Category health

Hyderabad, 15th February 2023: Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Hospital (AIMSR, Apollo Medical College) commemorated World Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day – 14th February 2023; by reaching the spectacular milestone of 150 Pediatric cardiac procedures and surgeries performed for congenital heart defects in the last one year alone, at the Apollo Medical College, Hyderabad.

Congenital heart defect (CHD) is the most common type of birth defect, 1 out of 100 infants are impacted by this. 25% of the CHDs require surgery or a procedure within the baby’s first year of life. More than 90% of children with CHD live into adulthood.

The team of pediatric specialists at Apollo Medical College, involved in achieving this humongous landmark, Dr. Sri Krishna, Head of Department of Pediatrics; Dr Amol Gupta, Pediatric Cardiologist; Dr Meena Trehan, Pediatric Anesthetist and Intensivist and Dr Sunil Kumar Swain, Paediatric Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgeon; were felicitated on the occasion. The parent Mr. Kuruva Sri Ramulu & Mrs. Uma Devi of the 150th child Master Kuruva Manoj, a 2 years 8 months boy who had been discharged from the Pediatric ICU, from Arikera village, Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh; were also felicitated on the occasion. This baby boy was suffering from a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that are present at birth. Tetralogy of Fallot defects causes oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and into the rest of the body. Risk factors include a viral illness such as rubella (German measles) during pregnancy, maternal alcoholism or a family history of the condition and were treated for the same by performing a critical ICR – Complete Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot, and he had recovered well and was discharged.

Apollo Medical College marked World Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day by hosting a Congenital Awareness Walk, early in the morning, to raise awareness about congenital heart problems and the need to detect them early, for the child to lead a normal life. The College conducted a Continuous Medical Education program to build awareness in the medical fraternity about congenital heart disease and the paramount importance of early detection.

 By Dr Bhakti Gajjar, Consultant Neurologist, HCG Hospitals Ahmedabad

People who live with migraine know the actual grief they bring in – rattling auras, throbbing pain, nausea, pain in the eyes, and seeing spots of flashlights, sensitization to various environmental factors. It may look like just another kind of headache for a common person, but people accustomed to it know what a nightmare it can be. Whether they happen continuously or are episodic, migraine attacks can cause stress. Also, stress can trigger migraine episodes, a vicious cycle that may be difficult for you to escape.

Migraine commonly affects young age group and is triggered by work pressure, anxiety, stress and many environmental factors. Most people who suffer from migraine find difficult to give their full in work or do routine activities during an episode, so it affects many aspects of person’s daily life.

What Is Migraine?

Migraine is a neurological condition, a type of primary headaches that leads to pulsating headaches, mainly on one side of the head but can involve whole head. The symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe that vary from person to person. Migraine episodes can last a few hours to days, and pain can be so bad that it impedes your normal routines. There are many trigger factors like light, stress, lack of sleep, empty stomach for long time, sudden change of atmosphere, cold weather, hormonal changes and many more. It is variable from person to person.

Common types of migraine include migraine with aura and migraine without aura.

1)Migraine without aura develops in phases. Premonitory phase-person experience symptoms like fatigue,mood changes,sensitivity to light and sound. Headache phase-moderate to severe headache lasting for 4-72 hours, throbbing and worsen with physical activity. Postdrome follows the migraine attack, have symptoms like fatigue and low mood.

2) Migraine with aura-An aura is a term used to describe the symptoms a person may experience before sometime of headache attack. An aura presents with temporary vision issues like flashes of lights or blind spots or other hindrances such as a tingling sensation on one side of the face or in the arm or leg and problems speaking.

3) Chronic migraine-A headache on at least 15days per month, with 8 of those days featuring migraine symptoms, must occur for more than 3 months. When people overuse pain relievers, they may develop drug overuse headache.

Other types :

• Migraine with brainstem aura
• Hemiplegic migraine
• Retinal migraine

Diagnostic criteria vary depending on the type of migraine. We clinicians look for a pattern of recurring headaches and accompanying symptoms. Also duration and intensity of symptoms. Migraine diary with type, duration and frequency of symptoms could be of great help.

