’s knee which had taken off a part of her bone and had damaged her cartilage which was causing pain in knee and affected her mobility. The size of the cyst was almost of a one rupee coin. After investigation and keeping in mind her request of having the minimalistic scar on her knee we decided to perform this advanced nature friendly keyhole surgery to replace the damaged cartilage and bone with a biological substitute instead of using metal or plastic implant in the joint.

The conventional metal or plastic implants are not suitable for people younger than 55 years of age as it increases the possibility of a revision surgery at a later stage. Whereas this new technique gives a minimal approach to the surgery and the biological implant integrates into the body easily and takes the shape of the loss bone” added Dr. Keyur Buch. “If she had left her knee untreated she would have had to undergo a knee replacement surgery at a later date and her suffering would have continued in meantime.”

The traditional method is an open surgery where the incision is quite large and the implants used is either plastic or metal which is not long lasting and the patient might have to go for a revision surgery later or if the condition further deteriorates it may require a replacement surgery. With this new technique this can be avoided as the biological bone cartilage substitute used is almost permanent, the incision is less which means less scaring and less pain, faster recovery, lesser hospital stay and no revision surgery later. The bone and cartilage problems can be successfully treated with this technique thereby restoring the normal knee function and slowing the progression of knee arthritis. The patient can lead an improved quality of life post surgery with appropriate rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

Who can be treated with this technique?

Young knee arthritic patients who have not got any relief with medication and physical therapy
People with bone and cartilage damage due to a trauma or a sporting injury in the knee

Digestive Care Services at Bannerghata Road

2010-02-19T02:33:00.000-08:00

Digestive Care OPD Schedule at Fortis Hospitals,Bangalore

View more documents from Sumit Roy.

The Digestive Care department at Wockhardt Hospitals offers full consultative services in the field of medical & surgical gastroenetrology. This department provides services in Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases and provide a full range of GI procedures.

The digestive care department performs surgeries using the Minimal Access technique so that patients enjoy faster recovery and fewer post-surgical. Minimal access surgery results in less complication, minimum surgical trauma, pain and blood loss. The patient's hospital stay is shortened and his or her post-surgery aesthetics improved.
The department aims to provide outstanding Gastroenterology care that meets the needs of the patient, referring physicians and community.

Fortis Hospitals Mulund doctors give new life to octogenarian with DVT and severe hip fracture in the same leg

2010-02-19T01:51:00.000-08:00

~Minimally invasive surgery done resulting into no blood loss and early discharge~

Doctors at Fortis Hospitals, Mulund, Mumbai recently treated an exceptional case of DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and hip fracture in the same leg of an obese octogenarian lady.

Mrs. Godavari Vagad, an 84yr old obese lady had fallen while walking and fractured her left hip. She also had Deep Vein Thrombosis of the left leg. Doctors at a general hospital in Thane found her condition very critical and referred her to Fortis Hospitals, Mulund (formerly Wockhardt hospital).

Highlighting upon the case, Dr Milind Sawant, Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals said, “We faced key challenges like advanced age, obesity, osteoporotic bones and pre-existing DVT, all at one go. These implied difficulty in operative procedure and fracture reduction. Osteoporotic bones made fracture fixation challenging. Also, the presence of DVT in the leg to be operated increased the risk of the clot breaking up and embolising during fracture fixation and so fracture manipulations would have to be done carefully. Hence we had to consult a cardiologist before finalizing the line of management.”

Dr Hasmukh Ravat, cardiologist said, “What makes this case rarest of rare is the introduction of IVC filter (Inferior Vena Cava) implantation. A filter was put into the Inferior Vena Cava pre-operatively so that even if the blood clot was to break off and flow towards the lung, the filter would trap it before it would compromise the lung circulation.”

After insertion of the IVC Filter, the patient was taken for the orthopedic line of treatment :
“Minimally invasive technique of per-cutaneous insertion of Proximal Femoral Nail (device) was used to fix the fracture without opening the fracture site – which meant minimal blood loss (and therefore no need for blood transfusion), minimal tissue trauma (and therefore less pain and faster recovery) and no disturbance of the fracture hematoma (which meant early fracture healing without need for bone-grafting). A high-frequency, high resolution C-arm Image Intensifier (machine) was used which gave clear images of the fracture fragments and made fracture reduction and fixation easy and accurate said Dr. Sawant.

In addition to the above, a titanium implant was used to fix the fracture, whose modulus of elasticity is closer to that of bone. The device is light but extremely strong to take the weight of this obese patient. Being an intra-medullary device it was biomechanically superior to take the stresses and strains at the fracture site till the fracture unites. This allowed early mobilization of the patient out of bed and early discharge, he said.

The recovery was uneventful and patient was discharged after few days.

Top 10 Medical Tourism Hospitals

2010-01-27T22:08:00.000-08:00

The Medical Travel Quality Alliance (MTQUA) has issued its first list of the top ten world’s best hospitals for medical tourists and has named Fortis Hospital in Bangalore (former Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore )as the number one hospital in the world. Six of the top 10 world’s best hospitals are in Asia, two in Europe and two in North America.

MTQUA founder Julie Munro says, "Fortis is exemplary in nearly all the criteria we used. The medical traveler’s journey is a complex one and this list helps patients look beyond hospital websites where they can get the full spectrum of care management they need for a successful medical trip. If you cannot get as good or better care abroad than you can at home, you may as well stay home.”

Top ten recognition was given to the hospitals based on MTQUA’s strict assessment criteria of-

1. Medical quality and outcomes
2. International patient management
3. International patient marketing
4. Value for service
5. Patient safety and security
6. Transparency
7. Attention to the unique needs of the medical traveler

The top ten hospitals Globally for Medical Tourism are

1. Fortis Hospital, Bangalore, India
2. Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore
3. Prince Court Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4. Shouldice Hospital, Toronto, Canada
5. Schoen-Kliniken, Munich, Germany
6. Bumrungrad International, Bangkok, Thailand
7. Bangkok Hospital Medical Center, Bangkok, Thailand
8. Wooridul Spine Hospital, Seoul, Korea
9. Clemenceau Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
10. Christus Muguerza Super Specialty Hospital, Monterrey, Mexico

Based on the above parameters ,Fortis Hospital Bangalore(former Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore) is number one

Medical quality:It has an excellent surgery option for medical travelers seeking joint replacement, particularly hip resurfacing and replacement. It’s also strong in cardiac surgery and neurosurgery.

International patient management:The hospital has a transparent process sensitive to the needs of patients and families for their cultural, language, and religious requirements, their medical needs and emotional support.

International patient marketing:It actively supports web-based social networks, including Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. It has its own blog.

Value for services:It has a competitive cost structure.

Transparency:The Hospital ensure transparency of care, from cost to outcomes data. Patients receive a portfolio of their medical file and surgery documents including CT scans, MRI and X-rays, and operative notes to take back to their home country.

Fortis Hospitals Bangalore applauds Goans for being at the forefront for correcting congenital heart defects

2010-01-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

Centre (from left) Dr. N S Devananda, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals Bangalore, Dr. Fansisco Collaso, Consultant Cardilogist & Echocardiograher, Goa with Baby Prathamesh and Baby Varad who had undergone cardiac surgery at Fortis Hospitals Bangalore

Fortis Hospitals Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) addresses the media today showcasing the pediatric cardiac scenario in the country and how Goa has been at the forefront in saving many children’s lives by identifying and correcting congenital heart defects at the appropriate time.

Addressing a press conference in Panjim, Dr. N. S. Devananda, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals Bangalore said, “Our experience in Goa in the pediatric cardiac space over the years has been quite overwhelming. We have seen this state growing from the time when congenital heart disease (CHD) was seen as an evil spell to such a time when people are aware and educated of CHD and confident that this can be treated under proper medical supervision and care at expert hands. We are thankful to all those parents who came to us with immense faith and confidence and helped us marking feat in this field and helped us challenge medical excellence many a times.”

“Goa has been very responsive when it comes to congenital heart defects. This transformation in the mind set of the people has served as a boon to all those children who were suffering from heart defects and had the opportunity to avail treatment at the right time. 60-70 % of infants that came to Fortis Hospitals Bangalore were of very complex nature and the success rate has always been of almost of about 90-95%. With such a huge success rate in correcting CHD amongst which 70% comprised of complex cases definitely poses as a great strength for the surgeons who have performed the surgery. The positive response and the confidence that the Goans have shown in us has immensely build our confidence in our profession and given us the courage to take up the most challenging cases” added Dr. N S Devananda.

Lack of adequate knowledge of CHD often results in time lag between diagnosis and referral to a pediatric cardiac centre for treatment and leads to further complication of the child. Also due to lack of awareness facilities available in India to correct congenital heart defects across the spectrum results in higher mortality rate and limited usage of pediatric cardiac expertise available in the country. Heart disease in children is not identified as a health priority by the government in our country. There are no government policies for cardiac care in children. This is perhaps related to the prevailing notion that CHD is uncommon, often fatal and is therefore not worth expanding national resources.

Many families in rural and semi urban parts of India seek advice from unqualified, self-proclaimed “doctors” and quacks because of common beliefs and myths. This further adds to the delay in diagnosis and proper management of the child with CHD. But Goa has stood apart and has set an example for the rest of the states of India. The benefits extended by the government to the families have given an impetus to the pediatric cardiac program at Fortis Hospitals Bangalore to treat many such children and give them a new lease of life.

About Fortis Hospitals (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals)

Wockhardt Hospitals Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata which are now christened as Fortis Hospitals are part of the 40 hospitals chain of Fortis Healthcare. This Fortis Hospitals network consists of 11 hospitals focusing on the high end tertiary care around the specialties of cardiac care – adult and pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, complex brain & spine surgeries, orthopedics and joint replacement surgery and minimal access surgery. The entity consists of 2 JCI accredited hospitals located in Bangalore and Mulund. Wockhardt Hospitals Bangalore – now a network hospital of Fortis is a 400 bedded Multi specialty hospital with state of the art facility equipped with latest technology and truly World class Clinical Talent dedicated to the whole range of Cardiac, Orthopedic, Neurosciences, Minimal Access Surgery and Women & Child Services. www.wockhardthospitals.net

Speciality Clinic at Marathali : OPD Schedules

2010-01-22T03:33:00.000-08:00

Dr Garima Jain	Gynecologist	DNB	M-F 5pm to 7pm Sat 1pm to 3pm
Dr Pallavee Chiplunkar	Gynecologist	MD	Mon /Wed 9am to 12pm
Dr Modhulika Bhattacharya	Gynecologist	MD	Wed & Sat 5pm to 7pm
Dr Shalina Ray	ENT	MS, MRCS,DOHNS	M- Sat 9am – 11am
Dr Smitha Warrier	Dermatologist	MD	M-Sat 2-3
Dr Kushalappa A.A	Dermatologist	MD	M- Sat 8am to 10am Sun on appts
Dr Yeseswini Kamaraju	Psychiatry	MD , Fellowship in Child & Adolescence psychiatry	Thrus 1pm to 4pm ( On appts)
Dr Sanika Chandran	Psychology	MS	Tues & Th 11amt to 1pm On appts
Dr Ramya V Raghavan	General Medicine	MD	M-Fri 4pm to 6pm Sun 10.30-12.30
Dr Suresh K G	General Medicine	MD	M-Sat 6pm to 8pm
Dr Aditi Gupta	General Medicine	MD American board certified	Mon to fri 9am to 4pm, Sat 9am to 1pm
Dr Joyce Gerard Waheed	Medical Officer	MBBS	Mon to Fri 8am to 10pm, 3pm to 5pm, Sat 8am to 12pm
Dr Gurmeet Soni Bhalla	Pediatrics	DNB	Mon to fri 10am to 1pm, Sat 11am to 1pm
Dr Rekha B	Pediatrics	MD	Tues,Th & Sat 5-6
Dr Tanuja Mishra	Pediatrics	MD	M W F 5-6 Sun on Appts
Dr.Mahesh S	Diebatologist	M.B.BS, MD FRCP	Mon to Fri 9am to 11am , 2pm to 4pm
Dr Harisha Babu	Nephrologist	DM	On Appt
Dr Kapil Rangan	Cardiologist	DM Cardiology	Mon – Sat 5.30 – 7.00
Dr Raju G H	MAS	MS	Mon/Wed/sat 11am to 1pm
DrSuresh Kodapala	Neurologist	Mch	Mon/Wed/sat 6pm to 8pm
Dr Keyur Anilkant Buch	Orthopedic	Mch, FRCS	Mon to Fri 6pm to 8pm, sat 10am to 1pm
Dr Dinesh Vaidhya	Urology	MS, FRCS	Wed 5pm to 6pm
Dr Sujatha	Ophthalmologist	MS	7-8 On appts Mon to Sat
Mrs Meenakshi Hejmadi	Dietitian	MS RD	Tues& Thurs 10-1 Sat on appts
Dr Thilak	Radiology		M-F 4-5 ( On appts)
Dr.L Madan Mohan Babu	Radiology	MD, DMRD	M-Sat ( On appts) 10am to 1pm
Dr BK Arun	Pathology	MD	Mon- Sat 2-4
Dr Latha	Pathology	MD	On Appts

The Fortis Hospitals Marathali Clinic is operational at

S1 S2 Spice Garden Compound
Marathali
Whitefield-Airport Road
Bangalore: 560037

For Appointment's call 08065982915 /08065324444/9945272363 or you can email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

The specialty clinic at Marathali offers the following consultations

Orthopedics /Cardiology/Urology/ Neurology
Endocrinology/diabetology/MAS/Gyaenecology
Pediatric/Internal Medicine/Psychiatry/Psychology
Diet Counseling/Dermatology/ENT/Opthalmology
Nephrology/USG/X Ray/TMT
Echo/ECG/Minor Procedures/LaboratoryVaccinations

Fortis Hospitals Mulund (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) performs complex beating heart coronary artery bypass surgery on an infant.

2010-01-20T23:26:00.000-08:00

A team of cardiac experts at Fortis Hospitals Mulund (formerly Wockhardt Hsopitals) performs complex beating heart coronary artery bypass surgery on an infant.

Fortis Hospitals Mulund (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) marks a feat in the field of pediatric cardio-thoracic surgery by performing a complex beating heart coronary artery bypass surgery on an infant. A team of cardiac experts led by Dr. Suresh Joshi, Consultant Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals Mulund has successfully corrected a complicated and rare congenital deformity called ALCAPA (Anomalous Left Coronary Artery From the Pulmonary Artery) giving the baby a new lease of life.

Baby Sharon was born with normal delivery without any specific symptoms of heart defect during her birth. However after 4 months she suffered from severe cold and cough and was admitted in a city hospital as she was diagnosed of pneumonia. The baby seemed to suffer from increased breathlessness with a very high heart rate. On further investigation the baby was diagnosed of having an enlarged heart and the parents were advised to consult a pediatric cardiac surgeon.

“Baby Sharon was brought to us in a severe condition where she was suffering from severe breathlessness, excessive crying and was extremely feeble due to poor intake of feed. Upon further investigation we diagnosed her with a congenital heart defect called ALCAPA (Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery). ALCAPA is a rare birth malformation where the positions of the arteries are switched and the left coronary artery comes out of the pulmonary artery. It occurs in approximately in 1 in 4-5 lakh live births (0.25% - 0.5% of the total birth defects) and if not treated at the appropriate time accounts for 65 % - 85 % of deaths with in 1st yr of life from congestive cardiac failure,” said Dr. Suresh Joshi, Consultant Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals Mulund.

At the time of birth babies born with such deformities remain active like any normal child but as the child grow the symptoms manifests into breathlessness, inactivity and weak intake of food and they grow very weak and uncontrollable.

“ALCAPA is a serious problem and requires surgery immediately after the birth or as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed. The aim of surgery is to connect the Anomalous left coronary artery with the aorta. The precise surgery depends on the exact location of the Anomalous left coronary artery. Sometimes, it can be moved, along with a button of tissue, from the pulmonary artery and sewn into the aorta. If the Anomalous left coronary artery is located too far away from the aorta to move, a "tunnel" is made from the aorta to the Anomalous left coronary artery or by pass surgery is done by using artery of left arm.”

“Usually to perform such complex surgery heart lung machine is required which is also commonly called On-pump bypass surgery. However in the case of Baby…. we performed the surgery successfully without using heart lung machine, which means, off pump Coronary artery Bypass Graft (CABG) procedure with the self equipped instruments. Off pump bypass surgery are much common in the adult procedure group, but in neonates such procedure till date is only heard off” added Dr. Suresh Joshi, Consultant Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Fortis Hospitals Mulund.

The challenges that involve in this surgery were:

1. Grafting vessels on a moving heart which needs small compact stabilizer. Stabilizer for small neonate is not devised till date.

