This is a story of a woman who defied all odds and gave birth to a child. In a foreign country, five-month pregnant Shaheen Ahmad went desperately knocking on doors of different hospitals even as she was losing precious water from her womb. She was told that at 22 weeks, she had no chance to deliver a child that would live. She was advised abortion but no hospital was ready to admit her. “”For three weeks, even as I constantly lost amniotic fluid, I desperately consulted doctors in five hospitals in Jeddah but no doctor would admit me. I found myself in the most horrifying situation as I was losing my child but no one was ready to offer me treatment, citing that they did not have space or facility to treat my 22-week-old child if he was born alive””, says Shaheen, holding her miracle baby Shafi meaning ‘cure’ close to her chest. Shaheen says her desperate situation forced her Kutch-based parents to come look for a doctor in Ahmedabad who would be willing to take a high-risk pregnancy which was on the verge of termination. When Dr Sheru Zamindar of Apollo Hospital expressed readiness to take in Shaheen, she was faced with another dilemma – no airline would allow her to fly if she said she was pregnant and her water was leaking. “”I felt as if I was denying my child’s existence even before I lost him when I declared ‘not pregnant’ to the airlines to board the flight to Ahmedabad””, says Shaheen. Allah, however, had other plans for Shaheen. Luckily, she got admitted in the hospital on January 1 and only then she started bleeding. “”Doctor told us that since bleeding had begun, the child would have to be delivered. He was delivered tiny at 680 grams but survived””, says her husband Shakeel, a maintenance engineer working in a mall in Jeddah. “”This was one of the few cases where the baby was given surfactant, a drug that prevents immature lungs of premature babies from collapsing, inside the delivery room. Initial few weeks were difficult but international protocols of nutrition were followed and the baby who was destined to live defied odds and is now a healthy 1.5 kg. He had to be kept in the neonatal ICU care for three months but now has been discharged””, says neonatal intensive care specialist Dr Ashish Mehta.

Apollo Hospital, Bangalore has successfully removed a large tumor from the abdomen of an international patient from Iraq. The patient Fawazi was detected with a tumor 18 years ago, which grew in size and weight over time. The 65-year-old patient had earlier been operated in Iraq but the tumor recurred post the surgery. The tumor eventually grew in size and its sheer weight was becoming a hindrance. It was located in the posterior part of the abdomen, and due to size and weight it was compressing the ureter causing the kidneys to balloon out. The tumor had also grown around the blood vessels causing his legs to swell up like in filariasis. The tumor removal surgery was not recommended by surgeons in Iraq and the patient eventually decided to travel to India for his treatment. The surgical team at Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore was led by Dr Anil Kamath, senior consultant, Surgical Oncology along with Dr Pandu, surgical oncologist, Dr Raju, consultant urologist and Dr Sunder Narasimhan, vascular surgeon. The operation lasted for about 16 hours and during the process almost 10 liters of blood was administered to the patient. Post the surgery, the patient was kept in the ICU for two days and his subsequent recovery was nothing short of magical. Within a few days his kidney functions returned to normal and swelling in the leg reduced to almost half of what it was originally and the patient was able to get up and walk without too much discomfort. “The main challenge during the surgery was to get around the tumor which occupied the whole abdomen. A long abdominal incision had to be made. Surgery had to proceed cautiously as the normal anatomy was totally distorted. The ureter was stretched by the tumor and as their length had become thrice the normal, the ureters had to be cut and re-implanted elsewhere into the bladder. The next challenge was the blood vessels going into the right leg. As the tumor was encasing the blood vessels, both the artery and the vein had to be removed along with the tumor. This segment had to be replaced by the superficial veins from the other leg,” said Dr Kamath.

Aptly titled ‘APOLLO PROTECT’, the campaign will focus on encouraging vaccinations for the adolescent and adult population and it will be driven across the group’s integrated healthcare network of50 hospitals, 1500 pharmacies, 100 clinics, 4 Cradle Hospitals, Day Surgery Centers, Occupational Health Centers, Telemedicine centers and Patient Information Centers across the country. Speaking about the innovative social initiative, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India has witnessed substantial strides in creating basic awareness about the importance of vaccinations, yet a lot more needs to be done to ensure that its benefits reach the remotest parts of the country. I would estimate that at least 2, 50,000 precious lives can be saved through this structured drive on Vaccination Preventive Diseases (VPD) and help avoid both chronic and acute conditions like cervical cancer, pneumococcal, swine flu and cholera.” Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of such interventions and has helped in preventing infection by inducing immunity through the use of vaccination. Commencing on the World Neighborhood Day, the campaign will witness a wider reach with valued support from neighborhood volunteers, corporate, various school and College Clubs, Rotary and RWAs to drive awareness among general public. “Vaccination in India has primarily been administered to new born babies with parents’ taking ample precaution for their children with timely inoculation. However, a large share of adults and adolescent children are neglected leaving many susceptible to even life-threatening, yet easily preventable maladies. This initiative will help save lives, improve epidemiological surveillance and also offer a reasonably inexpensive and valuable protection against diseases”, says Ms Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group. “Soon, dedicated vaccination bays will be set up across all Apollo Hospitals and Apollo Clinics and subsequently, vaccinations will become a part of regular Health Check-up Programs,” she added.