What Is Association Between Migraine And Mental Health?

Well, both migraine and mental health are intimately related. It is essential to understand the potential impacts of migraine on mental health and vice versa. Moreover, regulating one often involves managing both. At times people with migraine develop anxiety, while mental health condition comes first for a few people. Not only anxiety but many mental conditions like depression, stress disorders, and sleep disorders are interconnected with migraine. These conditions are more likely to affect a person if someone else in the family has them. Migraine and many mental health disorders affect similar chemicals in the brain. Following areas are involved in migraine and mental conditions.

There are several reasons why chronic migraine can affect a person emotionally. Thinking about when the next episode will spurt can cause anxiety, and living with persistent worry can also lead to depression. Also, chronic pain itself is so stressful for both the mind and body. Long-term stresses are known to impede the balance of hormones and chemicals in the brain and nervous system, affecting moods, and eventually, stress can make migraine bad.

Migraine, in most situations, can intrude with work, home, and social well-being, making you feel isolated and affecting your mental health. Also, the impact of chronic migraine can harm your self-esteem.

Current hypotheses on the neurobiological mechanism underlying the contribution of depression and anxiety to progression of migraine include shared dysfunction of the serotonergic system.

If you have chronic migraine:

• Take measures to look after your mental health
  Do things that can lessen stress and anxiety
  Seek medical help when needed

Cause Or Effect?

The cause-effect relationship between mental ill-health and migraine is unclear , with possibility of bidirectional relationship. Depression is believed to be a strong predictor for episodic to chronic migraine; however, treatment for migraine does not ease anxiety or depression.

This link is bidirectional, with both contributing to the progression of the other. Some studies reveal that both migraine and depression may be caused by an underlying genetic factor, an environmental trigger, or both. Also, serotonin dysfunction plays a remarkable role in developing anxiety and depression. Genetic mutations can impede serotonin signalling in individuals with stress as well as those with migraine.

In addition, certain medications that treat migraine (triptans) work by targeting serotonin receptors in the brain. Thus, serotonin also controls the relationship between migraine and mental wellbeing.

Hormones also play a role.

Some women experience menstrual migraine, which develops immediately before or after the cycle. In addition, oestrogen levels are low during menstruation, which indicates that oestrogen deprivation may play a vital role in the development of migraine and mental ill-health.

Treatment

Migraine attacks are commonly managed by abortive medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Preventive medications like antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs are added to treatment. For a few people, combining antidepressants with other medications that directly treat migraine may be very beneficial. We can use mono-therapy for both migraine and headache, different treatments for both conditions or sequential treatments.

Behavioural treatments are often used to treat migraine. Biofeedback therapy measures stress signals like muscle tension or body temperature to help people recognize the causes of stress so that they can react in real-time to enhance relaxation. Since psychiatric comorbidities so intricately affect migraines, their management becomes essential part to screen in patients with migraines.

Biofeedback therapy is mostly combined with relaxation training, which is a proven technique to ease stress which includes:

• Deep breathing
• Gradual muscle relaxation relaxation routines

Simple Tips to Manage Your Mental Well-being

Well, following a disciplined lifestyle help a person control emotional health, which can eventually help you have lesser or milder headaches.

• Stay connected with family and friends
• Get sound, restful sleep
• Exercise regularly

Practice relaxation techniques to mitigate stress

Dr. Sanjay Agarwala, Director – Professional Services, Head – Orthopaedics & Traumatology at P. D. Hinduja Hospital

Since the inception of Covid-19, infectious disease has been known to cause problems for the general public across the globe. One such problem has been associated with Long Covid where the blood supply to various parts of the body becomes poor and leads to Osteonecrosis.

Patients with Covid 19 are given corticosteroids for its management, but according to recent studies, lower threshold dose of steroids makes patients much more susceptible to suffering from Osteonecrosis or Avascular Necrosis (AVN), known for the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply.

