Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. has acquired a hospital in Gurugram, situated on hospital zoned land, with a potential of 650 beds. The acquisition is a momentous milestone in Apollo Hospitals’ stellar journey in healthcare in India, and marks the entry of the group in the state of Haryana. The hospital will establish the group’s presence in the millennium city of Gurugram, one of India’s fastest growing cities, with an aspirational populace, and substantial brand equity for Apollo Hospitals, owing to its existing footprint in the region. The upcoming integrated healthcare complex located on the Golf Course Road at Gurugram would be commissioned in a span of 24 months. It would endeavour to extend advanced clinical solutions and services to the citizens of the state and the country through its experienced faculty and international collaborations, and will strongly position the city as an international healthcare destination. The Gurugram facility would also be at the centre of incubating advancements in digital healthcare, Healthcare accelerators and start-ups and contribute towards the country’s healthcare eco system, propelling the country and the state of Haryana towards leading healthcare practices and world-class healthcare. The Apollo Hospitals Group has always worked towards building a fully operating ecosystem in all its geographies, and will accordingly work towards pollinating the benefits of advanced healthcare towards the remotest corners of the state of Haryana and would work closely with the State Government towards meeting the goals and targets put forth by the Government in its health policy vision for the state. With 650 potential beds, Apollo Hospitals will offer its truly differentiated clinical programs in key Centers of Excellence, cutting-edge technology, sub-specialties and its inherent Clinical Excellence – not just for the residents of the city, but for all people in the National Capital Region and overseas as well. Commenting on the development, Dr Prathap C Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “I am delighted that Apollo Hospitals has added to its presence in the North, a key area of focus for us. We are very grateful to the Government of Haryana for having welcomed us. Apollo as a group has always endeavored to offer inclusive healthcare across locations where we have been present. We are committed to bringing our proven focus on outstanding clinical outcomes, along with the best of the Apollo Hospitals ecosystem – including preventive health, pharmacies, day surgery centers, birthing centers, primary care facilities and diagnostics, home care, geriatric care, rehabilitation, assisted living etc., all tied together by India’s largest digital healthcare platform, Apollo 24/7 – to foster the seamless delivery of holistic Healthcare in the state, and to position the state as the forerunner in Medical Value Travel. We are also confident that our presence will further boost the local economy, generate highly skilled healthcare as well as allied jobs. We will endeavor to stimulate innovation, and create an unparalleled atmosphere of excellence, research, learning and healing. We look forward to making a significant contribution towards improving the well-being of the citizens of Haryana.” The acquisition not only cements a strong footprint for Apollo Hospitals in the North, but most importantly will bring together cutting-edge clinical programs, technology, international and national collaborations and research to deliver best-in-class clinical outcomes for our patients and engender well-being and community health, while stimulating skilled job creation in the local geography.

A 93-year-old patient underwent a life-saving surgery after he was found to have multiple severe blocks in the arteries supplying blood to his brain and right carotid artery as it was 99% blocked. The patient was having frequent episodes of falls and giddiness and was suffering from hypertension and bronchial asthma for long years. Dr. V. Balaji, Senior Vascular and Endo Vascular Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai said, “Blockage in the blood vessel going to the brain can be cleared to prevent stroke. This procedure is called carotid endarterectomy. Our department has performed more than 700 such procedures in the last twenty years very specifically under regional anaesthesia which reduces post-operative complications to minimum. Our post-operative success rates over the years have been more than 99% which exceeds any western institutions and the cost of the procedure is only one third when compared to western units.” Ms. Suneeta Reddy, MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “Stroke affects approximately 1.8 million people a year in India and it is undoubtedly the most disabling disease in addition to causing death in some cases. Every 20 seconds, one Indian suffers a brain stroke, or three every minute, and the numbers are increasing alarmingly due to changing lifestyles. The most disheartening thing is 90 per cent of stroke patients failed to reach hospital on time. We need to create more awareness that treatment for brain strokes cannot start at home and the patient should have medical attention within the golden hour.” Read more about India’s first Awake Carotid Endarterectomy procedure

Doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru have successfully conducted a Robotic Pediatric Cardiac Surgery on a nine-year-old boy diagnosed to have a hole in the heart. If left untreated, the boy faced the risk of irreversible damage to his lungs and heart. The team of doctors led by Dr. Sathyaki Nambala, Chief Surgeon, Robotic and Minimally, Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, successfully completed the surgery in 60 minutes. This Robot assisted cardiac surgery is a first of its kind in the country, in the given pediatric age group. A hole in the heart which is medically known as Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) impacts blood flow, and is a heart defect present at birth. In serious cases, ASD can cause threat to the functioning of both the heart and lungs in the long run. Factors which may play a role in the development of ASD include certain medical conditions and medications, genetics, lifestyle, to name a few. Sharing his thoughts on this first of its kind Robotic pediatric cardiac surgery, Dr. Sathyaki Nambala said, “When the 9-year-old patient visited Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, he was diagnosed with Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). However, owing to the condition and anatomy of the defect, the only option to address the case was thought to be an Open Heart Surgery. On further analysis and evaluation of the case, the team at Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru arrived at the decision to proceed with a Robotic closure of the defect or robotic cardiac surgery.” He further added, “The completion of this Robot assisted surgery is a milestone achievement in the field of cardiac surgery. The 9-year-old patient is the first to undergo a Robotic Cardiac Surgery in this particular pediatric age group in the country and to get discharged with-in 24 hours of surgery” Robotic cardiac surgery is performed through multiple robotic arms with camera assistance, inserted through 8 mm ports. Therefore, the wounds are miniaturized. The two major advantages of robotic surgery over minimally invasive cardiac surgery are that there is no blood loss, there are miniaturized wounds (Approximately 8mm) and no rib spreading during surgery, which makes the post-operative period absolutely painless. The requirement for painkillers after surgery is also very minimal, enabling faster recovery and paving the way for discharge within 24 hours post-surgery.

Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai has showcased two unique complex cases with life-threatening brain aneurysms that were successfully treated by the endovascular route with an advanced ‘Contour Device’. The patients could not be treated through conventional means due to the location of aneurysms, wide neck nature of the aneurysm and medical co morbidities. However, the interventional neurology team led by Dr. Vishal Chafale at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai was able to effectively treat the patients using minimally invasive techniques and the innovative ‘Contour Device’ for occlusion of the aneurysm with minimal ICU and hospital stay. Dr Vishal Chafale, Consultant, Interventional Neurology, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai said, “A subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a type of stroke that is most commonly caused by a brain aneurysm in absence of any trauma. A brain aneurysm is an abnormal swelling or dilatation of part of the wall of an artery in the brain that can rupture and bleed into the space between the brain and the skull with risk to life of the patient. While some of the aneurysms can be treated through open surgical techniques such as clipping and endovascular coiling, these patients had wide neck aneurysms, the treatment of which is challenging. However, with interventional neurology and the innovative Contour device, we can successfully treat these patients and save their lives.” Interventional neurology involves using minimally invasive, image-guided techniques to treat complex conditions of the brain, neck, and spine. In this case, the interventional neurologist threads a guide wire with the Contour device at the end through an artery in the patient’s groin to the site of the aneurysm. The Contour device is then deployed into the aneurysm so as to fill the aneurysm. The mesh then forms a clot to prevent any further bleeding and damage. Mr. Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO Western Region at Apollo Hospitals added, “This was a successful case where we have effectively used new devices such as “Contour” and “Web” available for treatment of wide neck aneurysms that are the most difficult to treat with the conventional methods. Such advancements in curative care have the potential to increase the life expectancy and the quality of life of the patients. We are elated with the efforts of our team of doctors and technicians that are bringing healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual. Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai has a very comprehensive Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery with AI enabled stroke software with full-time dedicated senior clinicians. We are very happy that Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, a JCI accredited hospital has been successfully performing very complex minimally invasive endovascular procedures that needs minimal ICU and hospital stay.” In the first case, a 58-year-old woman developed sub-arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and was found to have a right internal carotid artery aneurysm. The patient was urgently shifted to Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai for further management. Advanced imaging with a cerebral digital subtraction angiography DSA with 3D rotation showed a wide neck bi-lobed aneurysm. It was treated with endovascular placement of Contour device. The patient did well and was discharged on the third day. In the second case, a 62-year-old male developed SAH due to wide neck basilar tip aneurysm. The CT scan also showed subacute bilateral subdural hematoma. The regular treatment options such as simple or balloon assisted coiling was not possible due to the too wide neck of the aneurysm, while the use of stent or flow diverter assisted coiling was also difficult in view of risk of subdural hematoma. He was finally successfully treated with deployment of Contour device. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged after 4 days. The Contour device is made of a dual-layer radiopaque nitinol memory mesh. Nitinol is a Nickel Titanium alloy and part of a class of shape memory alloys. Designed as a mesh in a unique shape, it both disrupts and diverts the blood flow away from the aneurysm. It is used to treat a range of aneurysms including wide-necked bifurcation and bifurcation aneurysms. Once in place, the mesh promotes thrombosis of aneurysm and prevent bleeding and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Diagnosed with a rare condition, Synovial Chondromatosis, associated with the hip joint, a 50-year-old man from Africa was successfully treated at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. Synovial Chondromatosis is a rare, benign condition of the hip where the lining of the joint (synovium) proliferates and undergo a metaplasia (an abnormal change in tissue) to produce either cartilaginous or bony loose bodies inside the joint. It can severely damage joints, causing osteoarthritis leading to lifelong disability. The condition has tendency to recur and largely effect the knee joint. In this case, the patient had been suffering from acute pain in the right hip for the past 6 months. The pain had advanced into inability to walk or move. He was advised surgery back in his native country Uganda, however he opted to come to India for further investigations. He was referred to Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, in India, New Delhi, where he consulted Dr (Prof.) Raju Vaishya, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement. Dr Vaishya diagnosed him with this rare condition and recommended an immediate total hip replacement surgery of left hip. He was admitted to the hospital on 16th, June, 2022. Speaking on the same Dr (Prof.) Raju Vaishya, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi said, “Primary Synovial Chondromatosis is a rare, benign condition of the joint that involves the lining of the joint (synovium). Only a handful such cases have been reported in the world literature, so far. The exact cause of this condition is still not known and the probable hypothesis points toward previous trauma or inflammatory joint disease. This was an extremely rare case of Synovial Chondromatosis in the hip joint. This 50-year-old patient was in acute pain and was unable to walk. He had a history of left hip dislocation from 20 years ago for which he was managed conservatively and had been asymptomatic till 6 months back. The condition can be fatal, therefore he was recommended a total hip replacement surgery with subtotal synovectomy and removal of multiple loose bodies. The post-operative period was uneventful and he was discharged after thirteen days on 29th, June, 2022. Post-surgery the patient is doing well, walking with a stick and is continuing physiotherapy.” The root cause of Primary Synovial Chondromatosis is still unknown. The disease most commonly occurs in the knees followed by the hips, elbows and shoulders. Most people who develop symptoms of Primary Synovial Chondromatosis are men between the age of 30 and 50. Women have a lower risk of developing Primary Synovial Chondromatosis than men. Rarely, it can transform into malignancy.

Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai has successfully performed a minimally invasive procedure using a transcatheter technique. A 64-year-old woman successfully underwent a trans-catheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). The procedure was performed in 2 hours by the doctors of Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai. The patient has recovered well. A TMVR is a mitral valve replacement procedure that allows Cardiologist to replace a diseased previously surgically implanted mitral valve with a new valve without surgery. During this procedure, the cardiologist inserts a catheter (a thin flexible tube) into the vein using advanced imaging and guide it along with a new valve to the heart. It has benefits such as lesser pain and a shorter recovery period. Dr. Rahul Gupta Consultant Interventional Cardiology said, “Structural heart interventions such as TMVR are a great advancement in the field of Interventional Cardiology, as elderly patients who are at a high risk for medical complications for an open heart surgery can now be safely treated through such non-surgical minimally invasive procedures, as was the case with this patient.” The 64-year-old patient, a resident of Thane was having difficulty in breathing and was coughing copiously. The patient had previously undergone mitral valve replacement surgery 15 years back under the supervision of Dr. Shantesh Kaushik, Consultant, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. After relevant investigations, it was found that the replaced valve had degenerated over time and required another replacement. Since the patient was at high risk for a repetitive open-heart surgery, a minimally invasive percutaneous approach was used to replace the diseased mitral valve. It was Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai’s first transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) therapy that delivered a minimally invasive treatment. The minimally invasive procedure proved to be easy on patients as the complications are marginal, like negligible bleeding or pain followed by a quick recovery. The patient was admitted under the care of Dr. Rahul Gupta, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Dr. Shantesh Kaushik, Consultant, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon, Dr. Charan Reddy, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Dr. Rajesh Matta, Consultant, Cardiology, Dr. Leena More, Anesthetist, and Cath lab & OT technicians. Post-surgery, the patient is showing a remarkable progress in her condition. Mr. Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO, said, “This was the first successful case of TMVR performed by our cardiologists and it has brought a new ray of hope to the patient and her family. Such advancements in curative care have the potential to increase the life expectancy and the quality of life of the patients. We are elated with the efforts of our team of doctors and technicians that are bringing healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual. Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai has a very comprehensive Institute of Cardiac Sciences wherein pediatric cardiac surgeries, structural heart diseases (including TAVI), heart transplant, and routine cardiac diagnostic and intervention work is undertaken.”

Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery has successfully completed more than 500 robotic colorectal surgeries over six years. The Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery began offering cutting-edge minimally invasive robotic surgical techniques and technology in the treatment of patients with colorectal diseases, especially colorectal cancer since 2016. The rate of colorectal cancer has been increasing among young adults in their 20s to 40s over the last two decades. If colorectal cancer is identified in the early stages it can be completely cured and Robotic Colorectal Surgery helps patients avoid colostomy and lead a normal life. Colorectal cancer is a common cancer globally but has a low reported incidence in India with GLOBOCAN 2018 ranking colon cancer 13th in terms of incidence and mortality with 27,605 new cases and 19,548 deaths annually. Since 2018, 27,605 new cases have been registered across India and the total number of patients living with the disease in India is estimated to be around 53,700. Colorectal cancer is on the rise especially among young Asian males , with unhealthy lifestyle patterns one of the key reasons for its occurrence. Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “At Apollo, we are bringing in cutting edge medical technology, representing the next era of healthcare innovation to treat cancers. In 2016, we started a specialised department for Colorectal Surgery and also simultaneously started Robotic Colorectal Surgery. This has led to precision surgery that causes minimal side-effects in patients. Over the last few years, there have been several advances in minimally invasive techniques such as Robotic Colorectal Surgery, which has led to significant change in the management of colorectal diseases, particularly for rectal cancer surgery.” Read more about Robotic Colorectal Surgery performed at The Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery

A team of doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore gave a new lease of life to a 45-year-old patient by performing a complex Robotic Mitral Valve Repair surgery. The patient from Mysuru was admitted to the hospital with the symptom of acute shortness of breath. He was affected with COVID earlier and diagnosed with a severely leaking Mitral Valve. He underwent the technically advanced Robotic Mitral Valve Repair, which lasted for 90 minutes. He was removed from the ventilator 2 hours after surgery and made to walk. His recovery was quick, and the patient was discharged within 24 hours after surgery in a stable condition. Notably, this is one of the fastest cases where a patient has been discharged within 24 hours of a major heart surgery. Although it depends on the patient’s condition, age and other co-morbidities, generally a patient would be ready to resume normal day-to-day activities by 2-3 days after discharge. Also, the traditional method of treating this condition would have been through an Open Heart Surgery. This method involves a deep incision (Sternotomy) that goes through the breastbone. This type of surgery typically involves a hospital stay of 7-10 days which includes 2-3 days of stay in the ICU. Robotic Mitral Valve Repair is the most advanced and least invasive method of doing Mitral Valve Surgery. The team of doctors led by Dr. Sathyaki Nambala, Chief Surgeon, Robotic and Minimally, Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore completed this technically advanced surgery in 90 minutes. Commenting on the success of the surgery Dr, Sathyaki Nambala said, “Robotic mitral valve repair is a ‘state of the art’ technique in correcting both simple & complex causes of a leaking mitral valve. It offers superior vision (High resolution, magnified, 3D) and greater precision through excellent dexterity and tremor-free movements. The patient’s chest wall damage is minimal, no bones are cut and blood loss is negligible. All this translates to lowered pain, no blood transfusion, no infection and an extremely quick recovery from an otherwise traumatic major heart operation.” Apart from Mitral Valve Repair and Replacements, a robot can also be used to perform heart, lung and thoracic procedures. Apollo Hospitals Bangalore has successfully done more than 200 Robotic Cardiac Surgeries including Robot-Assisted Bypass surgeries under the supervision of Dr. Sathyaki Nambala.