2. Left coronary artery was not appropriate for the graft

3. Poor functioning heart of the baby, Ejection fraction = 25%

Beating heart surgery was performed on the baby to avoid the post operation complication like fluid retention, kidney failure, lung injuries, and acute inflammatory reaction with mild to moderate heart dysfunction, hence helping the baby for the easy & early recovery. The surgery was done without using any stabilizer as such small size stabilizer for newborn babies is not manufactured by any company in the world. It is with the skill of the surgeon who has managed out the surgery without the stabilizer. Baby Sharon’s story showcases the expertise the country has in correcting the most complex congenital defects in the rarest of condition with a combination of skillful hands and technical finesse.

“The diagnosis of Sharon suffering from congenital heart problem came to us as a surprise. When Sharon was not keeping too well, we had the remotest thought of having anything to do with her heart. In fact before this I had very less awareness on congenital heart problems. In our country many kids succumb to faith due to lack of awareness on the defects and availability of expertise to correct such deformities. We need to create more and more awareness on congenital heart disease in India and the facilities provided by hospitals like Fortis Hospitals Mulund to operate upon the most complex cases. We are immensely thankful to Dr. Suresh Joshi and the entire team at Fortis Hospitals Mulund who came to us as saviors and gave a new life to our baby” says Mr. Bonni D’Souza (father of Sharon).

Medical Travel Quality Alliance (MTQUA) Ranks Fortis Hospitals ,Bangalore(formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) The Best Medical Tourism Hospital

2010-01-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

The Bangkok based Medical Travel Quality Alliance (MTQUA) which promotes standards and practices for medical traveler's has recognized Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) as the most preferred destination in the world for medical tourists from America. The hospital was ranked # 1 in the first list of the top 10 world's best hospitals for medical tourists which was released at a press conference held in Bangkok on January 19, 2010.

According to MTQUA, the top five hospitals are: Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hospital), Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore, Prince Court Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Shouldice Hospital, Toronto and Shoen-Kliniken, Munich.

"It gives us great pride to make India get the top slot as the world's leading destination for International patients" said Mr. Vishal Bali, CEO, Fortis Hospitals Group, India." By providing a strong foundation of quality in all our patient care processes along with affordability we have delivered to both our domestic and International patients' exceptional value" he said.

MTQUA recognized Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) as the # 1 on its list of Top 10 World's Best Hospitals for Medical Tourists on the following criteria:

1. Medical Quality - The hospital is an excellent surgery option for medical travelers seeking joint replacement, particularly hip resurfacing and replacement. It's also strong in cardiac surgery and neurosurgery. The hospital is internationally accredited by JCI.

2. International Patient Management -Fortis Hospitals has been sensitive to the needs of patients and families for their cultural, language, and religious requirements, their medical needs and emotional support. As the majority of its international caseload is either life-saving or life enhancing procedures, their honesty and integrity provides outstanding case management and better patient understanding.

3. International Patient Marketing - The Hospital actively supports web-based social networks, including Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. It has its own blog. The hospital has a dedicated team of men and women available 24/7 with access to treating physicians who can respond to qualified patient inquiries.

4. Value For Services - India's hospitals are positioned to provide value for services and will continue to do so because the number of hospitals in India seeking the American or international patient market nurtures a competitive cost structure.

5. Patient Safety And Security - The Hospital wraps the traveling patient from America in a security blanket. From the initial hospital response, Fortis assigns dedicated staff representatives to the patient throughout their hospital stay and a treating physician who directly discusses procedures and outcomes before the patient leaves their home country. Communication with the patient's family physician is encouraged. Patients may stay in the hospital for their full recovery period to avoid moving to a hotel.

6. Transparency - Every effort is extended to ensure transparency of care, from cost to outcomes data. Patients receive a portfolio of their medical file and surgery documents including CT scans, MRI and X-rays, and operative notes to take back to their home country.

7. Attention To The Unique Needs Of The Medical Traveler - According to reports, more than 50% of Hospital's international patients are Americans. It offers prompt scheduling of pre-surgery preparation. It provides exemplary follow up care and services to monitor American medical travelers once they return home.

MTQUA's top 10 list of the World's best hospitals has 6 hospitals out of Asia, 2 from Europe and 2 from North America.

source:prnewswire.com

Change for the Best: Fortis Hospitals Wish you a Healthy Year Ahead

2010-01-19T21:36:00.000-08:00

Short Stay Surgeries for Urology Procedures

2010-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

The various procedures which can be done on the Short Stay basis for Urology are

Cystoscopy

This is a diagnostic procedure to check the Urethra and the Bladder. A small telescope ( Cystoscope ) is passed through the urinary pipe to have a look as well as carry out any procedures such as treating the Urethral Stricture, removal of small Bladder Tumours, removing any small stones in the Bladder. The insertion or removal of the Double 'J' stents can also be done during this procedure.

Lower Ureteric Stones:

The stones in the lower part of the Ureter can be treated on a Short stay basis. After passing the Ureteroscope, the stones can be broken by the Lithotripsy and extracted with the help of the Basket. A Double 'J' stent may be inserted after the procedure, which will be removed at the later date.

Varicocele:

The dilatation of the veins around the Testes is called Varicocele. It can cause pain and discomfort in the scrotum. The other significant effect of Varicocele is on the Male Infertility. The ligation of Varicocele is carried out as a Day-Case procedure involving two small cuts in the groins and carefully ligating the dilated veins with the help of a microscope.

Circumcision, Vasectomy

These are the other procedures ideally suitable on a short stay basis. There is minimum disturbance in the patient's routine and they can get back to work quickly.

Short Stay Procedures : Make your Hospital Stay Short

2010-01-16T00:25:00.000-08:00

After a surgery, hospital stay often becomes a tedious task for the patient and his visitors. Not only does it take the patient time to adjust to his new surroundings, it is often noted as a discomfort. Every surgery has its own healing time and requires the patient to rest adequately before he can be sent home. However, there are some surgeries where the patient is operated and sent home that very same day!

Short Stay Surgery has been defined by the Royal College of Surgeons as when the surgical day case patient is admitted for investigation or operation on a planned non-resident basis and who nonetheless requires facilities for recovery.

This definition excludes upper and lower GI endoscopies, outpatient procedures such as flexible cystoscopy, and minor superficial surgery under local anaesthetic, none of which require full day case facilities for recovery. Currently the Short Stay Surgery has a specialized dedicated team, functioning only at Cunningham Road, Bangalore.

Some of the Short Stay Surgery Procedures

1. Orchidopexy
2. Circumcision
3. Inguinal hernia repair
4. Excision of breast lump
5. Anal fissure dilatation or excision
6. Haemorrhoidectomy
7. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
8. Varicose vein stripping or ligation
9. Transurethral resection of bladder tumour
10. Excision of dupuytren's contracture
11. Carpal tunnel decompression
12. Excision of ganglion
13. Arthroscopy
14. Bunion operations
15. Removal of metalware
16. Extraction of cataract with/without implant
17. Correction of squint
18. Myringotomy
19. Tonsillectomy
20. Sub Mucous resection
21. Reduction of nasal fracture
22. Operation for bat ears
23. Dilatation and curettage/hysteroscopy
24. Laparoscopy
25. Termination of Pregnancy

Benefits of Short Stay Surgery
1. Pre-booked date and less likely to be cancelled
2. Shorter waiting lists and lesser uncertainty of a long wait
3. Easier domestic arrangements
4. Earlier mobilisation
5. Minimal disruption of patient's personal life
6. Earlier return to normal environment
7. Reduced risk of cross-infection
8. Avoidance of disruptive nights in hospital wards
9. Less loss of time at work
10. Less psychological disturbances in children
11. Lesser chances of cancellation due to pressures of emergency surgeries in a dedicated day care facility.

To find out if you are a candidate for short stay surgery, pls email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net or sms short to 56767

32 year old Rwandan gets a new lease of life in India

2010-01-08T02:42:00.000-08:00

~Martin undergoes a rare cardiac surgery at Wockhardt Hospitals Mulund-Now a network of Fortis~

A team of cardiac experts led by Dr. Ajay Chaughule, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals Mulund( Now a Network of Fortis Hospitals) performed a major tricuspid valve repair on 32 year old Martin from Republic of Rwanda.

Martin was suffering from breathlessness, swelling on face, extremities and abdomen since last 4 -5 years. Martin had history of Rheumatic fever at the age of 8yr. Doctors in Rwanda diagnosed as having Rheumatic fever and treated him with Injection -penicillin for several years (from age of 9 yrs to age of 15 yrs). However nothing gave relief to Martin of his fever. Soon Martin realized this was not getting him anywhere and he failed to receive the right kind of treatment he decided to venture out to the neighbouring countries in search of treatment. He went to Tanzania, Uganda showed to expert doctor, but there as well no one was able to give a proper diagnosis to his problem. They concluded that Martin was suffering from poor liver function and put him on medication. As a last hope Martin went to Nairobi (Kenya) where investigation revealed that he was suffering from Valvular heart diseases and was advised to undergo Valve Surgery.

“Martin had a very a rare and uncommon valve defect which is called the Rheumatic Isolated Predominant Tricuspid Stenosis of Heart" and required to undergo a valve repair surgery. The heart has four valves – Mitral, Aortic, Pulmonary and Tricuspid. In most common cases the mitral, aortic valves gets affected as the primary pathology and the patient needs to undergo a valve repair or replacement procedure. Tricuspid valve getting affected as isolated one is very rare. In Martin’s case this valve had defect and he needed immediate surgery to correct the problem” said Dr. Ajay Chaughule, Cardio-Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon.

Due to the defect in the Tricuspid wall his heart had formed thrombus or cloth which was of 6 cm in size on the right atrium for which the blood flow was restricted and the thickness of the right atrium became 3 cm whereas in normal condition the size is about 2 -3 mm. His heart condition led to many other issues in his system like his liver had enlarged up to the umbilicus and liver function was deranged. He had severe carditus (inflammation of the heart) which led to adhesion of his heart which means his heart was stuck to the surrounding tissue.

“The Echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis Tricuspid valve stenosis with osifice of 0.8cm normal being 5.8cm. Then we decided to go ahead with immediate surgery as his condition was deteriorating.”

“I had to travel from one place to another in search of the right kind of treatment for my problem. With years my condition worsened and it restricted my physical mobility as I was suffering from severe fatigue and breathlessness at slightest physical activity I used to conduct. My physical ill-health perturbed me to quite an extent and I used to feel terrible when all my friends of my age led a healthy life and could do anything they wanted” said Martin.
“But once my diagnosis was confirmed in Kenya I made up my mind to go ahead with the surgery as I definitely craved for a healthy life.

However the treatment cost there was too high and there were no expert cardiac surgeon available in Kenya. That’s when my elder brother who is a film director came to know from his colleague about treatment option available in India and the expertise at Wockhardt Hospitals Mulund in the cardiac space and he referred us to fly down to India for my surgery. This experience had given me a new meaning to life and I am extremely happy and consider my self to be fortunate enough to have received such marvelous treatment here. Dr. Ajay Chaugle has almost given me a new life and I would definitely like to make the most of it now. I thank Doctor and Wockhardt Hospitals for the phenomenal treatment offered to me” said Martin.

2 year old Nigerian baby with complex heart deformity undergoes Surgery without blood transfusion

2010-01-04T00:02:00.000-08:00

A team of cardiac experts led by Dr. N S Devananda, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore (now a Fortis Hospitals Network ) has performed a major open heart surgery on a 2 year old baby from Nigeria. Baby Brendan was suffering from congenital heart defect called – Tetralogy of Fallot or complex blue baby syndrome.

“Baby Brendan was brought to us in a condition which was complicated and need surgical intervention to correct the anomaly. In this syndrome the pure and impure blood gets mixed in the heart and the amount of blood flow to the lungs is decreased. It is the most common complex heart defect, representing 55-70%, and the most common cause of blue baby syndrome. It can prove fatal if it is not treated in time,” said Dr. N S Devananda, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals.

The other bigger challenge which came before the surgery was the fact that the baby’s parents belonged to the Jehovah Witness community and as per their religious belief they oppose to any form of transfusion of blood and any blood products however they could accept other from of treatment. This made the case all the more complicated.

“Babies with Tetrology of Fallout have two treatment options – the first is palliative where no open heart surgery is done and the defect is treated with shunt operation. The second is complete repair – which is definitive treatment where the patient undergoes an open heart surgery with a heart lung machine. In the case of Baby Brendan we obviously chose the second option due to its curative value. But the problem we faced was that the heart lung machine requires 500 ml of blood by itself to drive away the air and still haemoglobin at acceptable level. The challenge was with the baby weighed only 11 kgs and his blood volume was 800 – 900 ml and to conduct an open heart proved difficult without additional usage of blood” said Dr. Devananda.

The team devised many things technically to make operative time shorter and do the best possible ways so that re-operation or re-exploration can be avoided and the ICU stay is reduced. The heart lung machine circuit was modified in such a way that total priming volume was reduced to the least possible; the haemo-filteration technique was used in such a way that excess water from the body is removed and it gives back the RBC’s to the body. We also had to reduce the sampling to the least possible for various tests.

“We did everything technically possible to reduce the requirement of blood. With all these modifications the baby underwent the open heart surgery and was out of ICU within 24 hours and is flying back to his native on the 7th post operative day. In an era where a lot of talking is happening around blood transfusion and adults have been undergoing surgery without blood transfusion, the same thing on a child is quite complicated. However with technical modification and surgical skills it is definitely possible and should be encouraged so that no child from the community remains untreated” said Dr. Devananda.

Brendan can live an active life like any other child of his age as this is a one time complete correction and his post op ECHO is satisfactory.

Brendan’s mother Ettieh’s faith in Jehovah has strengthened after this incident. She says, “Everybody should give proper attention to their child and keep monitoring the health of the baby time and again. Till one year when Brendan was not keeping too well and was not gaining weight we got very concerned and kept taking to the local physicians in Nigeria. However nobody could give us a proper answer to his continuous ill health until last year August, 09 Brendan complained of breathlessness and pain on his left chest.

A thorough examination indicated that my baby has some heart complication which needed to be treated immediately. Being a member of the Jehovah Witness community our challenge was to take Brendan to the right hands where surgery was possible without using blood transfusion. That’s when one of our friends at Nigeria who knew about Wockhardt Hospitals and their expertise in performing surgery without blood transfusion suggested us and we finally decided to fly Brendan down here for treatment. Initially when we decided to come to India for treatment I was engulfed with mixed feelings, but with the kind of care and response we received here I was quite confident that I have brought my baby to the right place.”

Wockhardt Hospitals in key geographies transits into Fortis Hospitals

2009-12-24T01:43:00.000-08:00

The transition of Wockhardt Hospitals in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata to Fortis Healthcare network is the largest merger in the Indian healthcare delivery sector. With this transition the new entity named as Fortis Hospitals headed by Mr. Vishal Bali is all set to add significant scale and look at consolidation in the Indian healthcare space.

Addressing a press conference today Mr. Vishal Bali, Chief Executive Officer, Fortis Hospitals Group said “The transaction of the 10 Wockhardt Hospitals into the Fortis Healthcare network has been completed and these hospitals will now be rechristened as Fortis Hospitals. This deal is a landmark in the Indian Healthcare sector and the transition has been accomplished seamlessly”

With the addition of 10 hospitals of Wockhardt, Fortis Healthcare scales up its presence to a network of 39 hospitals and bed capacity from 3278 to 5180. It now extends its reach to 12 cities across the country and adds to its kitty 2 internationally accredited hospitals (Joint Commission International – JCI accreditation) located in Bangalore and Mumbai besides its own one in Mohali. The Fortis network has been strengthened by 3000 people including a team of accomplished clinicians and 15 member senior management team.

With this merger the Fortis Healthcare Network gets further strengthened to provide patient care in super specialty areas of Cardiac care, Neuro Sciences, Orthopedics, Minimal Access Surgery, Renal Sciences and Liver Transplants.

Talking about the growth plans for Fortis Hospitals in Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata Mr. Bali said, “We are looking at significant capacity additions in these three cities which will get completed in 2010”.

Fortis Hospitals will scale up its presence in Bangalore with the upcoming 120 bedded tertiary facility in Peenya which is likely to be commissioned by July 2010. The group has also opened a super specialty out-patient medical centre in Marathalli giving it a much needed foothold in East Bangalore. A hospital in East Bangalore is also being planned.

Mr. Bali also spoke about the significant growth in the Mumbai market with an addition of 300 beds which will happen in two phases. The first phase will see a capacity addition of 150 beds by December 2010. A full-fledged Oncology centre would be part of the phase 1 of the expansion. Apart from this, 2 super specialty out-patient clinics in Mumbai are also on the anvil.

Mr. Bali also spoke about consolidating the Eastern market with the launch of a 414 bedded Super specialty Hospital in Kolkata which will be commissioned in June 2010. With a network of 2 hospitals and 1 day care surgery centre Fortis Hospitals will become a major healthcare provider in Eastern India.