Avascular Necrosis (AVN) is known as the death of bone tissue caused due to the lack of blood supply. The condition can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and cause the bone to collapse. This process usually takes months to years to occur but leads to the need of joint-replacement surgeries.

When it comes to long covid, while patients were required to opt for surgical treatment methods like joint replacement surgeries in the past for these problems we have through various studies and research developed bisphosphonate therapy which can eliminate the need of surgical treatment if detected early.

The pandemic caused due to Covid 19 has been a wake-up call for the global healthcare system and while we are out of danger for the most part, Covid 19 is still around and very much dangerous. Patients suffering from Covid 19 are given corticosteroids which help in the management of the virus but after recovery, these patients start to experience pain in their joints.

MRIs have shown Osteonecrosis in these cases where patients require joint-replacement surgery for treatment but with Bisphosphonate therapy, patients can now be treated even without surgical procedure. The therapy helps in symptoms receding and the condition reversal.

Osteonecrosis of the hip is successfully treatable with Dr Agarwala‘s well researched bisphophonate therapy, which is different from osteoporosis management. Recent publications in international peer reviewed journals have established the validity of his long-standing research results. This is a Made in India, for the World Treatment, strategy.

Patients, who experience pain in the hip or thigh post covid recovery, are required to opt for MRIs as early as possible in order to diagnose AVN. Patients with early AVN (Ficat-Arlet Stage 1 and 2), can be successfully treated with Bisphosphonate therapy. While corticosteroids are lifesaving in the management of Covid 19, it is important to follow up if one experiences pain in the joints.

Early detection can lead to favorable outcomes for patients but the fight against Covid has been a long and tedious one and it still isn’t over. Therefore, it is still important to be aware of these conditions and never neglect them in case of post-recovery from covid. The general public at large should still follow covid norms in order to deal with these ailments.

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Mumbai, 14th February 2023: Sunteck Realty, a Mumbai-based premium luxury real estate developer, organized a Healthcare Camp at Naigaon to observe National Deworming Day in collaboration with Human Welfare Charitable Trust and Samhita Social ventures. The initiative is a part of Sunteck Realty’s pioneering ESG project, Sunteck Saathi’s community engagement program. The goal of this medical camp was to deliver preventive healthcare to over 200 underprivileged children in a shelter home. The healthcare camp included general physician examinations, dental examinations, and eye examinations. The camp was organized in the vicinity of the Naigaon shelter home with a specialty team of doctors and allied staff.

Anupma Khetan, Customer Experience Evangelist for Sunteck Realty, commented on the project by saying, “Children are the future of the nation; therefore, they need to be cared for. Given that they will be the ones to lead India toward the path of success, children should live in an environment that is both healthy and environmentally sustainable. So, in light of our nation’s bright future, this is our company’s small contribution.”

The United Nations Global Compact and the Government of India have recognized HWCT (Human Welfare Charitable Trust), which primarily focuses on education and skill development for children, youth, and women in Mumbai and rural Maharashtra. Kalpesh Kabra, Founder and Trustee of HWCT India Foundation said, “We are grateful that Sunteck Realty has supported our children receive medical check-ups from specialized doctors, dental surgeons, and ophthalmologists.

Priya Naik, Founder, and CEO at Samhita Social Ventures say Proactive healthcare screening is the first step towards good health and well-being. Identifying healthcare issues during the formative years of children is critical since it directly impacts their cognitive abilities. This intervention is a stepping stone towards improving the health of the future of our country.

Sunteck Realty, in association with Human Welfare Charitable Trust also organized the Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) session on the importance of good nutrition and a balanced diet for children. Mothers and other kid guardians were invited to the session in order to improve the uptake of this information. A therapeutic link will also be established for those detected with ailments or issues.

