A 44-year-old woman from US underwent a Robotic Bariatric Surgery for being abnormally overweight and diabetic. The US national, of Indian origin, was struggling with obesity that had led to uncontrolled diabetes along with hypothyroidism, hypertension, GERD and Obstructive Sleep Apnea for the past 7 years. Her complication had worsened in the past year and she was unable to lose weight through traditional methods. While the patient was advised surgery in the US, she however opted to come to India to get the surgery on the advice of her friends and family. With her condition deteriorating and other co-morbidities advancing, she consulted Dr Arun Prasad, Senior Consultant, GI, Bariatric and Robotic Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, where she was recommended an immediate robot assisted surgery that could help her reduce weight, so that other vitals like diabetes and hypertension could be stabilized. Pre-surgery her weight was 112.4kg and post-surgery she lost 8kg in just 21 days. Speaking on the same, Dr Arun Prasad, Senior Consultant, GI, Bariatric and Robotic Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “The 44-year-old lady from US was unable to lose weight with traditional methods and in turn was resorting to either over exercising or starving herself. Obesity had caused other conditions like diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hypertension, GERD and obstructive sleep apnea to flare up and cause additional complications. Here at Apollo Hospitals, she was diagnosed with morbid obesity with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. We immediately planned a robot assisted bariatric surgery. It is a type of robotic surgery in which specialized robotic staplers are used. This procedure is less painful with minimal incisions and promises better recovery in comparison to other traditional modalities. After a routine check-up, she was admitted to the hospital and surgery was performed immediately on the day of admission to avoid any further delay in the treatment. The post-operative period was uneventful and she was discharged in two days. Post the surgery her Obstructive Sleep Apnea disorder has improved, her blood sugar levels are becoming normal and we are glad that the patient is content and satisfied with the treatment. She was admitted in the hospital on 12th May, 2022 and got discharged on 14th May, 2022. For controlling weight and other diseases, foreign nationals are choosing India treatment, which indicates the expertise and technology that Indian healthcare has to offer. This is also aligned with GOI’s initiative of ‘Heal in India’ that promotes Indian healthcare delivery on a global level.

Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, a leading tertiary care hospital, successfully performed a laminectomy with removal of the clot compressing the spinal cord on a 96-year-old paralysed female patient. She is one of the oldest people to undergo successful spine surgery. The procedure was performed over 2 hours by the team of doctors of Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. The patient could stand in an erect position the very next day of surgery. Laminectomy is a surgery that creates space by removing the lamina — the back part of a vertebra that covers the spinal canal. This allows access to structures in and around the spinal cord. In this case, the surgery successfully removed the clot that was compressing the spinal cord. Dr. Sunil Kutty, Consultant, Brain and Spine Surgery said, “It is extremely rare that such elderly patients are willing to undergo spinal surgery. Often, people are scared of spinal surgeries and have a perception that it would make them bed-ridden. But, here we have a 96-year-old who came to us on a stretcher, stood up and walked out of her bed the very next day of her surgery, defying the notion people carry in their minds about age as well as spine surgery. However, the patient and her relative’s positive attitude and the patient’s age not being a deterrent, were key factors in the success of the surgery for our team of neurosurgeons and anesthetists.” The 96-year-old patient, a resident of Uran, arrived at Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai with complaints of weakness in both lower limbs for 10 days, which resulted in her inability in walking and carrying out daily activities. She also had severe pain in her back radiating to her left leg. An MRI of her spine showed severe compression in L1 and L2 lumbar spine with a displacement of the caudal nerve root (nerve roots that travel down the spine and connect to the other body parts). The neurosurgical team of Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai came together and successfully performed the spine surgery on the elderly patient. An L1 laminectomy was performed and a haematoma (a pool of blood outside of a blood vessel) was found in the epidural space with a thickened ligamentum flavum (a short but thick ligament). The clot was removed and post-procedure, the patient was hemodynamically stable and made a speedy recovery. Dr. Ravi Shankar, Joint Medical Director, said, “Spine surgery is a safe and effective treatment for people who need it. Although most people recover from back pain through exercise and healthy lifestyles, in this case, the age factor played a key role and surgery was the only viable option left to treat the paralyzed patient. However, spinal surgery, even in elderly patients, is a necessary treatment to improve the quality of life. We are glad that our neurosurgical team has put in their efforts to make this case a successful one.” Mr. Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO, said, “The cohesive efforts of everybody at Apollo – the nurses, Anaesthetists, the ICU, and other support staff – coupled with the facilities available at our hospital, result in such exemplary outputs. The patient’s family was encouraging and trusted the doctors at Apollo to conduct this surgery. We are very happy with the result as the patient tolerated the procedure well and stood up the very next day. Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, a JCI accredited hospital has been performing very complex neurosurgical work for domestic & international patients. The hospital also handles complex head injury cases through its world class emergency services.”