Apollo Hospitals has collaborated with ConnectedLife, leaders in the application of motor state diagnostics, to integrate Apollo’s AICVD tool with ConnectedLife’s digital solutions for wellness, condition management and other health-focused applications. The AICVD tool can predict the risk of cardiovascular disease. This will empower healthcare providers with the tools to predict the risk of cardiac disease in their patients and initiate intervention early enough to make a real difference. The clinical integration was demonstrated during the online event to announce the collaboration. The cardiac risk scoring tool is remarkable for its speed in processing data and accuracy in predicting the probability of a patient developing coronary disease. Using the tool, physicians are enabled to deliver proactive, pre-emptive and preventive care for at-risk individuals, improving lives, while mitigating future risks to life and lessen the pressure on healthcare systems. Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “The rising burden of NCDs led by cardiovascular diseases is a problem that is increasing as our population ages. In addition, premature deaths due to NCDs have a high socio-economic impact, with those affected usually being the main income earners. While early diagnosis and intervention can make a positive impact, doctors do not have the tools handy to evaluate the risk of their patients developing heart disease. The collaboration with ConnectedLife brings together our experience and expertise in developing predictive AI tools with ConnectedLife’s healthcare solutions to give healthcare providers a comprehensive tool to predict risk and deliver best-in-class clinical results.” Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “We believe that technology can truly make a positive impact by equipping doctors with the right tools to fight against non-communicable diseases. The collaboration with ConnectedLife amalgamates AI/ML with user-friendly and reliable risk prediction tools that provide insights for early action. The heart risk score for the Indian populace is an example of how preventive healthcare can use technology to accelerate prevention and reduce the disease burden. This is just the beginning and we will expand the collaboration to other NCDs to prevent and reduce the NCD disease burden. We look forward to growing the collaboration with more tools to make a significant impact to stem the rise of NCDs globally. She added “This collaboration will further strengthen our research for co-development in Clinical AI, which would not only calibrate our existing models but pave way for better understanding of health risk scores” ConnectedLife is a Singapore headquartered health-tech and partners with Fitbit to create compelling wearable-based solutions for wellness, condition management and other health-focused applications. The ConnectedLife platform captures and analyses Fitbit wearable devices and patient-reported data to provide health and wellness insights for individuals and connected population health stakeholders. The unique research and development collaboration between Apollo Hospitals and ConnectedLife not only seamlessly integrates and provides round-the-clock availability of Apollo’s clinical AI to all “ConnectedLife with Fitbit” application users, but will also advance the application and capabilities by providing the AI with near real-time, continuous, longitudinal wellness and health data, e.g. breathing rate, heart rate, exercise, sedentary time, sleep, PROs, and as a result deliver a digital transformation from the point in time assessment to one that is continuous and dynamic in a remote, home setting. As a result of this dynamic ConnectedLife enabled capability, physicians can design and provide a patient with a personal care plan and digitally monitor patient compliance and objectively measure progression with recommended lifestyle modifications and improvement in wellness and health vitals reducing the risk of cardiac disease. Mr. Daryl Arnold, Founder & CEO, ConnectedLife, said “We are honoured to partner with Apollo Hospitals and integrate their best-in-class Clinical AI tools with our ConnectedLife solutions to further advance the digital transformation taking place within the Indian and broader worldwide health eco-system. For ConnectedLife with Fitbit, this is an incredible opportunity to innovate and apply easy-to-use smartphone and wearable technology to enable continuous and dynamic prediction of the risk of cardiac disease at scale. With our trusted, secure and scalable enterprise infrastructure; strict accountability for data acquisition and use, privacy and protection; ConnectedLife will over the coming months further integrate and enrich the application of Apollo’s clinical AI tools to benefit patients and healthcare partners all over the world.” Mr. Steve Morley, Director for Fitbit Health Solution International and APAC said, “We are very excited to expand our partnership with ConnectedLife to facilitate engagement with strategic partners like Apollo Hospitals to develop and implement solutions that play a key role in building the digital health ecosystem in India. This programme gives patients a better view of their health metrics, which can help them to better manage their heart health conditions”. The team at ConnectedLife is at present managing the deployment of its solutions with over 50 healthcare partners worldwide and Apollo’s Clinical AICVD tool will automatically be available and operational to all customers. In Singapore, the National University Hospital System’s Alexandra Hospital has been working with ConnectedLife to prepare for the widespread adoption and everyday application of Apollo’s Clinical AI through the ConnectedLife with Fitbit application.

