The Patient, Mr. Rasolonjatovo Honore, Member of the Parliament of Madagascar developed impaired vision that progressed rapidly over a month. His vision deteriorated to the extent that he needed support to move around. He was diagnosed with a tumour in the pituitary gland, situated near the optic nerve in the brain. Dr. Arun L Naik, Neurosurgeon and Dr. Pradeep Hosamani, ENT and Skull Base surgeon performed the endoscopic surgery on the 60-year-old Patient at Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore. “These tumours need surgery through the brain. This method is highly invasive and can lead to many complications such as paralysis and squint. These tumours can now be removed through the nose with a 6-mm endoscope. It is very precise, safe, minimally invasive and available only in advanced centres. This procedure is used to remove complex tumours from the underside and inside of the brain” said Dr. Naik. Endoscopic Brain surgery is a scarless procedure and recover is very rapid unlike in the case of traditional brain surgery. “An endoscope can also be integrated with a neuro-navigation system that maps critical areas of the brain to ensure safety and prevent damage to the brain cells” added Dr. Naik. Mr. Honore was referred to Apollo Hospitals by his doctor in Madagascar. “I am very happy with treatment here. I cans see as good as I use to before I developed the tumour” said Honore.  

For many Like 6-year-old T Siddharth, who underwent a liver transplant it was a morning to remember when the members of Sunrisers Hyderabad team came to Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad as a part of the joint programme of Apollo Hospitals and Jeevandan to create awareness about Organ Donation. Spin legend, Muthiah Muralitharan, Kiwi captain, Kane Williamson, Fast Bowler, Md. Siraj and Ben Cutting were present. The campaign was aimed at sensitising the need to donate organs and give a fresh lease of life to terminally ill patients. “Every year 5 lakh patients die due to non-availability of organs in India, 2 lakh perish because of liver diseases and about 1.5 lakh await kidney transplant” said Dr. Manish Verma. Donation after death is one of the effective ways to address this major issue as it can provide all organs for transplantation in addition to safeguarding concerns about liver donor safety” Dr. Verma explained. Ms. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals said “Organ donation is like gifting life to a needy patient. The welcome feature is the facilitatory role of the government bodies and the efforts of NGOs in increasing the percentage of organ donation in the recent past. But still, lots more needs to be done”. “Apollo Transplant Institute offers a host of state of the art services including peritoneal and hemo-dialysis, management of liver, kidney diseases and also heart and lung transplants. The reason we involved cricketers is because in our country, they along with film stars are the most popular and provide the best platform to take the message to the masses” Ms. Sangita pointed out. Giving the cricketers’ perspective, Williamson felt it was a touching experience for them to be involved in this initiative. “We are glad that we are useful in spreading this significant message and wish the number of donors and beneficiaries will increase” he remarked. Ms. Swarnalatha, Chief Executive Officer of Jeevandan and Dr. Hari Prasad, President of Apollo Hospitals were among those who spoke about the importance of this campaign  

As members of a pioneering organization, we have always been at the forefront to improve the wellbeing of our great nation and persevered to address the challenges faced by it. This perseverance is perceived in every realm of our existence. Whether it is through our hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, health insurance, social initiatives or our participation to shape health policy in the country, our aim has constantly been to accelerate positive change. As part of this endeavour, we are proud to have partnered and steered various industry bodies and institutions and worked closely with the central and state governments. This wide-ranging engagement has ensured that the solutions that India offers are holistic, realistic and include the voice and the will of all stakeholders. One such industry body that Apollo Hospitals has actively supported is the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Founded in 1895, CII’s primary goal has been to develop Indian industry and to ensure that government and society as a whole, understand both the needs of industry and its contribution to the nation’s wellbeing. Over the years, leaders at the helm of CII have been able to anticipate changes in the economic environment identify emerging challenges and evolve action-solutions for the nation’s growth and development. Over the past several years, Ms. Shobana Kamineni, our Vice Chairperson, has been working closely with the CII.  In recognition of her dedication, diligence and contribution, on 29th April 2017, in a landmark development, CII appointed her as its first lady President since its inception in 1895. This momentous milestone is a great honour for the Apollo family. Ms. Shobana has indeed set an example for all of us, especially our women citizens, and proven that glass ceilings can be shattered. We extend our heartiest congratulations to her as she leads CII to make India a truly inclusive economy and a healthier country.  