Committed to continuous investment in the most advanced technologies in cancer care, Apollo Cancer Centres in association with Datar Cancer Genetics brings a revolutionary blood test that can detect breast cancers at early stages in asymptomatic individuals with high accuracy, thus enabling timely diagnosis and treatment to save lives. An increase in the number of breast cancer cases and the social construct associated with discussions of breast cancer has led to one of the most important developments in the history of technological advancement in the field of oncology. Led by the same urge to bring cancer conversations to the forefront, Apollo Cancer Centres, via this launch appeals to women to get screened in the easiest way ,via a blood , to gain knowledge about their susceptibility to Breast Cancer. With an easy draw of a small quantity of blood, now, EasyCheck – Breast can help in the detection of breast cancer even before the first stage. The EasyCheck will be available across India on June 22, 2022 at all Apollo Cancer Centres. Commenting on the occasion, Dr Prathap Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals, said, “In line with our mission to spread awareness about early detection of cancers and offer world-class cancer treatment, the launch of EasyCheck Breast marks an important success towards quality technological advancements ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment to lower the mortality rate. This association with Datar Cancer Genetics has made a path-breaking achievement and at Apollo Cancer Centres, we are well equipped to diagnose breast cancers with the best in class advancements and treatments. I, humbly request the caretakers of the family, the women of India, to step out and make sure to get themselves tested at least once a year to make sure you are safe from breast cancer. From diagnosis to treatment, Apollo Cancer Centres pledges to stand with their patients at all times and give them Tender Loving Care on the road to recovery.” Speaking about the test, Mr Rajan Datar, Founder & Chairman, Datar Cancer Genetics, said, “Unfortunately, most cancers are detected at advanced stages which necessitate more intensive and expensive treatments which have a greater risk of debilitating side effects and treatment failures. EasyCheck- Breast is the culmination of years of collaborative international research and innovation and has been developed, tested, and validated on population-sized cohorts. A simple blood draw holds the promise of early cancer detection in asymptomatic individuals and opens the possibilities of successful treatments and improved survival.” Commenting on the landmark development in diagnosis of cancer at an early stage, Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, said, “At Apollo, patient-centricity is at the core of our approach, be it in diagnosis, treatment, or care post recovery. Now, with the introduction of the innovative EasyCheck Breast, it is a giant leap forward in enabling early and easy identification of breast cancer, in a very convenient manner. According to our experts, approximately 70% of women in India are diagnosed at a late stage and we are hopeful that EasyCheck Breast will contribute to lowering this statistic significantly”. On the occasion, Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospital Enterprises Ltd said, “With the launch of Easy Check Breast, Apollo Cancer Centres and Datar Genetics is committed to ensure that we diagnose cancer at the earliest and this is the first step in winning over cancer. The late diagnosis of breast cancer remains the sole cause of high mortality rate in women with breast cancer in India. With Easy Check Breast, we address this root cause and make it earlier, easier. “ Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women globally. It has now surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of global cancer incidence in 2020, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases, representing 11.7% of all cancer cases. Epidemiological studies have shown that the global burden of Breast Cancer is expected to cross almost 2 million by the year 2030. In India, the incidence has increased significantly, almost by 50%, between 1965 and 1985. The estimated number of incident cases in India in 2016 was 118000. As per data, in India, Breast Cancer accounted for 13.5% (178361) of all cancer cases and 10.6% (90408) of all deaths in 2020. In line with the mission to spread awareness about cancer & regular screening for early detection with EasyCheck- Breast, Apollo Cancer aims at addressing the pressing need for the right knowledge about early diagnosis, and holistic treatment in cancer care.