Strengthening India as a Healthcare Hub Fortis Hospitals will front end Tertiary Hospitals across key cities to the Medical value traveler from across the globe. The combined might of the new entity would enable Fortis to consolidate its position in the Medical value travel space. With Delhi, Bangalore, and the Mumbai facilities being front ended a wider choice would be offered to overseas patients across geographies.

“We have made significant progress in our International patient volumes particularly from the developed world. Our current international patient volume is growing by 35% and a major component of this growth is from the US. We have clearly established India as a key destination for the global medical value traveler” said Mr. Vishal Bali.

About Fortis Healthcare Limited

Fortis Healthcare Limited was incorporated in the year 1996 with its first hospital commencing in 2001 at Mohali. It was founded on the vision of creating an integrated healthcare delivery system. Headquartered in New Delhi, Fortis which acquired Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre Limited in September 2005, has operations in Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Faridabad, Jaipur, Kolkatta. Kota, Mauritius, Mohali, Noida,New Delhi, Raipur and Mumbai. With the recent additions of four hospitals in Mauritius, Bangalore, Kota and S.L. Raheja in Mumbai and ten Wockhardt hospitals Fortis is now a network of 39 hospitals with the capacity to increase inpatient beds to 5180 beds. These hospitals include multi specialty hospitals, as well as super-specialty centres providing tertiary and quaternary healthcare to patients in areas such as cardiac care, orthopedics, neurosciences, oncology, renal care, gastroenterology and mother and child care. The hospitals that Fortis operates include a “boutique” hospital for women - Fortis La Femme, its first foray into women’s health and maternity care.

Fortis Hospitals consists of 10 hospitals located in Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata out of which 8 are fully functional and 2 are upcoming projects. The hospital focuses on high end tertiary care around the specialties of cardiac care – adult and pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, neuro sciences, minimal access surgery and woman care. The entity consists of 2 JCI accredited hospitals located in Bangalore and Mumbai.

27 year old software engineer survives a massive cardiac arrest

2009-12-23T23:12:00.000-08:00

In an extra ordinary medical feat Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore – "A Network Hospital of Fortis, has set yet another benchmark in the history of medical science by performing a very complicated cardiac surgery on a 27 year old who suffered a massive heart attack.

Rupesh Mathur, a 27 year old engineer hailing from Bihar, complained of breathing difficulty and chest pain on 15th of November 2009 while on his way back home. As the pain increased his friends took him to a city hospital where he was diagnosed with heart attack and was initially treated with clot dissolving medicines. His family later shifted him to Wockhardt Hospitals.

“An angiogram showed severe blockage in 3 arteries. His heart was severely damaged and weakened. His life was in danger. We had to put him on an Intra-Aortic- Balloon-Pump (IABP), but he still had breathing difficulty. So he was put on a ventilator and special medication to stop clots from forming again. Surgery was the only option to save his life as his chances for survival was minimal even after surgery”, said Dr. N S Devananda, Cardiac Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore – A Network of Fortis.

“It was a big decision for his family to make him undergo surgery with less than 5% chance of survival. But his parents decided to go ahead” he added.

Rupesh underwent bypass surgery with the assistance of heart and lung machine to maintain blood circulation. Post the surgery his heart was extremely weak (Pulmonary Adema) and was not coping and he was on the verge of death, hence the doctors could not take him off the heart and lung machine.

Later the doctors decided to place him on an extra carboniam membrane operation (ECMO) and he was shifted to the ICU for 24 hours. ECMO treatment provides oxygenation until the patients lung function has sufficiently recovered to maintain appropriate O2 saturation.

It is often a last resort. Rupesh’s lungs had weakened due to poor circulation of oxygen. Keeping him on ECMO was a major challenge as his chest had to be open and his blood needed to be thin, which lead to bleeding. After 24 hours doctors tried to take him off the bypass however they were forced to put him back on circulatory support after just 45 minutes as his heart could not cope. The situation was extremely grim and doctors had left with two options 1) to keep him on life support system for further 24 hours and hope that his heart strengthens 2) A heart transplant, which was next to impossible to get a donor heart on such short notice.

On 22nd of November 2009 Rupesh was taken off circulatory system for 4 hours with his chest still open, but his heart was still too weak. Doctors put him back on circulatory support for another 12 hours after which his heart started strengthening and he was removed from the machine. 4 days later he was removed from the IABB and 9 days later he was taken off the ventilator. His heart recovered well and was discharged after 2 weeks.

Dr. Devananda said “I have never come across such a difficult case in my entire career. This is miracle, where a patient who was on mechanical life support for survival for so long recovering to live a normal life. This is truly a victory for modern technology and the never say die attitude of this 27 year old”.

These days’ young people are not immune to heart diseases and when it happens in younger people it is sudden, severe and caused more damage to the heart. Of late there is an alarming increase in the number of youngsters with heart diseases.

Young Philippino who never had a hip socket since birth undergoes revision hip replacement surgery

2009-12-23T22:18:00.000-08:00

Orthopedic team led by Dr. Kaushal Malhan, Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals,Mulund,Mumbai performed a revision hip replacement surgery on a 29 year old girl from Philippines.

29 year old Elvira was suffering from a congenital birth defect wherein her hip bone had not developed and her hip had no cup since birth. At the age of 21 she had her first hip replacement surgery in Philippines. However the surgery was not a successful one and after a month of her operation she had to undergo a second surgery on the same hip. The second surgery was also not a success and Alvira’s left leg was shortened nearly by 6 cms due to dislocation of her hip joint. Since then she continued to be in pain and had difficulty in walking and performing all the simple day to day chores. Her physical condition restricted her life to a great extent and she lived a compromised life without being able to enjoy the pleasures that one enjoyed at her age. This left Elvira in pain, frustrated, mentally depressed and she decided to sit back home and not interact with any one, for over 3 yrs.

To distract herself and get out of her agony Elvira decided to go for her graduation in 2005 and completed Pharmacy graduation in 2009. Meanwhile destiny gave her a second chance, having suffered for so long Elvira mustered the courage to rectify her problem and decided to come down to India and get operated upon her hip once again.

“Elvira’s problem was a complicated one as she had already undergone hip replacement before and both those operations were failures. The surgeries had damaged Elvira’s bone and now we had to be very careful while performing the revision replacement surgery so as to not damage her bones any further”, said Dr. Kaushal Malhan.

“Her surgery involved removing the previous cemented Hip Replacement, and implanting new specialized components after having reconstructed the bone socket, which was had never developed since child hood. We needed to make up for the loss of bone that occurred due to lack of development and damage in the previous 2 failed operations” he added.

The length of her shortened leg was also corrected and made equal. The implants used have been put in a manner that allows her to sit on the floor without the risk of dislocation, as is seen in conventional Total Hip Replacement (THR) surgery. Elvira is very comfortable post surgery and has already started sitting properly in a manner which she has not been able to do for years. Her pain is completely reduced and now she is hoping to study further to become a doctor.

“My parents consulted a Pediatric doctor at Philippines to sort my problem but we could never get the right direction and the Doctors were not able to offer any solution as mine was a birth defect. Since then I had a compromised gait and could not do all those regular activities which a child of my age used to. When both my surgeries failed I almost lost all hopes and the thought of living a challenged life devastated by morale. But like the saying goes every cloud has a silver lining! I too saw some hope after 8 years. My fiancé read about total hip replacement surgery in a magazine and we got curious and searched on the internet to know more about it. That’s when we read about the credentials of joint replacement surgeries at Wockhardt Hospitals and expertise of various joint replacement surgeons including Dr. Kaushal Malhan who has done some interesting and compelling replacement surgeries. Hence we contacted Wockhardt Hospitals and once everything was finalized we decided to fly down to India for my surgery” said Elvira.

“I no longer have to limp, I am no more in pain and most importantly I can now do everything I had dreamt of doing all these years. This has given a new meaning to my life and I would like to make the most of it now without losing a single opportunity!! All I want to say is there is a solution to every problem, only thing is we need to hunt out for the opportunity and everything else falls in place”, says Elvira with a comforting smile on her face.

Public Forum on Causes ,Prevention and Treatement of Knee and Hip pain

2009-12-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

Rare and complicated spinal deformity correction surgery gives 14 year old Shah Rukh Khan a new Life

2009-12-09T23:31:00.000-08:00

Doctors at Wockhardt Hospitals led by Dr. K N Krishna, Senior Consultant in the Brain and Spine service successfully performed a rare and complicated spinal deformity correction surgery to save a 14 year old from leading a complete disabled life. Shah Rukh Khan a 9th standard student was suffering from Neurofibromatosis (an autosomal dominant disorder that affects the bone, the nervous system, soft tissue, and the skin) with a severe spinal deformity. There have been only a few cases reported the world over on surgical treatment for a rotational dislocation of the spine in neurofibromatosis.

Shah Rukh Khan who hails from Malur was suffering from Neurofibromatosis since birth however his condition had progression over the years and it was only in the last four months that it manifested in severe deformity leaving him in extreme pain and on the brink of paralysis. His spine was grossly dislocated and twisted putting pressure on the spinal cord. It was at an advanced stage that the child was brought to Wockhardt Hospitals, Bannerghatta for treatment where he was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis and a dislocated spine necessitating immediate surgery to prevent him from further deterioration of his condition.

“In India, unlike western countries, spinal deformity in Neurofibromatosis tends to go undiagnosed due to lack of awareness and also very few hospitals have the infrastructure and expertise to treat this condition. In most cases patients advance to a stage where the spinal deformity can become severe, spinal cord damage can become irreparable and correction very dangerous” said Dr Dilip Gopalakrishnan, Consultant Spine Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals.

The complex surgery involved spinal decompression, stabilization of the deformity and fusion of the spine thus restoring the function of the spinal cord and protecting it from further damage. Shahruk Khan is now able to stand on his feet unassisted with relatively no pain and will soon be discharged.

“Shahruk Khan’s case required considerable study and preparation as there is so little documentation on the surgery at this stage of Neurofibromatosis. A high level of expertise is needed to perform this surgery” said Dr. K N Krishna, Consultant Neuro Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals.

“According to international studies, type 1 neurofibromatosis occurs in approximately 1 of 2,500-3,300 live births, regardless of race, sex, or ethnic background. The carrier incidence at birth is 0.0004, and the gene frequency is 0.0002. The incidence of type 2 neurofibromatosis is 1 case per 50,000-120,000 population” Dr. Krishna added.

Spending his free time in the hospital reading a story book, the much animated Shahruk shares with us about his desire to get back to school soon in the coming year and when asked on which profession he would like to pursue Shahruk promptly replies that he would become a businessman!

Shahruk lost his father when he was 9, due to financial constraints he stays with his aunt in Andhra and his mother lives with grandfather in Malur. Being the only child Shahruk has an aspiration to do something great in life and give his mother all the happiness she deserves. This incident has not dampened the child’s spirit to live life again. At 14 he has victoriously come out of the battle of life and death and with a smile says I would start going to school again from this January.

While the cost of the surgery amounts to Rs 2.5 lakh, the hospital did not charge them much, except for consumable medicines. Shahrukh's family managed to borrow Rs 70,000 for his surgery and further treatment.

About Neurofibromatosis:

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is an autosomal (Pertaining to a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome) dominant disorder that affects the bone, the nervous system, soft tissue, and the skin. It is a neurocutaneous (genetic disorders that lead to abnormal growth of tumors in various parts of the body) condition that can involve almost any organ hence the signs and symptoms can vary widely. There are two major subtypes type 1 neurofibromatosis, which is the most common subtype and is referred to as peripheral neurofibromatosis, and type 2 neurofibromatosis, which is referred to as central neurofibromatosis.

The severity of both types of neurofibromatosis varies greatly. In families where more than one person has NF, the symptoms and complications for each affected person can be different. At diagnosis, it isn't possible to know right away whether a case will be mild or lead to severe complications. Both types of neurofibromatosis are a dominant genetic disorder, which means an affected person has 50% chance of passing it on with each pregnancy. Neurofibromatosis also can be the result of a spontaneous change (mutation) in the genetic material of the sperm or egg at conception in families with no previous history of NF. About half of cases are inherited, and the other half are due to spontaneous genetic mutation

68 year old Gets a New Lease of Life at Wockhardt Hospitals

2009-11-21T01:57:00.000-08:00

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.

“On opening the chest the lung was found to be completely compressed by a thick layer of blood clot. On removal of the blood clot the lung was still not expanding and hence it had to be removed. Subsequently the Aorta was repaired using a left heart bypass where part of the blood is drained from the heart and pumped to the lower body using a heart lung machine in order to supply blood to the lower body while the aorta is repaired.” said Dr. Ganeshakrishnan Iyer.

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.

“Generally most cases of Aortic Dissection are associated with hypertension (High BP); about 80% of cases occur in patients with a history of High Blood Pressure. According to studies the occurrence of Type B Dissection of the Aorta is about 2.7% to 3.5 % per 100,000 patient-years. The condition is more common in men than women at about 5:1 ratio. Most incidents occur between 60 to 70 years. In women less than 40 years of age 50% of cases occur during pregnancy,” Dr. Iyer added.

The Aorta is the main artery that carries blood to the body. It is made up of three layers, the intima, the media, and the adventitia. During Aortic Dissection the blood penetrates the intima and enters the media layer creating a false lumen (abnormal channel of blood within the wall of the involved artery). Aortic Dissection is caused by tear in the wall of the aorta (between the intima and the media layers).

Aortic Dissection can be classified as type A and B based on the involvement of the ascending aorta or the descending aorta respectively. This condition is extremely serious and there is a high fatality rate even with immediate emergency treatment. If the tear in the aorta goes through all three layers then there is rapid blood loss resulting in 80% mortality. A high percentage of patients die before reaching the Hospital.

Type B Dissection of the Aorta accounts for 40% of all Aortic Dissection and its occurrence is more frequent in the mornings between 6 to 10 am and in the winter season.

Treatment

Aggressive blood pressure control should be initiated immediately. The treatment is targeted to reduce aortic pressure and pulsatile flow.

Type B Dissection is managed initially with aggressive drug therapy. Indications for surgical treatment of type B dissections are aortic rupture (as in the case of Sampangi); severe intractable pain; mesenteric, renal, or limb ischemia; and progression of the dissection. Some of the methods used are

• Replacement of the damaged section with a tube graft
• Insertion of a stent, combined with on-going medical management

About Wockhardt Hospitals Cardiac Care:

A center for excellence in interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Surgeries in the country, it has to its name a history of path-breaking procedures, be it the first-ever Conscious Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery and Awake Heart Surgery in India. Collectively Wockhardt group hospitals have now have tremendous experience of performing over 40000 Cardiac Surgeries and 75000 interventional cardiology procedures since its inception. The Institute is a preferred destination for adult and pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgeries. The hospital provides treatment on the entire gamut of cardiac diseases from newborn to adolescent. Dedicated operating rooms and post-operative ICUs with state-of-the-art equipment and experienced staff round the clock are provided to continue excellent care.

For enquiries or consultations with our cardiac specialists,please email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

91 year old back on his feet after a successful bilateral knee replacement surgery

2009-11-20T21:37:00.000-08:00

Mr Madhukar seen above with Dr Kaushal Malhan

It’s never too late for a new beginning....

For Mr Madhukar nothing is more apt than these words.

Wockhardt Hospitals,Mumbai,Mulund has successfully performed a bilateral total knee replacement surgery in a single sitting on a 91 year old man from Mulund.In the process “Wockhardt Hospitals puts 91 year old Mr. Madhukar Nimdeo back on his feet after a successful bilateral knee replacement surgery”

Dr. Kaushal Malhan, Knee & Hip Replacement Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals performed the surgery on 91 year old Mr. Madhukar Nimdeo who was suffering from end-stage knee arthritis with minimal blood loss with a combination of advanced muscle sparing surgical exposure, specialized mix of navigation techniques and better patient-specific implants.

Mr. Nimdeo a retired central government employee who loves traveling and has always led an active life was suffering from knee pain for the last 8 years. Due the extreme deformity in both the knees caused by arthritis Mr. Nimdeo had to restrict his physical activities. However this couldn’t curb him from exploring adventurous sport for too long. While on his visit to New Zealand five years back he participated in bungee jumping despite his knee condition and recorded as the oldest member in New Zealand to participate in bungee jumping. But once he returned to India his condition worsened. Upon consultation with Dr. Kaushal Malhan he decided to go ahead with total knee replacement of both his knees.

“The results of the surgery are extremely encouraging and it proves that Tissue Preserving Total Knee Replacement Surgery offers good results even for very aged patients because of minimal tissue damage around the operating site. We have almost stopped the use of blood transfusions for knee replacement surgeries, even for patients who have been operated on both knees in one sitting.” said Dr. Kaushal Malhan.

