Successful Bronchoscopic management of Tracheal Stenosis: A Success Story from Alchemist Hospital

 

A 63-year-old woman recently sought treatment at Alchemist Hospital under Dr Vishal Sharma Senior Consultant Pulmonary Medicine due to escalating breathing difficulties and loss of speech.

Bronchoscopic procedure was done by Dr Vishal Sharma and it was found that her wind pipe (trachea) was 95% blocked and lead to her current serious situation.

    Stenotic Trachea before Balloon Bronchoplasty             

Dilated Trachea after Balloon Bronchoplasty  

She had a history of prolonged intubation due to Pneumonia which probably led to critical narrowing of her trachea (tracheal stenosis) as observed during the Bronchoscopy.  Patients with history of prolonged intubation as in this case can have a high risk of developing tracheal stenosis.

The patients with tracheal stenosis can either be treated by Surgical Method or Endoscopic Method known as Balloon Bronchoplasty.

 The surgical method inolves cutting out the narrowed part of the trachea and anastomizing the remaining normal cut ends. Surgical procedure is an extremely complicated, expensive procedure and involves prolonged stay.

 Therefore Dr. Vishal Sharma opted for the second method which is known as balloon bronchoplasty, a technique where the pulmonologist with the help of Bronchoscope reaches the narrowed part, gives multiple nicks using electrocautery. This is then followed by carefully inserting the balloon in the narrowed part. Thereafter, the balloon is serially dilated multiple times to open the narrowed area of the trachea.

The benefit of this method is that it can be done within minutes and patient can be discharged with in a day and hence avoiding a prolonged stay in the hospital and is much less expensive.

The procedure was carried out at Alchemist Hospital, which boasts of advanced medical facilities. Dr. Vishal performed the procedure with meticulous precision, ensuring the patient experienced minimal discomfort.

Following the procedure, the patient was closely monitored and exhibited significant relief from her breathing difficulties. Remarkably, she regained her ability to speak after a long time. The procedure was free of complications, and a follow-up care plan was established to ensure continued recovery and improvement.

This case underscores the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of tracheal stenosis. The successful outcome not only demonstrates the effectiveness of balloon bronchoplasty but also highlights the high standard of care provided by Dr Vishal Sharma and his team at Alchemist Hospital.

 Alchemist Hospital is known for providing advanced medical services and is dedicated to delivering top-quality care to its patients.

Alchemist Group of Hospitals achieve another milestone with first successful Evolut Fx TAVR in Upper North India: A revolutionary approach to aortic valve replacement

 

In another milestone for the Alchemist Group of Hospitals, the Cardiac Team at Ojas Hospital Panchkula, a unit of Alchemist Hospitals Ltd., achieved the first successful Evolut Fx Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in upper North India. The procedure was skillfully performed by Dr. Rajat Datta, Director of the Department of Cardiology, along with Dr. Anurag Sharma, Chairman of the Department of Cardiology, and Dr. Munish Dev, Consultant in Cardiology at Ojas Hospital, Panchkula, a unit of Alchemist Hospitals Ltd.

 This groundbreaking procedure demonstrated excellent deliverability, stability, and coaxial deployment. TAVR is a minimally invasive technique designed to replace a narrowed aortic valve without the need for open-heart surgery. The catheter-based approach enhances the procedure's less invasive nature. This method is particularly beneficial for addressing aortic stenosis, a condition where the heart's aortic valve fails to open properly.

 Individuals facing aortic stenosis are encouraged to engage in a comprehensive discussion with healthcare professionals to receive personalized advice tailored to their specific situation.

 This new generation of TAVR valve, as a result of advanced R&D  has excellent deliverability, stability, coaxial deployment and allows easy coronary access for any coronary procedure in future. All these features translate into a faster procedure, easier deployment in tortuous or horizontal anatomy, good hemodynamics, longer valve life and ease for the patient. Given our vast experience in performing TAVRs, we are now able to deliver even better results for a healthier life for our patients. The Alchemist group of hospitals remains at the forefront of medical advancements, exemplifying a commitment to excellence in healthcare.

 

Boy's Hand Saved from Amputation by Dr. Varun Singla at Alchemist Hospital

 

Panchkula: In a heartwarming tale of resilience, hope, and unwavering dedication to saving lives, a young boy's right hand was spared from amputation following a devastating machine accident, all thanks to the remarkable efforts of Dr. Varun Singla, Consultant Plastic Surgery at Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula. The incident that could have been a tragedy turned into a story of triumph and renewed hope for a promising future.

