HEALTH

A unique non-surgical endo vascular technique
By Poonam Batth
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 25 — Thirty-nine year old, Yash Pal could barely walk a few yards without having pain in the legs due to “total aortoiliac block” , but is now cured, thanks to the unique non-surgical endovascular technique made available to him at PGI.

The technique, pioneered by Dr Harinder K Bali of the Department of Cardiology, PGI, has come as a boon to many such patients who have similar problems, due to blockade in their aortoiliac or lower limb arteries, which perform a vital function of supplying blood to the pelvic area and the legs. Even patients with total occlusion can now be managed non-surgically through this technique, said Dr Bali. He explained that “the technique is unique because it has

been carried out in those patients, where no other alternate treatment, including surgical intervention, was possible.” Hence complicated cases of arterial blockade of the peripheral arteries can now be cured completely without surgery.

Yash Pal, who works in LIC, had been very uncomfortable owing to persistent pain in the legs, even when he would walk a few yards. He consulted various orthopaedic doctors for treatment, but the medicines and exercises made no difference and the pain kept on progressively increasing. “It was only a month back, when I came to PGI for reference that total arterial block was detected in the artery, with no blood flowing beyond that,’’ he said. “Even though I have spent over Rs 1 lakh on getting the procedure done, but it sure has given me a new lease of life,’’ said Yash Pal. A keen cricket player, he now looks forward to get back to the field.

Dr Harinder K Bali, upon investigating him, observed that no blood flow beyond the blockade could be demonstrated on angiography. “If left untreated over a period of time, he would have developed gangrene of the leg, requiring probably amputation,” he revealed.

According to Dr Bali, under normal circumstances, till recently patients with such a problem were being managed surgically - by doing an aortofemoral bypass. But in this case, no surgical treatment of any kind was possible because no segment of the artery, beyond the blockade was visible. This patient had a subtotal blockade of the other common iliac artery also. He further said that angioplasty had not been carried on in such cases in this part of the country.

However, in case of Yash Pal, Dr Bali assisted by Dr Mandeep Bhargava carried out balloon angioplasty and stenting. The blocked artery was opened up non-surgically by endo vascular technique. Dr

Bali said that two long stents each measuring 60 mm by 10 mm were deployed and the entire left sided blocked artery was reconstructed. As a result of this, the blood circulation to the left leg was established. The right subtotal block was also treated by putting a 40 mm by 9 mm stent. The repair of the iliac arteries also restored the flow of blood to the internal iliac arteries as well. A team of doctors from the renal transplant surgery department had provided some help during the procedure.

In the last three months, two other cases have been done by Dr Bali by using the combined brachial and femoral approach. The case of 45 year old Swaran Chand was quite complicated as his legs were developing gangrene and he was completely bed-ridden due to rest ischaemia. He is perfectly healthy and mobile now. The third patient, 65-year old Brij Lal also had total occlusion of the right aortoiliac segment with no demonstrable blood flow beyond the blockade. No surgical help was required in either of these cases.

SPORT

Oh Lord, whither the gentleman’s game
By Sushil Kapoor

The much hyped millennium Bug Y 2K went past the midnight hour without causing any ripples and the cynical thought that billions of rupees were wasted on a much feared catastrophe which failed to unfold. On the other hand, cricket on of the most avidly followed games in the world today, thanks to the electronic media, reached its nadir before the first quarter of the new millennium had run its course.

The once gentleman’s game plummeted to rock bottom, with unscrupulous Indian bookies succeeding in leading South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje up the garden path by baiting and hooking him to their nefarious design of bringing the game to disrepute through a medium which has been heralded the world over as “match fixing”. What a fall for the game of cricket and the gentlemen playing it?

To my mind when cricket was played in white shirts and flannels, the purity and serenity was the prime concern and it was the pride of playing for one’s country which was uppermost in every player’s mind. Players behaved like gentlemen — both on and off the field. I shudder to think if the greats like W.G. Grace, Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garifield Sobers, Sir Len Hutton would have ever bartered their national prestige by match fixing for some easy money. In those days nobody had heard of this phrase. A sterling performance by a relatively weak team against its strong opponents was acknowledged with the phrase, “They made a match of it”. I have heard of “match making” about which you see the outer Delhi Walls splattered with slogans “For made for each other match making visit Ragherpura”. Now I feel that those hoardings/writings will scream “For match fixing” meet Krishan Kumar, Chawla and party at Kochi, Mumbai and Delhi.” What a change in the moral values of this great game.

When everybody is so engrossed in the game it would be in the fitness and fairness of the things to go deep into the cause of this fast decay and corrupting of the gentleman’s game. Looking around the mind goes back to the time when we infused commercial angle instead of the competitive edge. The cricket administrators the world over can be directly charged with bringing this change. They in their quest for generating greater revenues for their associations reduced the players to mere circus performers, for whom resting and regrouping for renewed encounters so as to enable them to give out their best for their respective countries was a mere dream.