Since the surgery involved minimal damage to the surrounding tissues, post operation, the nonagenarian was able to walk the same day of his surgery and also participated cheerfully in the hospital’s sporting activities held on the occasion of World Arthritis Day recently.

The Tissue Preserving Total Knee Replacement surgery goes beyond the general scope of conventional TKR surgeries that involve cutting through the quadriceps muscle during the surgery. Conventional Total Knee Replacement surgery causes trauma to the surrounding tissues that result in painful, long, recuperation periods. The patient would typically need walking aids for three to six weeks for the tissues to heal. However, in the case of Tissue Preserving TKR, the procedure involves just flipping across the muscles to reach the bone.

The specialised technique perfected by Dr Kaushal Malhan allows the advantage of satisfactory surgical exposure in all patients including the very obese with easy implantation of standard implants with standard instrumentation. Lesser tissue damage means less pain and earlier recovery.

Tissue Preserving TKR surgery aims to reduce the collateral damage which has always been part of this operation. It combines a muscle sparing exposure (which does not damage the quadriceps muscle- the front main thigh muscle) with computer assisted alignment so as to reduce the need for ligament release and appropriate implants which sacrifice less normal bone. This technique offers, among others, the ability to bend the knee almost immediately after the operation, and walk without aids much faster than conventional TKR procedures. Above all, there is no danger of any complication because there is no blood loss.

Advantages of Tissue Preserving Total Knee Replacement Surgery

On the whole, there is less soft tissue damage and if combined with appropriate implants, one can reduce the amount of bone sacrificed during operation.
Less post surgery pain
Less bleeding and no need for blood transfusions.
Faster return of knee function – muscle strength and control comes back more quickly – allows faster rehabilitation. Patients can walk on day 1 after surgery.
Shorter hospital stay
Less soft tissue damage and a better result
Early return of knee motion
After surgery recovery time is less than one third of that with conventional TKR technique.

“My painful knees were quite discouraging for me in these 8 years as I had to restrict my physical activity and mobility was also compromised to a large extent. After attending a session on tissue sparing knee replacement by Dr. Kaushal Malhan, I made up my mind to undergo surgery of both the knees and I could see the benefits from day one of my surgery. I could bend my knee on the first post operative day and with a regular physiotherapy regime I am now completely back to what I was 20 years back!” said Mr. Nimdeo.

For consultations and inquiries with Doctor Malhan,please email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Trans Nasal Surgery Used to Remove a Woman's Tumor

2009-11-18T22:28:00.000-08:00

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

Wockhardt Hospitals Bangalore Celebrates Children's Day

2009-11-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

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."

To contact our pediatric department pls write to us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

source:DNA

DR Harinarayan Conferred "Fellow of Academy of Medical Sciences (FAMS)" For Metabolic Bone Disease

2009-11-17T22:26:00.000-08:00

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.

For appointments please click here or email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

World Epilepsy Day: Beware of Unwashed Vegetables

2009-11-17T02:31:00.000-08:00

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.

Neurocysticercosis is caused by ingestion of undercooked food, such as pork or vegetables grown in fecally-contaminated water or near sewage tanks. "People don't wash vegetables or sometimes eat undercooked pork. Tapeworm eggs that could be present in these items get injested into the body and find their way to the brain,'' said Dr Praveena Shah, who runs the city's E-Cell and is attached to Wockhardt Hospital in Mulund.

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.

source: times of india

Diabetes and Heart Disease:How Diabetes can affect your Heart

2009-11-16T23:55:00.000-08:00

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.

Facts on Diabetes

• A Diabetic patent is twice as likely of having heart disease or stroke as compared to a normal person.

• Diabetic patent tend to develop heart disease and stroke at a younger age than people without diabetics.

• People with diabetics are more likely to have a second heart attack as compared to healthy people.

• Women with diabetes are at a much higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke than men.

• Heart attacks in diabetic patents are generally more serious and complex and are more likely to be fatal.

• Diabetic patients are far more difficult to treat as high blood sugar levels slows down the natural healing process of the human body.

Precautions to avoid being a Diabetic

• 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.

• Stick to a healthy diet: plan your diet with your doctor and stick to it. Diabetics require a diet that provides the necessary calories, fiber and protein. Care should be taken to avoid the intake of sugar, saturated fats and food with high cholesterol.

• Regular Exercise: follow a program that optimizes your physical activity, follow exercise routines and walk at least 45 minutes a day (consult your doctor before starting any exercise routine)

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

Diabetes is a disease that patients can learn to live with and still lead very productive lives. Regular health checkups, healthy diet, Exercise and medication can keep diabetes well under control. Advancements in medical science has thrown up a number of new drugs that are very effective, however a large part to controlling diabetes lies with the individual leading a healthy lifestyle.

Arthroscopic Surgery with Coblation Technology:Nature-friendly surgery for joint & muscle problems

2009-11-04T03:48:00.000-08:00

Shoulder Pain :Symptoms,Diagnosis and Treatements

Nature-Friendly Surgery for Joint & Muscle pain

2009-11-04T02:26:00.000-08:00

“Shoulder arthroscopic surgery with coblation restores the confidence in active home-maker Rina Gupta and brings her back quickly to regular routine”

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.

Wockhardt Hospitals helps Chandrakant Kothere walk tall again

2009-10-30T04:58:00.000-07:00

Chandrakanth Kothere with Dr Sachin Bhonsle

Mrs Shobha Kothere and Chandrakanth Kothere

After years of bowing down to fate, Wockhardt Hospitals helped Chandrakant Kothere walk tall again .Proving its medical one-upmanship yet again Wockhardt Hospitals performed a complicated bone deformity correction with limb lengthening surgery on 42 year old Chandrakant Kothere who was living a crippled live after a traumatic accident three years back. The Orthopedic team at Wockhardt Hospitals,Mumbai led by Dr. Sachin Bhonsle has finally made Chandrakant’s dream come true relieving him of his three year long trauma and help him walk again.

Chandrakant Kothere was 39 years old when he suffered multiple compound fractures on his right tibia, extensive soft tissue damage and skin loss following a road accident. He was advised immediate amputation of his leg in a city hospital where he had undergone initial treatment. Since he was determined not to compromise his life at such an young age, this Hindustan Petroleum employee chose to get the fractures of the leg stabilized.

The doctors in the city hospital went ahead to treat him with stabilization of the bones and subsequent plastic surgery procedures to provide a skin cover. But in a few months following the treatment, the condition worsened as the site of infection on the leg had not healed. The fracture on the leg remained un-united. Unable to bear his body weight, the broken leg bowed in disproportion and he became shortened by almost three inches on one side. The writhing pain was only worsening with time, it was almost impossible for him to walk without a pronounced limp. Having exhausted other avenues, the patient visited Wockhardt Hospital for a consultation in January this year.

According to Dr. Sachin Bhonsle, Consultant Joint Replacement and Orthopaedic Surgeon Wockhardt Hospitals, who treated Chandrakant said “Since the earlier surgery had failed the chances of failure of corrective procedures, was increased by 20 percent. So, ascertaining the nature of injuries and the inherent risk factors that would be involved in the treatment, we were confronted with three challenges

• The three year old fractures had to be healed,
• The leg had to be straightened out, and
• The leg length had to be matched to prevent the patient from limping.

All this had to be done without disturbing the microvascular skin graft in position. “And if, by chance, the corrective surgeries also failed then amputation would have been the last option. It actually took us some time to think over the treatment plan and make up our mind to go ahead,” recalls Dr. Bhonsle.

The surgery was performed in two stages. The first stage was to clear all the infected and un-united bone at fracture site; align the leg and fix the bone fragments using a ring shaped Ilizarov External Fixator. A further cut was made in the top bone fragment so that the middle bone segment could be moved to take up the left over defect to correct the leg length.

In three months following the first surgery, the middle bone segment was moved downwards -- 1mm a day to achieve complete continuity. At this stage the second surgery was performed to slip a special titanium plate from under the skin to fix all three bone fragments together to achieve a solid union. Bone grafting was done at this stage. It took further two months for these bones to heal fully and the patient finally got a straight leg with normal leg length.

“Last three years has been quite painful as I had to lead a crippled life and was under huge trauma and fear of amputation of my affected limb. Due to my condition I was unable to resume work and it became a huge liability on my family. For a last opinion I decided to visit Wockhardt Hospitals where I consulted Dr. Sachin Bhonsle and that’s when I had a ray of hope to stand back on my feet. My utmost gratitude to Dr. Bhonsle and the team at Wockhardt Hospitals for whom I am able to stand in front of you all and have a motivation to lead a healthy life ahead”, said Mr. Chandrakant Kothere.

About Wockhardt Hospitals Bone & Joint Centre:

The Wockhardt Bone and Joint Care is equipped to treat all types of musculo-skeletal problems ranging from Trauma Surgery to Minimally Invasive Arthroscopy Surgery. The hospital also specilalises in surgery for joint replacements, sports medicine, ligament repair, knee surgery, spine surgery and physical therapy for rehabilitation. Procedures performed at Wockhardt Hospitals Bone & Joint Centres are

• Arthroscopic surgery: Key hole surgery for disorders of knee and shoulder
• Minimal Access Spine surgery
• Hip Resurfacing
• Paediatric Bone & Joint Surgeries
• Fracture Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Speciality Clinic for Arthritis
• Trauma & Pain Management
• Osteoporosis
• Lifestyle Modification Programme (Rehabilitation)
• Patient Education Programme
• Total Knee Replacement
• Unicondylar Knee Replacement
• Total Hip Replacement
• Hip Resurfacing / Surface Replacement Arthroplasty
• Shoulder Replacement
• Neck & Elbow Replacement

CME on Upper Limb Arthroscopy,Hip and Knee Replacement on 24th October

2009-10-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

CME on Upper Limb Arthroscopic Surgery,Hip and Knee Replacement

View more documents from Sumit Roy.

Date: October 24th ,2009
7.45 pm onwards

Venue

Hotel Atria

1,Palace Road

Followed by fellowship and Dinner

Call Farooq 98455 26242
Sunil: 9845526242

Portal HyperTension and Patient Selection

2009-10-23T05:20:00.000-07:00

Portal Hypertension

View more presentations from Sumit Roy.

Portal hypertension is an increase in the blood pressure within a system of veins called the portal venous system. Normally, the veins come from the stomach, intestine, spleen and pancreas, merge into the portal vein, which then branches into smaller vessels and travels through the liver. If the vessels in the liver are blocked, it is hard for the blood to flow causing high pressure in the portal system.

Patients with portal hypertenson may undergo EGD to rule out esophageal varices, and perhaps correct them at the same time with banding or sclerotherapy. Acute or severe complications may be treated with intravenous octreotide or terlipressin (an antidiuretic hormone analogue) to decrease the portal pressure. Octreotide inhibits the release of vasodilator hormones such as glucagon, indirectly causing splanchnic vasoconstriction and decreased flow into the portal system.

Liver transplant is the most definitive treatment of portal hypertension and cirrhosis.

Management and Patient Selection for Liver Metastatis

2009-10-23T01:21:00.000-07:00

Management Of Liver M E T A S T A S I S Patient Selection

View more presentations from Sumit Roy.

Wellness Tips For The Spine

2009-10-21T04:51:00.001-07:00

For those of us who spends a large time at our workplace sitting on a chair and working on the computer tend to forget about our sitting position.How you sit on your desk affects the spine. A posture that keeps your spine in its position can prevent you from backaches and other spinal problems.

Adjust your chair at the proper height : Tall people tend to slump towards the desk and short people tend to slump forwards.. Keep your feet flat on the floor and keep your knee at a 90 degree angle.

Take frequent breaks and stretch yourself .Do not work more than 2 hours on your desk without taking a break.

Avoid leaning too much towards your desk. Keep your computer at the right angle so as to avoid straining forward or backward.

Good Posture:Sit with your back firmly supported on the back of the chair.The basis for good posture is maintaining a "neutral spine."

Having good posture eases a lot of stress on the spine and promotes a healthy spine. There are several ways to change your posture. One is by standing up straight and the other is by sitting up straight.

Rheumatoid Arthritis : No Longer a Diseases of the Old

2009-10-15T00:45:00.000-07:00

If you are a young urban professional spending more than 10 hours of your working away at climbing up the corporate ladder and also fighting to keep your job, you should know that all time which you think you are spending to make your life more meaningful might have different repercussion to your health.

Today various Work-related upper limb pain is becoming more and more common in Indian cities,specially the metros and among IT professionals.

The problem may be ascribed to a number of reasons such as bad sitting posture and the viewing of the computer screen from various awkward angles, not taking enough breaks from work,sedentary lifestyles, not paying attention to view the computer at the right anglesf and incorrect head and neck posture leads to upper limb pain frequently.

It begins with pain in the hands and the neck, and there is a high prevalence of such complaints in the IT city.

"Arthritis has long been ignored, as people do not think it is life threatening," says rheumatologist Ramesh Jois from Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore

"It is very important for the doctor to be able to diagnose the disease firstly and, secondly, get it treated immediately," says Jois.

However newer research has given people suffering from arthritis hope.

"There is great chance of getting the disease within control if early intervention is sought . This can prevent permanent disabilities," says Jois.

However what is increasingly becoming more and more apparent that the younger people too are slowly falling prey to Arthritis.There is a myth that only old people suffer from the disease.

"Anybody can suffer from Arthtritis, from the middle-aged to the very young," says Jois. "Westernised lifestyle, obesity, change in lifestyle, not leading a physically active life, using the computer for most of the time , without using the correct posture all lead to different types of this disease including Arthritis.

Patient interest groups are being formed that will be endorsed by the medical fraternity. "Arthritis is a chronic disease and people are in this for the long term," he says. "It is more important to know what people think."

To contact our Arthritis Specialist email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

October 15th is Global Handwashing Day

2009-10-14T00:09:00.000-07:00

An easy way to prevent infection :Hand washing is a simple habit that can help keep you healthy. Learn the benefits of good hand hygiene, when to wash your hands and how to clean them properly.

Hand washing is a simple habit, something most people do without thinking. Yet hand washing, when done properly, is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick. This simple habit requires only soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — a cleanser that doesn't require water. Do you know the benefits of good hand hygiene and when and how to wash your hands properly?

The annual observance was launched in 2008 as an initiative of the Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap. It is endorsed by a wide array of governments, international institutions, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, private companies and individuals.

Change in handwashing behavior is critical to meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths among children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015 worldwide.

The dangers of not washing your hands

Despite the proven health benefits of hand washing, many people don't practice this habit as often as they should.Throughout the day you accumulate germs on your hands from a variety of

sources, such as direct contact with people, contaminated surfaces, foods, even animals and animal waste. If you don't wash your hands frequently enough, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. And you can spread these germs to others by touching them orby touching surfaces that they also touch, such as doorknobs.

Infectious diseases that are commonly spread through hand-to-hand contact include the common cold, flu and several gastrointestinal disorders, such as infectious diarrhea. While most people will get over a cold, the flu can be much more serious. Some people with the flu, particularly older adults and people with chronic medical problems, can develop pneumonia. The

combination of the flu and pneumonia, in fact, is the eighth-leading cause of death among Americans.

Inadequate hand hygiene also contributes to food-related illnesses, such as salmonella and E. coli infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 76 million Americans get a food-borne illness each year. Of these, about 5,000 die as a result of

their illness. Others experience the annoying signs and symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Proper Hand-Washing Techniques

Good hand-washing techniques include washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Antimicrobial wipes or towelettes are just as effective as soap and water in cleaning your hands but aren't as good as alcohol-based sanitizers.

Antibacterial soaps have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, these soaps are no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soaps may lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the products' antimicrobial agents — making it even harder to kill these germs in the future. In general, regular soap is fine. The combination of scrubbing your hands with soap — antibacterial or not — and rinsing them with water loosens and removes bacteria from your hands.

Right Techniques For washing your hands

Follow these instructions for washing with soap and water:
Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid soap and lather well
Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 seconds.
Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
Rinse well.
Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.
Use a towel to turn off the faucet.

Proper use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers which don't require water are an excellent alternative to hand washing, particularly when soap and wateraren't available.

They're actually more effective than soap and water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause disease.

Commercially prepared hand sanitizers contain ingredients that help prevent skin dryness. Using these products can result in less skin dryness and irritation than hand washing.

Not all hand sanitizers are created equal, though. Some "waterless" hand sanitizers don't contain alcohol. Use only the alcohol-based products. The CDC recommends choosing products that contain at least 60 percent alcohol.

To use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer: Apply about 1/2 teaspoon of the product to the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces of your hands, until they're dry. Wet hands and apply approximately If your hands are visibly dirty, however, wash with soap and water, if available, rather than a sanitizer.

When should you wash your hands?

Although it's impossible to keep your bare hands germ-free, there are times when it's critical to wash your hands to limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes.

