HEALTH

ENT surgeons’ conference ends

THE 53rd annual conference of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India concluded at the PGI recently.

Experts dwelled on topics like rhinoplastic surgery of nose, facial paralysis caused by infections and trauma and various types of facial pains with causes, pathology and treatment.

Panel discussions were held on discharging ears, prevention of deafness, endoscopic surgery of nose for sinusitis and tumours and preservation of voice in cancer of the voice box.

Prof W. Draf and Prof W. Pirsing from Germany, Dr Andre Sultan from France, Dr Bernard Ars from Belgium, Prof William House from the USA, Dr Dinesh Mehta, Dr Nikhil Bhatt and Dr V. Anand gave guest lectures on topics like endoscopic sinus surgery, cochlear implants, skull base surgery and surgery of discharging ears.

The experts stressed on avoidance of smoking and pan masala which were the primary causes of cancer of mouth, throat, voice box, food pipe and lungs.

Dr V. Anand’s presentation of a paper on ‘‘Endoscopic sinus surgery —20 years of experience’’ for which he received the Dr Hiranadani Oration Award was based on recent trends.

He stressed on recent trends and technological advancements in image guided endoscopic surgery.

During surgery, a probe placed at a vital area in the human brain can be exactly identified on the screen of a video monitor showing CT and MRI scan, the area being operated upon with the help of a C-Arm. This rare stereotactic technique can be applied by ENT surgeons while operating with the rigid telescope inside the nose, called endoscopic sinus surgery.

Dr Rajamma Rajan, during Dr G.S. Grewal memorial plenary lecture, highlighted that even a small swelling around the eye could be a warning signal for a total loss of vision, if not taken care of in time. She said majority of patients kept getting treatment from ophthalmologists.

However, an ideal approach in such cases was a team effort by ophthalmologists and ENT surgeons so this complications could be avoided.

Prof S.B.S. Mann, Director Principal, GMCH, who was also the organising secretary of the AOICON, conducted the various scientific as well as the free paper sessions over the four days.

He deliberated over the prevalence of deafness in the country. According to him, 10 per cent of the Indian population were on the varying stages of deafness.

He said the condition could be avoided by avoiding inter-family marriages, especially first and second degree marriages.

Besides avoiding harmful drugs or radiations and taking care of infections during pregnancy, good antenatal care and delivery by registered obstetricians could also reduce risks. He also spoke on the occupational hazards of noise exposure which could cause deafness in the long term.

Dr Sandra Desa Souza from Mumbai took over as the president of the association. Dr Desa Souza is the pioneer of cochlear implant surgery in India and is first woman surgeon in the world to have implanted this gadget into the human ear to treat complete deafness.

Dr Ashok Gupta, Associate Professor, ENT Department, received the E Merck award for experimental study on the management of dizziness, a common yet poorly understood phenomenon.

According to Dr Naresh Panda, Associate Professor and joint organising secretary, AOICON, 1500 delegates from India and abroad attended this conference. For the first time, the thyroplasty surgery conducted by the PGI team was recorded and shown live on a giant screen.

During the seminar, another interesting topic included deliberations by Prof Anoop Rai from the Maulana Azad Medical College on chronic tonsillitis and adenoid hypertrophy. — TNS

Reconstitute PMC,  demands IMA
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought reconstitution of the Punjab Medical Council for facilitating better medical services in the state. About 350 doctors from Ludhiana, Raikot, Sahnewal, Doraha and Samrala attended the meeting.

Addressing a function organised to honour 10 top doctors of the city, the Ludhiana district president of the IMA, Dr Gurcharan Singh, said the matter was pending with the state government for the past several years.

The IMA president emphasised the need for better coordination among the doctors for creating better working conditions and also providing better healthcare to the people. He said the IMA felt proud to honour the doctors who had made outstanding contribution to the medical field.

The doctors who were honoured included Dr L.S. Chawla, Dr S.B. Khurana, Dr S.S. Grewal, Dr J.C. Saha, Dr O.P. Aggarwal, Dr Harbans Sidhu, Dr V.K. Satija, Dr Som Nath Gupta and Dr Sunita Ahuja on behalf of her late husband Dr B.K. Ahuja.

