Wockhardt conducts live multicentric surgeries workshop

EHM News Bureau - Mumbai

Wockhardt Hospitals conducted India’s first regional multi-centric live workshop showcasing the latest advances in the field of cardiac surgery, orthopaedics, spine surgery last month. The workshop was relayed live to over 2000 doctors simultaneously in Mumbai, Kolhapur, Nasik and Nagpur.

The advancements have given patients significant benefits such as faster recovery, better quality of life and are also affordable opined the Wockhardt team of highly qualified consultants at Mumbai who performed the surgeries.

The first procedure was performed in this workshop were expandable devices (Cages) for Lumbar Spinal Fusion, the latest advancement in spine surgery. This surgery has proven to be effective in relieving pain and disability in patients of degenerative disc disease (or DDD) and has become the definitive treatment for low back pain sufferers.

Second surgery in line was hip resurfacing also called surface replacement surgery. This technique is the recent advancement in orthopaedic surgery and has gained popularity as it preserves the bone. In our country, hip joint disease commonly occurs secondary to conditions like avascular necrosis, ankylosing spondylitis, infection, childhood hip problems, hip arthritis and injury are very frequently seen in younger age group Indians.

The third surgery was valve replacement surgery along with correction of atrial fibrillation using Radio Frequency Ablation (Maze III procedure). Says Dr Shantesh Kaushik, consultant cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon at Wockhardt Heart Hospital, “Persistence of atrial fibrillation after valve replacement surgery mandates anti-coagulation, which in turn causes all the long-term complications and mortality.”

“Restoration of sinus-rhythm and AV Synchrony improves cardiac output, allows an anti-coagulant free lifestyle with bio-prosthetic valve usage, while giving more complete symptomatic relief and freedom from stroke,” he added.

Carotid angioplasty, the non surgical method to remove blocks in arteries supplying blood to the brain was peformed by Dr Suresh Vijan, interventional cardiologist, Wockhardt Hospitals. Carotid artery disease is caused by the obstruction of the carotid arteries, these are blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. The aim of treatment is to prevent stroke. Says Dr Suresh Vijan, interventional cardiologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, “Randomised controlled trials have confirmed this procedure is safer than CEA. It is now estimated that ultimately this will replace CEA as the treatment of choice for most patients with carotid disease”.

Trans-catheter closure of atrial septal defect (Non operative closure of ASD (hole in the heart) using device particularly useful in children was performed by Dr Hasmukh Rawat, Interventional Cardiologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, “Till date, the closure has been performed by open heart surgery. In recent times, the closure of this ASD can be performed percutaneusly i.e by a small hole in the groin region. The device used for closure is “Amplatz”. This device when in a collapsed state is passed through a small tube and positioned at the septal hole. On release, it takes shape like that of an umbrella and placed across the spectrum. Within a few days a new membrane is formed over the device and permanently sealed. The average time for the procedure is one hr to one and a half hour”.

The relay centres for the workshop were Hotel Renaissance at Mumbai, Hotel Taj Residency in Nasik, Hotel Centre Point at Nagpur and Hotel Vrishali Executive at Kolhapur.

“The workshop has provided an interactive platform for veteran specialist doctors from all over Maharashtra and have reinforced Wockhardt Hospitals’ commitment to technology; doctor expertise and skill set advancement for the medical fraternity and society. Special consessional prices are formulated for rest of Maharashtra patients requiring the surgeries / procedures showcased”, said Vishal Bali, vice-president of Wockhardt Hospitals.