Always wash your hands after using the toilet
After changing a diaper — wash the diaper-wearer's hands, too
After touching animals or animal waste
Before and after preparing food, especially before and immediately after
handling raw meat, poultry or fish
Before eating
After blowing your nose
After coughing or sneezing into your hands
Before and after treating wounds or cuts
Before and after touching a sick or injured person
After handling garbage
Before inserting or removing contact lenses
When using public restrooms, such as those in airports, train stations, bus stations and restaurants

Hand Washing Instructions for Kids

You can help your children avoid getting sick by insisting that they wash their hands properly and frequently. To get kids into the habit, teach by example. Wash your hands with your children and supervise their hand washing.

Place hand-washing reminders at children's eye level, such as a chart by the bathroom sink for children to mark every time they wash their hands. Make sure the sink is low enough for children to use, or that it has a stool underneath so that children can reach it.

Older children and adolescents also can use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Younger children can use them, too — with an adult's help. Just make sure the sanitizer has completely dried before your child touches anything. This will avoid ingestion of alcohol from hand-to-mouth contact. Store the container safely away after use.

Hand washing is especially important for children who attend child care. Children younger than 3 years in child care are at greater risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, which can easily spread to family members and others in the community.

To protect your child's health, be sure your child care provider promotes sound hygiene, including frequent hand washing or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Ask whether the children are required to wash their hands several times a day — not just before meals. Note, too, whether diapering areas are cleaned after each use and whether eating and diapering areas are

well separated.

Hand washing doesn't take much time or effort, but it offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness. Adopting this simple habit can play a major role in protecting your health.

Using artificial "Cervical Disc" for degenerative disc diseases

2009-10-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

Degenerative disc diseases can now be replaced with an artificial cervical disc. The biggest advantage of cervical artificial disc is the preservation of movement operated segment. The simple surgical intervention helps quicker healing and faster recovery time because of minimum hospital stay and faster return to work.

Till now, the most common treatment for patients with degenerative discs in the cervical spine was spinal fusion. In this procedure a surgeon removes the damaged disc then implants a bone graft and metal plate to fuse the vertebrae together. During artificial disc replacement surgery, the damaged disc is removed and replaced with an artificial disc, a stainless-steel device with a ball-in-trough design intended to allow for replication of normal motion.

The artificial cervical disc mimics the normal functions of healthy spinal disc for patients suffering from chronic and persistent neck pain which triggers and radiates right through the shoulders, arms and fingers can be relived with this safe and simple surgical treatment option, according to Dr Deshpande V Rajakumar, consultant, neurosurgeon, Wockhardt Hospital, Bangalore.

This is one of the biggest medical studies of its kind. Surgeons incorporating artificial cervical discs in their treatment regime recommend this procedure for young and active patients who suffer from chronic cervical discopathy symptoms and are uncomfortable to opt for surgical fusion of inter-vertebral discs. Experts are of the opinion that the advanced cervical artificial disc technology could well benefit surgery of the degenerative discs at any level of the neck - from C2/C3 to C7/T1, he added.

Operation of the cervical spine with the Artificial Disc Replacement procedure is performed with the patient lying on the back. A small incision is made on one side of the front of the neck to expose the disc between the vertebrae after pulling aside the surrounding fat and muscle tissues. The intervertebral disc and, in some cases, a portion of the bone around the nerve roots and/or spinal cord is removed to relieve the compressed neural structures to create additional space.

The cervical disc is then implanted in the space with the help of an appropriate surgical instrument.. The incision is closed and dressed. According to Dr Rajakumar, if a person is anticipating a cervical surgery, it is important to find out on being a potential candidate for a cervical artificial disc implant. Patients should also discuss the risks and limitations post surgery.

Patients with conditions like local infection, inflammation, pregnancy, morbid obesity, fever, mental illness, osteoporosis, and paediatrics are not advised for this procedure.

source:Pharmabiz.com

Medical Tourism in India: The Road Ahead

2009-10-13T04:06:00.000-07:00

According to the Deloitte study, the number of Americans going abroad for treatment was set to double from 75,000 last year to 150,000 this year, before zooming to 600,000 next year. With a heart bypass costing up to US$80,000 (Dh293,840) in the US and as little as $10,000 in India, according to McKinsey, the economics are obvious.

Indian Corporate Hospitals has seen an significant increase of overseas patients in the last 3 to 4 years . Dr Ramakanta Panda, India’s most famous heart surgeon, who has operated on Indian Prime Minister , "Dr Manmohan Singh" operates on more than 400 International patients.

According to Dr Panda Of late there has been a surge in government ministers and senior businessmen, from Africa and the Middle East , out of four or five consultations about one is operated.

We probably do not do more than two or three American or European inpatients in a month,” Dr Panda estimates. “Health is something people are very scared to outsource. It’s very easy to outsource IT Services, but outsourcing life seems very dangerous.”

Sudarshan Mazumdar, the marketing director at Fortis Healthcare, India’s second-largest hospital chain, is similarly circumspect about the long anticipated surge in American and European patients.

“A lot of African countries or Middle East countries who used to look at London and the US are now looking more and more towards India. That’s going to keep on happening. What isn’t happening is Canada, Australia, US and Europe – that belt hasn’t happened at all.”

Estimates of the scale of medical outsourcing vary wildly. Within months of last year’s Deloitte study, a study by McKinsey, using a tighter definition, put the number of medical tourists worldwide at just 60,000 to 80,000 a year, a tenth of Deloitte’s estimate for the US alone. McKinsey estimated the US provided just 10 per cent of medical tourists.

The number of medical tourists coming to India is similarly uncertain. At the Association of Indian Chambers of Commerce’s medical tourism conference in January, a presentation from India’s Institute for Clinical Research said India had treated 300,000 medical tourists back in 2006.

Another study, citing McKinsey, said it had only received 150,000 as of last year. But seeing as Wockhardt Hospitals, the Indian hospital group that has most enthusiastically targeted medical tourism, only treated 3,500 foreign patients last year – of which about half came from the US and Europe – the McKinsey figure seems more likely.

Wockhardt expects the number of foreign patients to rise by 38 per cent this year. But that will still leave it a fraction of the company’s 55,000 to 60,000 domestic patients.

Vishal Bali, the chief executive of Wockhardt Hospitals, one of the few Indian hospital groups to push hard for international business, believes that the long awaited takeoff is finally here. “A lot of work had happened from 2004 to 2007, and that is beginning to show very positive results.”

What could make this happen is if large US companies and insurance companies incorporated a medical tourism option.

click here to read the entire report

Wellness Tip to keep your "Heart Working at " Workplace"

2009-10-13T03:40:00.000-07:00

Take the Stairs : Sure this is slower,but it gives your heart a great workout.

Take a break:Find an excuse every hour to get up from your cubicle to stretch or walk around.

Kick the Butt !! Completely : Use your time to take up a hobby or an interest. Find a friend who wishes to quit smoking too.

Homemade Food : Pack Your Food from home and avoid eating out

Sleep Well : About 6-7 hours sleep should be enough for you.

Smile:Your physical health depends a lot on your emotional health. A smile is the biggest cardio workout.

World Arthritis Day: Symptoms and Treatments

2009-10-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

Today is World Arthritis Day . Arthris Day is celebrated every year on 12th october.Arthritis can have significant physical and psychological repercussions that impact quality of life. Arthritis affects more women than men worldwide.

This year’s World Arthritis Day theme is ‘Let’s Work Together’ which considers the challenges of work, be it paid employment, voluntary work or work at home supporting a family, and embraces people with rheumatic diseases, healthcare professionals and employers.World Arthritis Day was first celebrated in 1996 by ARI (Arthritis Rheumatism International)

Approximately 30% of diseases of the joints have the potential of becoming serious life threatening systemic problems. This is especially so if the patient is a young or middle-aged woman.

Women of all ages bear a disproportionate burden of arthritis and its impacts compared to men and it is the most common and disabling chronic condition in Indian women. Women tend to have a lower age at onset than men. They also have greater levels of pain and disease-associated depression. Differences such as pain levels and functional status may stem from the inherent differences between the male and female musculoskeletal system. Given that woman is the "weaker vessel" concerning musculoskeletal size and strength and her baseline values are lower than men's, the same burden of a musculoskeletal disease may appear to be more harmful to a woman than to a man.

Other things which may increase the risk of getting arthritis or of worsening your existing arthritis include being overweight, chronic stress across joints, multiple microfractures in the related bone, major joint trauma, or other metabolic or inflammatory injuries. Because of the gender differences in arthritis incidence, hormones have long been suspected to have a role in disease origin and progression.

Arthritis affects approx 37 million Americans (NIAMS)

Prevalance Rate: approx 1 in 7 or 13.60% or 37 million people in USA

Prevalance of Arthritis: An estimated 40 million people in the United States have arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. By the year 2020, this number is expected to reach 59 million.

Rheumatic diseases are the leading cause of disability among adults age 65 and older ( data source )

Despite its cyclical nature, arthritis is a progressive condition. If the symptoms are not stopped or slowed down with early treatment, it can cause extensive joint damage and long term disability. Many women with arthritis have difficulty carrying out normal activities associated with daily living, including simple things like standing, dressing themselves, going to the bathroom and carrying out household chores, climbing stairs, sitting on floor.

Arthritis self-management programs also play an important role in helping women learn how to cope with the pain, as well as the other effects of the disease.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. There are different forms of arthritis and each has a different cause.

Types of Arthritis

The most common and primary form of arthritis is OSTEOARTHRITIS, also referred to as degenerative joint disease. Some of the other primary forms of arthritis are:

• Secondary Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout and pseudogout
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Psoriatic Arthritic

1.) Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint.

2.) Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is, mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.

3.) Gout and pseudogout

Gout and pseudogout are the 2 most common crystal-induced arthropathies. They are debilitating illnesses in which pain and joint inflammation are caused by the formation of crystals within the joint space.

4.) Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of chronic inflammation of the spine and other joints. Chronic inflammation in these areas causes pain and stiffness in and around the spine & joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks itself. Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint, causing inflammation.

Symptoms

The primary and main symptom of arthritis is joint pain, which is associated with muscle spasms around the joint. The pain in the joint may be due to two reasons:

• Age-related degeneration of the joints, as seen in osteoarthritis
• Systemic inflammation of the joints, as seen in rheumatoid arthritis

Excessive movement of the joints causes aggravation of the pain. Patients experience severe pain classically in the early hours of the day, when they wake up and get out of bed, though it is not uncommon for patients to experience severe pain at night. Patients also feel pain when they get up after sitting at one place for a while.

Other symptoms of arthritis include restriction of movement, crepitus in the affected joint, deformities and also possible instability at the joint.

Patients with arthritis of the lower limb joints experience difficulty in walking, climbing stairs, sitting on Indian toilets, sitting cross-legged on floor, or getting up after sitting down for some time or swatting down to perform household activties. Patients with arthritis of the upper limb joints experience difficulty in using the affected hand for basic tasks like eating, combing their hair, and wearing/changing clothes.

For normal and routine activities, it is critical that our joints are mobile, stable, and pain-free. Arthritis is characterized by at least one of the three conditions not being met, making it difficult for the patient to perform their daily activities. The patient’s activities get even more limited if the arthritis is at one of the major joints of the lower limb – the hip or the knee. Patients suffering from advanced stages of arthritis experience stiff and extremely painful joints. An option advised for such patients today is joint replacement surgery, which can provide patients with absolutely PAINLESS, STABLE, and MOBILE joints.

Treatment for Arthritis
Arthritis treatment primarily is of two types:

• Non-surgical treatment
• Surgical treatment or joint replacement surgery

Non-surgical Treatment for Arthritis

The non-surgical treatment option for arthritis can be explored depending on the condition of the patient. There are a number of non-surgical options available for treating arthritis. These include:

• Lifestyle change
• Exercise & Weight Reduction
• Physiotherapy
• Use of support devices
• Medication

The physician may decide on which of these treatment options to use depending on the type of arthritis, and after discussions with the patient.

Lifestyle change

This includes weight reduction and moving away from activities that increase the knee pain like climbing stairs. The objective is to switch to a lifestyle that involves lesser stress to the knee and, therefore, lesser pain in that region.

Exercise

Patients can engage in exercising to treat their arthritis non-surgically. The exercises depend on the kind of arthritis the patient is suffering from, with the emphasis being on providing pain relief to the affected region.

Consulting a physiotherapist for using exercises to treat arthritis is important as he is qualified and best suited to prescribe exercises that increase the patient’s mobility and muscle strength.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is a non-surgical option that is used a lot these days, and is a combination of therapeutic exercising and passive treatment. A common form used is providing passive treatment like ice packs or heat packs in combination with exercises to increase the mobility and flexibility of the affected body part and also strengthen the muscle.

Surgical Treatment of Arthritis

If the arthritis is severe and if the patient is experiencing extreme pain and discomfort, then physicians explore surgery as the next treatment option. Surgery is also suggested in cases where the non-surgical treatment is not having any positive impact or where its effect is gradually waning. Surgical treatment of arthritis involves primarily the replacement of the affected joint. Joint replacement surgery is effective in restoring mobility and taking out completely the pain factor, thereby enabling patients to live a normal and pain-free life. Today joint replacement surgery is absolutely safe in well equipped hospitals with experienced surgeons.

Wockhardt Hospitals Medical Breakthroughs :The 900 Miracle

2009-10-08T00:36:00.000-07:00

For more medical Breakthroughs click here

Most hospitals wouldn’t operate on an infant who was only four months old and weighed 900grams. He was almost the size of a palm. His heart was just one-inch–long and had a one –centimetre fungal mass in the right chamber, which had infected his blood.

An open heart surgery was his only chance of survival, but was risky, considering his loss of weight. A risk that most hospitals were not willing to take. They wanted to wait till Jonathan gained more weight, which meant they needed more time. Time is what he did not have.

But the team at Wockhardt had belief. Belief in their skills and belief that they would save Jonathan's life. The six hour surgery was a success. Jonathan was reborn.

Two Day Old Girl Gets Second Lease Of Life

2009-10-06T02:18:00.000-07:00

As the mother of a baby girl, born just six days ago, Airoli homemaker Sujata Rane (name changed on request) is expected to have many a query about how to breastfeed her and how make her burp. Instead, the 31-year-old asked a doctor, "Can we use cellphone near her?"

It has become foremost for Rane to learn how not to let any appliance, at home or outside, having a electro-magnetic field around it, interfere with the pacemaker fitted to the the baby's abdominal wall, and the batteries attached to it. The yet-to-be-named infant was born with a complete congenital heart block on September 25. The very next day, she had a pacemaker implant, which the attending doctors say, will help her lead a normal life.

A routine sonography in the seventh month of Rane's pregnancy showed an anomaly in the foetal heartbeat. "The baby's heartbeat was just 40," she said. She was told by the attending doctor that the baby might need a paceaker immediately after its birth.

"Ideally, a newborn baby's pulse rate should be 110. A low heart rate means less blood is going to the body. Over a period of time, the baby could develop congestive heart failure," said Dr Suresh Joshi, chief paediatric cardiac surgeon, Wockhardt Hospital, Mulund, who performed the two-hour surgery on the baby that cost the family about Rs2 lakh. Complete congenital heart block is a rare condition, affecting one in over one lakh newborns, he added.

"I was aware of the baby's heart condition. So, I chose to undergo an elective Caesarean at MGM Hospital, Vashi, in order to get the baby's heart attended to at the earliest," said Rane.

Dr Joshi said, "Unfortunately, very few seem to know that a simple sonography in the second trimester of pregnancy is the tool that can easily detect any such problem and enable parents to ensure that the baby gets timely help as soon as it is delivered."

Every month, Dr Joshi sees 30-odd children with heart problems -- 70% of them neonates. "About three years ago, I used to get about seven cases a month. Thankfully, the awareness is increasing," he said.

Courtesy: DNA

World Heart Day: A Guide to Working Out With Your Heart

2009-09-24T04:05:00.000-07:00

World Heart Day was created to inform and educate people around the world about the increasing risk of heart disease . Heart Related Ailments and stroke are the world’s leading cause of death, claiming 17.2 million lives each year.According to the "The World Heart Federation " at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors, tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, are controlled.

World Heart Day will be observed on Sunday, 27 September 2009 to inspire you to “Work with Heart”. World Heart Federation members, comprising 196 cardiology societies and heart foundations in more than 100 countries, organize activities for World Heart Day. A large number of non-members, whether hospitals, cardiac clinics, universities, schools, individuals and a number of other organizations, also join in by organizing event.This Years World Heart Day Theme is " Work With Your Heart"

Almost half of those who die from chronic diseases are in their productive years . The economic consequences - driven by productivity reduction and increase in costs caused by these diseases among workforces are dramatic. The WHO estimates that between 2005-2015 income loss (in international dollars) could rise to as much as $558 billion in China, $237 billion in India, $303 billion in Russia and $33 billion in the UK.

Wockhardt Hospitals urges you to work hard and most importantly work with your Heart too !! You can download the " Working out with your Heart" Booklet below.