The mercenaries of cricket administration in their bid to grab more money by making the game global forced players to play day in and day out without respite, even in matches of least consequences. Taking advantage of this marketing situation, the so-called punters brought in their money power and tried to corrupt the players by offer of inducements for non-performance which in turn might lead to their team’s defeat. It is said that money is at the root of corruption and easy money of this kind was definitely going to influence the impressionable mind of the young players. The sweet sound of the willow was drowned in the tinker of wads of dollars & pounds and change of clothing of white to coloured also changed the colour of money from white to black.

Now, when through a freak chance the veil has been lifted, it becomes all the more relevant to find out about the involvement of suspect international players. Another moot point is to decide whether the players are to be blamed for this menace or the cricket administrators have also to share the guilt. To my mind, administrators have a greater role to play in this as they are supposed to be experienced and worldly wise, who are to guide young players and also warn them about the pitfalls.

The whole world is today focused on the outcome of various steps that the ICC the BCCI and various other cricket controlling bodies are taking to curb the menace of “match fixing” and bring back the game to its pristine glory. I feel that in this bid, various sponsors who provide the stars with big money should cancel the endorsements of the players charged and found guilty of match fixing. These deterrents would certainly reduce the menace of match fixing. In India, however, more stress should be laid on promoting domestic cricket through lucrative endorsements to state players which will break the monopoly of the top 15 who get away with anything short of murder.

Avid camp followers have every reason to feel worried and concerned when they read about their starry heroes being branded as “match fixers” and cheats. The concept of our cricketers as role models envisaged by the parents for their young wards has certainly got a beating and it will require a Herculean effort on part of both administrators and players to redeem their prestige.

The coming two months will be of great concern for all cricket loving followers around the world. I pray that finally the old spirit of cricket triumphs and the cynical who are predicting the end of the glorious game are proved wrong.

Tushar wins Vietnam meet
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, April 25 — Tushar Liberhan, the young tennis sensation of Chandigarh and a student of St John's High School, Sector 26, added another feather to his cap by winning the ITF East Asian (under-14) Tennis Tournament which concluded at Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam on April 21. Tushar defeated Karan Rastogi in the final.

Besides India, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Chinese Philippines took part in this tournament. Besides, Tushar also won the second place in the doubles event and one gold and two silver medals in this tournament.

A regular trainee at the CLTA in Sector 10, Tushar, in January, had won the Asia Cup in Islamabad. He will now also take part in the World Youth Cup in Bangkok from April 30 to May 8. The other two players selected for this tournament from India included Karan Rastogi (Maharashtra) and Divij Sharan (Delhi).

Cricket tourney: The Chandigarh Cricket Association affiliated to the Punjab Cricket Association will hold an under-14 boys' tournament from tomorrow at various grounds in the city.

In all, 12 teams will take part in this tournament which will finish on May 2. The league-cum-knockout tournament will see the best three players awarded Rs 500 per month for one year.

BUSINESS

Tubewell staff stage dharna
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 25 — The members of the Punjab State Tubewell Corporation Employees Joint Action Committee staged a dharna in support of their demands here today.

Mr M.S. Gill, convener of the committee, alleged that the management had failed to clear the arrears of the corporation which have been pending for the past many years. The same was true of DA, LTA and retirement benefits.

Other leaders warned the government that they would start an agitation in case their demands were not met.

Meanwhile, members of the Constofed Punjab Employees Union also staged a dharna in support of their demands.

Eggs, broiler chicken prices unchanged
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, April 25 — Even as the poultry farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have threatened to destroy 30 lakh broiler hatching eggs to protest against the failure of the government in coming to their rescue, the retail prices of eggs or broiler chicken remain unchanged.

While the wholesale prices of poultry products have crashed, retail prices remain unchanged. Enquiries in local markets revealed that price of broiler was varying between Rs 60 and Rs 70 per kg. On the other hand, the rate of broiler ( ex-farm) has been varying between Rs 25 and Rs 35 a kg.

A meat shop in Phase 5 was selling broiler at Rs 65 a kg. A shredded broiler was being sold at Rs 70 a kg. Last week, the poultry broiler was being sold at between Rs 70 and Rs 80 a kg.

A similar trend was seen in case of eggs. In spite of wholesale price of Rs 85 per 100 eggs, the retail price in local markets was between Rs 12 and Rs 13 per dozen. While a shopkeeper was selling eggs at 13 per dozen, another shopkeeper in the same market was selling these at Rs 12 a dozen. In the start of this year, the eggs were priced at between Rs 18 and Rs 20 a dozen.

Manufactured in May, 2000
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 25 — The city markets have received fresh supplies of a moth repellent, which carry May 2000 as the manufacturing date on the package.

A survey of some markets in the city, revealed that supplies of Odonil moth repellent made between April 10 and 18, carried packaging date as 5/2000. It indicate that the product was packed in May which is still five days away.

Both shopkeepers and consumers are perplexed over the printed packaging date, meaning thereby that the life of the product has been deliberately, enhanced. At the same time, consumers feel that they are being cheated.

Under the Package Commodities Act, each manufacurer is required not only to mention the exact date of manufacturing, but also the retail price (inclusive of local taxes) and in some cases, the validity of the product as well.

Some of the consumers brought to the office of Chandigarh Tribune, samples of the packed Odonil moth repellent with printed packaged date as May, 2000.