The transplant was perfomed at Apollo Hospitals – Health City, Arivola and the kidneys, heart and liver were harvested from a 20 year old brain dead person. The medico, hailing from Kalahandi district of Odisha, sustained injuries after falling from a height at a construction site and was admitted to Apollo Hospitals. The Doctors declared him brain dead the next day. Sourav’s parents were counselled about the Jeevandan programme after which they gave their consent and the family voluntered for organ donation to give a new lease of life to people awaiting organs. The organs were then allocated to beneficiaries by Jeevandan. The heart transplantation, performed for the first time was done on a patient from Guntur who was suffering from Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) for the past 2 years. The kidney was successfully transplanted to a Patient from Simhachalam who was suffering from chronic kidney disease for the past 3 years. The liver transplantation was performed on a patient from Kadapa district who was suffering from decompensated chronic liver disease for the past one and a half years. The lungs and eyes of the deceased were sent to Chennai for transplantation and LV Prasad Eye Institute of Vizag respectively. The heart transplant was performed by Dr. AGK Gokhale along with Dr. Subramanyam, Dr. Farooqi, Dr. Trivedi and Dr. Ravi. Liver transplant was perfomed by Dr. Manish Verma, Dr. Manjunath along with Dr. Muralidhar Nambada, Dr. B Sathish Babu and Dr. Srinivas. Kidney transplant was performed by Dr. Subba Rao and team and the Critical Care team comprised of Dr. Atchyut, Dr. Disha and team. “Every brain dead person can save 8 lives by donating his/ her organs, provided the transplantation is done within a span of few hours” said Mr. Sandeep Chathrath, Regional CEO – Apollo Hospitals (Andhra Pradesh & Telengana). He added “The lungs, kidney, liver, heart, eyes and pancreas can be harvested from a brain dead person for transpalnting into a patient”. Specialists suggested that the heart, kidney and the liver should be done within 4 hours, 6 – 8 hours and 10 – 12 hours respectively.

Pacemakers are the most common way to treat Bradycardia to help restore the heart’s normal rhythm and relieve symptoms by sending electrical impulses to the heart to increase the heart rate. The patient was a 68-year-old gentleman who had a reaction from a previous implanted regular pacemaker, due to which it had to be removed. Since his veins were blocked (which are normally used for regular pacemaker leads), his only lifesaving option was the new Leadless pacemaker which is implanted through the leg. The leadless pacemaker, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is a new type of heart device that offers the most advanced pacing technology at one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker. This first implant in Karnataka was performed by Dr. Arun Srinivas, Head of Cardiology Department & Interventional Cardiologist, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore along with Dr. Guruprasad H.P, Dr. P. Jayakumar & Dr. Adithya Udupa. “The device attaches directly to the walls of the heart and gives electrical signals for maintaining a normal heart rate. This new pacemaker is entirely MRI compatible and can adjust the heart rate according to the patient’s activity and needs of the body.” Said Dr. Arun Srinivas. Comparable in size to a large vitamin capsule, the Clinical Team elected to use the leadless pacemaker because unlike traditional pacemakers, the device does not require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical “pocket “under the skin to deliver pacing therapy. This is a boon for patients who have a pacemaker / lead infection or blocked veins in the chest. It has reduced the complications and risks associated with the routine pacemaker by almost 50%, like lead infection, pacemaker pocket infection, venous obstruction etc.”, said Dr. Arun Srinivas. The Leadless Pacemaker also incorporates a retrieval feature to enable retrieval of the device when possible. However, the device is designed to be left in the body. For patients who need more than one heart device, the miniaturized leadless pacemaker is designed with a unique feature that enables it to be permanently turned off so it can remain in the body and a new device can be implanted without risk of electrical interaction. It is the first and only trans catheter pacing system to be approved for both 1.5 and 3 Tesla (T) full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, providing patients with access to the most advanced imaging diagnostic procedures available, if and when they need one.  

