HEALTH

Successful laparoscopic surgery of kidney performed
By Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 12 — For Sukhdev Singh, a 65-year-old hotelier from Warangal, a conventional open-incision surgery to remove the cyst in his left kidney would have meant a prolonged hospital stay. And almost certain complications due to his weight and age. For Dr P.N. Gupta, a city-based urologist, removing this cyst by performing a laparoscopic surgery in kidney was a challenge, which also held academic interest for him.

Recalling the details of the minimally-invasive operation, performed on February 6, Dr Gupta says that laparoscopy surgery of kidney performed by him is the first in the city, though it is performed in AIIMS, Delhi and also Mumbai.

“Technically, it is quite complicated and requires specialisation, which is why it is rare, even in developed countries,” says Dr Gupta. As far as India is concerned, while gall bladder laparoscopies are quite common, it is a newer concept for kidneys, he adds.

Kidneys are important organs, but their position makes it difficult for a surgeon to approach using laproscopic technique. “Kidneys are in the posterior part of the body and delicate and vascular organs, which a doctor cannot afford to lose for his patient,” says Dr Gupta.

Sukhdev Singh’s case, in particular was complicated. He had started passing blood in the urine two years back. Investigations showed that his left kidney was blocked due to a tumour in the bladder. And his right kidney too had a cyst 10.5 centimetres long. “After a Trans-Urethral Resection, carried out in May last year, the tumour in the bladder was removed as at that point of time it took precedence,” explains Dr Gupta.

When Sukhdev Singh of Khanpur village near Nangal, came to the city for another visit, Dr Gupta decided to remove the cyst with laparoscope.

He performed the surgery on February 6 and his patient was allowed to go home after a stay of just one-and-a-half days in the hospital. “Had I removed the cyst with conventional surgery, considering his weight and girth, a minimum of a 14-inch incision would have been made on his abdomen. Besides, he is past middle age, which means that recovery would have taken much longer. In conventional surgery, he would have lost at least two units of blood, ’’ he adds.

Dr Gupta, through four holes — two of 5 millimetre and two of 10 millimetre each, performed the surgery in which the patient lost just 10 milliletre of blood.

According to him, cystic renal masses are quite common and as many as 90 per cent of them are congenital in nature, while the remaining are acquired. “Smaller cysts are usually not bothered about as they do not hamper the function of the organ, he says, while adding that cost difference between the conventional and the minimally-invasive laparoscopy surgery in the private sector is not much. 

SPORT

Antil: surprise debut
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, Feb 12 — ‘Abhi to bahut mehnat karni hai kuch pane ki liye’, says Seema Antil, the discus thrower, who surprised the Indian athletic world with her performance at the international level. This reporter spotted this ace thrower during the Sports Authority of India selection trials, held today at Sector 18, where she had accompanied one of her close friends, who was to appear for the trials.

The winner of world junior athletic title held at Santiago in Chile last October, this gutsy Haryana damsel, now working as an inspector with Central Reserve Police Force, was accorded much recognition and honour by her own village, Khewra (Sonepat district), with ample prize money. She had achieved the distinction by throwing at 55.27 metres in the above meet, held from October 17 to 22. Seema, who stands tall at nearly six feet, told that she surpassed the defending champion from China in the meet and was pushed to second place with a distance of 54.41 metre.

Seema’s, motivation and encouragement came from her elder brother, Anandpal, himself an international wrestler who was also employed with the CRPF. Seema, who was studying in BA first year at CRA College, Sonepat, told that her aim was to first achieve what her mentor, Neelam J. Singh, had achieved.

Seema, who has two brothers and two more sisters is the youngest, but her determinations unmatched.

She is yet to complete 18 years of age and credits to her coach Jaswant Singh, a Sports Department athletic coach.

She has just one more world junior meet in 2002 before she turns eligible for senior category. Seema said that she first took to athletics in 1995 and in the very first year was selected to represent the Haryana Schools team in the National School Games held at Rohtak. That was when she became interested in athletics. Earlier, she had excelled in events like high jump and long jump, before finally turning to discus throw. Seema was of the opinion that to prevent injuries in the long run, she was concentrating on thigh and spine exercises. She also said that Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited (TISCO) had announced a 1 lakh cash award, which she would be receiving at Jamshedpur soon.

She felt satisfied with her employer and the training she gets at CRPF grounds in Delhi where she spends more than five hours daily honing her skills.

80 girls report for trials
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Feb 12 — More than 80 girls reported for the selection trials at the Sector 18 Sports Training Centre of the Sports Authority of India here. Today was the first day of the trials that are to continue for two more days. The trials are being conducted to choose trainees for athletics, hockey, volleyball and basketball centres.

