Apollo Hospitals, Chennai has successfully performed robotic cardiac surgery on the oldest patient in India at its dedicated Robot-Assisted Cardiac Surgery Unit in Greams Road. Dr. MM. Yusuf and his team has created a milestone by performing the Robotic Assisted Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) on a 93-year-old patient. The team has performed complex robotic-assisted minimally invasive cardiac surgery on patients above 70 years of age. Ms. Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “Our mission has always been to introduce the latest medical technology to India for the benefit of our patients. We want more people to be able to take advantage of our hospital’s cutting-edge surgical and medical treatment. 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 discoveries will alter the lives of many more individuals who are unable to undergo traditional heart surgery.” Robotic Assisted CABG is the least invasive method of minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Blood loss and pain are negligible. Hospital stay is very short and recovery is extremely quick. This procedure is suitable to treat many patients with single and multi-vessel vessel coronary artery disease. Patients can return back to normal activity within two weeks. Read more about India’s first Robot-Assisted Cardiac Surgery performed at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai

Apollo Hospitals saw yet another landmark with Asia’s first dual implant of MitraClip and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) being performed on the same patient. A 75-year-old male patient from Sri Lanka was admitted at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai in cardiogenic shock with severe Aortic stenosis and Mitral Valve regurgitation. This was further complicated by a cardiac arrest after admission. This necessitated a milestone procedure of replacing the aortic valve (TAVR) and repairing the mitral valve (MitraClip), which was performed by Dr Sai Satish, Senior Interventional Cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. An additional milestone saw Dr Sai Satish successfully completing 9 TAVRs and 3 MitraClips in a span of 24 hours. All the patients recovered within 48 hours of the procedure. Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “It is a matter of great pride that we are achieving new milestones, becoming the first in Asia to perform MitraClip and TAVR procedures in the same patient and also in having the capacity to seamlessly perform such a large number of complex cases in just 24 hours. However, it is more important to celebrate the fact that these procedures are allowing us to save lives of patients who cannot go in for open heart surgery because of high risk due to age and other reasons. These cutting-edge procedures allow patients to return to a quality of life that they used to enjoy before their problems began. This is a testament to our experience and excellence in this domain, with around 70% of all MitraClips in India to date having been performed at Apollo Hospitals.” Read more about Asia’s first dual implant of MitraClip and TAVR successfully performed at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai

The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the Apollo Cancer Centre (ACC) in the State capital—Bhubaneswar. With the need to treat the growing number of cancer cases, Apollo Hospitals, Bhubaneswar, has built the state-of-the-art Cancer Centre on the same premises. It is the first and only cancer center in Odisha to be equipped with True Beam STx technology. The Apollo Cancer Centre was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, State of Odisha in presence of Shri Naba Kishore Das, Hon’ble Minister Health and Family Welfare, Odisha, Shri Susanta Rout, Hon’ble MLA Bhubaneswar North, Ms. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, and Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President, Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited. The Centre is equipped with Odisha’s first and only cutting-edge Linear Accelerator (HD-True Beam STx) technology and, internationally acclaimed oncologists in all specialities. The True Beam STx, which is the most advanced Linear Accelerator radiation machine offers the most precise radiation therapy treatment for a better outcome. The center has a sophisticated Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET CT) facility. The 64 slice PET CT machine is equipped with all modern facilities to do every type of PET CT including PET guided biopsies. The newly built center has 17 dedicated beds for chemotherapy. It is also a major referral center for the people of Odisha and the neighbouring states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and parts of West Bengal. Apollo Cancer Centre has organ-specific cancer management teams delivering exceptional outcomes. Commenting on the inauguration, Ms. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, said, “Reaffirming our resolute commitment to provide best-in-class advanced cancer care, the Apollo Cancer Centre in Bhubaneswar, led by a fine team of Oncologists and equipped with cutting edge medical technologies including Odisha’s first TrueBeam® radiotherapy system, will persevere to set new benchmarks in patient care in the region”. Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President, Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, said, “Apollo Cancer Centers have been judged as the best cancer centers in India, due to our exemplary focus in the best of clinicians and technology to ensure expertise that is unparalleled. With the introduction of radiation therapy with capability of radiosurgery, we have ensured that Orissa gets the best of technology available in the world. With the best of clinicians focused on cancer types and the most modern technology, patients today have a better chance to win over cancer.” Mr. Sudhir M Diggikar, Regional CEO-Central Region (Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh & Odisha) Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited said, “The inauguration of the cancer center marks an important day in the history of the healthcare industry in Odisha. Built on the key principles and vision of Apollo Hospitals, ACC Bhubaneswar will offer high-end tertiary care across processes and treatments. The multi-disciplinary team of doctors with the finest expertise will deliver exemplary patient treatment and experience.”

Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) has performed a unique surgery of Elective Caesarean section and Robotic Assisted Radical Nephrectomy for a large left kidney tumor to save both the mother and child in the best possible manner. The surgery was performed on a 27-year-old doctor who had two concurrent conditions – a physiological condition of 32 weeks of pregnancy and a pathological condition, a large tumor (RCC) in the left kidney. The surgeon at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre said that it was for the first time in the world, that such a unique case has been reported and operated on. Performing the surgical procedure with a multi-disciplinary team of specialists from OBG (Obstetrics and Gynecology), Neonatology, Surgery and Anesthesiology; a plan was devised to go for optimum anesthesia to reduce the risk for the foetus and mother. The elective Caesarean section was done by Dr Meera Raghavan, Senior Consultant- Uro-Gynaecology, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre under Spinal Anesthesia, immediately followed by General Anesthesia for a Robotic Left Nephrectomy in the same sitting. The surgery to remove the tumor was performed by Dr N Raghavan, Senior Consultant, Urologist & Robotic Surgeon, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre. Read more about World’s first combined elective caesarean section and robotic assisted radical nephrectomy performed by APCC

Apollomedics Super speciality Hospital has been treating patients of Lucknow and nearby areas with ultra-modern technology since its inception. The experts at Apollomedics Super Speciality 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 Speciality Hospital treated a 51-year-old patient by performing an acute aortic dissection surgery. The surgery was extremely complex as the patient’s heartbeat was stopped and his blood was cooled down to the temperature of 18 degrees centigrade (called Total Circulatory Arrest or TCA in medical terms). The patient is currently healthy and has been visiting for regular follow up. Dr. Mayank Somani, MD & CEO of Apollomedics Super Specialty Hospital, Lucknow, while expressing his happiness on the success of this complex surgery, said, “It is with immense pride I can say that Apollomedics Super Speciality Hospital continues to live up to the expectations of the people by performing complex surgeries successfully. Our super skilled doctors and paramedical staff have been consistently proving that we have the best team when it comes to meeting medical challenges. This particular surgery of acute aortic dissection was successfully performed by Dr. Bharat Dubey and his team. Normally, the patient would have to travel to cities like Delhi or Mumbai, which could have put his life in danger as his arteries could have burst at any time. But Dr. Dubey and his team treated the 51-year-old patient successfully and now he is healthy.” Senior CTVS and Heart Transplant Surgeon, Apollomedics Super Speciality Hospital, Dr. Bharat Dubey has more than two and a half decades of experience in Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular surgeries. He explains, “The condition of acute aortic dissection is very rare and overtly critical condition. This problem is more common in older people, but it can also arise in young people as well. The symptoms of this disease are not very pronounced because they are quite similar to that of heart disease. If aortic dissection is detected and treated early, the condition could improve and the risk of death also is reduced.” Dr. Dubey further explains, “Aorta, is the largest and major artery, which propels blood throughout the body. Sometimes due to different reasons, a leakage starts in the layers of aorta, known as Aortic Dissection. This is a serious condition in which blood starts leaking from the lumen of the artery and starts flowing into its inner wall by creating a space between layers of the artery wall. This flow of blood creates pressure that can rupture the outer wall of the aorta, resulting in serious condition, immediate death.” Elaborating on the complicated procedure of surgery, Dr. Bharat Dubey said, “During the surgery of acute aortic dissection, it becomes necessary to stop the beating of the heart as a part of this surgery can be performed only on a motionless and bloodless body part. Adopting this procedure requires considerable experience, concentration, and a skilled team & very advanced postoperative care. When the heart stops beating, blood is supplied to the body and brain through a heart-lung bypass machine. and then heartbeat is resumed. After a few days of keeping the patient under observation, he was discharged from the hospital. Now, the patient is completely healthy and is visiting the hospital for regular check-ups.”

For the first time in Tamil Nadu, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre has successfully performed a 3D printing technique to save the knee joint and limb of an 8-year-old boy suffering from bone cancer. The family of Master Akhilan from Madurai (Ramanathapuram) approached Apollo Proton Cancer Centre where he was diagnosed with non-metastatic osteosarcoma of his left proximal tibia. In the procedure, the bone containing the tumor was sterilized with a single fraction of radiation to kill the tumor cells and the same bone was re-implanted. Owing to the small piece of bone remaining proximally, a 3D printed customized plate was designed which ensured near perfect reduction and stabilization of the bone.The surgery was performed by an experienced team led by Dr. Vishnu Ramanujan, Consultant, Orthopaedic Oncology& Dr RadhakrishnanSatheesan, Senior Consultant- Paediatric Surgeryand Dr Srinivas Chillukuri, Senior Consultant- Radiation Oncology(Paediatric) at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre in January 2022. The patient is recovering and will be able to ride a bicycle again in a few months. Read more about how Apollo Proton Cancer Center used novel technique to save an 8-year-old boy’s knee joint and limb.