The care of Liver failure and post liver transplant patients is a complex multidisciplinary exercise. Most often, it involves multiple consultations across specialties, that spreads over many days, and involves a lot of running around by the patients. The Multidisciplinary Liver Board is a meeting of professionals with specialized expertise in taking care of the complex health needs of the pre- and post- liver transplant patients. This will be held once every week on Wednesdays. This will be a multidisciplinary meeting involving Liver Transplant Surgeons, Transplant Hepatologists, Liver transplant Anesthetists, Critical care specialists, Pulmonologists, Transplant Infectious disease specialists, Cardiologists, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Nutritionists, Physiotherapists, Social workers and Transplant coordinators. All the issues related to Patients’ medical condition will be discussed and the best plan to address the issues will be formulated. This would ensure maximum safety to the patient undergoing liver transplantation, superlative post-liver transplant care, and speedy identification of problems and their timely and effective management. The liver transplant programme of Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills is known for its excellent outcomes. Patient survival rates are better than the international benchmarks. The Liver board is going to be a major contributor towards providing medical care of international standard to the liver failure and liver transplant patient. The Team Liver Transplant Surgeons Dr. Manish C. Varma Dr. L. Sasidhar Reddy Transplant Hepatologist Dr. Naveen Polavarpu Dr. Somsekhar Liver anesthesia and Critical care Dr. Manjunath B Cardiologist Dr. Manoj Agarwala Pulmonologists Dr. C. Vijay Kimar Dr. Sai P. Harnath Transplant Infectious disease Dr. Sunita Nareddy Dr. Ravi Barigala Psychiatrists and Psychologists Dr. Ashok Alimchandani Dr. Namita Singh Transplant coordinators Mr. Girish Shetty Mr. M. Sandeep Social workers Ms. Rashmi Singh Physiotherapists Ms. Hema Ms. Jagpreet Kaur

This initiative envisions schools and colleges mandated with the clear objective of taking the tenets of healthy living, and to sow the seeds of good health among the youth of India when they are at their most impressionable age. This student health programme was launched in association with Alphores Educational Institutions on the occasion of World Health Day on 7th April, 2017. The following events were conducted where the students were equipped to handle all sorts of medical/ healthcare situations that might arise in the course of their life. Specialist talks on Personal Hygiene, Nutrition, Stress Management Basic Life Support training Health Quiz A group of 700 students were addressed by Specialists from various specialties. Apollo Shine Cards which offer health checks at attractive prices were distributed to all the staff in the School and Junior College apart from parents of a few students who won the Health Quiz.  

Baby Bhavishya of Visakhapatnam who was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia 2 months after birth, underwent a liver transplant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi in 2009. Today she is going to school and leading a normal life said Apollo Hospitals Group Medical Director, Dr. Anupam Sibal. Baby Bhavishya had developed jaundice soon after birth and in the second month after birth, she was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare condition seen in one in 12, 000 babies across the world. In this condition, there would be no connection between the liver and the intestine. Bile produced in the liver cannot reach the intestine and accumulates in the liver, causing liver damage and chronic liver failure. Children born with this condition require a surgery called Kasai’s procedure within the first few weeks of life. Biliary drainage would be attempted by connecting the intestine to the under surface of the liver. The success rate of this surgery varies from 30% to 60% and when it fails the only option for survival is a liver transplant. Dr. Sibal said that Bhavishya had undergone Kasai’s procedure when she was 51 days old. Her jaundice however did not decrease and she developed progressive liver failure. She was referred to Apollo Hospitals, Delhi for a liver transplant and it was performed in February 2009 when she was 7 months old. Her maternal uncle was the donor and both of them recovered well. “As many as 400 liver transplants are being performed in Apollo Hospitals across the country on an average every year. The liver donor can go home in 10 days and the patients would be discharged in a few weeks after the surgery. The donor can get back to work in a week. Liver regenerates very fast and 90% of it regenerates within 12 weeks” he said. “Liver transplants are now also being done at the Apollo Hospital at Arivola in the city” said Dr. Sandeep Chatrath, CEO (AP & Telengana)

