Indore: A ‘ continued medical education’ ( CME) programme was organised by Indian Medical Association ( IMA), Indore branch, in association with Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital at IMA’s MOG Lines premises, on Saturday. Eminent doctors of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital addressing the function stated that advanced techniques and instruments in the field of spine surgery, liver transplantation and congenital heart surgery have made a significant difference and increased the success rate to almost 100 percent. IMA- Indore president Dr Anil Bhatia stated that the doctors are making significant developments in the field of medical science with the help of improved skills and advanced technology.
Success rate of spine surgery is over 98%
Dr Mihir Bapat said spine surgery is extremely challenging due to fear of paralysis but the modern technology is gradually diminishing the fear factor. Since inception, we have operated more than 1,500 patients successfully but no case of paralysis occurred. Advanced spinal surgery techniques and technology allow complication rates less than 1- 2 percent.
Minimally invasive ( key- hole) surgery for lumbar spine ( slipped disc) is now popular. Patients can walk one day after the surgery and return to work in days. Even aggressive surgeries for tumours, infections, fractures, deformity can successfully executed with modern implants, computerised navigation and intra- operative spinal cord monitoring.
It is now common for bedridden patients due to spinal cord pressure to resume normal activities. With people now recognising these benefits, the era of modern spinal surgery provides solution to the most morbid disease affecting the human body.
Congenital heart diseases not fatal
Dr Suresh G Rao said that new techniques and improved surgical skills have made a significant impact in the field of congenital heart disease. Gone are the days when life threat was involved with congenital heart diseases.
Today, the ailments are treated with cent percent success. At Kokilaben Hospital, 1500 congenital heart surgeries have been performed along with around 500 pediatric cardiological interventions. Success rates have been around 95% for the surgeries and nearly 100% for the interventions.
Children from newborn to adults with congenital heart disease have been corrected surgically. Operations for complex congenital defects like the arterial switch for TGA in neonates is commonplace along with other more complex ones like correction of obstructed total veins and those for hypoplastic left heart syndrome and interrupted aortic arches.
Transplantation of liver: The Way Ahead
Dr Vinay Kumaran stated that liver transplantation is a relatively new addition to the armamentarium of physicians dealing with liver failure in India. Advanced technology has today enabled a healthy person to donate part of the liver.
The liver is a unique organ in that it has enough reserve to allow up to 75% of the liver to be surgically removed. The remaining 25% not only functions and meets the requirements of the body but also grows back to its full size in a few weeks.
After a few weeks, both the donor and the patient have a full liver again. The living donor liver transplant operation has been standardized to the extent that a planned living donor liver transplant in a stable patient ( one who does not have to be admitted in hospital before transplant) has a success rate of about 95%.
Da Vinci Robotics: Future of Surgery
Dr T B uvaraja said robot assisted surgery is a breakthrough surgical technology, which is a new category of minimally invasive surgery. It is an effective, minimally invasive alternative to both open surgery and laparoscopy.
Through the use of the da Vinci Surgical System, surgeons are now able to offer a minimally invasive option for complex surgical procedures. The system cannot be programmed and it cannot make decisions on its own like most of the common people think.
The da Vinci System requires that every surgical maneuver be performed with direct input from your surgeon. Benefits experienced by patients include a shorter hospital stay, less pain, less risk of infection, less blood loss, fewer transfusions, less scarring, faster recovery and a quicker return to normal activities.