Paving the way towards addressing the ever evolving and complex healthcare environment in India, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has installed a first-of-its-kind cutting edge technology G (Gravity) Scan – an open standing MRI scanner. This new open standing MRI Machine is a revolutionary platform for musculoskeletal applications including the spine, which provides surgeons a unique additional diagnostic element. When lying down, the patient hardly puts weight on the lower limb because of which a conventional MRI scan cannot detect some vital problems and deviations. This technology enables true weight-bearing examination, which was not possible before and was one of the greatest challenges to MRI. By allowing scanning in standing position, the technology also helps doctors diagnose functional alignments of patients’ joints and whether the condition will get worse. In addition, the machine is open and thus most friendly for patients who have claustrophobia (fear of small closed-in space). One can have various tilting positions such as 45 degrees, 90 degrees etc on this machine – the standing MRI, which uses the principle of gravity in giving added advantage in diagnosing spinal diseases and musculoskeletal disorders of the patients including joints. The open standing MRI Machine would be also be a critical diagnostic tool for patients who continue to experience pain after spine surgery because it can evaluate the role and effect of patients’ weight on the curvature of spine, which cannot be accurately analyzed with conventional MRI Machines. Such patients can now hope to get proper and accurate spine surgery done, as with this scan the surgeons would have an exact idea and better analysis of the extent and nature of injury, visualized along with the effect of gravitational forces.

“We are what we repeatedly do, Excellence, then is not an act, it becomes a habit!”” – Aristotle These words of Aristotle very well define the work culture at Apollo Hospitals, where excellence is just not a word or an act, but it is a day to day practice. Apollo Hospitals, Chennai has been conferred the award of “”BEST MULTI-SPECIALTY HOSPITAL – METRO”” at the very prestigious ICICI Lombard & CNBC TV18 India Healthcare Awards 2012. This Award, now in its Third Year, has almost become the Gold Standard for the healthcare industry. A survey was conducted by IMRB, India’s leading market research agency, which has put in place a robust multi-phase methodology which helped short-list the India’s finest healthcare providers for the final round. Collectively the consumer ratings and doctors’ ratings on facility assessment data were shared with the jury to arrive at the Overall Best Hospital Award.

True to Apollo’s, firm belief that enhancement of medical knowledge is one of the key mechanisms for continued excellence, and to keep abreast with the ever evolving changes in the field of stem cell usage, Apollo Speciality Hospital , Chennai organized the 1st International Symposium on Cord blood Transplantation covering the usage of cord in blood disorders. Cord blood stem cells have been termed truly as Lord Dhanvantri’s magic potion for the cure of blood related disorders in the last two decades. The symposium, the 1st of its kind in the country was aimed to:- Raise awareness about the use of cord blood as a source of stem cells Provide scientific knowledge and guidelines for physicians wishing to pursue the use of cord stem cells Leukemia, Thalassaemia and inherited genetic disorders seen in childhood are a huge burden to our society. Deliberations on use of cord blood as a source of stem cells in these conditions were the highlights of this symposium. The panel of Speakers, featuring some of the most eminent Onco-Hematologists, Transplant Physicians from India and abroad were quite eloquent in proposing their thoughts, the key International Faculty included:- Dr. Elaine Gluckman – Professor Emeritus of the University Paris-Diderot & President of Eurocord, who is referred to as Mother of Cord Blood Transplant , appreciated the work done at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai here to improve our patients life by using new and life saving cell therapy from cord blood. Dr. Vinod K. Prasad – Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Fellowship Program Dukes University, USA, impressed on us the cord blood usage practice in the U.S, and his clinical experience on its usage. Dr.Tang-Her Jaing, Admitting Physician, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Chang Gung Children’s Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taiwan who is one of the world’s leading physician using cord blood to cure thalessemic conditions, was insightful as well. The other Indian Panelists and Chair persons included the leading transplant physicians, Hematologists, pediatricians and medical oncologists shared their thought on leveraging the usage of Cord blood as an important Source for managing blood Disorders. The program was very well attended by almost 130 Transplant physicians, Onco-Hematologists, Oncologists & Pediatricians etc. “The need for a Public cord blood repository in our country” is the one important resource we need in our country and we hope all the participating physicians, would put their efforts to bring make this dream come true.

