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.”

Apollomedics Super Specialty Hospital, Lucknow has continuously been saving lives with ultra-modern technology since its inception. The experts at Apollomedics Super Specialty Hospital have performed many complex surgeries, which weren’t possible at other hospitals. Some of these surgeries may be considered medical miracles too. In one such case, the medical team at Apollomedics Super Specialty Hospital saved a 24-week-old fetus. The patient previously had two miscarriages, thus this pregnancy was quite precious. Patient’s amniotic membrane got damaged at around 24 weeks of pregnancy, due to which the amniotic fluid leaked out and it had become very difficult to save the fetus. To save the fetus, Specialist of the Obstetrics and Gynecology and Fetal Medicine of Apollomedics Super Specialty Hospital, Dr. Bhumika Bansal, used the amnio patch technique. This was the first time this technique was used in any private hospital of the state. Through this technique, the pregnancy stretched for 3 to 4 weeks. After which the child was delivered at about 29 weeks. With the efforts of Dr. Anubhav of the Department of Neonatology, the child was discharged safely. Read more about how the new technique saved a 24-week-old fetus.

A multi-disciplinary team of specialists at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, performed a remarkable surgery on a 50-year-old Bangladeshi patient to remove a rare recurrent chest wall tumor (Chondroscarcoma). The tumor was removed and the chest wall was reconstructed using synthetic materials and back muscle tissue. A new chest wall was formed after the sternal bone was repaired with bone cement wrapped in a mesh. Based on a detailed study done by a team of experts headed by Dr Ajit Pai, Senior Consultant in Surgical Oncology, with support from the Dr Rajarajan Venkatesan, Vascular Surgeon, Dr MM Yusuf, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Dr Arun Kannan, Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Chepauk Ramesh, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Dr Bhaskar, Cardiac Anesthetist, the surgery was planned and performed. Ms. Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “We have always believed that harnessing the right technology and combining it with medical expertise helps work miracles. This case is one such example, and we are happy to be setting such high standards in patient care. At Apollo Hospitals, we put the patient first in all we do and deliver world-class treatment that is both accessible and affordable. We are convinced that such medical milestones will alter the lives of many more individuals who are in dire need.” Read more about the removal of rare recurrent chest wall tumor at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai

For the first time in Eastern India, Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals, Kolkata has launched Bronchial Thermoplasty, a painless procedure for effective treatment of severe asthma. The treatment uses a catheter, which is inserted through the windpipe to deliver heat. This heat is targeted to the smooth muscles of the lungs so that they shrink and can’t get tightened to cause asthma symptoms anymore. The procedure typically needs three sittings with a gap of three weeks between each sitting. Bronchial Thermoplasty was performed at Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata, on two patients on March 14, 2022. Post-procedure, the patients are stable. Dr Debraj Jash, Consultant Pulmonologist at Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals Kolkata, who performed both the procedures, said, “In India, a significant proportion of the population suffers from severe asthma. As a result, Bronchial Thermoplasty is an effective treatment for non-allergic asthma. It was a real challenge to introduce this procedure in the eastern part of the country.” About 300 million people in the world suffer from asthma out of which about 5-10% people are the ones who get hospitalized due the severity of the disease. If the problem persists for such patients even after using inhaler with correct medicines and procedure for 2-3 months, then they need to go for Pulmonary Function Test. If either of IGE or Eosinophil is low in the result, only then they can go for this treatment. Dr Sushil Agarwal, Consultant Pulmonologist, Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals Kolkata said, “Internationally, Bronchial Thermoplasty is a huge saviour for severe asthma patients and we hope that it’s the same here. Post Bronchial Thermoplasty people are relieved and get back to normal life without regular asthma attacks disrupting their schedule.” On the occasion of the launch of the procedure, Mr Rana Dasgupta, CEO-Eastern Region, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata, continues to be the leader in bringing in new technologies and performing path-breaking procedures. Our committed clinicians, with the help of this state-of-the-art technology, would help many asthma patients.”

Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals Kolkata brings complete Robotic Renal Transplant for the first time to Eastern India. In a conventional kidney transplant, the donor’s kidney is placed in the lower abdomen of the recipient by making an 8-10 inch cut, while the robotic transplant involves only a 1-2 inch cut and a few keyhole incisions for access into the abdomen. A 25-year-old patient was suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease and was on dialysis for a long time. After finding a suitable match, the patient underwent robotic renal transplant last week under Dr Vinay Mahindra in Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata. Benefits of Robotic Kidney Transplant Decreased chances of complications as compared to open surgery, especially in immunocompromised and end-stage renal disease patients. Safer and more efficacious for obese patients who are otherwise not recommended for transplants. Minimal invasive surgery helps in reduced blood loss hospital stays pain postoperative complication rate recovery time surgical scars The whole procedure of Robotic Kidney Transplant involves the doctor sitting on the console with the monitor displaying the inside of the abdomen and the robotic arms assisting the doctor for operating. One of the arms holds a high magnification 3D camera which is inserted into the abdomen through one of the key holes and provides a high-definition, magnified (12×), 3-D view of the surgical site. The other mechanical arms have surgical instruments attached to it that are designed to mimic the movement of the human hands and wrists. Dr Vinay Mahendra, Consultant Urology & Robotic Surgeon, Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata who carried out the procedure along with the team of doctors said, “The primary benefit of Robotic surgery for transplant is that it involves minor incisions and hence recovery is faster with much lesser complications. It also comes with less pain and lesser or no chance of infection as the incision is much smaller than the usual 8-10 inch cut, which requires less hospital stay, early recovery and back to normal life.”

