58-yr-old’s
heart beats with a pump
Finally, there is hope for patients with
end-stage heart disease.
Doctors of a Chennai hospital have successfully
placed an artificial heart implant in 58-year-old S Rajasekar, who required a
transplant.
“We had got the implant specifically for him. It
is not just a technological breakthrough, but has also given hope to many heart
patients,” Dr KR Balakrishnan, cardiothoracic surgeon and director of Cardiac
Sciences at Fortis Malar Hospital in Chennai.
The sophisticated HeartMate-II LVAD (Left
Ventricular Assist Device) helps the heart pump blood into the body.
Buoyed by the successful treatment, doctors in
Mumbai, too, plan to conduct a similar surgery as the “revolutionary device
will help end the wait for a donor heart”.
“We plan to conduct a similar surgery in Mumbai
soon. It is very encouraging that Chennai doctors have already done it,” said
Dr BK Goyal, cardiac surgeon from Bombay Hospital.
Chennai resident S Rajasekar, a managing director
in a private firm, was diagnosed with end stage heart disease, but he could not
travel abroad for a transplant. On hearing about the artificial heart implant,
the family jumped for it and the surgery was performed at the hospital on
November 19 after which he was kept on a ventilator for three days.
“A transplant is believed to be the best cure for
chronic heart diseases if initial treatments like drugs, angioplasty, bypass
surgery and pacemakers fail. The long wait for a donor make the artificial
heart pump devices important,” said Dr KG Suresh Rao, head of cardiac
anaesthesia and cardiac critical care, Fortis Malar Hospital.
HeartMate-II LVAD, which costs Rs 55 lakh, is a
small, battery-driven rotor pump device, the latest version of which is made of
sintered microsphere titanium.
“The best part is that it does not generate pulse
and therefore, prevents clotting. It is valveless, thrombo resistant. But this
device can be implanted in patient whose right ventricle is working normally,”
said Dr Rao.
He added that though the device is said to be the
latest in medical technology, research institutions in the US, France and
Germany have been working on an artificial pump since 2001.
Former US vice-president Dick Cheney is among the
many who have benefited from this implant, he added.
Source: www.dnaindia.com
11.12.2012
Breast cancer high among women in
their 30s
Breast
cancer awareness has taken center stage but mothers, wives and daughters are still not comfortable talking
about it.
Could this be the reason why there is an increase in the number of undetected breast cancer cases? We give you the facts and the statistics of breast cancer in India. Find out which city has the most number of cases.
Based on the 2006-2008 studies, 16 per cent of women between 30-40 suffer from breast cancer. This number has gone up - it was 7 per cent 25 years back.
If you compare breast cancer to other leading cancer like ovary, mouth, lungs, stomach breast cancer amounts to 29.3 per cent. That is a staggering percentage compared to stomach cancer that holds 2.4 per cent.
According to the stats breast cancer affects 25 per cent to 32 per cent of all female cancers patients in all major cities.
Mumbai: Approximately 4000 to 4500 women new cases of breast cancer were detected in 2005.
Mumbai: Breast cancer is no longer associated with women above the age of 60; according to the study 52 per cent of breast cancer patients are below 50 years.
Delhi: Compared to other metros, Delhi has the most number of cases accounting to 31.4 per cent.
Delhi: Breast cancer in females is the highest accounting for 31.4 per cent compared to cancer of the cervix uteri.
Bengaluru: About 54 per cent breast cancer patients are in the 25 to 50 year age group.
India and US: In 2008, 1,82,000 breast cancer cases reported in the US and in India, 1,15,000 new cases were diagnosed.
Source: www.timesofindia.com
11.12.2012
Effort
is only effort when it begins to hurt
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