Shaping the dimensions of the ever evolving and complex healthcare environment in India, Apollo Hospitals launched The PET SUITE in India. The PET SUITE was launched at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dikshit. Paving the Way for the Next Generation of Clinical Multimodality Imaging Applications and designed to diagnostically address the complexities of human body, Apollo Hospitals has installed a PET CT and a PET MR, which is the first of its kind across South Asia, signifying a tremendous leap forward in imaging capabilities. The PET MR System has resulted from the amalgamation of a state of the art whole body 3T MRI scanner and a high end PET system, which has been fully integrated and precisely aligned within the same gantry. This enables us to simultaneously acquire accurate information on morphology, function and metabolism. The significance of this facility gets augmented by the deft handling and interpretive reporting by leading experts in the field. The PET-CT facility being equipped with state of the art 427 slice / sec CT scanner, Ultra HDPET with highly specialized 4D respiratory Gating software is a boon for cancer patients as the radiotherapists would be able to deliver highly precise radiation doses, synchronized with patients’ breathing patterns. Addressing the media, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “As the First to bring the PET SUITE to South Asia, Apollo Hospitals continues to deliver on its promise to bring the most advanced technologies in patient care. It’s a tremendous leap forward in imaging capabilities. Our highly trained doctors will now use one of the world’s most advanced combination scanners which will give them highly defined, 3-D images, enabling them to make the best choices about treatments across specialties. And since the PET MR is a system that can simultaneously acquire data across the whole body, the scanning takes less time thereby reducing patient discomfort. As MR has no radiation, the PET MR significantly reduces overall radiation exposure, making it safer for children and patients undergoing repeated studies for therapy monitoring”. The advantages of the PET MR system would be its superior quality images with better soft tissue contrast, leading to better localization and characterization of lesions. Other than its application in cancer, PET MR will play a greater role in understanding various disease processes in cardiology and neurology. Its ‘zero’ radiation exposure from the machine (unlike CT), making it safe for pediatric case evaluation and for women in the reproductive age group indicates that it can be used safely for disease follow up. PET MR will establish a new understanding of the previously unknown interrelation between different measures of pathology and physiology in human body. With the enhanced ability to explore correlations between structure and function, perfusion and metabolism, tissue diffusivity and cell proliferation; PET MR potentiates our ability of gaining new insights into the progress of disease, unlocking new paths to treatment or even opening new areas of research. With approximately 3 million people suffering from cancer in India and one million new cases of cancer being detected every year, there is an urgent need for early detection and the right treatment to avoid recurrence. PET-MR helps precisely in that by providing important information for early detection and staging of cancer, which can be a decisive factor for treatment planning, therapy selection including target therapy and follow up.

Apollo hospital has set up a state-of-the-art body scanner which detects cancerous cells quickly, and may go a long way in timely selection of treatment for cancer patients, officials of the hospital said on Wednesday. The Positron Emission Tomography-Magnetic Resonance (PET-MR) has been combined with PET Computerised Tomography (CT) to create the PET Suite which scans patients quicker, thus reducing discomfort and helping in therapy selection and treatment. Since doctors can simultaneously acquire data from the whole body, the scanning takes less time, thus, reducing the discomfort of the patient, Prathap C. Reddy, chairman of the Apollo Hospitals Group, told reporters in New Delhi. ‘As MR has no radiation, this machine can significantly reduce the overall radiation dose, making it safer for pediatrics and patients undergoing repeated studies for therapy monitoring,’ he added. Compared to hospitals abroad, ‘the cost is 75 percent less and diagnostic accuracy is 100 percent,’ said Uma Ravishankar, Head of the Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine. Besides detecting cancer, PET-MR can also play a major role in understanding cardiology and neurological diseases, doctors said. The PET Suite will be formally launched on Feb 16 by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