Apollo Hospitals joins hands with Imperial Hospital Ltd. (IHL) to strengthen its presence in Bangladesh and to enable access to world-class treatments. Apollo Hospitals will manage IHL, a 375-bedded multispecialty tertiary care hospital based out of Chittagong, Bangladesh. In line with the mission to bring healthcare of International standards within the reach of every individual, Imperial Hospital and Apollo Hospitals have signed a Brand licensing, Operations, and Management (BOMA) agreement. The state-of-the-art facility in Chittagong shall have experienced medical staff, clinicians, and administrative staff with the aim to providing outstanding services to patients. Apollo Hospitals shall manage the day-to-day operations and clinical service delivery, utilizing their clinical and managerial capabilities, perfected over decades. To ensure treatment options with outcomes benchmarked against the best in the world are available to people in Chittagong, and other cities and towns in Bangladesh, the Apollo Hospitals team shall conduct regular medical and quality audits to ensure patient safety and the best medical outcomes. Announcing the partnership, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In line with our vision to drive positive change across the world and to touch over a billion lives, we have collaborated with Bangladesh’s Imperial Hospital Limited to provide our finest expertise in the management of their tertiary care hospital in Chittagong. We plan to strengthen the hospital’s presence in the country and create a strong medical unit to attend to patients by building trust. Standing by the patients and creating a healthy ecosystem for patients will be the first responsibility of Apollo – Imperial Hospital in Bangladesh.” Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Rabiul Husain, Chairman of Imperial Hospital said, “We are proud to partner with Apollo Hospitals, a global leader in healthcare and a unique integrated healthcare enterprise. Our association with Apollo Hospitals will enhance the healthcare ecosystem and improve the quality of life of patients in Bangladesh. We look forward to having a unified approach in jointly offering superior tertiary care services in the region.” On signing the agreement, Mr Dinesh Madhavan, President Group Oncology and International said,” Improving the quality of healthcare in Bangladesh was the immediate need. With this vision, the 375 bed tertiary care hospital, Imperial Hospitals Ltd. was built with World Bank support. This centre of excellence needed an able hospital management partner and chose Apollo Hospitals Ltd. This is a historic day for Indian and Bangladeshi health care partnership through Apollo Imperial Hospitals”.

A rare case of congenital heart disease, 3-month-old Baby Priyansh was successfully operated at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi. The child was born with a complication called Obstructed Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, a birth defect of the heart in which the veins bringing blood back from the lungs (pulmonary veins) don’t connect to the left atrium like usual. Instead they go to the heart by way of an abnormal (anomalous) connection. After the baby’s condition deteriorated with acute breathlessness the child got admitted to a Government hospital where heart disease was suspected, but his condition started deteriorating further and he was brought to the emergency at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. On admission, the child was on tube ventilation and was immediately transferred to the ICU under the supervision of Dr Manisha Chakrabarti, Senior Consultant – Pediatric Cardiology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. The baby was stabilized and Echo was done. He was diagnosed with Cyanotic heart disease: Obstructed TAPVC. Surgical repair was done by CTVS Surgeon Dr Rajesh Sharma with the help of Anesthetist Dr Nitya Bisarya on the same day, since any delay would have been fatal. Post-surgery, the child was kept on a ventilator till the time his heart and lung function stabilized. Dr Manisha Chakrabarti, said, “On admission the child was very critical, breathing heavily and had irregular vitals. We immediately did an echo that revealed this rare congenital heart disorder and performed surgery on the same day. Post-surgery the child needed to be in ICU for 11 days, under care of our Cardiac Intensivist Dr Vishal Singh, till the time his heart and lung function were normalized completely. The baby was also given aggressive respiratory therapy. On 16th May, the child was discharged in a healthy condition.” Out of all congenital heart diseases, this condition is one of the rarest. While there is no specific reason for its occurrence, there can be multiple factors responsible like chemical exposure, genetic syndrome, infections during pregnancy and unmonitored use of medicines by the mother. Dr Manisha Chakrabarti stressed on the fact that such conditions have a very good prognosis if operated on time and every effort should be taken for transfer of such babies to appropriate units once suspicion is made. She thanked the Government doctor’s initiative in stabilizing the baby and motivating the parents to consent for the high risk surgical procedure.