There were 40 aspirants for hockey trials, 28 for athletics, eight for basketball and eight for volleyball. Ms Ritu Pathik, Assistant Director of the centre, said girls were put through battery of tests that included height measurement, sprints, shuttle run and long jump. Most of the hockey players were of Madhya Pradesh. There was one basketball player who belonged to Bhilai (MP).

Ms Pathik said selected girls would get free kits, food, training, exposure, medical care and many other facilities.

TT tourney

Munish, Sukhwinder, Sunil and Umesh entered the final of the 6th Tribune Table Tennis Tournament here. These four also entered the final of the open doubles event. Munish and Sukhwinder Sodhi beat Surinder Rawat and Vikas Ghai in the lucky doubles final. Rajeev Bajaj and Rajan beat Vikas Ghai and AC Bali for the third place.

Results: open doubles semi-finals — Sunil and Umesh beat Rajiv Bajaj and Rajan, 13-21, 21-17, 22-20; Munish and Sukhwinder beat Vikas Ghai and Bali, 14-21, 21-8, 21-11; third-place match — Rajeev Bajaj and Rajan beat Bali and Ghai, 21-12, 10-21, 22-20; Lucky doubles (final) — Munish and Sodhi beat Vikas and Surinder, 21-19, 21-14, 21-19.

UT school team

A 15-member UT under-14 cricket team has been selected for the National School Games that are to be held at Vijayawada (AP).

The team is as follows: Gurkirat Singh, Naresh Kumar, Abhijeet, Narinder, Amanjeet and Rajneesh (all DAVSSS-8); Amit Prashar and Anupam (BV-27); Simrat Singh, Simranjit Singh (GNPS-36); Samardeep Singh (GMSSS-35); Sanjay Thapa (GSSS-45); Karam Sabhat (GSSS-46); Simranjit S. Sidhu (GMHS-38) and Arun Raj (Sharda Sarvhitkari-40). Harish Sharma and Amarjit Singh will accompany the team as coach and manager, respectively.

Squads chosen

Dhiraj Sharma of MDAV-22 and Kuljeet Kaur of the Sector 40 Guru Harkishan Public School will lead the UT under-19 boys’ and girls’ ball badminton teams, respectively, in the National School Games at Machlipuram (AP) from February 15 to 20.

The teams are as follows: Boys — Dhiraj Sharma, Parul Sharma, Mukesh Garg, Gagan, Pardeep, Abhineet, Munish, Neeraj, Sewa Singh (official); girls — Kuljeet Kaur (captain), Gurleen Kaur, Vikas, Suruchi, Pooja Sharma, Deepa, Deepika, Komalpreet Kaur, Seema (official).

ADMINISTRATION

Councillors’ statements recorded
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Feb 12 — The Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the Local Government Department today visited the office of the Municipal Council to inquire into a complaint against the civic body for allegedly clearing development works worth Rs 2.55 crore at its last meeting. The complaint was made by the councillors of the opposition group.

Acting on the complaint, the Principal Secretary, Local Government, had directed the Director of the Local Government to inquire into the matter. The CVO recorded the statement of Mr S.S. Patwari, Mr Manjit Singh Sethi, Mr Manjit Singh and Ms Manmohan Kaur, all councillors. One of the complainants, Mr Patwari said at the January 22 meeting the development works were approved without following the proper procedure. As per the protocol the Executive Officer or the Superintendent of the civic body had to read the agenda items one by one and the proceedings of the meeting had to be recorded. The councillors had sought stay on the execution of the development works passed at the meeting. 

Sec 34 City Centre II to get facelift
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 12 — The City Centre II in Sector 34, which the Chandigarh Administration plans to develop as a modern parallel business centre in the southern part of city, is all set to get a facelift. The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has now decided to undertake the development work there.

It is learnt that the Administration has asked the CHB to resume the development work in the centre for the convenience of property owners and general public. The layouts of some of the remaining development projects have been finalised by the UT Architecture Department and work will begin soon.

Addition of more parking lots here has been proposed, as parking problems are acute in the centre. The Regional Passport Office and offices of a number of computer training institutes and top companies are here, which has put pressure on the existing space for parking vehicles. The Administration has now decided to lay concrete pavements here.

A slow carriageway near the Sector 34 market will also be built to regulate traffic. Sources said drawings of the other remaining projects were being finalised.

The centre has remained neglected for the past more than 20 years. In 1995, the centre was brought under the charge of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC), but lack of funds forced the civic body to handover the development work to the Administration.