HEALTH

Good news for osteo patients
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 2
If years of medication or even a surgery could not relieve you of that back-breaking ache, the rather simple and cheap procedure of injecting bone cement into your vertebra could be the final solution.

Called Percutaneous Vertebroplasty, it is the latest procedure introduced by the Radiology Department of the PGI, one of the four centres in the country offering the facility. “Costing barely Rs 4,500, the one hour-long procedure is especially effective in relieving patients of osteoporosis from the shooting pain,” said Dr Sudha Suri, Head of the Radiology Department.

Even though it was two years back that Dr Kunz from Santiago , USA, had demonstrated the procedure on a cadaver, but it is only recently that the Radiology Department started performing the procedure. The procedure was performed on two patients suffering from spinal tumour, just two days back.

Dr Suri informed that though the procedure was very beneficial in a number of diseases, but in case of those suffering from osteoporosis it worked wonders. “Osteoporosis is a problem faced by many people, when due to deficiency of calcium there is a bone loss. Though factors like old age and poor diet could be the reasons for osteoporosis, it is mainly women who due to post menopausal hormonal changes in the body, are the worst victims,” explained Dr Suri.

The procedure involves injecting a bone cement package into the vertebra, where the problem is. Performed under local anaesthesia, the procedure is over within an hour. The PGI is in the process of acquiring a Biplane equipment, which will reduce the time required for undertaking the procedure to barely 20 minutes, as the lateral position of the injection inside the vertebra, will be visible easily.

“Though the procedure is not very expensive but since people are not aware of it, there are few patients who are opting for it,” she said. She added that patients with severe back ache due to vertebral haemangioma, malignant vertebral tumors and osteoporotic vertebral collapse could be easily relieved from acute pain with the help of this procedure.

The bone liquid cement injected into the vertebra is used by orthopaedicians in knee and hip replacement. This procedure was used for the first time by a French doctor in 1992, when he accidentally discovered that the bone liquid cement had relieved the patient of pain. It was introduced in India three years back and is available at AIIMS, Sanjay Gandhi PGI, Lucknow, and here at the PGI.

Doctors say even years of medication and in most of the cases surgery is also not very effective. “It is amazing to see how a patient injected with the bone liquid cement is relieved of the pain within an hour after the procedure is complete,” explain doctors.

Multi-speciality camp at Mukat Hospital
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 2
A week-long free heart and multi-speciality camp in cardiology, neurology, gynaecology, plastic surgery, orthopaedics, general surgery and internal medicine is being organised at Mukat Hospital.

The camp, which was inaugurated by Dr C.P. Bansal, Director, Health Services, today, saw a large number of patients from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and parts of Uttaranchal coming in for check-up.

The Medical Director of Mukat Hospital and Heart Institute, Dr Ravi Inder Singh, said 40 patients had got themselves booked for cardiology and cardiothoracic surgeries and 120 patients of other specialities on the first day of the camp.

A special discount would be given to all patients booked during the camp, along with 25 per cent special discount on investigations. Renowned super specialists would give free consultations to the patients. Further inquiries in this regard can be made on telephone Nos. 0172- 660689 and 385557 of the hospital.

Cardiac camp for BBMB staff
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 2
Over 500 employees of Bhakra-Beas Management Board (BBMB) were examined by a team of doctors from the Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre at a free cardiac camp organised here today.

The camp, which was held at the BBMB Rest House in Sector 35, was inaugurated by BBMB Chairman Rakesh Nath. A similar camp was organised yesterday for the BBMB employees at Bhakra Nangal.

Dr Bhawna from Escorts Heart institute delivered a lecture on stress management. Dr Sushma Chawla, who runs a charitable society, Hope Ek Asha, was the camp coordinator.

SPORTS

St John’s lift Kalaswala tournament
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 2
The 2003 Kalaswala Cup Tournament was played at the Chandigarh Golf Club today. A record 160 entries were received from the members of the club. The Kalaswala Cup is a tournament played by all old students of various schools or old students who are members of their alumni association.

Three players of a school comprised a team, with the best two cards recounted. The tournament was played on the Stableford format. The tee offs began at 8 in the morning and continued till 12.37 in the afternoon.

The winner of the Kalaswala Cup was the team of Sandy Lehal (39 points) and Sagar Bhatia (35 points) of St John's High School, Chandigarh. Combined they scored 74 points.

Runners-up for the Kalaswala Cup was the team of Sandy Lehal (39 points) and H.S. Kang (34 points) of St Kabir High School, Chandigarh, the combined points being 73 points.

The Gurjit Singh Memorial Cup for best individual Gross score was tied between Girish Virk (39 points) and Sandy Lehal (39 points). Both played two under the course. However, since Sandy Lehal had a better back, six he was declared the winner.

The ladies individual winner was Dimple Minocha with 35 points, playing for Carmel Convent , Chandigarh.

In the senior citizen plate, Lieut-Col R.S. Randhawa (retd) of SSSS Khalsa High School, Amritsar, was declared the winner with 31 points.

The longest drive contest was at the 18th tee off. Braving a strong head wind Randeep Singh of Lawarance School, Sanawar, drove 251.4 metres to clinch this prize.

The nearest to the pin was at the 3rd hole. Sunil Talwar of Government High School, Sector 16, landed his ball within two feet of the pin, to be declared winner in this category.

The prize for the youngest participant was claimed by Ms Suleen Kaur from Sacred Heart School, Chandigarh..

Vijyant fastest in Autocross-’03
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 2
Vijyant Chaudhary finished first overall the second event of the fourth Maruti Suzuki “Autocross- 2003” car rally organised by Maruti Udyog Limited here today. Seventy- four rallyists took part in the rally.

Vijyant Chaudhary, who earned maximum points, will be awarded three days and two nights free stay in Malaysia.

Vijyant Chaudhary clocked 2:03:69 min to complete the rounds of the track in open and overall category. Sunny Sidhu stood second and Gaurav Gill came third in this category.

In the Gypsy category, Sunny Sidhu emerged winner finishing the rounds in 2:04:74 min followed by Navit Bhasin and Munish Verma in 2:15:82 min and 2:18:29 min, respectively.

Rupesh Chaudhary won the Maruti 800 category by completing rounds in 1:13:06 min, followed by Anil Wadva and Sandeep Sharma in 1:13:63 and 1:14:60 min, respectively.

In the women (open) category, Dr Maninder Sharma, finished first completing the rounds in 1:04:27 min followed by Sarika Sehrawat, who took 1:05:34 min to complete the rounds.