Apollo Hospitals Group has announced a unique collaboration with 8chili Inc to enable engagement in the metaverse, in a first-of-its-kind initiative. Virtual reality will provide an immersive experience that has been proven to increase patient engagement and skill mastery for hands-on training. Patient counselling pre/post-operation in virtual reality will help increase patient outcomes by bringing generic environments filled with relaxing “narratives” that will induce control over one’s own body and physiological response. It will also engage the users in virtual reality-mediated activities to empower their abilities to regulate emotion. This personalized approach to every patient will help result in higher patient satisfaction. “At Apollo Hospitals we are constantly exploring ways to enrich and expedite the healthcare community, and the patient experience. Virtual Reality (VR) will change how both these things are done. 8chili is a leader in the VR space and we are excited to work with them to integrate VR solutions into our care continuum.” said Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder and Chairman Apollo Hospitals Group on this collaboration. On this association Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “People learn best by doing, which is why healthcare is a natural fit for immersive VR training. Findings support the equivalence and superiority of VR training, the time to skill mastery, and the economic savings compared to traditional methods. Our need to train healthcare professionals to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of care effectively and efficiently just keeps growing. We strongly believe that 8chili’s platform helps us deliver VR immersive training at scale and efficiencies” “From the beginning, our focus has been to deliver a platform that makes it easier for organizations to tap into the full potential of the metaverse. HintVR™ is an end-to-end platform to manage your metaverse strategy helping in original 3D content creation, metaverse customization, and also delivery of this content across various metaverse real estates. We are very excited about working with Apollo Group Hospitals as this allows us to deliver the immersive experience to the millions of patients they serve.” said Mr. Aravind Upadhyaya, Founder, and CEO, 8chili.

Apollo Hospitals enters Uzbekistan with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Marafon Group for setting up a first-of-its-kind tertiary care hospital. In line with the mission to promote development in their native country. Marafon Group, with varied interests in Technology, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Banking and trade, is being led by a team of young entrepreneurs who are guided by the spirit of change and growth. The Marafon Group already operates over 9 medical and diagnostic centres. Now with this partnership with Apollo Hospitals for the tertiary care hospital, it will provide quality healthcare for over 60 million people of Uzbekistan and bordering regions of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Apollo Hospitals will offer technical consulting, clinical excellence, commissioning and BOMA (Branding, Operations and Management Agreement) of the tertiary care hospital in Uzbekistan. The tertiary care hospital will be built in the Fergana region and will primarily focus on Oncology, Organ transplants, Urology, Neurosurgery, Cardiology and high end diagnostics. The Central Government of Uzbekistan and the Government of Fergana have come together to facilitate the tie-up between Apollo Hospitals and the Marafon Group. Announcing the partnership, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals India, said, “Our vision is to touch a billion lives across the globe and also ensure the Apollo clinical excellence globally. We take immense pride in joining hands with the Marafon Group to provide tertiary care services to over 60 million people of Uzbekistan and its neighbouring countries, thus improving access to quality healthcare. We stand strong together at each stage of development to evolve the healthcare landscape in Uzbekistan and celebrate the strong bond of trust, commitment and care with our partners and patients. Apollo Hospitals continues to not only transcend borders in every manner, but also contributes immensely across the healthcare spectrum.” Dr. Nurillo Mamasadikov, Co-founder, Marafon Group, said, “It’s a matter of pride for us to be associated with Apollo Hospitals, the global leader in healthcare, and a unique integrated healthcare enterprise. This project is in line with our mission to develop our country, bring about positive change, and revolutionize healthcare offerings in the region. Our association with Apollo Hospitals will strengthen the healthcare system and improve the quality of life in Uzbekistan. We look forward to having a unified approach in jointly offering tertiary care services.”