A 44-year-old woman from US underwent a Robotic Bariatric Surgery for being abnormally overweight and diabetic. The US national, of Indian origin, was struggling with obesity that had led to uncontrolled diabetes along with hypothyroidism, hypertension, GERD and Obstructive Sleep Apnea for the past 7 years. Her complication had worsened in the past year and she was unable to lose weight through traditional methods. While the patient was advised surgery in the US, she however opted to come to India to get the surgery on the advice of her friends and family. With her condition deteriorating and other co-morbidities advancing, she consulted Dr Arun Prasad, Senior Consultant, GI, Bariatric and Robotic Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, where she was recommended an immediate robot assisted surgery that could help her reduce weight, so that other vitals like diabetes and hypertension could be stabilized. Pre-surgery her weight was 112.4kg and post-surgery she lost 8kg in just 21 days. Speaking on the same, Dr Arun Prasad, Senior Consultant, GI, Bariatric and Robotic Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “The 44-year-old lady from US was unable to lose weight with traditional methods and in turn was resorting to either over exercising or starving herself. Obesity had caused other conditions like diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hypertension, GERD and obstructive sleep apnea to flare up and cause additional complications. Here at Apollo Hospitals, she was diagnosed with morbid obesity with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. We immediately planned a robot assisted bariatric surgery. It is a type of robotic surgery in which specialized robotic staplers are used. This procedure is less painful with minimal incisions and promises better recovery in comparison to other traditional modalities. After a routine check-up, she was admitted to the hospital and surgery was performed immediately on the day of admission to avoid any further delay in the treatment. The post-operative period was uneventful and she was discharged in two days. Post the surgery her Obstructive Sleep Apnea disorder has improved, her blood sugar levels are becoming normal and we are glad that the patient is content and satisfied with the treatment. She was admitted in the hospital on 12th May, 2022 and got discharged on 14th May, 2022. For controlling weight and other diseases, foreign nationals are choosing India treatment, which indicates the expertise and technology that Indian healthcare has to offer. This is also aligned with GOI’s initiative of ‘Heal in India’ that promotes Indian healthcare delivery on a global level.

Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, a leading tertiary care hospital, successfully performed a laminectomy with removal of the clot compressing the spinal cord on a 96-year-old paralysed female patient. She is one of the oldest people to undergo successful spine surgery. The procedure was performed over 2 hours by the team of doctors of Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. The patient could stand in an erect position the very next day of surgery. Laminectomy is a surgery that creates space by removing the lamina — the back part of a vertebra that covers the spinal canal. This allows access to structures in and around the spinal cord. In this case, the surgery successfully removed the clot that was compressing the spinal cord. Dr. Sunil Kutty, Consultant, Brain and Spine Surgery said, “It is extremely rare that such elderly patients are willing to undergo spinal surgery. Often, people are scared of spinal surgeries and have a perception that it would make them bed-ridden. But, here we have a 96-year-old who came to us on a stretcher, stood up and walked out of her bed the very next day of her surgery, defying the notion people carry in their minds about age as well as spine surgery. However, the patient and her relative’s positive attitude and the patient’s age not being a deterrent, were key factors in the success of the surgery for our team of neurosurgeons and anesthetists.” The 96-year-old patient, a resident of Uran, arrived at Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai with complaints of weakness in both lower limbs for 10 days, which resulted in her inability in walking and carrying out daily activities. She also had severe pain in her back radiating to her left leg. An MRI of her spine showed severe compression in L1 and L2 lumbar spine with a displacement of the caudal nerve root (nerve roots that travel down the spine and connect to the other body parts). The neurosurgical team of Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai came together and successfully performed the spine surgery on the elderly patient. An L1 laminectomy was performed and a haematoma (a pool of blood outside of a blood vessel) was found in the epidural space with a thickened ligamentum flavum (a short but thick ligament). The clot was removed and post-procedure, the patient was hemodynamically stable and made a speedy recovery. Dr. Ravi Shankar, Joint Medical Director, said, “Spine surgery is a safe and effective treatment for people who need it. Although most people recover from back pain through exercise and healthy lifestyles, in this case, the age factor played a key role and surgery was the only viable option left to treat the paralyzed patient. However, spinal surgery, even in elderly patients, is a necessary treatment to improve the quality of life. We are glad that our neurosurgical team has put in their efforts to make this case a successful one.” Mr. Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO, said, “The cohesive efforts of everybody at Apollo – the nurses, Anaesthetists, the ICU, and other support staff – coupled with the facilities available at our hospital, result in such exemplary outputs. The patient’s family was encouraging and trusted the doctors at Apollo to conduct this surgery. We are very happy with the result as the patient tolerated the procedure well and stood up the very next day. Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, a JCI accredited hospital has been performing very complex neurosurgical work for domestic & international patients. The hospital also handles complex head injury cases through its world class emergency services.”