India, 13^th February 2023 – The healthcare sector in India is leaping forward with digital innovations at an accelerated pace. Government of India’s initiatives like the National Digital Health Mission, integration of artificial intelligence, data governance, and 5G services fuelling a rapid paradigm shift in the healthcare industry which is already on the threshold of a new era of digital transformation. The covid-19 pandemic primed the evolution of healthcare business models by channelizing novel digital concepts and strategies. Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) the Hyderabad-based subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been in the forefront of business process innovation. Propelling the digital ecosystem, IIL, through its division Human Biologicals Institute, launched its first set of virtual medical representatives, a pioneering alternative to facilitate physician’s interface in form of eMOz i.e. A virtual realm where e-reps can connect with doctors and foster digital relationships.

Traditional sales models in the pharma industry have been primarily indexed on engagement between sales representatives and physicians which has led to volume-based formulae, more sales representatives equal more visits to doctors, assuming incremental business. However, long have the industry embraced the challenge that the average time spent by physicians with a sales rep has seen a drastic downturn owing to various intersecting factors. The COVID-19 pandemic caused further restrictions that significantly curtailed reps’ access to physicians.

eMOZ is a cutting-edge and promising tool for information sharing. eMOz has inbuilt capabilities to provide constant updates on the specific needs of the physicians, thus fostering meaningful, tangible, and enduring gains. eMOz will enable complete stakeholder management on a virtual platform by providing detailed access to products and services. This will reduce several entry barriers while enhancing the cost efficiency.  eMOz will eventually be acquiring AI avatars of sales representatives to interact and assist physicians in one of its kind experiences. eMOz will provide credible solutions digitally for better patient care by offering greater convenience to physicians and save their precious time.

Speaking on the launch of eMOz, Dr. K. Anand Kumar, Managing Director of IIL said “This generation of healthcare professionals are quite open for digital channels of communication, and we envision to provide an engaging digital experience to our customers while focussing foremost on covering untapped markets”.

On the ground level, unveiling eMOz has witnessed significant interest from doctors. Dr Santosh Kumar Mishra, Senior Obstetric & Gynaecologist from Sanjita Maternity Care & Hospital, Bhubaneswar (Odisha) who interacted through eMOz and placed an order as well, said “There has been a huge emergence of various digital channels in our life post-pandemic, experiencing something like eMOz from Indian Immunologicals Limited is unique & interesting. It is more convenient than some of the usual drop-in interactions”

“While in-person rep visits still hold value, eMOz avatars will accentuate digital value perception among all stakeholders”, Vice President, Human Health business, Mr. Shakul Srivastava said.

Sneha Kamat, Dietician, SRV Hospitals – Goregaon

Exam time is here. Students study for longer than normal throughout the examination season. A balanced diet is vital for improved attention. The food you consume influences the way your body works in more ways than one. It is also critical to keep healthy throughout the test season in order to perform effectively. A balanced and nutritious diet can help you maintain good health.

Several studies have found that food consumption has a direct influence on the mental ability of young kids. For example, iron deficiency can impair dopamine transmission, reducing pupils’ intellect in their early stages. There are several minerals and vitamins that have been shown to improve kids’ cognitive capacity and mental focus, including vitamin E, thiamine, vitamin B, zinc, and iodine.

Adding amino acids and carbs to these micronutrients can also assist kids to improve their awareness, reasoning, and comprehension abilities. According to research, dietary intake might boost students’ cognitive and intellectual performance when studying for examinations.