In a rare feat, the Surgical Transplant team at Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru performed a Pediatric Liver Transplantation, a first in Mysuru City, giving a new lease of life to a 9-year-old boy with fulminant liver failure. In Mysuru, this is not only the first-ever pediatric liver transplantation but also the first transplantation for acute liver failure and the first split liver transplantation where two lives were saved by a single donor. This is also the 50th liver transplantation performed at Apollo BGS Hospital, Mysore. The child was referred on time by Dr. U.G. Shenoy, Consultant Pediatrician, Kamakshi Hospital and was admitted with jaundice. On evaluation, he was found to have liver failure. As the liver functions were worsening, the need for immediate liver transplantation was explained to the family. He was registered under the supra-urgent category in the state transplant program. His condition worsened and soon slipped into a coma which warranted urgent liver transplantation. The hospital had a window of only a few hours to save the child. He was lucky to get a suitable organ from a donor at the nick of time. As the child required only a part of the liver, split liver transplantation was done and the other half was transplanted to an adult recipient with chronic liver disease on the waitlist. After the surgery, the child is out of the coma and recovered well. The team consisted of Pediatric Gastroenterologist Dr. Aathira Ravindranath, Liver transplant Surgeons – Dr. Yashwanth Kumar, Dr. Suresh Raghavaiah, Dr. Jayant Reddy, Dr, Rajegowda, and Dr. Sanjay Govil and Transplant Anesthetists – Dr. Nagesh and Dr. Anindita. Mr. Bharatheesha Reddy, Vice President & Unit Head, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore said “We have a highly skilled transplant team from renowned institutes all over the world who perform surgeries every day resulting in better outcomes. I commend their dedication and timely coordination for the transplants leading to significant improvement in organ transplants over the last decade Patient survival at 1 year now exceeds 90% which opens up new frontiers of hope for the transplant program” he added. Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore obtained the Liver transplants license in 2017 and Multiorgan Transplant license in 2020 and became the first Licensed Organ Transplant Centre (OTC) in the region. Dr. Rajkumar P. Wadhwa, Chief Gastroenterologist and Head of Institute of Gastrosciences, Apollo BGS Hospitals said “The Apollo BGS Hospitals transplants team reaches one more milestone of doing the 1st pediatric transplant outside Bangalore in Karnataka, which incidentally is the Gold(50th) transplant. On this occasion we members of the Liver transplant renew our wish to work for better local healthcare of our very own Mysuru” Appreciating the policies in the state Dr. Yashavanth Kumar V., Consultant Hepato-Biliary and Liver Transplant Surgeon, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore said “The Government policies have been beyond Bengaluru, and the state has been divided into Zones facilitating the Transplants programme, Mysore being one of the Zones. Decentralizing healthcare is a welcome measure. Also, there has been tremendous coordination and constant support by the Jeevsarthakathe team in reaching the organs to the waitlisted donors on time, a progressive measure in the Organ transplants programme” Dr. Suresh Raghavaiah, Consultant – Transplant Surgeon said “the high success rate of the transplants at Apollo BGS Hospitals can be attributed to the availability of expert in-house surgeons, an integrated multidisciplinary team comprising of the transplant team, Anesthetists, Intensivists and Physicians along with an eminent pool of nephrologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, neurologists and OT technicians”. Availability of highly sophisticated and well-equipped OT, a prerequisite to optimizing the patients before the transplant, dedicated ICUs, high-end laboratories for tests and investigations, diagnostics and radiology facilities, and dedicated transplant coordinators make Apollo BGS Hospitals a centre of choice for organ transplants. The experience and expertise of our consultants, integrated team approach, superior outcomes and the excellent infrastructure make Apollo BGS Hospitals an ideal choice for transplants. Our Organ Transplant Surgeons and allied teams work with the organ donor and recipient before, during and after surgery to ensure the greatest likelihood of superior results. Over the past 5 years, Apollo Transplant Institutes has built a reputation of trust and reliance with the highest quality of care delivered and outcomes unmatched in the region.