It was a day like any other when a 22-year-old boy, embarked on his daily work routine at his workplace. Little did he know that this ordinary day would take a harrowing turn when his right hand became ensnared in a machine, leaving it severely mangled and in dire need of immediate medical attention.

The panic and despair that followed were palpable, not only for the young boy but also for his family who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news. The prospect of amputation loomed heavily, casting a shadow over their hopes and dreams.

However, amid the chaos and distress, there emerged a glimmer of hope in the form of Dr. Varun Singla Consultant Plastic Surgery Alchemist Hospital Panchkula, a highly skilled and compassionate expert in the field of plastic surgery. Dr. Singla assess the severity of the young boy's injuries and determine the best course of action. The boy's family was overjoyed when they learned that his hand would be saved. They are grateful to Dr. Singla for his expertise and dedication.

It's important to note that not all severed body parts can be successfully reattached, but prompt and proper care offers the best chance for a positive outcome. If you or someone you know encounters such an injury, seek immediate medical attention without delay.

Alchemist doctors remove brain tumor while keeping patient awake

A Brain tumor was removed successfully while keeping the patient awake throughout the surgery by a team of doctors of Alchemist Hospital headed by Dr Manish Budhiraja Consultant,Neuro Surgery, Alchemist Hospital Panchkula & Dr Prasant Maskara Consultant, Ojas Hospital, Panchkula

A 28-year-old student, resident of Solan was admitted in Alchemist Hospital with the complaint of recurrent seizures. MRI was done which revealed tumor in the Brain in right perisylvian and insular cortex. During the surgery, the patient was fully awake and recited GAYATRI MANTRA, to give the doctors feedback to locate the exact location of the target to be lesioned.

In another case 34 years male presented in hospital with a single episode of seizure. MRI revealed tumor in the right parietal cortex, which controls the left side upper & lower limb movement. To prevent injury to vital structure awake craniotomy was done.  The patient did mathematical calculations verbally and on a calculator to check fine movements of hands.

"The advantage of this surgery is that on instruction from the surgeon, the patient would be able to lift his hands and make facial movements that correspond to the area of surgery and talk during surgery," said Dr Manish Budhiraja, Neurosurgeon with Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula. "In this case, it helped the surgeon to avoid causing injury to vital areas of the brain controlling speech & facial movement.”

He said this procedure was adopted because they had to monitor the patient's motor activities during the surgery to prevent postoperative deficits. "The tumour involved some functionally important areas of the brain,".

The whole procedure was done with light sedation and local anaesthesia.

A craniotomy is a surgical procedure to access the brain, in which a part of the skull is removed and refixed at the end of surgery. Most of these procedures are done under General Anaesthesia said Dr Prasant Maskara.

Awake Craniotomy is a surgical technique that enables surgeons to avoid injury to critical regions of the brain during surgery and is helpful in cases where cortical mapping or continuous monitoring of neurological functions are expected to improve outcomes.

 

  

 

Huge mass removed from child's neck

 

A rare surgery has been performed on an 11 years old girl child with a huge neck mass at Alchemist Hospital. Surgery was performed by Dr. Prachi Jain, Consultant ENT Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula.

Patient was found to have a slight swelling in the lower part of the neck , incidentally noticed. On investigation it was found that the mass was extending from the neck to the great vessels of the heart going into the chest. It was extending up to the vertebral column( spine) in the  neck and surrounded by vessels taking the blood to the brain. It was compressing the wind pipe and causing her to have breathing difficulty. It was suspected to be a teratoma on CT scan. It's a rare tumour to be present in the neck with such extensive presentation.

Patient underwent excision of the tumor. Putting the tube for general anaesthesia was a challenge as the tumor was compressing the wind pipe. The anaesthesia team (under the leadership of Dr Akaljot) was able to do that successfully without doing a tracheostomy/ cutting the wind pipe. The tumor was removed successfully without injury to the surrounding structures such as wind pipe, food pipe, great vessels of the neck and heart. The whole mass was removed through the neck without cutting open the chest.

Dr Prachi told that excision of tumour was done without any complication.  Utmost care was taken to prevent injury to nearby structures. Postoperatively patient remains stable. Histopathology examination confirmed mature cystic teratoma.