A team of doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad, gave a new lease of life to a 56-year-old female patient by surgically removing a 47 kg tumour—the biggest non-ovarian tumour successfully removed in India so far. Patient who is a government employee and a resident of Devgadh Baria had been carrying the tumour for 18 years and was bed-ridden for the past few months. The surgery was performed by team of surgeons, led by Dr Chirag Desai, Chief Surgical Gastroenterology which lasted for four hours. The problem started 18 years ago, when patient experienced unexplained weight gain in the abdominal region. Initially, she resorted to ayurvedic treatment, but in vain. In 2004, she underwent sonography which revealed a benign tumour and the family opted for surgery in another hospital. However, when the doctor began the surgery, it was found that the tumour was attached to internal organs. Considering the risks involved, the doctors terminated the surgery. Since then, patient’s family approached several hospitals, but being a complex case, surgery was not conducted. In the meantime, the size of the tumour kept on growing and in the past two years, it almost doubled in size affecting her quality of life. Eventually, the family approached Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad where the doctors after a thorough assessment, decided to perform the challenging surgery on January 27, 2022. During the surgery, apart from the tumour, abdominal wall tissues and excess skin were also removed which was around 7 kg. Following the surgery, patient’s bodyweight dropped to 49 kg. As she could not stand straight, her body weight before the surgery could not be measured. “It was a high-risk surgery as the patient’s internal organs such as liver, heart, lungs, kidneys and uterus were displaced because of the pressure created by the tumour in the abdomen. Getting a CT scan done was also difficult as the size of the tumour obstructed the gantry of the CT scan machine” Dr Desai said. Dr. Desai further added that, “As patient’s blood pressure was altered due to the squeezed blood vessels, she was under special treatment and medications, a week prior to the operation, to prevent her from collapsing during the surgery.” Following post-operative care and rehabilitation, the patient was discharged from the hospital on February 14, 2022. Onco-Surgeon Dr Nitin Singhal, who was part of the team, said, “Fibroids are common in many women in the reproductive age group, but rarely does it grow this big.” A team also comprised Anaesthetist Dr Ankit Chauhan, General Surgeon – Dr Swati Upadhyay and Critical Care specialist Dr Jay Kothari who played a crucial role.

Apollo Proton Cancer Centre successfully performed a Palliative Mastectomy for a patient with Metastatic Breast Cancer while the patient was singing. The Surgeon at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre said it was first time worldwide, a patient was awake & singing during breast cancer surgery, despite the extensive lung metastases, thus overcoming her anxiety. Dr. Manjula Rao, Consultant, Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, said, “I am extremely delighted with Mrs. Seethalakshmi’s recovery, and satisfied to see how elaborate counselling and keeping the patient well informed of her various options, and shared decision making, have helped her go through critical surgery with such ease. The developments in research, modern medicines and new surgical techniques have together contributed in improving cancer patients’ overall quality of life, even in advanced stages. It is crucial for men and women to be mindful of any new symptoms and to report to their doctors at the earliest. The most common symptom of breast cancer is a painless lump, and if treated before the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, the chances of complete cure goes up to 99%!” Read more about how Apollo Proton Cancer Center performed a Palliative Mastectomy while patient was singing.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government signed an MoU with Apollo Hospitals for the establishment of a multi-specialty hospital in Jammu. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha termed the MoU another major milestone for Jammu and Kashmir. “We have embarked on a new journey of development and socio-economic growth, which will take the J&K union territory to levels never seen before,” he said. With greater industry engagement and greater investment, J&K will grow from strength to strength in the years to come. Besides providing the best healthcare facilities, the venture will bring huge direct and indirect employment opportunities for the locals,” he said, adding that more healthcare projects and MoUs are in the pipeline to ensure that the best healthcare is within the reach of every citizen of the union territory. The MoU was signed between Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary to J&K government, Industries & Commerce Department and Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, in the presence of J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. In the first phase, Apollo Hospitals will set up a 250-bed hospital in the region. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd Executive Vice Chairperson, Dr. Preetha Reddy, shared its vision to establish state-of-the-art health facilities in the union territory. “We understand that the health sector creates vast job opportunities and this project will also generate more than 1,000 direct employment opportunities. That is the responsibility which all of us collectively have set forth to discharge. Apart from this, it will also become the training centre not only for doctors, but also for the nurses, paramedics, technicians, and allied healthcare workers,” she said.

A first in India, Apollo Hospitals Group has collaborated with “The Clinic” by Cleveland Clinic, to bring international second opinion services to their patients. “At Apollo, we strive to break all barriers that come in the way of patients getting nothing but the best care. Empowering our doctors with global peer support in ratifying the diagnosis and exploring innovative management plans is one step in that direction,” said Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group. Through this programme, doctors at Apollo will be able to collaborate with leading medical experts at Cleveland Clinic to review complex cases and devise the most appropriate treatment plan. According to Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director at Apollo Hospitals, “this association aims to bring together world-class medical and surgical opinions, so that patients at Apollo may get the best possible treatment, promptly.” “We’re excited to collaborate with Apollo Hospitals on this initiative, which acutely supports The Clinic’s vision of expanding access to the world’s best clinical expertise,” said Frank McGillin, CEO of The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic. “This new collaboration will help empower Indian patients to work closely with their physician at Apollo Hospitals who can tap into the expertise of Cleveland Clinic’s physicians in a way that can enhance patient outcomes and care coordination.” Anyone looking to seek an international second opinion can consult an Apollo Consultant, and express interest in the service. The patient’s medical records will then be shared with The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic under appropriate consent and a conference call will be scheduled between the international medical expert and Apollo consultants, in presence of the patient. Based on the patient’s health history and case discussion with the Apollo consultant, the doctor from The Clinic will share insights in the form of a written opinion with the Apollo consultant, who will further discuss and decide the best course of treatment for the patient.