A High-risk surgery was successfully performed on a 102-year-old elderly patient for the first time at The Institutes of Orthopaedics, Apollo BGS Hospitals and a first for the city of Mysuru. The rare Bipolar Hip Replacement surgery was performed to correct the fractured neck of the left femur of the 102-year-old patient. The surgery was performed by Dr. Balakrishna Gowda T. N., Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon and Head of Institutes of Orthopaedics, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore. The patient, Mr. Srikantaiah N. was rushed to the emergency with complaints of pain in the left hip region after he had a fall at home. The patient expressed his inability to bear weight on his left lower limb. Earlier to this incident, he was active and independently performed his daily chores. On examination of his condition, it was found out that there was a fracture on the left proximal femur (fractured neck of femur). Given his advanced age and the complications of becoming bedridden, the doctor, after discussing with his family, decided to do a modular bipolar hip arthroplasty. This surgery is similar to a total hip replacement, but it involves only half of the hip. Given the fact that elderly patients with hip fractures are prone to develop infections in the chest and urinary tract, deep vein thrombosis, bedsores, compromised cardio-pulmonary reserve and other complications, the plan was devised. The treatment aimed to make the patient walk as early as possible and avoid future complications. After careful examination of all aspects, Mr. Srikantaiah was operated on, with a hip replacement of his left hip joint. The surgery was completed in 20 minutes. Within 24 hours of performing the surgery, the patient was back on his feet. The intra-operative and immediate post-operative period was uneventful. Dr. BKG said, “Given the patient’s advanced age, there are many risks associated with performing the surgery, which we evaluated. Devising a comprehensive management plan to overcome any possible challenges, we decided on performing the surgery on the patient for a quicker and safer recovery avoiding all possible risks. A minimal incision of 5-6 cms instead of 14-15 cms was made to avoid blood loss, and the hip replacement was carried out. Dr. Adarsh, Consultant Anaesthesiologist said “Per-operative anaesthesia was given only to the affected limb to avoid any complications. The patient responded well to the treatment and he was mobilised the next day of the surgery bearing full weight on his operated limb”. Dr. BKG further added that the “Postoperative mobilisation techniques were devised to avoid fat embolism, dislocations, re-fractures around the replacement. The patient responded well to the treatment and has recovered.” Appreciating the surgical expertise of the doctor and fast recovery process of his father, Mr. Nanjundaswamy, 75 Years, expressed his happiness on getting his father back to his feet with lesser hospital stay of just 4 days which otherwise would take more than 15 days in other countries, as expressed by his family members living abroad. Addressing the media with Dr. BKG, Mr. Bharateesha Reddy, Vice President and Unit Head, Apollo BGS Hospitals, informed that The Institute of Orthopaedics every year performs nearly 1300 plus surgeries out of which about 100 plus are on patients above 80 years and up to 100 years, having multiple ailments like comorbidities, lung diseases, urinary issues, cancer etc., enabling them to stay mobile and lead an normal everyday life till their natural life expectancy, who would otherwise reach the end stage much sooner. The Institute is headed by Dr. Balakrishna Gowda, a highly skilled surgeon who has performed challenging surgeries, especially among the elderly patients helping them in faster and safe recovery and giving them a new lease on life.

Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) conducted its 2nd Apollo Annual Proton Practicum from May 20-22, 2022. Over 700 participants including Radiation Oncologists and Medical Physicists from across the globe participated in the 3-day intensive clinical and academic event. World-renowned Radiation Oncologists and Medical Physicists from six continents deliberated and engaged with all the participants. During the event, Professor Eugen Hug, an internationally acclaimed Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director of Med Austron Ion therapy centre, Vienna, Austria, inaugurated “Dr. Prathap C Reddy Proton Oration” session. Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals said, “More than 25 years ago, we noted the growing prevalence of cancer in India, the lack of Oncology centres in the country and this was the genesis of Apollo embarking on advanced cancer care. From the very beginning, we brought in the most advanced technologies in cancer care and even South Asia and the Middle East’s first Proton Therapy at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, reiterating our commitment to investing in the best available care for our patients. I am pleased that all leading experts in Proton therapy from across the globe have come together at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) and are collaborating to best utilize this novel technology. It is a matter of pride that the top specialists are working with us to ensure we all can deliver the best of care to our patients. This will further strengthen our resolve to keep raising the bar in Oncology!” Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals said, “It was just about 3 years ago, that the very first Proton Therapy in South Asia and The Middle East was unveiled at the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) in Chennai. It marked a definitive step ahead by making the world’s most advanced radiation therapy much more accessible, benefitting a population of over 3.5 billion people. Now, once again raising the bar, APCC has become the first dedicated cancer hospital in India to be accredited by JCI, the gold standard for Quality. I am so thankful to all the leading global experts who have graciously accepted our invitation to join us and share their invaluable expertise with us. APCC has been providing cancer care with outcomes on par with leading international centres. We must keep collaborating and working together with a single resolve to give our patients the best in cancer care with love and empathy.” Read more about the 2nd Apollo Annual Proton Practicum.

Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals, Kolkata has successful completed over 4000 Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgeries (MICS) at its facility. MICS is a new avenue for heart surgery, which comes with a host of benefits. With an incision of 1.5 to 3 inch instead of 8 to 10 inch in the conventional open heart surgery, MICS is less painful and almost scar-less. It also involves early recovery with lesser duration of hospital stay post-surgery and early return to normal life. Earlier traditional open surgery was the only solution for CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting), Valve repair or replacement, closures of holes in heart etc. But now with the advancement of medical sciences the procedures done using MICS are Minimally invasive bypass surgery (MICS CABG), Endoscopic vein and radial artery harvesting, MICS aortic valve repair, Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery, Keyhole ASD closure etc. This Keyhole Heart Surgery is performed using specialized surgical instruments. Heart attacks are responsible for 14.5% of all deaths in India and MICS CABG or keyhole bypass has emerged as an answer to patients suffering from coronary artery diseases. Dr Sushan Mukhopadhyay Director, Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon, Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata, said, “MICS offers unmatched patient outcomes due to its multiple positive points. It’s safe, effective and delivers outstanding patient comfort. A patient opting for this procedure can return to his work within 2- 3 weeks and a normal life within 3 months, whereas if he opts for a conventional procedure he would normally take 2-3 months to re-join work and 6 months to return to a normal life. It saves patients from pain as well as losing man hours. We have been doing MICS coronary artery bypass grafting since the last decade and have done more than 4,000 such surgeries.” 95% of all cardiac surgeries including Bypass, valve replacement, closing heart holes, removal of cardiac tumors, pace maker implantation and others can be done through MICS. It is even safe for very elderly patients who are above 80-90 years of age with other major health ailments. MICS has several advantages over the conventional open heart surgery: Highly advanced instrumentation and advanced techniques allow for the operation to be performed very safely. No bones are cut. Blood loss is almost negligible eliminating blood transfusion. All infections related to wounds or post-operative lung infections are reduced. This makes the surgery ideal for diabetics or patients who have poor resistance to infection. The incision is very cosmetic and measures just 2-3 inches making it impossible to visualize that a heart surgery has been done. This also reduces the possibilities of scars. Hospital stay and recovery time in this case is minimal and the patient usually recovers within 7 days of the surgery under normal circumstances. Significantly reduced risk factors in future surgeries.