“India is facing severe health challenges and the need is more healthcare hospitals and professionals,” said Dr Prathap C. Reddy, chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group. Announcing the launch of the first training academy by Apollo MedSkills in association with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) on Tuesday, Dr Prathap said there was huge opportunity for healthcare professionals in India and the young population could gainfully make use of the opportunities. The training academy at Anna Nagar in Chennai aims at providing employment opportunities to over 1,150 candidates in a year. Apart from Chennai, the academy will be launched in Patna, Shillong and Hyderabad by April. “Over 40 centres will be opened across the country within two years. The skill development centres will have high-end facilities such as simulation laboratory, web conferencing and soft skills training,” informed Sangita Reddy, executive director-operations, Apollo Hospitals Group. Targeted at lower and middle income group, the course fee starts from Rs. 10,000. Dr K. Prabakar, CEO, Apollo MedSkills Limited, informed that the training academy would offer 27 courses such as medical lab technology, dialysis, radiology and imaging, operation theatre technology for up skilling doctors and nurses and skilling paramedics and support staff.

Kick starting the week-long initiative on world cancer day, February 04, 2013; Apollo hospitals aims at creating awareness about the advantages of robotic surgery as a better treatment for cancer as it is more precise, comfortable and has the best clinical outcome for treatment of cancer. As part of the initiative, workshops will be conducted across Apollo hospitals in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai. State-of-the-art operating theatres in Apollo are equipped with the Da Vinci Si surgical system, the most advanced platform for minimally invasive surgery available today. The four-armed surgical robotic system is a breakthrough in surgical capabilities especially in the areas of Uro-Oncology, Gynae-Oncology, Gastro-Oncology and Head & Neck – Oncology where precision matters most. This is the only system that allows surgeons to operate while seated, which may also be clinically advantageous. Better ergonomics than traditional open and laparoscopic surgery and a design for natural hand-eye positioning, limiting the assistance required and reducing surgeon fatigue, improves surgical capabilities. This was announced in a seminar organized by Apollo hospitals and their Sri Lankan representative med-connect in hotel Galadari recently. Specialists from Apollo including Dr. K. Ramesh -specialist-robotic urology surgery and Dr. Sumana Manohar-specialist-robotic gynecological surgery were present and shared their expertise on robotic surgery. A robotic surgery-helpline (number) was launched as part of the same by Mr. Jithu Jose-General Manager-International division of Apollo Hospitals and Ms. Nilmini Withana – CEO- Med-Connect- Sri Lanka on the occasion. Sri Lankan doctors can also join the special workshop and have training on this advanced robotic technology during the 5 day workshop in Chennai, India. World renowned proctors from Korea and California will be in Apollo for the same to share their knowledge. In a special message, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy – chairman of Apollo hospitals said: ‘I am happy to learn about the robotic surgery helpline launched in Sri Lanka. “Innovations and break-through technologies play a pivotal role in healthcare. In the diverse and constant battle against cancer, the surgical robot is soon gaining ground. Apollo hospitals strive to bring the best of innovation and best practices into robotic surgery in India and we are happy to share this expertise with the medical fraternity across the globe. This Oncorobotic surgery initiative has resulted from our commitment and efforts as a responsible healthcare provider, providing healthcare at an affordable price delivered with our trademark tender loving care. This initiative is aimed to provide patients with clinical outcome of global standards and perhaps even better than conventional surgery.

Apollo Health City announced the performing of a revolutionary Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement (Resurface) Surgery (MIKRS) using OrthoGlide Medial Knee system. This surgery was successfully performed for the first time in Andhra Pradesh by a team of orthopedic surgeons led by Dr. Prabhat Lakkireddi, Consultant Keyhole and Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgeon. The team performed a bilateral (on both the knees) OrthoGlide knee surgery for the first in India. The most common cause of knee pain is Arthritis where the joint lining called cartilage is damaged due to wear and tear causing inflammation and pain. In India 50% of the general population develops arthritis during their lifetime and is the second largest ailment after diabetes. OrthoGlide, a metallic, wedge-shaped device is a novel implant that replaces worn cartilage inside the knee. It offers patients a less invasive alternative to total knee replacement. This device is inserted into the knee through a 5 to 7 cm incision, which relieves pressure, restores proper joint alignment, redistributes the load more evenly and increases stability. The surgery using OrthoGlide knee implant was performed on a 45 year old lady with severe pain in both the knees for the past 3 years. The path breaking surgery took under an hour for each knee leaving all the joint bones naturally and virtually untouched with almost no blood loss, no bone loss and no cement. After the surgery the patient had minimal pain and started walking the following day. This surgery promises a less expensive and easy path of regaining normal lifestyle functions, and it definitely offers a new ray of hope to active and young patients who are worried about major surgery and prolonged post op rehabilitation to deal with Knee Arthritis, says Dr. Prabhat Lakkireddi, who was trained in London for 10 years and recently joined Apollo Health City. The Major advantages of this surgery over standard Total Knee Replacement includes its affordable cost and early rehabilitation which helps patients to return to their normal routine and life style expeditiously. It allows the patient to squat and seat cross legged, an important part of our daily lives in India and which is not possible with the conventional knee replacement surgery. Above all OrthoGlide allows delay of total knee replacement until patients are older and less likely to require a second knee replacement. As against a Total Knee Replacement, Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement (Resurface) Surgery involves a 2 inches incision, no cutting of the natural bone, the joint is left intact, no cutting of the muscle therefore no bleeding, less painful, low infection, less complications, fast recovery, can walk the same day, the surgery can be performed as a day care surgery and therefore doesn’t require hospitalization . The cost would range between Rs 1.1 to 1.2 lakhs, which would come down further with mass utilization of the device. This surgery has the approval of the FDA. This surgery can be opted after conservative oral medical treatments fail. MIKRS offers a cost effective treatment for early and moderate arthritis of the knee joint at virtually half the cost of Total Knee Replacements – which is considered to be the last option for the disease in advance stages with badly degenerated joints.