 She further told that teratoma arise frequently in ovaries and testes and are uncommon in neck. Such huge teratomas are very rare. It poses clinical and radiological difficulty.  Because of the location and size of the teratoma, the risk of wind pipe being fragile and bucking under pressure was there. There was a risk that wind pipe may have to be opened up to maintain airway, but it could be done without any damage. Surrounding organs such as thyroid, wind pipe, food pipe and great vessels may be at risk. Great surgical expertise is required to avoid injury to these organs.

Patient has been discharged and is recovering well.

 

Bluetooth enabled pacemaker helps doctor to keep pace with your heart

 A Bluetooth enabled pacemaker has been implanted in a 49 year old male recently at Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula. The procedure was done by Dr Rohit Parti, Senior Cardiologist.

Patient Sanjay Kumar, a known case of heart disease, with 2 stents implanted in his heart in 2009, now presented with two episodes of palpitation followed by loss of consciousness due to ventricular tachycardia, when the heart beats too fast or chaotically leaving the heart unable to pump blood effectively. He was treated twice with DC (electric) shock and referred to Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula.

 He was admitted under the care of Dr. Rohit Parti, Senior Cardiologist. His medications were optimized. Heart attack was ruled out. He had reduced cardiac function on Echocardiography, blocked stent in LAD (surgical artery) with nonviable myocardium (dead heart tissue) in PET CT. He was implanted next generation implantable cardioverter defibrillation (ICD).

Dr. Rohit Parti said “the reason why we decided to go ahead with a Bluetooth enabled Pacemaker was the fact the mobile app helps to streamline communication and increase engagement between doctors and their patients. Remote monitoring has resulted in higher survival rates, reduced visits to the hospital especially in these times of pandemic and for patients from far off peripheral towns and even reduces hospital stay”.

Patients can simply use their smart phone to transfer heart device data through app even outside the home, replacing the bedside monitor and can even now select pacemaker data including model name and battery longevity. The use of Bluetooth low energy is designed to minimize battery drain, increasing its battery longevity to even 14 years.

 

Stroke and covid positive patient treated with most advanced technique at Alchemist

 

Alchemist Hospital is using most advanced technique to treat stroke patients known as Thrombolysis and Mechanical Thrombectomy in which blood clot can be dissolved with medicines and also clot is removed from the brain with advanced lances.  Dr Amandeep Singh Sr. Consultant Neurointervention and Dr Gourav Jain Consultant Neurology has performed the procedure on a 53 years old patient.

A male diabetic and hypertensive patient landed to Alchemist Hospital with sudden onset of stroke having complete left side weakness and slurred speech.

 Dr Gourav Jain told that, as patient reached Alchemist hospital in the window period i.e. within 4.5 hours of onset of stroke, he was thrombolysed (clot dissolving medicine) the CT angiography revealed clot in arteries of brain which was removed by most advanced technique called Mechanical thrombectomy.

Despite being a covid positive, patient recovered completely without any residual defect. Thrombolysis & Mechanical Thrombectomy is the most advanced treatment of stroke in which a blood clot can be dissolved with medicines and the blood clot can be removed by various techniques in certain group of patients. So the patient needs to rush to the hospital immediately to get immediate treatment and with maximum benefits.

Alchemist hospital is having a dedicated Neuro ICU and expert team of Neurosurgeon, Neurologist and Neurointerventionist.

 

Seventy-year-old patient with Acom Aneurysm treated successfully without any incision

 

Seventy-year-old patient with Acom(anterior communicating artery) Aneurysm(an abnormal bulge or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel) has been treated successfully without any incision by the Neuro team of Alchemist Hospital Panchkula.

 A female patient with multiple comorbidities was admitted in

Alchemist Hospital Panchkula with the  history of sudden onset of severe headache 15 days prior and then again seven days back. Diagnosis found to be having ruptured (twice) Acom(anterior communicating artery)  Aneurysm. The patient was in a very drowsy condition and general status with weakness in both lower limbs.

Dr. Manish Budhiraja, Neurosurgeon and Dr. Amandeep Singh, Senior Neurointerventionist with Alchemist Hospital performed the procedure i.e balloon-assisted Coiling known as Endovascular coiling. It is a minimally invasive technique used for the treatment of brain aneurysm, which are balloon-like outpouchings of blood vessels in brain aneurysm, if ruptures, is life threatening. So patient needs urgent attention and treatment. 

Dr Amandeep told that after the procedure patient responded well to treatment and at present is fully conscious.  