Apollo Hospitals has partnered with The Live Love Laugh Foundation to raise awareness on Mental Health via the foundation’s “Together Against Depression” programme designed for doctors. This was announced by Dr K Hari Prasad, President – Hospital Division, Apollo Hospitals; Dr Shyam Bhat, Trustee – The Live Love Laugh Foundation and Dr J Srikanth, Sr. Consultant – Internal Medicine, Apollo Hospitals; at a press conference on the eve of World Health Day – April 7th, 2017, with this year’s theme being ‘Depression.’ Through the conduct of this sensitization programme, Apollo Hospitals’ 7000-strong clinician workforce will lead the way to help break down the stigma surrounding mental health and depression, with the aim of ultimately encouraging people going through tough times to seek help. Spread across geographies with 60+ hospitals, clinics and pharmacies the Apollo Hospitals group has been a pioneer in taking up issues of health and wellness. In line with the vision of the founding Chairman, the partnership The Live Love Laugh Foundation will aim to conduct 24 sessions over the coming months covering ~ 1200 doctors. A not-for-profit organization with a focus on mental health awareness, The Live Love Laugh Foundation, led by its founder Ms. Deepika Padukone, has already conducted the programme for ~ 2,000 other doctors around the country over the last 12 months. With Apollo, the scale of the programme will be expanded further. This programme for doctors on mental health is in line with the MCI’s (Medical Council of India) new guidelines that state that 10% of all medical education programmes in India should focus on mental health. Depression affects people of all ages, from all walks of life, in all countries. It causes mental anguish and impacts on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends and the ability to earn a living. At worst, depression can lead to suicide, now the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds.Yet, depression can be prevented and treated. A better understanding of what depression is, and how it can be prevented and treated, will help reduce the stigma associated with the condition, and lead to more people seeking help. “The theme for this years’ World Health Day is Depression, and it is Apollo’s endeavor to be a pioneer in the health and wellness space. The collaborative program with The Live Love Laugh Foundation is aimed to raise awareness about mental health issues and ensure that Doctors, the first line of defense, are prepared. Many individuals go through stress and anxiety related to work and personal life, a doctor is well equipped to direct the patient towards the required help. Any chronic condition may heighten the risk of a patient developing symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression. A doctor is a trusted health partner and will be able to channel the patient towards help,” according to Dr. K Hari Prasad, President, Apollo Hospitals. “Medical practitioners can be the core of the fight against depression as they are often the primary touch point for those affected. The importance of talking about depression as a vital component of recovery and can be initiated by them. Doctors can play a vital role to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, including depression, which remains a barrier to people seeking help throughout the world. ‘Together Against Depression’ will equip doctors with the right skills and resources to be key influencers in the fight against depression,” said Dr. Shyam Bhat, Trustee – The Live Love Laugh Foundation. The programme which will rolled across the locations of Apollo Hospitals around the country, will coverage a range of topics related to depression and its incidence, screening and treatment. The program participants will also receive material such as videos, articles, quizzes and handouts for easy reference.