Apollo Hospitals has launched a unique Oncological Robotic Surgery initiative, to mark World Cancer Day, February 04, 2013 ! It aims at creating awareness about the advantages of Robotic Surgery as a better treatment for various cancers as it is more precise, minimally invasive, heals faster and has the best clinical outcomes. Schedule of the Oncorobotic Surgery Workshops : Apollo Hospitals, Chennai – February 01 to February 08, 2013 World renowned proctors Dr. Woong Youn Chung MD, Ph.D., Chief, Endocrine Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University School of medicine, Seoul, Korea and Dr. Byung Soh Min MD, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea will be at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai from February 01 to February 08, 2013. In addition to sharing knowledge with their Indian peers, they will conduct workshops and perform OncoRobotic surgeries on selected patients along with the team of Apollo Hospitals surgeons who have also been extensively trained in Robotic Surgery. The Robotic Surgery team would conduct Urologic, Gynaecologic, Colo-Rectal and Head & Neck surgeries during this period. For further information on OncoRobotic Surgeries in Chennai, please contact Dr. Venkatasalam at +917299961010; roboticsurgery@apollohospitals.com Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi – January 31 to February 13, 2013 World renowned proctors from Korea and California, Dr. Krishnansu S. Tewari, Professor & Director of Research, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Dr. Byung Soh Min, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine and Dr. Woong Youn Chung MD, Ph.D., Chief, Endocrine Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University School of medicine will be at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals Delhi from January 31 to February 13, 2013. In addition to sharing knowledge with their Indian peers, they will conduct workshops, where they will perform OncoRobotic surgeries on selected patients in Delhi between 6-9th February in Gynaecology; 9-12th February in Urology and 9-12th February in Colorectal Surgery. For further information on OncoRobotic Surgeries in New Delhi, please contact Dr. Gaurav Katyal at +919873217415; drgaurav_k@apollohospitals.com / roboticsurgery@apollohospitals.com Apollo Health City, Hyderabad – February 01 to February 10, 2013 World renowned proctors from Korea and California Dr Byung Soh Min, MD, Deptt of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul Korea and Dr Woong Youn Chung, MD Phd, Proff,Deptt of Surgery, Yonsei University College , Seoul Korea will be at Apollo Health City, Hyderabad from February 01 to February 10, 2013. In addition to sharing knowledge with their Indian peers, they will conduct workshops, and perform OncoRobotic surgeries on selected patients. For further information on OncoRobotic Surgeries in Hyderabad, please contact Dr.Rahul Khandelwal at +919866507870; roboticsurgery@apollohospitals.com Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata – February 03 to February 06, 2013 World renowned proctor Dr Krishnansu S. Tewari, Professor & Director of Research – The Gynaecologic Oncology Group from University of California will be at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata from February 03 to February 06, 2013. In addition to sharing knowledge with his Indian peers he will conduct workshops; he will also perform OncoRobotic surgeries on selected patients along with the team of Apollo Gleneagles surgeons who have been extensively trained in Robotic Surgery . The Robotic Surgery team would conduct Urologic, Gynaecologic, Colo-Rectal and Head & Neck surgeries during this period. For further information on OncoRobotic Surgeries in Kolkata, please contact Dr. Sujoy Kar at +919804000407; roboticsurgery@apollohospitals.com