World Heart Day : Wockhardt Hospitals Guide to Working with Your Heart

Rare Spinal Cord Tumor Removed from a 21 Year Old Girl

2009-09-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

In a rare incidence of spinal cord tumour, Doctors at Wockhardt Hospitals,Bannerghata Road,Bangalore, removed a giant shaped tumour from a 21 year old girl’s neck. The team led by Dr. K N Krishna, Senior Consultant, Brain & Spine, Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore successfully removed the tumour which is medically known as Crippling Giant Dumbell Nerve Sheath Tumour or Spinal Dumbbell Schwannoma from the girl who was paralysed for more than a year. Spinal Dumbell Schwannoma is a rare disease which afflicts around 3.75 per 10 million people.

Meenakshi, a married lady from Tumkur was complaining of progressive weakness in her limbs which compromised her mobility and was unable to perform simple day to day activities independently. Her tightness in both her legs made her unable to walk without support. She also noticed a gradually increasing swelling on the left side of neck just above the collar bone (clavicle) restricting her neck movement. Weakness in her four limbs crippled her life and she was bedridden for almost a year. Both her legs and one of her hands were totally paralysed,We consultated around 9 hospitals and all of them turned us back saying that there was not much they could do . Finally we landed up at Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore ,said Mahesh Krishnamurthy,Meenakshi's brother.

Finally her family brought her to Wockhardt Hospitals. An initial clinical evaluation showed a severe cervical compressive myelopathy and also a large 5cm diameter mass on the left side of neck. MRI of Cervical Spine and Neck showed an Intraspinal / Extradural Tumour on the left side of the neck pushing the spinal cord to the right side. The tumour also extended outwards through the Intervertebral Foramen reaching in front of the neck over like an hourglass shaped Tumour. The Tumor on the left side of her neck was pushing the spinal cord on the right.

According to Dr. K N Krishna, Senior Consultant, Brain & Spine, Wockhardt Hospitals “Dumbbell shaped tumours have been managed as extraordinary tumours in the spinal cord, because of their varied locations, features, clinical symptoms, different from other spinal cord tumours and therefore, their surgical treatment is also different.

In Meenakshi’s case since the tumour was complicatedly placed involving her neck muscles and blood vessels doctors had to decide on the nature of surgery and approach to the tumour. Ideally anterolateral approach that is, from the front of neck on left side would give sufficient access to remove the tumour completely including the intraspinal part but this would also require a fusion by using plate / screws at that level, which would restrict her neck movements and also add significantly to the cost.”

Finally the doctors decided to perform the surgery in two stages. First step involved removal of the intraspinal by approaching from the back of neck, removing the tumour through a minimal access technique which entails about a 3cm incision, removal of bone on only one side to maintain the stability of spine and avoid fusion.

“After few days we planned the anterior approach from the left side of neck after a thorough planning as it had engulfed the vertebral artery within it. First part of this surgery involved identifying and isolating the vertebral artery at its origin under the collar bone, so as to clip it if the engulfed part tears off while removing the tumour. Next the tumour was debunked and separated from the vertebral artery and brachial plexus (plexus of nerves which control the upper limb movements) and removed completely” Dr. Krishna added.

About Spinal Schwanoma Tumor:Spinal Schwannoma is a rare tumour with occurrence of just 2.5 in a million and Spinal Dumbbell Schwannoma is even rarer with 3.75 per 10 million people. Schwannoma originates from the sheath encasing the roots arising from the spinal cord and the cranial nerves leaving the base of skull through various foramina. About 25% of Schwannoma’s are found in the head and neck and also about one third of primary spinal cord tumors are schwannomas.

About 70 to 80% of spinal schwannomas are reported to be intradural in location, and those extending through the dural aperture as a dumbbell mass with both intradural and extradural components account for another 15%. The spinal cord tumors appear more commonly in the thoracic and lumbar spine than the cervical spine. In contrast, the dumbbell tumors are seen most commonly in the cervical spine (44%), followed by the thoracic spine (27%) and the lumbar spine (21%).

Two major unsolved problems with Spinal Schwannomas are high recurrence rate and postoperative cervical deformity especially in teenage patients. An ideal surgical strategy for cervical dumbbell tumor should be able to reduce the recurrence rate and avoid cervical deformity at the same time.

Meenakshi’s recovery was very fast after the surgery.Within a week’s time she was able to walk independently and eat with a spoon and started performing fine motor functions later.

32 year old Iraqi lady undergoes rare and complex open heart surgery in India

2009-09-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

Orubah Abdulshah at Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore

After a complicated heart surgery at Wockhardt Hospitals Bangalore, Orubah Abdulshah, 32 year old Iraqi lady is all set to go back to Iraq with a new lease of life. A team of cardiac experts led by Dr. N S Devananda, Cardiac Surgeon, performed a complex procedure on Orubah Abdulshah who had come to India with some symptoms of heart failure.

Orubah who never complained of any ailment in her life even while raising her 4 children, was feeling shortness of breath and fatigue for the past one year. Upon consultation with the local doctors in Iraq, she was detected of a cardiac disorder called aortic root dilatation where the root of the aorta which is connected to the heart muscles was enlarged. She was told by the local doctor in Iraq that her symptoms were complicated and her survival post surgery was less than 70%. Orubah’s husband without losing faith consulted with Wockhardt Hospitals in India and finally decided to bring her to for the surgery.

On her arrival at Wockhardt Hospitals Orubah went through a round of CT scan and echo where she was diagnosed to have some really serious heart defect in addition to what was detected in Iraq. Orubah was having a severe constriction of aorta (the vessel that comes out of heart and supplies blood to the whole of the body through various branches). This disease is called severe co-arctation of Aorta and mitral valve leakage. Incidentally this disorder is considered to be a congenital defect. “This is combination is a very rare presentation at this age”, commented Dr. N S Devananda, Cardiac Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals who operated upon Orubah.

“The most amazing fact was how Orubah was surviving so long with the congenital defect and without showing any symptoms. Above all she has given birth to 4 children whereas pregnancy puts a great pressure on the heart and it is surprising that her heart sustained that sort of pressure” added Dr. Devananda.

The treatment options for Orubah were now either surgical repair through different incisions or through a hybrid approach. Witnessing the complexity of the case the doctors decided to take the hybrid approach and conduct the surgery in two stages. In the first stage was repairing of the co-arctation of the aorta and second was the Mitral Valve repair along with Bentall procedure.

Interventional Cardiologists Dr. Subhash Chandra and his team started the 1st procedure by dilating the constriction in aorta with a help of a balloon and then put a stent graft in the constricted part so as to prevent the aorta from collapsing. It was then followed by the 2nd procedure which was an open heart surgery performed by Dr. N S Devananda, Cardiac Surgeon and his team where. This surgery involved repairing of her mitral valve and her aortic valve along with ascending aorta was replaced. This was an off pump surgery with the use of the heart lung machine. The second surgery was performed within 24 hours of the interventional procedure and there was very minimal blood loss and only 1 unit of blood transfusion was required.

Orubah had a smooth and fast recovery. After 24 hours of her second procedure she was brought to her room. Dr. Devananda explains, “A hybrid approach like this case which was very difficult and complex in nature however made the overall procedure less risky and brought down the magnitude of the procedure so that recovery could be faster.”

The religious and cultural beliefs impacts the healthcare requirements of Muslim women and many of them suffer without medical attention at the appropriate time. Many women succumb to death due to lack of medical attention and at times are completely ignorant of the ailments residing within their system. But Orubah’s case is a true example of healthcare needs taking an edge over religious belief. Her husband played a pivotal role in giving her a new lease of life and treating her at the right time. A little delay could have worsened things. From a war bound country Orubah traveled across borders leaving her four children back home with a hope to spend the rest of life with them in her healthiest form. Now Orubah is desperately looking forward to go back to Iraq and lead a healthier life with her husband and children.

Expressing his gratitude for the doctors at Wockhardt Hospitals Mr. Abdulshah said, “When the doctors in Iraq told that Orubah has less than 70% of survival chances, we left everything to Lord and prayed fervently that He showed us the right way to save her life. That’s when we were referred to Wockhardt Hospitals. As soon as the visa processing was done without wasting much time we flew down to Bangalore to get her treated. But our worries didn’t stop there. On further diagnosis the doctors revealed that she had severe complications in her heart. But our faith in Lord was undeterred and believing in the Almighty left things in the hands of the doctor and proceeded with the surgery. Today Orubah has come out victoriously battling her life through the complex surgery.”

Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery

2009-09-14T00:55:00.000-07:00

Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery

View more presentations from Sumit Roy.

Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery now a Reality

2009-09-11T03:23:00.000-07:00

Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) has now been made routine at Wockhardt Hospital, Cunningham Road, Bangalore .The team led by Dr. Aashish Shah, Consultant Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, has performed 10 Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgeries which include Cholecystectomies (removal of the gallbladder) and Appendicectomies (removal of the appendix) with remarkable success and getting patients back to their normal life faster.

In Laparoscopic surgery, which is also known as minimally invasive surgery, the surgeons uses instruments and video cameras to perform the surgery with 3- 4 ports (incisions). The instruments are then entered into the patients’ body which helps the surgeon perform the surgery. Now taking Laparoscopic surgery to the next level, Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) has been introduced. This requires making a single incision near the belly button of the patient and performing the surgery through one port. Surgeons at Wockhardt Hospitals are now routinely practicing this surgery which gives immense benefit to the patients. The patients can now experience pain less surgery, less infection post surgery, reduced post operative discomfort and early recovery. The end result is the patients can walk back faster with a very short stay at the hospital.

SILS is an advanced minimally invasive surgical procedure in which the surgery is done through a single entry point i.e. the navel. A 20mm incision at the umbilicus is all that is required for the surgery. A scope is inserted that can be moved around in the body and return images form various angles giving the surgeons a larger field of vision for the surgery and the instruments used to perform the surgery are flexible thereby enabling extra reach and maneuverability.

Earlier, patients had limited choices when it came to surgery i.e. conventional open surgery or laparoscopic with multiple incisions, laparoscopic surgery being the preferred choice. However now with the introduction of Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery, patients can undergo surgical procedures with just a single incision (approx half an inch) in the belly button and that too with a number of benefits over conventional procedures such as less pain, quicker recovery, less blood loss, less complications and minimal scarring and helping patients getting back to work faster.

“SILS is the next big step in laparoscopic surgery worldwide. It offers a huge cosmetic advantage and also enables much quicker recovery for the patient compared to conventional lap surgery. For the patient it is extremely appealing to be offered surgery through a single small cut, than through multiple incisions”.

SILS is an excellent option for all patients who need laparoscopic surgery more so for uncomplicated Gallstones, Appendicitis and Hernia operations. At Wockhardt Hospital, Cunningham Road, Bangalore, laparoscopic surgery is used as a routine, where SILS is being offered to all suitable patients.

SILS is an excellent option for all patients who need laparoscopic surgery more so for uncomplicated Gallstones, Appendicitis and Hernia operations. At Wockhardt Hospital, Cunningham Road, as a routine, SILS is being offered to all suitable patients.

Internal Medicine Specialty Doctors at Bangalore

2009-09-07T02:39:00.000-07:00

Centre	Department/Specialty	Name of the doctor
BG	Internal Medicine	Dr. Sheela Chakravarthy
BG	Internal Medicine	Dr. K N Manjunath
BG	Internal Medicine	Dr. Manisha Malhotra
CNG	Internal Medicine	Dr. K N Manjunath
CNG	Internal Medicine	Dr. M R Nalini
BG	Chest Medicine & Pulmonology	Dr. Ravindra Mehta
CNG	Chest Medicine & Pulmonology	Dr. K S Satish
BG	Nephrology	Dr. R Sreedhara
BG	Urology	Dr. Mahendra Jain
BG	Urology	Dr. Dinesh Vaidya
BG	Endocrinology	Dr. C V Harinarayan
BG	Endocrinology	Dr. Geetha Bhat
CNG	Endocrinology	Dr. Somashekar Reddy
BG	Pediatrics	Dr. Vandana Rao
BG	Pediatrics	Dr. Janaki Narayan
BG	Pediatric Surgeon	Dr. Gowri Shankar
BG	Vascular Surgeon	Dr. K N Nagabhushan
BG	Oral & Maxillofacial surgery	Dr. Sunil Vasudev
BG	Oral & Maxillofacial surgery	Dr. Sandhya Ramanujam
BG	ENT	Dr. Sheelu Srinivas
BG	Preventive Health Check	Dr. Laxmi Prasad
BG	Radiology	Dr. Raghav

BG: Bannerghata Road Branch

CNG :Cunningham Road Branch

For appointments and Consultations please email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Digestive and Gastroentrology Doctors at Bangalore

2009-09-07T02:16:00.000-07:00

Bannerghata Road	Digestive Care	Dr. M G Bhat	Consultant Surgical Gastroenterology and Laparoscopy
Bannerghata Road	Digestive Care	Dr. Shabeer Ahmed	Consultant Surgical Gastroenterology,Laparoscopy & Minimal Access Surgery
Bannerghata Road	General Surgery	Dr. Abid Sattar	Consultant Gastroenterology
Bannerghata Road	Gastroentrology	Dr. Lorence Peter	Consultant Gastroenterology
Bannerghata Road	Gastroenterology & Laparoscopy	Dr. Kenneth D Cruz	Consultant Surgical, Gastroenterology & Laparoscopy
Cunnigham Road	Gastroentrology	Dr. Abid Sattar	Consultant Gastroenterology
Cunnigham Road	General Surgery / GI & Laproscopic Surgery	Dr. Aashish R Shah	Consultant Gastrointestinal & Laproscopic Surgeon

For Appointments email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Paired Kidney transplants save two lives

2009-09-07T02:06:00.000-07:00

Swapan Kumar Basu and Ratan Das, strangers till a few weeks back, got a fresh lease of life in a rare case of spousal paired kidney transplants at a Wockhardt Hospital and Kidney Institute at kolkata.

Basu, 59, had suffered renal failure and was undergoing dialysis for the last three years.

Doctors had advised a kidney transplant but the blood group of his family members did not match with his.His wife Suchitra, 57, wanted to donate one of her kidneys to him, but her blood group (B negative) didn’t match his.

“I didn’t want to buy a kidney from a commercial donor and there seemed to be no hope for me,” recalled Basu, who was undergoing treatment at Wockhardt Hospitals and Kidney Institute.

Meanwhile Mr Ratan Das, a 43-year-old businessman from Howrah, was also undergoing dialysis since November 2008. He was facing a similar problem — his B negative blood group was a mismatch for his wife, Barnali, 35, whose blood group is A positive.

Barnali approached the doctors with a request for paired transplant.

“It was an ideal situation and after getting the necessary clearance from the state health department, we went ahead with the transplants,” said Arup Ratan Dutta, the chief nephrologist at WockhardtHospitals who performed the surgery along with urologist Shivaji Basu and transplant surgeon Sasanka Saha.

The transplants took place on July 28 and the couples are out of hospital. “They can go back to work in three months,” Dutta said. “The transplants saved two families from financial, emotional and physical drain,” he added.

According to doctors, tissue matching, although preferable, is not mandatory because of advanced immuno-suppresive drugs. “Tissue mismatch is not as significant as it used to be. So, the number of spousal donations is going up,” said Dutta.

Urologist Shivaji Basu from Wockhardt hoped this case would motivate others to opt for paired kidney transplants.

Doctors say renal transplant for patients whose blood groups do not match with near relatives becomes a serious problem as cadaver organ transplant is yet to become popular here.

source:Telegraph

Spinal Cord Tumor: Causes Symptoms and Treatements

2009-09-02T05:57:00.000-07:00

Spinal Cord Tumor: Causes Symptoms and Treatements

11 Hour Liver Resection Surgery to remove Cancerous Tumor

2009-09-01T23:41:00.000-07:00

Surgeons at Wockhardt Hospitals,Mulund ,Mumbai led by Dr S.K Mathur performed a major liver resection which took 11 hours when they operated on a 58 year old man to remove a cancerous tumor.

Mr R. Jain, a 58-year-old male from Jodhpur, Rajasthan was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his liver (Hepatocellular Carcinoma- HCC) in October 2006. What followed the diagnosis was a liver resection involving removal of a part of the liver containing the tumor.

Almost two-and-a-half years later, a follow-up ultrasound and a CAT scan of the liver revealed the presence of three new tumors, one of which was extending dangerously behind the IVC – Inferior Venacava, the big vein in the abdomen that runs behind the liver, carrying blood from the lower half of the body to the heart. Owing to the dangerous location of the tumor, doctors whom the patient was consulting advised against a second surgery, and had put him on palliative treatment in the form of TACE (Transarterial chemoembolisation) -- a procedure in which the blood supply to a tumor is blocked and chemotherapy is administered directly into the tumor.

