HEALTH

Rare heart surgery on 85-yr-old woman
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, July 15
A city hospital claims that its team of cardiac surgeons has performed a rare surgical feat by successfully conducting ‘awake cardiac bypass’ on an octogenarian woman, which till date has not been reported to have been done anywhere on a patient of such an advanced age.

Ms Kartar Kaur, 85, of Jhande village in the district, suffered a massive heart attack. Her sons brought her to Ludhiana Mediciti Hospital, where Dr Harinder Singh Bedi, Director and Chairman Cardiac Sciences examined her.

Dr Bedi told The Tribune that the woman suffered a severe heart attack and responded only partially to intensive medical therapy and blood thinners. On further investigation, she was found to have a major blockage in her main heart arteries and the only option was an emergency bypass surgery.

“However, because of the advanced age and poor functioning of her lungs, there was apprehension that the patient will not tolerate the normal general anaesthesia. Therefore, a radical approach of ‘awake heart surgery’ (to operate on her without damaging general anaesthesia) was planned”.

According to Dr Bedi, the chief cardiac anaesthetist, Dr B.S. Sengar, gave a thoracic epidural anaesthesia to the patient. This procedure involved painless insertion of a catheter just outside the spinal canal of the patient so that the upper body became numb up to the neck. The patient stayed awake and could even talk to the doctors while the operation was being conducted.

Explaining further, Dr Bedi observed that in elderly patients and those with associated disorders such as asthma or lung disease, general anaesthesia could not be safely given as these patients may not be able to come off the ventilator once they were put on it. Ventilation required tubes to be inserted into the airway and lungs and could result in unwanted complications. Such patients were most suitable candidates for ‘awake heart surgery’, a procedure pioneered by Dr C. Yakut of Turkey, one of the contemporaries of Dr Bedi.

The other members of the cardiac team accompanying Dr Bedi were Dr C.S. Sohal, Dr B.S. Sekhon and Dr Harjeet Singh.

New drug for chronic hepatitis-B
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 15
Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced the launch of Baraclude (Entecavir) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis-B infection following its approval by the Drug Controller General of India.

According to a company press note issued here today, Baraclude was indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis-B infection in adults with evidence of active viral replication and either evidence of persistent elevations in serum aminotransferases (ALT or AST) or histologically active disease.

Baraclude is an oral anti-viral therapy, specifically designed to block the replication of hepatitis-B virus (HBV) in the liver. Chronic hepatitis-B infection is a life-threatening disease. More than half a million people worldwide die each year from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and up to 80 per cent of these cancers are caused by chronic hepatitis-B.

“With the approval and launch of Baraclude in India, Bristol-Myers Squibb will now be able to address another area of significant unmet medical need for treatment of chronic hepatitis-B,” said Mr Eric Breumier, managing director, Bristol-Myers Squibb India.

De-addiction centre inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 15
Principal. Ram Singh, chief organiser of the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle (GGSSC), inaugurated a 15-bed de-addiction centre at Quila Raipur here. He said the circle had been working for drug abuse prevention for the past 30 years. “Preventing our youth from falling prey to these deadly drugs is our agenda. We have been taking out marches, organising extension lectures in schools and colleges to make students aware of the dangers posed by drugs. But we find our efforts being neutralised by the easy availability of tobacco and intoxicants at users’ doorstep, near every school, college, etc.” he said.

He said the situation was bad in rural areas. To overcome this, the GGSSC was planning to open a number of de-addiction centres throughout the state.

Dr Charan Kamal Singh, chief secretary, of the GGSSC expressed gratitude to the local people for providing support. He said that Punjab has a high incidence of drug abuse in the 16 to 35 age group with the problem more acute in the rural areas where unemployment is rampant.

Sixtyseven per cent of the rural households in Punjab have at least one drug addict. Peer influence, thrill- seeking, curiosity about drugs, unemployment, punitive attitude of others and lack of support during periods of stress are the main factors contributing to rise in drug abuse, he said.

The GGSSC was committed to control drug abuse in Punjab and would continue to direct its efforts in that direction. He said all this had been possible with the support of the local administration.

Mr Gurcharan Singh, village sarpanch, and many other socio-religious functionaries of the village were also present on the occasion.

Mr Iqbal Singh, Director, Social Empowerment and Economic Development, Mr Prabhjot Singh, Director, Organisational Development, Dr Tejinderpal Singh, Director, Aided Projects, Mr Harinder Singh, Mr Gursharan Singh, Joint Director, Information Directorate, Mr Barjinderpal Singh, State Secretary, UP , Mr Gurpinder Singh, General Manager, Dr Meharwant Singh and other senior members were also present on this occasion.

SPORTS

Karamjit wins gold in Thai Open fencing meet
Our Correspondent

Khamano, July 15
Karamjit Kaur, a resident of Khamano, won laurels for her city and country, when she along with other three fencers of India won a gold medal in fencing in the 12th Thailand Open Fencing Championship held in Bangkok from July 7 to 11.

She won a gold medal in the women epic team event with other three girls beating Singapore in the final. She said there were four bouts in the event and they reached the final after defeating Thailand and Vietnam.

She reached home on Thursday morning directly from Thailand and she was given a warm welcome by her parents, coach and others. She has taken part in several international fencing competitions but this is the first time that she has bagged a gold medal for the country. while talking to mediapersons at home, she said she would take coaching in Shalaru near Shimla for the coming Commonwealth Games to be held in Netherlands. She said foreigner fencers were given better facilities as compared to Indians.

Her father, Mr Ramdhan said although he was not well off he would do his best to train his daughter so that she would be able to get a medal in the Asian and Olympic games.

Her school coach, Mr Tarlochan Singh Dogra, said Karamjit Kaur had talent and she would do well.

He demanded facilities and aid for fencers so that they would be able to compete and win in international competitions.