He further informed that Endovascular Coiling is a minimally invasive alternate to an open surgery, in which there is no incision. The access to brain blood vessels is taken through femoral artery in equal region. The coils which are used are made up of platinum or titanium and are shaped like a very tiny springs with size of twice the width of human brain.

Dr Budhiraja told that this procedure is equally aided by post procedural care by the specialised Neuro critical care team and being a minimally invasive technique, the patient recovers with reduced pain and less hospital stay.

Alchemist hospital has a dedicated neuro ICU and  expert team of Neurosurgeon, Neurologist and Neurointerventionist

 

 

Eighteen year old recovers after removal of large brain tumour

Pre-operative

Post-operative

Eighteen years old boy recovered well after surgery performed for a large brain tumour. Surgery was performed by Dr. Gauri Joshi Senior Consultant & Neurosurgeon at Alchemist Hospital Panchkula.

The patient admitted to Alchemist hospital in February 2020, with complains of headache and gradually decreasing vision of both the eyes for 4-5 months. The vision decreased significantly in the right eye to almost complete loss of vision. He was conscious, alert, walking around. His MRI of the brain showed a large brain tumor with significant brain swelling.

Dr. Gauri told that the tumor was located on the right side of the brain, near the midline. He was taken up for surgery. The tumor was very vascular, having a good plain with the brain at some places and not at other. The tumor was totally removed very diligently. Postoperatively he was conscious, oriented.

 His vision improved partially in the right eye and completely in the left. The biopsy came out as clear cell ependymoma Grade III. He received post-operative Radiotherapy.

Patient is now tumor free and trying to get back to his studies.

Huge abdominopelvic mass removed

A rare surgery has been performed on a 47 years old woman with a huge abdominopelvic mass at Alchemist Hospital. Surgery was performed by Dr. Ibha Kumari, Senior Consultant Gynae & Obs, Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula.

Patient Karuna Sharma was admitted to Alchemist Hospital with a complaint of pain abdomen with an abdominal mass. On examination, an abdominopelvic mass of 34 weeks size was detected. USG and CT scan revealed a large heterogeneous mass measuring 29*22*19cm possibility of right ovarian mass or broad ligament fibroid.  The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy. Intraoperatively a large mass arising from the right broad ligament was detected. Mass was highly vascular, deeply embedded into the pelvis, and was displacing surrounding structures.

Dr. Ibha told that excision of the tumour and hysterectomy was performed. Utmost care was taken to prevent injury to the uterus and nearby structures.

Postoperatively patient remains stable. Histopathology examination confirmed broad ligament fibroid.

She further told that fibroids are the most common benign tumour usually arising from the body of the uterus, rarely originating from the broad ligament. Incidences of huge broad ligament fibroid are rare. It poses clinical and radiological difficulty in differentiating with ovarian tumour. Because of the location and size of broad ligament fibroid, surgery was challenging. Surrounding organs such as the ureter, intestine and urinary bladder may be at risk. Great surgical expertise is required to avoid injury to these organs.

All protective measures were taken to protect the patient from corona during the hospitalisation. The patient has been discharged and is recovering well.

 

 

Kashmir, Haryana families swap kidneys to save loved ones

 

Two families of patients suffering from kidney failure have set a legendary example of love, affection and sacrifice. A team of doctors at Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula, has performed this swap or paired exchange kidney transplant, between a woman who hails from Kashmir and a gentleman from Yamunanagar (Haryana). 

 47 years old Zubaida Bano was suffering from kidney failure for more than two years. She was undergoing regular dialysis at a hospital in Srinagar, Kashmir, however, her condition started deteriorating in the last one year due to the need for regular dialysis. Doctors advised her to undergo a kidney transplant to stay alive. Initially, her husband was willing to donate his kidney to save his wife Zubaida, however, on medical examination, he was found to be unfit for kidney donation. There was no other eligible donor in the family, who was having a matching blood group and could donate kidney to save Zubaida.

 However, Zubaida and her family realized that she is not going to survive very long on dialysis and requires an urgent kidney transplant. Her daughter Ifra Jan, with the help of her maternal uncle, approached Dr. Neeraj Goyal at Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula. Ifra, just a 20-year-old college student, had determined to save her mother.

 On evaluation, she was found to have a blood group that was different from her mother and found to ineligible to donate to her mother. Dr. Neeraj explained, “ A swap (viz a paired exchange) kidney transplant was the best available option for Zubaida according to medical science”. 