Frontrunner in introducing unparalleled advanced technological expertise, Apollo Cancer Centres (ACC), ranked as the best private cancer hospital in India and one of the best in the world, held Odisha’s first Da Vinci Robotic Colorectal Surgery in Bhubaneshwar. The first-ever da Vinci robotic Abdominoperineal Resection (APR) surgery was performed by Dr. Salil Kumar Parida, Senior Consultant – Surgical GI & Robotic Surgeon and Dr. Venkatesh Munikrishnan, Senior Consultant -Colorectal Surgery, Apollo Cancer Centres. The discussion on Odisha’s first live surgery showcased specialized expertise by Apollo’s experienced surgeons who have changed the paradigm of the healthcare industry in robotic surgery. The da Vinci system translates the surgeon’s hand movements at the console in real-time, bending and rotating the instruments while performing the procedure. This technique delivers highly magnified 3D high-definition views of the surgical area thus allowing the surgeons to perform complex surgeries through minor incisions. The APR was performed by a team of surgeons— Dr. Salil Kumar Parida and Dr. Venkatesh Munikrishnan, who is credited with the highest number of robotic colorectal surgeries in India. The patient was a 32-year-old male from Angul, with rectal symptoms of loose motions, incontinence, and mucous in stool for the last 2-3 months. There was circumferential anorectal growth diagnosed as Mucinous Adenocarcinoma. After a thorough discussion of his condition, the patient was treated with robotic APR to give better safety & negative margins and to prevent a permanent stoma (an external bag to collect stool in the belly area) which also saves the patient from social stigma. Commenting on the successful surgery, Dr. Salil Kumar Parida, Senior Consultant – Surgical GI & Robotic Surgeon, Apollo Cancer Centre, said, “When we came across this unique case of colorectal cancer, we planned to go through robotic APR given the diabetic condition of the patient. At Apollo, we are committed to providing counselling and take an informed decision basis the patient’s comfort and the risks involved in the treatments. The da Vinci robotic surgery provided an upper hand in taking calculated moves during surgery to have better results. The surgery went on for three hours and the patient is recovering well post-operation.” Commenting on the advanced robotic surgery for colorectal cancer, Dr. Venkatesh Munikrishnan, Senior Consultant – Colorectal Surgery, Apollo Cancer Centres, said “One of the most common forms of gastrointestinal malignancies across the world is colorectal cancer (CRC). The identification forms a major challenge for colorectal cancer. With an experience of close to 25 years, we can assure you that screening tests help find colorectal cancer at an early stage when treatment works best. This case posed multiple challenges to the successful execution of the plan. The robot-assisted surgery resulted in faster recovery and quicker turnaround time of the operation process due to less blood loss. The growing acceptance of technologically advanced treatments in Oncology will help in reducing recovery time and assist doctors in performing complex to delicate procedures seamlessly, keeping in mind the needs of our patients.” “At Apollo, we are always committed towards upgrading technology and today is a great day for us. This upgradation improves clinical outcomes with reduction in length of stay in hospital which will be great benefit for people undergoing surgery at the hospital. We are committed to serve our patients with highest level of expertise be it technology or talent at all times” said Dr. Alok Srivastava, COO & Director Medical Services. The Live robotic colorectal surgery was attended virtually by over 200 doctors from across the country, ranging from Oncologists to Colorectal surgeons.