Students must include at least half a plate of vegetables, a quarter plate of carbs, and a reasonable quantity of protein in their meals. Students must eat well in order to be attentive and interested. Here are a few examples:

1. Carbohydrates: Whole grains including whole-grain bread, brown rice, quinoa, and wheat are high in glucose. Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and gourd are examples of starchy vegetables that students can incorporate into their daily carb consumption.
2. Vegetables: Each vegetable has its own set of advantages. As a result, pupils’ diets must contain all types of vegetables (with a preference for non-starchy vegetables and an avoidance of potatoes).
3. Proteins: Because of their ‘long-chain Omega-3s,’ seafood and oil-rich fish are helpful to brain health and focus. According to specialists, “Omega-3 fats account for around 8% of the brain,” thus kids should consume Omega-3-rich meals at least twice a week. Lean foods (low-fat meats) such as fish, chicken, tuna, turkey, and lean red meat must be included in students’ meals.
   Curd helps to keep your intestines healthy.
4. To avoid stomach disorders, it is critical to maintaining gut healthy while tests are approaching. Curd is a probiotic that promotes good bacteria in the stomach while also stimulating the flow of serotonin, a pleasant hormone that results in regulated stress. The dietician advises students not to skip the ‘Dahi-Shakkar’ before examinations.

Students who spend all of their time studying may get bored. It also drains and worries them. As a result, enough sleep and a well-balanced diet are essential to guarantee that pupils can retain the material they have been learning. It will help them learn and assimilate the new knowledge they have read. Before going to bed, students should take some time to unwind. Late at night, students should avoid caffeine-containing drinks. Students should go for a walk, swim, exercise, or simply walk to the shop.

Bangalore, 11th February 2023 Aster RV Hospital recently conducted a rare and minimally invasive heart procedure on a 71-year-old patient, Shobha (name changed) suffering from rheumatic heart disease, giving her a new lease on life. Earlier, this procedure was conducted only once in Karnataka, making this the second of its kind in the state. Having already undergone two open-heart surgeries to treat her condition, a third open-heart surgery would be high risk and lead to a longer recovery time for the patient.

“Shobha was suffering from repeated spells of breathlessness, especially upon exertion, which is a common sign of valve degeneration. She had a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve implanted during her second open-heart surgery 12 years back which has now degenerated. In such a patient, particularly because of her age and comorbidities, conducting another open-heart surgery to fix a new valve can be extremely risky. We advised her to undergo a Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Valve-in-valve Procedure,” explained Dr. S. Venkatesh, Lead Consultant – Interventional Cardiology at Aster RV Hospital.

A physical examination, Echocardiogram, and CT Aortogram were performed to evaluate the size of the heart and determine whether there was any extra fluid in the heart or lungs, as well as other procedures to check the heart and assess any potential damage. The patient successfully underwent Tricuspid valve-in-valve implantation on 11 October 2021. “Through a vein puncture in the groin, we accessed her heart and implanted a MYVAL 27.5 mm tricuspid valve within the previous bioprosthetic valve. This procedure typically takes about an hour to complete. She was extubated the same day and had an uneventful recovery,” said Dr. Venkatesh.

“I was anxious about going through another open-heart surgery as I have crossed 70 years of age and do not have the strength that I used to have. This non-surgical option was great news to me, and I am glad I was in the hands of skilled doctors who made it a seamless experience. My recovery has been very smooth, and I was able to go back to my normal tasks within a week of surgery. I am enjoying my time with my grandkids!” said Shobha.

According to reports, about 70% of patients suffering from valve disease are due to rheumatic heart disease in India. This is a condition where the valves in the heart are permanently damaged because of childhood streptococcal infection and its sequela. The incidence of heart valve disease increases significantly with age affecting the longevity as well as the quality of life of elderly patients. This procedure requires expertise and is done only at specialized centres.

By Dr. Krithika Murugan, Surgical Oncologist, HCG Cancer Hospital Bengaluru

Palliative care is the range of symptom management services provided by the professionals like physicians, nursing, support workers, paramedics, and pharmacists. The palliative care team also includes nutritionists, psychologists, physiotherapists, and volunteers who help improve the quality of life of patients (adults and children) who are combating any form of life-threatening illnesses. It is a team approach for a wide range of diseases that improves the quality of life of patients who are vulnerable to chronic ailments as well as their caregivers. This includes addressing practical needs and providing bereavement counseling. It offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death. This process has a significant role to play when it comes to cancer treatments. As we know, cancer occurs when abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells interferes with the DNA of the cells at given factors like increasing age, exposure to certain radiations and chemicals, heredity, and unhealthy lifestyle habits like excessive smoking and alcohol consumption.