At the same time, 33-year-old Ajay Kumar of Yamunanagar also visited Alchemist Hospital. Explaining his painful story, Ajay broke into tears, “ I got a heart attack 2 years back when I was just 31 years old and stenting was performed at PGI, Chandigarh as it was a major heart attack. During treatment for the same, I was told that both of my kidneys had failed due to uncontrolled blood pressure”.

 Few months after cardiac stenting, Ajay was started on regular dialysis, as he started having breathing difficulty due to excess fluid collection in his chest. For the initial few months, he felt better, but soon he started suffering from side effects of regular dialysis. His body started depleting, had significant weight loss and was almost bed-ridden.

 “I had frequent chest pains during dialysis and had repeated attacks of pneumonia due to fluid collection in the chest that required repeated hospitalization. My wife Geeta and I had understood that I can not survive very long on dialysis and require kidney transplant at the earliest,” explained Ajay. 

“When Ajay visited us for the first time, he was in very poor health and was not able to walk properly. As the blood group of his wife, Geeta was different from that of Ajay, they had already visited few hospitals, however, they were denied the transplant,” explained Dr. Ramesh Kumar, Consultant Nephrologist.

“On a detailed analysis of both the patients’ files, it was found that these patients were fit or eligible for the paired exchange kidney transplant, which is a legally and medically viable option. Tissue matching was performed and both the kidneys matched perfectly to the respective donors” explained Dr. Neeraj. After this, a joint session was held between both the families and necessary legal permissions were sought from the respective state authorities of Jammu Kashmir, and Haryana. However, in the meantime, Ajay suffered another attack of chest pain, and coronary angiography revealed another blockage in his heart.

Ajay’s wife Geeta said, “Ifra came to our life like an angel as my husband required an urgent kidney transplant at that time”.  

Dr. Neeraj Goyal successfully performed this swap kidney transplant, the first of its kind in the northern region of Haryana. According to Dr. Neeraj, both these patients were under the expert care of Dr. Ramesh Kumar, Sr. Consultant Nephrology after surgery.

 Dr. Neeraj further explained that “due to Ajay’s underlying heart disease and history of heart attacks his heart was quite week and was not pumping the blood properly. Therefore surgery and anesthesia were quite risky in Ajay. However, under the expert anesthesia care lead by Dr. Akaljot Kaur, Head of the Anesthesia Department, surgery was performed successfully without any complication. Due to his positive approach, and willingness to live again, Ajay recovered very rapidly after the transplant. He was eating normally on the same evening and was out of his bed on the third day of his surgery.” Both these patients are now leading a normal life and trying to come out of the mental trauma they had been through, all this time. 

Couple Discharge from Alchemist Hospital after Defeating COVID-19

Panchkula, April 30: Amidst rising cases of Covid-19 in tricity, here is a good news from Panchkula on Thursday as husband and wife who was tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalised in Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula has been recovered.

Residents of Sector 15, Panchkula, Sonia Mahajan (44) was admitted on April 15 followed by her husband, Ajay Mahajan (48) on April 16 both have been discharged from Alchemist Hospital, on Thursday

During hospitalisation Ajay’s condition was stable but Sonia was having breathing problem and was given oxygen intermittently.

They were treated under the observations of Dr Suneet Kumar, Senior Consultant Internal Medicine and Dr Achint Narang, Senior Consultant and incharge Critical Care at Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula.  

The two test reports came negative. Now both would be home quarantined for 14-days and would keep updating about their health on Aarogya Setu App.

The couple thanked doctors and nursing staff of Alchemist Hospital for their compassionate care and helping them defeat Covid-19. They said that one should report if he or she suffers from any symptoms of Covid-19. One should not fear and come forward to treat the virus that can be defeated with a health expert’s guidance and a strong will power to recover from it.   

Alchemist Hospital came forward to cater to Covid-19 patients in Panchkula. There are 23 beds in newly set up Covid-19 ward with a team of 32 staff including Doctors, RMOs, nursing staff, Housekeeping and helpers  respectively. The hospital deputed 4 ventilators for Covid ward to tackle the emergency cases.

Dr Suneet Kumar said that we as a society need to understand this illness and fight back in a scientific way. There is a lot of scare in people’s minds- we just need to come out of it.

Dr Achint Narang advised that everyone in society should follow Physical Distancing, frequent hand washing, Namaste (not handshake) and to use a face mask while going outside. We just need to accept it. Let's be more positive and definitely, we will win the battle.