Committed to continuous investment in the most advanced technologies in cancer care, Apollo Cancer Centres in association with Datar Cancer Genetics brings a revolutionary blood test that can detect breast cancers at early stages in asymptomatic individuals with high accuracy, thus enabling timely diagnosis and treatment to save lives. An increase in the number of breast cancer cases and the social construct associated with discussions of breast cancer has led to one of the most important developments in the history of technological advancement in the field of oncology. Led by the same urge to bring cancer conversations to the forefront, Apollo Cancer Centres, via this launch appeals to women to get screened in the easiest way ,via a blood , to gain knowledge about their susceptibility to Breast Cancer. With an easy draw of a small quantity of blood, now, EasyCheck – Breast can help in the detection of breast cancer even before the first stage. The EasyCheck will be available across India on June 22, 2022 at all Apollo Cancer Centres. Commenting on the occasion, Dr Prathap Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals, said, “In line with our mission to spread awareness about early detection of cancers and offer world-class cancer treatment, the launch of EasyCheck Breast marks an important success towards quality technological advancements ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment to lower the mortality rate. This association with Datar Cancer Genetics has made a path-breaking achievement and at Apollo Cancer Centres, we are well equipped to diagnose breast cancers with the best in class advancements and treatments. I, humbly request the caretakers of the family, the women of India, to step out and make sure to get themselves tested at least once a year to make sure you are safe from breast cancer. From diagnosis to treatment, Apollo Cancer Centres pledges to stand with their patients at all times and give them Tender Loving Care on the road to recovery.” Speaking about the test, Mr Rajan Datar, Founder & Chairman, Datar Cancer Genetics, said, “Unfortunately, most cancers are detected at advanced stages which necessitate more intensive and expensive treatments which have a greater risk of debilitating side effects and treatment failures. EasyCheck- Breast is the culmination of years of collaborative international research and innovation and has been developed, tested, and validated on population-sized cohorts. A simple blood draw holds the promise of early cancer detection in asymptomatic individuals and opens the possibilities of successful treatments and improved survival.” Commenting on the landmark development in diagnosis of cancer at an early stage, Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, said, “At Apollo, patient-centricity is at the core of our approach, be it in diagnosis, treatment, or care post recovery. Now, with the introduction of the innovative EasyCheck Breast, it is a giant leap forward in enabling early and easy identification of breast cancer, in a very convenient manner. According to our experts, approximately 70% of women in India are diagnosed at a late stage and we are hopeful that EasyCheck Breast will contribute to lowering this statistic significantly”. On the occasion, Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospital Enterprises Ltd said, “With the launch of Easy Check Breast, Apollo Cancer Centres and Datar Genetics is committed to ensure that we diagnose cancer at the earliest and this is the first step in winning over cancer. The late diagnosis of breast cancer remains the sole cause of high mortality rate in women with breast cancer in India. With Easy Check Breast, we address this root cause and make it earlier, easier. “ Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women globally. It has now surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of global cancer incidence in 2020, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases, representing 11.7% of all cancer cases. Epidemiological studies have shown that the global burden of Breast Cancer is expected to cross almost 2 million by the year 2030. In India, the incidence has increased significantly, almost by 50%, between 1965 and 1985. The estimated number of incident cases in India in 2016 was 118000. As per data, in India, Breast Cancer accounted for 13.5% (178361) of all cancer cases and 10.6% (90408) of all deaths in 2020. In line with the mission to spread awareness about cancer & regular screening for early detection with EasyCheck- Breast, Apollo Cancer aims at addressing the pressing need for the right knowledge about early diagnosis, and holistic treatment in cancer care.