35-year-old Mr. Santanu from Howrah started having uncontrollable high blood pressure for which he went for a checkup. Investigations revealed that he had a bicuspid (two leaflet) valve instead of a tricuspid (three leaflet) valve. All human beings have tricuspid aortic valve in the heart. Apart from that, the CT angiography of his aorta revealed coarctation (congenital narrowing) of aorta. Due to the complexity of the procedure, many hospitals refused to operate on him. He then came to Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals, Kolkata. He was prepared for the endovascular stenting procedure for the coarctation of aorta by the team of doctors including Dr Bikash Majumdar, Dr Aftab Khan, Dr Tamasish Mukherjee and Dr Yaman Kalita. The aorta is the largest artery in the body, which moves oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Aortic Coarctation or narrowing of the aorta forces the heart to pump harder to move blood through the aorta. Dr Bikash Majumdar said, “This congenital condition, Coarctation of Aorta, is as rare as 4 in 10,000 live births. Out of all congenital heart problems, only 6% have this issue. And normally it is detected in childhood (within teenage years) when the treatment is much easier and the prime symptom is high Blood Pressure in childhood.” Dr Aftab Khan said, “The possibility of aortic rupture is high when patients with Coarctation of Aorta are treated post childhood. In Mr. Santanu’s case, a Chetham Platinum aortic stent was placed after balloon dilation and to handle the complexity, a normal stent of 60 mm had to be hand mounted to cover the 49 mm length of narrowing. The balloon helped in widening the narrow aorta, making the width normal for blood flow. The case posed difficulty in stent expansion as well as chances of stent migration was also very high due to the age of the patient.” Mr. Santanu was operated in February 2022 post which he is leading a normal life. If he was not treated, his condition could have been fatal with chances of stroke and long-term cardiac complications due to high blood pressure. This procedure was performed in the Cath lab through the right femoral artery route (right groin route).

Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai has achieved a remarkable milestone in its Renal transplant programme with the successful completion of over 200 life-saving kidney transplants in three years. The achievement is especially commendable as it includes kidney transplants carried out during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 200+ kidney transplants were carried out by the experienced team of Transplant Specialists at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. This is a testament to their high caliber and organ-specific domain knowledge in Nephrology supported by the latest in robotic technology. At a press conference held to announce the 200+ kidney transplant milestone, the hospital’s Renal Transplant team presented some remarkable insights into how kidney transplants have saved lives with better short-term and long-term outcomes as compared to those patients on dialysis. The team highlighted the high success rate of over 99 per cent, with complex transplants successfully carried out including ABO-incompatible (mismatched blood group) transplants and repeat (second) transplant cases. Dr Amolkumar Patil, Consultant Robotic Urologist and Renal Transplant Surgeon at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai said, “At Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, there is a continuous up-gradation of surgical technology with minimally-invasive techniques being the norm today. These allow for better post-operative pain control, faster recovery and improved aesthetic outcomes, with much smaller scars that heal very quickly. Positive clinical outcomes and a world-class experience have made Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai a popular referral option for patients across India as well as around the globe.” As international travel restrictions eased with a decrease in COVID-19 cases, medical value travel saw a return, with the team successfully performing kidney transplant surgeries on 15 foreign patients from Yemen, Rwanda, Kenya, and Sudan. Dr Amit Langote, Chief Consultant Nephrologist and Transplant Physician, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai said, “As a Centre of Excellence, our expertise in ABO-incompatible transplants has enabled us to help many patients with kidney failure who have been waiting for a matching blood group cadaver or live donor for years. Our skilled team has made this a viable option with a reduced risk of rejection. The quantum of ABO-incompatible cases has reached 11 per cent of the total cases to date and is seeing an upward trend due to the widening of the donor pool. We are grateful for the opportunity to have helped many critical patients who underwent transplants and went back to their normal lives and thrived.” Another highlight was the renal transplant team’s work during the pandemic. With strict protocols in place, the team performed kidney transplants on 90+ critical patients who could not have otherwise survived waiting for a transplant till the lockdown opened up and relaxations set in. Dr Ravindra Nikalji, Consultant Nephrologist and Kidney Transplant Physician, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai said, “The overall health and health-related quality of life after transplantation has improved due to advanced techniques and improved immunosuppression. This has enabled us to help many patients who come in for a second or repeat transplantation with a better survival advantage for patients over dialysis. These are challenging surgeries but we are proud to have performed repeat transplants too very efficaciously. We have also been able to create awareness that a healthy elderly individual can also become a donor in saving the life of an individual without having any critical impact on health.” A heart-warming case presented was that of an 81-year-old lady, the oldest living donor in India, who donated a kidney to her 54-year-old son. It was an ABO-compatible transplant case and donor and recipient made a full recovery with no adverse impact on the health of the 81-year old donor. Dr Ravi Shankar, Joint Medical Director, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai said, “It is only the scarcity of kidneys available for transplant that leads to patients going in for dialysis. We are glad that our Centre of Excellence in Renal Transplants has the expertise and experience to successfully meet the increasing demand for kidney transplants as this is the only option left to restore patients with renal failure back to good health and give them a better and longer life.” Mr. Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO Western Region, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai said, “We are proud to have the specialised services offered by the kidney transplant centre in our portfolio of services. We run a patient support group activity wherein at periodic intervals, the families of patients and patients themselves meet and share experiences. The transplant programme at Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai includes cadaveric renal transplantation, cadaver-donor kidney transplantation, living donor kidney transplants and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.”