When cancer forms in the cells of the breasts, it is called breast cancer. The most common signs include a lump in the breast, bloody discharge from the nipple, and changes in the shape or texture of the nipple of the breast. Breast cancer typically has four stages – stage I to stage IV. When detected at the initial stage, breast cancer can be completely cured. The treatment depends on the stages of breast cancer and includes chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and surgery. Unfortunately, for some, cancer fails to respond to any form of therapy, and the symptoms and the disease progress, commonly known to metastasize. In these situations, or when the patient and their family decide not to go ahead with any form of treatment considering the pros and cons of treatment, symptom management / palliative care may help in enhancing the quality of the remaining length of life for the patient.

Palliative care for breast cancer

Most often, breast cancer and its treatment lead to several physical symptoms and side effects along with emotional, social, and financial consequences. Palliative care aims to manage all these consequences with a focus on dealing with the symptoms and supporting the patient and the family with other non-medical needs. Palliative care can be given to all patients of breast cancer, irrespective of the stage of cancer but most often, delivered to the patients of the last stage of breast cancer. Those receiving palliative care have less severe symptoms and improved quality of life. The process also helps the patient and other people related to them to plan for the finances, not just whilst they are alive but also once they are gone, and enable families to find closure to their not-so-easy long-term caregiving roles.

Benefits of palliative care

It enhances one’s comfort: Breast cancer treatment is a comprehensive one and is often painful and uncomfortable with severe side effects. The palliative care team addresses the needs of the patients and helps them remain stronger to be able to take the treatment successfully. Palliative care offers comfort physically, socially, and spiritually.

It plays a crucial role in stress management: Palliative care not only helps in meeting the physical health needs during a critical treatment like that of breast cancer but also helps in meeting the mental health requirements. Palliative care ensures overall care for mental health and helps in stress, anxiety, and panic management not just among patients but also among family members and caregivers. It puts the caregivers at ease as well and enhances their quality of life besides improving the quality of life for the patients.

It enables a patient to live longer and live healthier: Palliative care treatment enhances the quality of life and helps patients to live longer. In addition to palliative care, doctors offer several other therapies including delivery of antineoplastic treatment through hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and biological therapies to reduce breast cancer pain and offer relief to some extent, and help patients to live longer.

Kinds of palliative care

A breast cancer patient can be offered two kinds of palliative care.

Oncologist-based palliative care: The oncologist plays the lead role in this model of palliative care and offers both cancer treatment and palliative care. The relationship between the patient and the cancer doctor is essential to be smooth for the optimal delivery of palliative care in this model.

Concurrent model: In such models of palliative care, the care is given by both oncologist and a palliative medicine specialist. The palliative care expert works with cancer doctors and delivers care based on one’s specific needs and potential issues one may face during the treatment.

Living with breast cancer

As you go through the treatment of breast cancer, there are several ways by which one can tackle the condition and live well with breast cancer.

Some of these include:

•  Having adequate sleep
•  Doing regular exercise to fight fatigue
•  Eating light meals to feel good and beat nausea
•  Utilising energy on good energy days and doing something that one loves
•  Keeping a journal and writing down daily thoughts may help in managing breast cancer-induced stress, anxiety, and pain on a daily basis.

Palliative care plays a significant role in breast cancer treatment and helps to improve the quality of life of patients as well as caregivers. Advances in technology paves way for digitized palliative care which could transform breast cancer treatment. To get more information on breast cancer palliative care, you can reach out to efficient palliative care cancer specialists.

India, 10 February 2023: MediBuddy, India’s largest Digital Healthcare platform announced today that it has acquired the ‘vHealth by Aetna’ business (Indian Health Organization Private Limited) in India.