While two of the three nodules could be treated with TACE, the nodule close to the IVC could not be embolised (blocked), thereby causing him untold mental distress and helplessness. That’s when the patient decided to consult doctors at the Wockhardt Hospitals’ Department of Hepato Biliary- Pancreatic Diseases and Liver Transplantation

“Since the tumor was limited only to the liver and had not spread anywhere else in the body, we took an informed decision to perform a Right Hepatectomy and remove the tumor behind the IVC,” recalls Dr. Surendra Kumar Mathur, Senior Consultant Surgeon, HPB Surgery & Liver Transplantation, Wockhardt Hospitals who successfully headed the 11-hour surgery.

This was a a technically challenging surgery since liver as such is densely adhered to other organs in the vicinity like the diaphragm, colon and the duodenum, and more crucially, a first surgery had already been done on the patient’s liver. The patient required three units of blood, was shifted from the ICU two days post operation, and was immediately started on orals. Patient recovery was uneventful and he was discharged on the sixth day of the surgery.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Jain said, “When I was told in the other hospital that the liver tumor has recurred and this time only palliative treatment can be administered and no surgery, we had almost lost all hope and became averse to any kind of treatment. I just took this as another decision of God and to take things as it comes. That’s when we encountered Dr. Mathur and his team who came as a miracle to our lives, giving me a new lease of life with this miraculous surgery.”

Liver tumors and complexities of re-resection surgery

Major or complex resections of the liver are performed mainly for malignant tumors of the liver which can be either primary, i.e. arising from the liver like hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or metastasis, i.e. they originate in some other organ and then seed the liver.

World over, though the recurrence of HCC liver tumor after first surgery is reported to be around 30 percent over five years, only one third of these cases are known to be retreated successfully. Commonly, many surgeons choose to avoid an excision surgery of a liver tumor very close to the IVC due to a possible life-threatening bleeding of the IVC during the surgery.

Types of Liver Cancers: Diagnosis, Treatements and Cure

2009-08-29T03:49:00.000-07:00

Kinds of Liver Cancers diagnosis and Treatements

View more presentations from Sumit Roy.

Evening Clinic OPD Doctors Schedule at Bannerghata Road ,Bangalore

2009-08-25T06:05:00.000-07:00

Sunset Clinic – bringing healthcare solution after work hours!

If you are a working professional and finding it difficult to manage between your busy office schedule and the need to visit a doctor, either for yourself or your family, we bring you the solution. Wockhardt Hospitals launches Sunset Clinic designed exclusively for those who find it difficult to make it to the doctor’s appointment during working hours.

Keeping the working professionals in mind and the need to keep them healthy, Wockhardt Hospitals extends its timelines through the Sunset Clinic. The clinic will be open between 5pm to 8 pm and is located across the 4 Wockhardt Hospitals centres – Bannerghatta Road, Cunningham Road, Rajajinagar and Nagarbhavi.

Dedicated consultants across the specialties – cardiac care, bone & joint, brain & spine and minimal access surgery along with a few associate specialties ------ will be available for consultation at the Sunset Clinic across the 4 locations. The clinic will also be backed by a set of trained nurses and paramedics to assist the consultants.

Now whether you are a working professional or have difficulty meeting the doctor during the daytime, there is no reason to worry, we make things easier for you with Sunset Clinic. All you have to do is give us a call at 080- 6636666 and get your appointment or just send us a mail to enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net and we shall take care of the rest.

Below is the detailed Sunset Clinic Consultants directory for your reference. Now without intervening in your working hours, we will still ensure you a healthy and active living

Evening Clinic Doctors at Banner Ghat A Road,Bangalore

Cunningham Road ,Bangalore Doctors OPD Schedule

2009-08-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

Wockhardt Hospitals Doctor List at Cunning Ham Road Hospital,Bangalore

For consultation or appointment,please email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

10 Wockhardt Hospitals now a Part of Fortis Healthcare Network

2009-08-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

Fortis Healthcare acquisition of Wockhardt Hospitals will add 1,902 beds to the second largest Hospital Chain of the country , taking its capacity to 5,180 across 38 hospitals, and expands its presence in western, southern and eastern India.

"This acquisition allows Fortis Healthcare to have a national presence ... it significantly strengthens and enlarges the critical infrastructure and our understanding of patients along the country," Malvinder Singh, the chairman of Fortis Healthcare, said at a press briefing.

Meanwhile earlier is the day Wockhardt Hospitals, India’s leading Super Speciality Hospitals Group, today announced the signing of an agreement to divest 8 hospitals including 4 super speciality hospitals, 3 satellite hospitals and 1 medical institute, in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata to Fortis for Rs. 909 crore. The agreement also includes 1 hospital still under construction in Kolkata and 1 in Peenya in Bangalore

The deal between Fortis and Wockhardt is seen as the biggest Healthcare acquisition in the country and is set to be completed in December, includes 8 operational hospitals in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata, and two that are under construction, along with 2,700 total staff, Vishal Bali, chief executive of Wockhardt Hospitals said.

Wockhardt Hospitals in Bannerghatta, Bengalore and Mulund ,Mumbai has a JCI accreditation. For the past 3 years in a row, Wockhardt Hospitals have won accolades at the Asian Hospital Management Awards in the Patient Safety / Quality Medical Care Projects category. Wockhardt Hospitals has now become a treatment destination for patients from the US, UK and other European countries besides South Asia, South East Asia, Middle East and Africa.

JCI accreditions jumps by 1000 % in the last 5 Years

2009-08-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

According to "Josep Woodman" well known medical tourism expert who has recently written a book on Medical Tourism" called "patient beyond borders" JCI (Joint Commission International ) accredited public and private hospitals around the world has increased by nearly 1,000 percent. Up from a mere 27 hospitals and health care organizations with that accreditation in 2004 to 250 Healthcare Institutions in 2009 . As of now over 250 such entities in 36 countries have now been accredited by the JCI. This extremely high standard of “American accreditation” now instills a new level of confidence in US citizens seeking affordable health care alternatives abroad.

In an interview to travel talk radio, Woodman emphasized that Medical travel has come as a viable alternative for Americans amidst the spiralling healthcare cost.

Explaining how medical tourism has now evolved into a trend,Woodman claims that these are the same accreditation agencies that accredit the best hospitals in this country: Harvard, JohnsHopkins, Mayo Clinic, Duke Medical Center. This has now allowed other hospitals to participate, as long as they can show that they are up to exactly the same standards that are demanded over at an American hospital. So, that gives Americans a huge amount of comfort that these hospitals have got kind of a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for their hospitals as well, whether it’s in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, or Singapore, or Bangkok or India

International Medical Travelers Guide to Traveling Overseas for Treatements

2009-08-21T00:43:00.000-07:00

If you are traveling abroad for medical reasons for the first time, here are certain pointers to overcome Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

Precautions to avoid DVT

Take short walks down the aisle on the plane.

Exercise the muscles of your lower legs, which act as a pump for the blood in the veins.

Wear loose fitting clothes.

Drink enough water.Avoid alcohol & other caffeinated drinks.

Avoid sleeping pills

Wear graduated compression stockings if you have other risk factors for DVT

If you have a history of DVT you may need heparin injections.

Seek urgent medical advice if you develop swelling or pain in your calf/thigh or encounter breathing problems

You are more likely to have DVT if you have...

A blood clot in a vein before

A family history of blood clots in veins

You have an inherited condition that makes your blood more likely to clot ( thrombophilia)

You have blood diseases

You have cancer, or have had cancer treatment

You have circulation problems or heart failure

You had recent surgery or an injury, especially to your hips or knees

General Tips and Instructions for Medical Travelers

Verify your overseas travel fitness with your doctor based on your current medical condition.

When you decide to continue your treatment abroad, keep your local doctor informed to ensure you continue your follow up treatment without a hitch.

While selecting the international hospital that's right for your needs, you should consider the hospital's accreditation, awards and recognitions, infrastructure and equipment etc.

Study the credentials and experience of the doctor who will treat you thoroughly

Educate yourself on the procedure and compare your expectations with what's achievable by the surgery. Also be clear about follow-up care needed, time required for recovery, physical therapy etc.

You should understand that in most cases the final decisions on your treatment will be made only after the doctor meets you and examines you in person. It is possible that your doctor, upon examining you, may decide that you are not fit for surgery, or may recommend a course of treatment different from what you had planned.

You must ensure that you always carry the necessary documents with you, in person. It is recommended that you carry copies of these documents, while storing the originals in a safe place.

Records like X-Rays, MRI's, health histories, photographs, immunization records, prescriptions and any other health records relevant to the surgery. Remember to carry all these medical reports and any medicines in your carry-on luggage.

Passport and visa: You will need a passport for yourself and your travel companion (if any). Depending upon the country you are traveling from, you may or may not need a visa.

Credit cards, debit cards and travelers checks: Bring some local currency, travelers checks and one or two major credit cards and debit cards.

Carry your driver's license and make sure it will remain valid while you're traveling.

Our Cardiac Medical Breakthroughs

2009-08-21T00:35:00.000-07:00

The Four Prong Strategy:

Nobody wanted to treat a 12 year old girl with a Congenital Cardiac defect of criss-crossed ventricles and arteries. Medication could do little if not much and a temporary fix of the valves would only buy time. The team at Wockhardt Hospitals wanted more for the girl and thus took on the challenge to give her back the normal life of a 12 year old. It took a whole year of tests and scans and 4 high risks surgeries to re-arrange the girl's heart. The girl has completely recovered and has gone back to her life of a normal 12 year old.

The Radio Maze Therapy:

Heart Specialists at Wockhardt Hospitals have found an extremely advantageous surgical procedure which will offer a permanent solution during Atrial Fibrillation - an abnormal fast beating of the heart caused by disturbed electrical discharges. The surgery uses the technique of Irrigated Radio Frequency Modified MAZE Procedure, which is performed to treat Atrial Fibrillation along with an Open heart surgery for valve replacement.

Wake Up to a New World:

A 78 year old patient walked into Wockhardt Hospitals with chest pain. An emergency angiogram indicated the urgent need for a bypass. The problem? He was a smoker and affected lungs meant that he could not tolerate general anesthesia. Plus there were other complications like diabetes and renal problems which eliminated the heart lung machines. In most other hospitals, this would have been the end of the story. But the Wockhardt Cardiac Team came up with a medical plan to perform a Minimally Invasive Coronary bypass without general anesthesia or a ventilator support, using the technique called high Epidural Analgesia. The operation lasted 45 minutes and was a success - and the patient was awake all through.

Brains Behind The Heart

A 22 year old was brought to Wockhardt Hospitals with a rare condition. He had a cancerous tumour in his heart - a condition that is normally found in the brain. In fact, it's so rare that there isn't even enough medical literature about it. But that didn't stop Wockhardt Hospitals Cardiac Team. In an epic surgery that lasted longer than 6 hours, the tumor was successfully removed and a large part of the heart was literally rebuilt.

The 900gm Miracle:

Most hospitals wouldn't operate on a baby, who was just four months old and weighed a mere 900 grams - just about the size of a palm. The baby's heart was one-inch-long and had a one - centimeter fungal mass in the right chamber, which had infected his blood.

An open heart surgery was his only chance of survival, but was risky, considering his loss of weight. Understandably it was a risk that most hospitals were unwilling to take. They wanted to wait till the baby gained more weight, which meant they needed more time - and time was something that was not available.

But the team at Wockhardt had belief - belief in their skills and a strong one that they would be able to save the baby's life. The six hour surgery was a success and the baby - the 900 gram miracle, was reborn.

Lifestyle Diseases Linked to Renal Complications

2009-08-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

Doctors are worried over the sharp rise in the number of patients with kidney complications, which they attribute to lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension and obesity. The trend has triggered more patients landing up at nephrology departments units in several private hospitals.

Doctors perceive a paradigm shift in the cause of kidney diseases over the past few years. Earlier, only infectious diseases caused renal complications, but now, lifestyle diseases are more to be blamed for increasing Kidney Complications.

According to Arup Ratan Dutta, chief nephrologist at Wockhardt Hospital and Kidney Institute,Kolkata , several organs of the body get affected if high blood-sugar level persists for a few years. ?More than 30 per cent of the patients on dialysis are diabetic and the number is increasing fast.

Dr Arup Dutta Dutta attributes the rise in cases of kidney complications in the metro cities two principal reasons. First, the average longevity of a person has increased. Advances in medical science have lengthened the lifespan of patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes.They are living long enough to develop complications like chronic renal failure. he pointed out.

Heart Care Services at Wockhardt Hospitals,Bannerghata Road,Bangalore

2009-08-20T03:10:00.000-07:00

Wockhardt Hospitals ,Bangalore is a center of excellence in interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Surgeries in the country, it has to its name a history of path- breaking procedures, be it the first- ever Conscious Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery and Awake Heart Surgery in India.

Wockhardt Hospital and Heart Institute,, Cunningham Road has been our first, single- specialty corporate Cardiac care Hospital. This center has performed more than 15,000 heart operations and 40,000 interventional cardiology procedures since its inception and has become a renowned tertiary level heart care center. The Institute is now a preferred destination for cardiac patients not only in India but also from all over the US, UK, Canada, Middle East and Africa. It is also a teaching center for clinicians from the sub- continent.

Heart care Services

Adult Cardiology & Cardiac surgery

Interventional Cardiology procedures
Coronary Angiography, Angioplasty and Stenting
Angiography & Angioplasty of arteries of neck, leg, arm and kidney
EP Study Diagnostic and Ablation
Permanent pacemaker (Single & Double Chamber)
Heart failure device and AICD implantation
Valvuloplasty
ASD, VSD, PDA device closure
Endovascular aneurysm repair

Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery procedures

Off pump bypass surgeries (almost all the bypass surgeries are done off pump)
Valve surgeries
Valve repairs
Maize procedures for AF
ROSS restriction and valve sparing root replacement Awake heart surgeries (on or off pump cardiac surgeries under high thoracic epidural without sensational anesthesia) Surgery for heart failure
Left ventricle size restoration surgery
Left ventricle artist services
Pediatric Cardiology & Cardiac- surgery
Endovascular aneurysm repair

Pediatric cardiology

Balloon pulmonary valvotomy (BPV)
Balloon aortic valvuloplasty
Device closure of ASD, VSD, PDA Embolisation of MAPCA
Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

The entire gamut of cardiac diseases from newborn to adolescent, Dedicated operating rooms and post- operative ICUs with state-of-the-art equipment and experienced staff round the clock to provide continuous, excellent care.

Procedures performed Closed heart surgeries like BT shunt, PDA interception, BD Glenn Shunt Simple open heart surgeries, like ASD closure and VSD closure Complex open heart surgeries, like intra cardiac repairs, Arterial switch operation, double switch operation, Rastelli operation, etc Valve repairs, replacements, ROSS procedure ECMO facility.

For appointments and consultations email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Wockhardt Hospitals Specialty Clinic at Koramangala,Bangalore

2009-08-19T02:37:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to launch our specialty clinic at Koramangla. People living in and around Koramangala can now visit our Specialty Clinic and seek consultation with Wockhardt Hospital Doctors near your doorstep.You can seek appointments and consultations with the following doctors by sending an email to enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Consultation Timings 8am to 8pm

Cardiology S Venkatesh

Dermatology & Cosmetology S T Rajendra,Rasya Dixit

ENT S M Hashim

General Medicine: H S Karunesh Kumar,J Raghu

Minimal Access Surgery: Shabeer Ahmed

Obstetrics & Gynecology : Mamatha Devi,Anuradha Khar

Orthopedics: J V Srinivas

Paediatrics : Prashant Nayak,Prasanna Betala,K Satish

Spine Surgery : Kiran Rajappa

Wockhardt Hospitals Specialty Clinic
No 107 ,Artarcade
4th Floor,80 Feet Road
Koramangala
4th Block
Bangalore-34

Phone no:65364444/41461151

Urology Doctors at Wockhardt Kidney Institute

2009-08-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

Dr Shivaji Basu
Chief Urologist
FRCS (Edin), FRCS (London), MS (Calcutta University)

Dr Shivaji Basu brings with him 30 years of world-class experience in Urology.Dr Basu has performed over 22,000 Uro surgeries and procedures to date, he is regarded as one of the most renowned urologist of the country .He has been associated with Whipps Cross Hospital, London, Lodge Moore Hospital, Sheffield and Charing Cross Hospital, London.

Dr. Arup Ratan Dutta
Chief Nephrologist
MBBS, MD, DM-Nephrology

Dr Arup Ratan Dutta has an experience of over 18 years and is the Chief Nephrologist at WHKI and is also an integral part of the team that conducts Renal Transplants at WHKI.