A team of doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad gave a new lease of life to a 48-year-old Myanmar by performing a liver and kidney transplant on him in one go. The marathon surgery that went on for 17 hours was performed on May 3, 2022 and the patient was discharged from the hospital on May 18, 2022. Notably, it is first of a kind in Gujarat where two organ transplants from live donors were done on a patient on the same day. The team of doctors who were involved in the marathon surgery include Dr Chirag Desai, GI, HPB and Liver Transplant Surgeon; Dr Neerav Goyal, Liver Transplant Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, Dr Lakshman Khiria and Dr Swati Upadhyay. Liver physicians were Dr Shravan Bohra and Dr Apurva Shah. The kidney transplant team included Dr Manoj Gumber, Nephrologist and Transplant Physician and Dr Vijaya Rajkumari, Kidney Transplant Surgeon. The Anaesthesia team included Dr Ankit Chauhan and team and the ICU team was led by Dr Jay Kothari. The patient had a history of diabetes, hypertension and Hepatitis C and was dependent on dialysis for the past three years. He approached Apollo Hospitals for treatment during a medical tourism event in Myanmar. Upon detailed evaluation, doctors found that apart from a damaged kidney, the patient was also suffering from liver cirrhosis and needed a liver transplant as well. A double organ transplant involves three times the risk as opposed to any single organ transplant. Describing the complications of the case, Dr Desai, said, “A critical challenge was to find live organ donors for kidney and liver for the surgery. This case was the first-ever in Gujarat wherein two organs were transplanted using live donors.” “Timing and coordination between both the transplant teams was very crucial”, he added. When it comes to any transplant surgery, monitoring the use of immunosuppression drugs is extremely vital. Explaining the significance of this process, Dr Gumber said, “Balancing the use of immunosuppression drugs during a transplant was the key to a successful surgery. If given in less than adequate amount, the organs get rejected, and any more than adequate will increase the chances of an infection in a patient. Given the risk, the multi-speciality pool of doctors at Apollo and the resources available here made this surgery possible.” Apart from this, surgical skills, good ICU, and post-operative monitoring were factors that attributed to the success of this sensitive surgery. Commenting on the recovery of the patient Dr Vijaya Rajkumari said, “He is eating normally. The creatinine results are normal. Post-discharge regular follow-ups, compliance with medicine and monitoring are vital for a successful transplant and the longevity of the organs.” Mr. Neeraj Lal, Chief Operating Officer (Gujarat Region), Apollo Hospitals said, “With the decline in COVID-19 cases and as international travel opened up, many international patients are coming to Apollo Hospitals for their surgeries and treatments.”

Baby Anshika, an 8-year-old girl from Bihar, underwent a lifesaving liver transplant procedure at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi after being diagnosed with the rare Wilson’s disease- a genetic disorder in which excess copper builds up in the body. Treatment includes lifelong medication to bind copper. However, some children can develop coma due to liver failure. Mortality rate is 100% in children who develop coma due to Wilson disease. Baby Anshika was admitted at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi on 25th March evening in a state of coma. Previously, she was being treated at another hospital where her condition deteriorated. At Apollo, she was admitted under the supervision of Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director, Senior Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals Group along with his team including Dr Smita Malhotra and Dr Karunesh Kumar (Consultants, Paediatric Gastroenterology) and Dr Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant – Liver Transplant along with Dr Arun V, Dr Varun M, Dr Pradeep Kumar (Consultants, Liver Transplant) and Dr Raman R (Anaesthetist). The child was immediately put on a ventilator and advised a liver transplant, and she was also in parallell, put on dialysis and plasma exchange therapy to remove copper and buy time for a pre-transplant evaluation. Due to non-availability of the same or compatible blood group donor, an ABO-incompatible emergency live donor liver transplant was planned, with the child’s mother as the donor. 31 hours after admission, on 27th March, a liver transplant was started. Two days later she was removed from a ventilator, and she then regained consciousness. Speaking about this life saving transplantation, Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “The complexity of the case required us to support the child on ventilator immediately post her admission. Both her pre-surgical management and the seamless administration of the liver transplant surgery (with her donor being ABO Compatible) were a challenge. This was an exceptionally rare case where a living related liver transplant was performed within 31 hours of admission. Of the 432 pediatric liver transplants performed at the Apollo Liver Transplant Program, this is the first case of an emergency ABO incompatible living related liver transplant.” Dr Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant, Liver Transplant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “In Wilson’s disease children typically manifest deteriorating symptoms and if not treated within a specific duration can cause life threatening problems. This child had come to us with acute liver failure, swelling in the brain due to ammonia content, was unconscious and in a state of coma. At Apollo, we immediately counselled the family for a liver transplant. Her recovery has been uneventful and the child was discharged on 12th April, post-operative day 17.”