The Institute of Colorectal Surgery at Apollo Hospitals Chennai is one of the busiest colorectal units in the country. With more than 1200 colorectal procedures done every year, the major focus is on management of colon & rectal cancer. The unit offers end to end Colorectal services from treatment of hemorrhoids/piles to complex colorectal cancer. The Institute of Colorectal Surgery at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai has collaborated with Cleveland Clinic Florida, USA & University College London, UK to create a platform for creating awareness, teaching, training & accreditation in the management of Colorectal Diseases. The aim of this collaborative is to standardize care pathways, train and accredit surgeons involved in the care of patients with colorectal diseases. This collaborative will be an ongoing one, delivering an annual colorectal event focusing on different aspects of colorectal surgery/disease with main focus on emerging and new technologies for colorectal surgery. This consortium delivered its first Apollo International Rectal Cancer Symposium on the 1st & 2nd of April 2017. It was a two day event featuring the “Ivy League” of Surgeons and Physicians (Prof Steven Wexner USA, Prof M Berho USA, Prof Antonio Lacy Spain, Prof Gina Brown UK, Dr Richard Cohen UK & Dr Manish Chand UK) involved in Rectal Cancer Care from around the world as well as national faculty. This event will be a multidisciplinary symposium providing the participants a 360 degree view on the current trends, preoperative chemo radiation & surgical techniques in managing rectal cancer. It will help to showcase the latest advancements in managing Rectal cancer with special focus on surgical management of rectal cancer. Colorectal cancer, one of the top three cancers across the world, is witnessing around 1.4 lakh new cases and over 6 lakh deaths globally every year. The cancer that affects the colon, rectum and part of large intestine develops to be fatal if not diagnosed at earlier stages. With increasing cases among young adults in India, experts feel that there will be an epidemic outbreak in the next 10 – 15 years. Speaking on the causes and symptoms of Colorectal diseases, Dr. Venkatesh MuniKrishnan, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon and Director Apollo Colorectal Surgery, Apollo Hospitals said “One of the major causes of Colorectal cancer is due to the erratic lifestyle like consumption of junk food, red meat, smoking and alcohol coupled with pollution. With changing lifestyle habits, a lot of younger adults fall prey to colorectal cancer. However, there is a huge misconception about Piles and colorectal cancer as the symptoms is similar. People tend to ignore the symptoms through self-medication and they visit the doctor at a more complicated stage. It is always recommended to do a screening after 4 weeks of persistent symptoms to enable early diagnosis and treatment thus reducing risks of death.” Rectal bleeding, blood in stools, constipation, diarrhoea, improper bowel movements, weight loss are all symptoms of colorectal cancer. 65% of Indian population comprises of people below the age of 35 years and among this 40% of the urban population faces these symptoms. “Women who undergo normal delivery are also prone to colorectal diseases, and the symptoms are often confused with rectal infection or fissures. It is highly recommended for the women to visit a colorectal surgeon to avoid late diagnoses and treatment as not all rectal bleedings are piles,” he adds.  

The symposium was conducted at Vijnana Bhawan, Mysore University, for physicians, practitioners, government medical officers, ESI & Railway medical staff. This was a first of its kind symposium which was attended by around 200 doctors from in and around Mysore, who interacted with specialists in the field. The symposium was inaugurated by Dr. A Subrahamanyeswara Rao IPS, Police Commissioner, Mysuru City and co-ordinated by Mr. Bharateesh Reddy, Vice President & Unit Head, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Dr. Vinod Appaiah, General Manager-Operations, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru, Dr. Anjali Arun, Medical Superintendent and Dr. Arun Srinivas, Chief of Apollo Heart Institutes. Dr. Prahalad K A, Consultant General Physician at Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru was appointed as the observer for the CME by KMC. Discussions were held on devise therapy for heart failure, handling complex coronary interventions, trans-catheter Aortic valve implantation, evaluation and management of peripheral vascular disease and discussions on mitral valve disease. Eminent speakers from Bangalore and Chennai were invited.  

Moya Moya is a rare disease which causes gradual narrowing or stenosis of major blood vessels supplying the brain, resulting in stroke and brain haemorrhage. Left untreated, repeated attacks can cause major disability and death. Moya Moya disease is predominantly found in Japan and surrounding areas. Once diagnosed, the only proven beneficial treatment is augmentation of brain’s blood supply by revascularisation surgery. These surgeries are complex and are available in only few centres across the world. 40-year-old and previously fit and healthy, Mr. Raju Gwala was admitted with sudden onset stroke and paralysis. His CT scan suggested brain haemorrhage along with infracts and angiogram showed advanced stage of Moya Moya disease in both hemispheres of brain. Complex surgery called “Encephalo-Duro-Arterio-Synangiosis” was performed on both sides of his brain performed by Dr. Anurag Saxena, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon to treat this disease. In this procedure, the impaired blood supply of the brain was enhanced by using arteries supplying the scalp and muscles of head, to prevent future attacks. Patient is well after surgery and has been discharged recently. Dr Anurag Saxena is FRCS (Ed) Neurosurgery and MCh (Neurosurgery) and is pioneer along with Apollo Hospital Indore in performing not only these complex surgeries but also minimally invasive brain and spine surgeries in central India.