Speaking on the occasion Dr L.S. Chawla, former Vice-Chancellor of the Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, said that there were about 5.25 lakh doctors in India but only 1.25 lakh were IMA members. He asserted that in developed countries like the USA and Britain, the medical associations play a prominent role in formulating policies and he visualised a similar situation for the Indian Medical Association. He disclosed that in those countries it was mandatory for all doctors to become members of these associations and stressed the need for getting 100 per cent membership of doctors in the IMA also.

Dr S.B. Khurana, former Principal and Director of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, emphasised the need for involving all the doctors with the IMA. He appreciated the efforts of the IMA president, Dr Gurcharan Singh, in uniting the doctors under one banner.

Dr J.C. Saha, Registrar of the Christian Medical College, underlined the need for broadening the base of the IMA which would mutually be beneficial for doctors and patients.

HERBS AND HEALTH
Guggal — nature’s weapon against arthritis
By R. VATSYAYAN

Guggal (Comifora mukul), is a shrubby one to two meter high plant found in Rajasthan, parts of Gujarat and a few other arid places of southern India. It also grows in Sindh, Baluchistan and some of the Arabian and African countries.

The resinous gum exudate of the plant, which is tapped by specific traditional methods is medicinal. This resinous mass, which is also called guggul, undergoes a process of purification to make it fit for human use.

For many centuries, guggul has been part of the ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. Ancient acharyas have described it to be bitter in taste, but hot in effect. Guggal has qualities to pacify all three doshas in the body, such as vata, pitta and kapha.

It is also described as light, dry, sharp, sticky and unctuous. The chemical composition of Guggal reveals it to be a mixture of a variety of organic compounds and inorganic ions. It also contains mineral matter, mostly consisting of silicon dioxide, calcium, magnesium, iron and a volatile oil.

Ayurvedic texts have classified Guggal into many types, mainly depending upon its place of origin, whereas scholars of Unani medicine have described its varieties according to its colours. However, the best Guggal is that which is free from dust and dissolves gradually, if put into hot water by turning into a white emulsion.

Guggal is a very potent drug for various types of joint problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteo-arthritis and gout . Its therapeutic use helps in reducing pain, swelling and tenderness of the inflamed joints. It is also alterative, antiseptic, carminative, expectorant and has fat-reducing properties. The use of Guggal is also indicated in various gynaecological disorders. In the recent past, Guggal has been extensively investigated to revalidate the claims mentioned about its versatility in the ayurvedic literature.

It has been observed that besides being a good anti-arthritic agent, Guggal also has promising anti-cholesterol and cardio-protective effects. Classical ayurvedic literature has a separate group of formulations where Guggal is used as a chief ingredient. To name a few, Sinhnad Guggal and Yograj Guggal (for arthritis, paralysis and other disorders, due the imbalance of vata dosha), Kaishore Guggal and Triphla Guggal (for regulation of fat metabolism) and Kanchnar Guggal (for soft tissue inflammation) fall in this group.

The average dose of Guggal is two to four gms a day. Overdose of Guggal can be harmful for liver and lungs and its use is also contra- indicated in the first trimester of pregnancy.

SPORT

CBSE National Athletic Meet
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — Gaurav Sehgal of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School has won gold medal in long jump at CBSE National Athletic Meet held in Chennai from December 26 to 29. For his brilliant performance at the national level, he has been selected for the International Athletic Meet to be held in Singapore in February this year.

Earlier, Gaurav had won two gold medals in long jump and 4 x 400 metres relay in the CBSE Cluster XII North Zone Athletic Meet held at MGN School, Jalandhar, and three silver medals in Sahodaya School Complex Meet held at GRD Academy, Humbran Road, this year.

National School Games

Rajnish Kumar of Arya Senior Secondary School, Sabzi Mandi, has won bronze medal in judo at 46th National School Games held in New Delhi from December 22 to 28. Rajnish said that he got the rare distinction under the able guidance of his physical instructor, Mr Inder Parkash. Mr Anil Sareen, manager of the school, has decided to start a special scholarship for Rajnish.