‘vHealth by Aetna’, is one of India’s most innovative primary healthcare service providers. ‘vHealth by Aetna’ is a leader in the B2B healthcare space and offers subscription-based primary healthcare services such as telehealth consultations, an extensive outpatient network, pharmacy, diagnostics and dental among other benefits to customers.

Commenting on the acquisition, Satish Kannan, Co-Founder, and CEO at MediBuddy said, “We made a strategic decision to go ahead with this critical acquisition as it is in line with our commitment to making high-quality healthcare accessible to a billion people. We believe that this acquisition will further strengthen our market leadership by giving impetus to our distribution channels, helping us in scaling our operations and offerings to a much wider section of the population. ‘vHealth by Aetna’s subscriber base will now have the convenience and the opportunity to access the full spectrum of the healthcare services provided by MediBuddy.” He further added, “vHealth by Aetna’ business has shown an impressive rate of growth in the past and with the expertise of the current team and MediBuddy’s existing strengths, we expect the combined business to grow significantly over the coming years.”

Anurag Khosla, CEO of Aetna India and IHO said, “MediBuddy and ‘vHealth by Aetna’ share a common vision of a future, where primary and digital healthcare comes together to redefine accessibility and delivery of quality healthcare services. We are confident and excited that the coming together of MediBuddy and’ vHealth by Aetna’ will not only benefit our existing ‘vHealth by Aetna’ customer base but will also advance the combined business with MediBuddy’s expertise.”

Over the next six months, ‘vHealth by Aetna’ business will transition to be rebranded as ‘MediBuddy vHealth’. The existing IHO management team and employees across all functions will continue to be employed by IHO, which is now part of MediBuddy. Both the existing and new subscriber base of ‘vHealth by Aetna’ will have access to MediBuddy’s technology and scale prowess, leading to an enhanced customer experience. The latest acquisition will bring on board ‘vHealth by Aetna’s’ customers to MediBuddy’s platform further strengthening the existing customer base of 30 Mn+. MediBuddy recently concluded its merger with DocsApp and the company raised $125 million in Series C funding in the first quarter of 2022.

10th February 2023, New Delhi: In a rare feat, doctors at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Shalimar Bagh performed a successful revision total knee replacement surgery on a 92-year-old man, making him one of the oldest people in India to undergo revision total knee replacement surgery.

The nonagenarian underwent a revision total knee replacement surgery, 17 years after his first surgery, at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh under the care of Dr Palash Gupta, Director- of Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement and his team.

Revision surgery is required when knee replacement no longer functions correctly.

Mr Satya Swarup at the age of 75, in 2005, had undergone knee replacement surgery post which his knees were functioning well. However, in the last 2 years, he complained of acute pain and progressive swelling in his knees which was impacting his mobility. Mr Satya Swarup then came to Dr Palash Gupta, Director- Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh.

After investigation and evaluation, Dr Palash Gupta explained to the patient that he required total knee replacement surgery as the implant life had expired. Initially, the patient and the family were hesitant to undergo the procedure considering his age and all associated co-morbidities which are usually present at this age, but since he was in disabling pain, he agreed to go ahead with the surgery.

Elaborating, Dr Palash Gupta, Director– of Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, said: “Revision surgery at this age is unheard of in India. This was quite a complicated surgery as the
patient was 92 years old and had co-morbidities but thanks to the team and resources available to

us at Max Shalimar Bagh, it was a success. The very next day of the operation, he was able to
stand up and even walk”.

Revision surgeries are always a challenge because they are much more complicated as blood loss, tissue loss and bone loss had to be avoided to make the surgery successful and lasting. The surgeon should be well experienced in revision surgeries as these are very uncommon.

The patient also commented, “At 92, I never thought I’d have the strength and courage to undergo knee surgery, but I did it and I couldn’t be more proud of myself. All of this is possible because of Dr Palash and his team of dedicated staff that has taken the utmost care of me during this difficult time in my life. ”

The patient was regularly monitored during his stay in the hospital and was discharged 5 days after the surgery.