Dr Amlan Chakraborty
Consultant Urologist
Qualification
MBBS, MS, FRCS

Dr Chakraborty is a young surgeon par excellence in the domain of Uro surgery. He is one of the few surgeons in the eastern region to have pioneered in Laparoscopic Urology

Dr Avishek Mukherjee
Consultant Urologist
Qualification
MS - AIIMS, M Ch – PGI Chandigarh

Dr Avishek Mukherjee has pioneered Penile Surgery in the eastern part of the country and is regarded as one of the eminent experts in Male Infertility.

Dr R K Gopala Krishna
Consultant Urologist
MBBS, MS, DNB-Gen.Surg., FRCS-Edinburgh,
FRCS-Glasgow, DNB-Urology

Dr Gopala Krishna is a specialist in Stone Mangement.After awarded DNB in General Surgery by National Board of Examination he moved to UK for his FRCS from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Dr. Prasanna Kumar Mishra
Consutant - Urologist
MBBS, MS, M Ch (Urology)

Dr Mishra brings with him more than a decade of experience in Uro surgeries and Procedures.

For Consultations and Appointments with our Doctors please email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Urology Services at Wockhardt Hospital and Kidney Institute

2009-08-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

The Department of Urology at the Wockhardt Hospital and Kidney Institute is a national leader in urological treatments and research. The department of Urology is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art medical and surgical care in all aspects of adult and pediatric urology.

The department of Urology provides screening, staging and the most up-to-date treatment of all uro-genital tumors including kidney, ureter, bladder and prostate. The Department of Urology has a complete range of facilities to provide comprehensive services in the management of urological conditions.

Facilties and Procedures performed at Kolkata Hospital and Kidney Institute

TURP :Transuretheral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) is a surgical procedure to deal with patients with an enlarged, benign (non cancerous) prostate, called Benign Prostate Hyperplasia or BPH.

Bladder Tumor :A bladder tumor is an excess growth of cells that line the inside of the bladder. A tumor may be either cancerous or non cancerous.

Pediatric Urology - Pediatric Urology involves the diagnosis and treatment of all urological problems encountered in children.

Uroendoscopy A device consisting of a tube and optical system for observing the inside of a hollow organ or cavity. This observation may be done through a natural body opening or a small incision.

Urooncology :Treatment of patients with cancer disease in the urinary tract including major surgery on bladder and prostate.

Prostate Disease Specialty clinic- The Wockhardt Hospital and Kidney Institute has a specialty clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate diseases.

Treatment of Incontinence :The loss of bladder control.

Treatment of Haematuria :Haematuria is the presence of red blood cells (RBCs) in the urine. The urine appears normal to the naked eye, but examination under a microscope shows a high number of RBCs. We effectively evaluate and treat all types of urinary incontinence and haematuria.

The department of Urology has nationally and internationally renowned urological surgeons and physicians, offering uniquely comprehensive range of innovative care for all urological disorders.

To schedule an appointment or consultation with our urology Specialist,please email to enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Outsourcing legacy upgrades knees, hips, Heart to India

2009-08-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

Computerworld recently wrote a now familiar story by now"Outsourcing legacy upgrades -- knees, hips, looks -- to India: " about how "Rising medical cost has been helping to foster medical tourism for lower cost.International visitors, particularly from the US are traveling to Indian to get their Knee and Hip Replacements done and are going back to US by spending almost 50% of what they they would have paid in US Hospitals.

Take the case of Terry,(name changed) a public school teacher in Texas, went to India in June for cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin after a major weight loss. The cost of this surgery in the U.S. was somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000 and not covered by her insurance carrier.

Instead, Terry contacted her travel agent who connected her with BridgeHealth International inc., in Greenwood Village, Co., one of number of firms that arrange overseas medical treatment. Costa Rica or Mexico was closer, but Terry, an experienced traveler, had never been to India and so the decision was made."

U.S insurers are beginning to test programs to pay for elective medical work overseas. The incentive for patients may include elimination of deductibles and travel for a spouse, as well as paying the cost of hotel and travel.

In these insurance programs, the operative words are "non-emergency" and "cost-effective," according to Dr. Virginia Cardin, a senior healthcare consultant with Frost & Sullivan. The latter involves measuring immediate outcomes and required follow-up care that would be done in the U.S.

India's medical tourism industry may benefit in a number of ways, some direct and some indirect, from U.S. IT offshore outsourcing.

For one, the expertise that offshore firms acquire in upgrading hospital systems can be applied to Indian environments. Increasing familiarity by U.S. residents with India may help as well.

It's also possible that IT outsourcing in India and elsewhere may make some companies comfortable with the idea of offering medical tourism as an employee option.

A 2008 US survey by audit firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu found that 40% of US respondents were willing to travel abroad for treatment if the quality was comparable and savings were 50% or more. India had nearly 450,000 medical visitors last year and average medical costs were at 20% of that in the US, the report showed.

“India has good medical infrastructure and is also culturally more amenable to having guests who can be treated,” says consultant P.R. Srinivas of Deloitte. “The waiting time for patients is also far less than in some developed countries.”

However most medical tourism hospitals in India would tell you, that Outsourcing to Indian Hospitals is much more than merely costs savings. Most International medical travelers who have come to India are often pleasantly surprised by the quality of care at Leading Corporate Indian Hospitals.

Although the cost factor might be a big factor initially on deciding on the destination,but the real clincher on why India is much sought after among medical tourism destination is "about the quality of care"which an International patient experiences when they are in their hospital beds.

Its important for everyone connected to the healthcare industry to understand that in the long term, its going to be the quality of care,including the nursing staff,the doctors ,the immediacy of care, post rehab, infection control and all the support staff that are involved in care giving process to an International patient which are responsible in making the stay of an international medical traveler a much better experience.

Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgeons at Mumbai

2009-08-17T04:44:00.000-07:00

Dr. Kaushal Pandey
Cardio-Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon
M.S., M.Ch., FACA

Dr. Kaushal Pandey brings to Wockhardt Heart Care a vast experience of performing about eight thousand Cardio-Thoracic & Vascular Surgeries in India and abroad.

During his five years stay in Australia, Dr. Pandey was exposed to about 3500 cases, out of which he himself performed 800 operations.

Consultant Timings :Wednesday & Saturday 5. 00 pm – 7. 00 pm

To Fix an Appointment email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Dr. Shantesh Kaushik
Cardio - Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon
M.S.D.N.B. (Gen Surg.), M. Ch. (Thor. Surg.)
D.N.B. (Cardio-thor. Surg.), M.D. (USA)

Dr. Kaushik had a privilege of learning and practicing at renowned places in India, Australia and USA including the Royal Melbourne Hospital (the second largest cardio thoracic center in Australia), Boston Medical Center in Boston, USA and the Lahey Clinic, USA.

In his combined overseas experience he has been exposed to 4000 cases of which he has performed about 900 cases.

Consultant Timings:Monday - Saturday 10. 00 am – 6. 00 pm

To Fix an Appointment email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Dr. Sandeep T Honnekeri
Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeon

MS. Mch., DNB.

Dr. Sandeep T Honnekeri Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeon. Dr. Sandeep Honnekeri is specialised in Beating Heart Coronary Bypass Surgery using Total Arterial Revascularisation. He has performed more than 2500 such surgeries and routinely used both internal mammary arteries ( LIMA+RIMA) often as a “Y” graft. He is also the only surgeon in the country to regularly use the GASTROEPIPLOIC ARTERY (taking it off the stomach wall and connecting it to the heart)

Consultant Timings:Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm

To Fix an Appointment email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Dr. Ajay Chaugle
Cardio Thoracic Surgeon
Mch Cardiothoracic Surgery
Visiting Fellow University of Barcelona,Spain

Dr Ajay Chaugle is specially trained for Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeries and Minimal Invasive Cardiac Surgery.His special interest is in Adult Cardiac Surgery and he was an important member of a team which developed Beating Heart Surgery in India.

Dr Chaugle is is doing 95% Beating Heart Surgery and specialised in doing endarterectomies, LV aneurysms repairs on beating heart. Has done left main aneurysm repair on beating heart. Has done awake heart surgeries also.

Consultant Timings:Monday to Saturday

To Fix an Appointment email enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Interventional Cardiologist in Mumbai,Mulund Facilty

2009-08-16T23:27:00.000-07:00

Backing our hi-tech cardiac facilities at Mulund,Mumbai is an eminent and dynamic cardiac team, members of which are not only leaders in their field in India but have gained national and International recognition for their pioneering work in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.

Cardiologists associated with Wockhardt Heart Care Specialty have been educated and trained at some of the best teaching hospitals in the world like Mayo Clinic, Texas Heart Institute, Cleveland Clinic and Massachusetts General Hospital. Their collective experience makes this cardiac team amongst the most dynamic and innovative in the country.

Dr. Hasmukh Ravat - Interventional Cardiologist
M.D. (Medicine), D.M. (Cardiology), Fellow in Interventional Cardiology, Australia
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Dr Manjeet Junega-Interventional Cardiologist
M.D. (General Medicine), D.M. (Cardiology), M.N.A.M.S
Click here to view profile

Dr. Suresh Vijan - Interventional Cardiologist
M.D., MRCP (UK)
Click here to View Profile

Dr. P.A Kale - Interventional Cardiologist
M.D., F.A.C.C., I.C.C., F.I.S.F., F.I.C.P
Click here to View Profile

Dr. Chetan Shah - Interventional Cardiologist
M.D. (Medicine), D.M. (Cardiology), FACC, FACP (USA)
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Dr. Vinod .Kumar Shah - Interventional Cardiologist
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Dr. Zakia Khan - Interventional Cardiologist
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Dr. Nandkumar Chonkar - Cardiologist
M.D. (Gen. Med.), DM(Card.)
Click here to View Profile

For appointments and consultations please email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Clincal Services and Medical Breakthroughs at Wockhardt Hospitals and Kidney Institute,Kolkata

2009-08-14T03:37:00.000-07:00

Wockhardt Hospital & Kidney Institute - Kolkata, part of premier chain of Wockhardt Hospitals and an affiliate hospital of Harvard Medical International of USA is the first and the only dedicated super specialty Kidney Hospital in Eastern India, established in the year 1988.

Wockhardt Kidney Institute pioneered in Lithotripsy - the non-surgical non-invasive way of treating Kidney stones in India with the introduction of Lithotripter using ultrasonography and X-ray for localization of stones and electro-magnetic waves to crush them.

Wockhardt Kidney Institute has performed the maximum number of PCNLs (stones) extracted through a small hole at the back.

Wockhardt Kidney Institute performs the maximum number of kidney stone as well as kidney.

Surgeries per month with almost 100% success rate in Eastern India catering to over 50 million people.

It has performed the first successful Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy in Kidney Transplant surgery in Eastern India.

Wockhardt Kidney Institute introduced Penile Implant surgery in the Eastern India.

The Kidney Institute performs maximum number of dialysis per month in the city and has become synonym to Kidney care in the Eastern India.

To know the OPD schedules at Wockhardt Hospitals and Kidney Institute click here

For consultations and appointments email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Senior Consultant Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgeon Dr Keyur Anil Buch joins our Bangalore Team

2009-08-14T03:21:00.000-07:00

We welcome Dr Keyur Anil Buch
MS Orth, MCh Orth (UK), FRCSEd (Trauma & Orth)
Senior Consultant Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgeon, Superspecialist: Upper Limb Arthroscopy, Joint Replacement and Trauma

Dr Keyur Buch obtained MChOrth from Aberdeen University in the UK and then went on to be awarded the internationally acclaimed FRCS (Tr & Orth) qualifications from the UK after which he was appointed Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in the UK in the National Health Service.

During his long stay in the UK and USA, Dr Buch honed his skills in arthroscopy of shoulder, wrist, elbow and knee as well upper limb and small joint replacements including shoulder/elbow/knuckle and basal joint of the thumb replacements. His other clinical super specialties skills include key-hole surgery for dislocated shoulder, impingement and muscle pain around shoulder and knee; minimally invasive surgery for tennis elbow/golfer's elbow and scaphoid fractures and plaster-less treatment of distal radius fractures

Dr Buch completed a one year Upper Limb Clinical Fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, USA, where one of the ex-Prime Ministers of India was a patient.

During his extensive clinical practice in the UK, USA, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Dr Buch has successfully treated numerous high profile celebrities from business, sports (including Olympic athletes and immediate family members of high profile soccer players in the UK), a range of shoulder, knee, wrist, elbow and hand problems.

Dr Buch has also been actively involved in providing practical surgical training to post-MS Orth and post-FRCS surgeons in the fields of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery.

Dr Keyur Anil Buch will be available for consultations and appointments,please email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net for scheduling appointments

Health of our Nation: India Ranks 171 out of 175 on Healthcare Spending

2009-08-11T05:17:00.001-07:00

If statistics are any indication on the state of health in India,there is a lot to worry...As per World Health Organization survey, India is at the bottom of the heap in terms of public health spending and ranks 171st out of 175 countries,which is less than even what some of the sub-Saharan African countries spent on their Healthcare.

The highest public health care spending per person is in the regions of Western Europe, North America and Japan. Luxembourg, Norway and Iceland. For a country that has the second largest population and is soon to overtake china , India spends 5.2% of its GDP on healthcare — compared to, say, 16% in the US and 13% in Sweden. Of this, only 0.9% is spent by the government while the private sector accounts for the remaining 4.3%.

The US,UK,and Switzerland spends the most as a percentage of their GDP. Health Care spending in the US is projected to grow to 19.5% of GDP in 2017.

In 1962, Defense spending in the US made up half of the federal budget, Social Security about 15% and Medicare had not yet been enacted. By 2007, Defense spending is only 20% of the budget while Social Security makes up 21% and Medicare 16% and rising.

According to Vishal Bali,CEO Wockhardt Hospitals, “Public health spending as a percentage of GDP is minuscule. Due to this, India is over-dependent on the private sector. Contrast us with China, which spends almost almost 6% of its GDP of health,’’ says Vishal Bali, CEO, Wockhardt Hospitals. While India ranks among the top 10 countries for communicable diseases, it is a world leader in chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease.

Despite the wide gaps, higher spending on health care does not necessarily prolong lives. In 2000, theUnited States spent more on health care than any other country in the world: an average of $ 4,500 per person. Switzerland was second highest, at $3,300 or 71% of the US. Nevertheless, average US life expectancy ranks 27th in the world, at 77 years.

Treating Pediatric Congenital Heart Diseases

2009-08-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

Wockhardt Hospitals offers various advanced surgical therapies for congenital heart diseases for pediatric patients of all ages from newborns to adolescents.The conditions that we treat more often in the various age groups includes

NEONATAL CONDITIONS

Trans position of the great arteries (emergency switch procedures). In this condition the anatomical positions of the pulmonary artery and aorta was switched so that the aorta arises from the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery arises from the left ventricle.

This causes oxygen poor blood to be circulated to the body instead of oxygen rich blood, a life threatening medical emergency requiring immediate treatment.Our surgeons have pioneered the innovative arterial switch procedure that reestablishes normal anatomy and function while seeking to avoid complications that are associated with other surgical approaches.

Hypoplastic left heart Syndrome (Norwood procedure of Hypoplastic left heart); This is a condition in which the left side of the heart is incompletely formed.We have extensive experiance with the Norwood Procedure and stage palliation for the HLHS .Our success rate ranks among the best in the country for this type of repair and we are currently involved with a major multi institutional study evaluating this and other innovative procedures for the treatement of HLHS.

INFANTS CONDITION

Tetralogy of Fallot:The most common cyanotic defect (the heart delivers less oxygen to the body than normal).This complex congenital condition consists of 4 developmental defects that require surgical correction early in childhood.

Ventricular Septal Defect:An opening in the wall that separates the two ventricles of the heart,causing mixing of oxygen-poor blood with oxygen-rich blood.

Atrial Septal Defect:An opening in the wall between the right and left atria that results in abnormal blood flow throught the heart.Left untreated,this condition can cause enlargement of the right side of the heart,arrhythmia s and , in some cases, pulmonary hypertension.

Coarctation of the aorta A constriction in the aorta that causes blood pressure to increase above the narrowed area while limiting blood flow to the body.

Atrioventricular Canals: large openings between the right and left sides of the heart.Usually,one large common valve replaces the normal mitral and tricuspid valves .Left untreated,this defect can cause poor growth malnourishment and enlargement of the heart and pulmonary hypertension.

CHILDREN

Fontan procedure: Single ventricle,a collective term that describes defects in which oxygen-rich blood and poor blood are mixed in a single ventricle. Our pediatric cardiac surgeons have the expertise in the fontan procedure that directs oxygen poor blood directly to the pulmonary artery and lungs.The single ventricle is reservd for collecting oxygen rich blood from the lungs and then pumping it to the aorta and rest of the body.

Repair of previous surgery; Our team of pediatric cardiac surgeons has vast experiance,speciallty in performing repair surgeries on children suffering from complex heart problem such as blue babies,in transposition of great arteries(by performing switches and double swicthes) and Ross procedure.

For appointments and enquiries,please email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net