Is Your Surgery Postponed Due To Covid19 Pandemic?
The rapid spread of the COVID19
pandemic has forced authorities, hospitals, and doctors to make difficult
decisions regarding the management of patients with non-COVID19 diseases. One
such decision was taken regarding the patients requiring surgery. Some patients
need immediate surgical procedures to save their lives i.e.
emergency/lifesaving surgery. In these patients, it is clear that the
procedures should not and have not been delayed and hospitals are doing such
surgeries while taking all the necessary precautions required to contain
possible COVID19 spread.
However, some illnesses are not
immediately life-threatening but need surgical procedures to treat them i.e
elective surgery. Almost all such elective surgical procedures have been
indefinitely postponed given the rapid spread of the COVID19 pandemic. Since
the latter half of March 2020 govt. hospitals in a bid to divert the resources
for COVID19 containment have started canceling elective surgeries and they were
quickly followed by the private hospitals.
Such a decision would previously
be almost unheard of, however, under the current circumstances, there is no
doubt regarding the legibility of such decisions. With ‘social distancing’
being a major tool in the containment of COVID19, it helped significantly to
limit the number of patients visiting hospitals.
The decision to postpone elective
surgeries has also helped divert resources such as ICU beds, ventilators, and
manpower (doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff) towards the care of
suspected and confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-19 infection. Besides, it has
provided doctors, hospitals and administrative staff to draw strategies for
patient care even as pandemic been rapidly spreading.
However, it cannot be denied that
patients with non-COVID ailments requiring elective surgery have faced
difficulties. They have had to stay at home with the fear of further
complications that may arise due to non-reatment of the disease. Also, they may
have had to bear the symptoms and discomfort related to the ailment.
A patient with stones in the gallbladder may
have had to bear the vomiting and severe pain in the upper abdomen hoping that
it will settle down. Such patients are at risk of complications such as
jaundice and pancreatitis (swelling in the pancreas) which in some cases can
even be life threatening. Similarly a patient with a Hernia may have had no
option but to bear the dragging discomfort knowing well that there is no
medicine to cure his disease. Such patients have also had to live with the
possibility of serious complications such as the hernia getting stuck causing
the intestinal obstruction or even strangulation.
In a bid to alleviate these
symptoms they may even administer self-prescribed medications, which can lead
to dangerous side-effects. All such patients are advised to consult their
doctors online, as most of the best hospitals in India have started digital
consultation services, including the Metro Hospital.
As the period of lockdown is
extended and we get a better control over the pandemic it is becoming
increasingly clear that is essential to address the problems of such non-covid
patients while simultaneously fighting the pandemic. The list of illnesses that
if not appropriately treated by a relatively simple “elective surgery” that can
become complicated and even life-threatening if left in operated for long.
Such “elective surgeries” will
need to be gradually restarted with all appropriate precautions to keep both
the patient and the healthcare providers safe. Even if a decision is taken to
defer the surgical procedure for some time it should be done after appropriate
counseling of the patient and relatives. This would reassure the patients and
not make them feel that someone else has decided to delay their
treatment/surgery. The patient needs to have the confidence that their doctor
is there for them even in these difficult times.
Meanwhile, patients who need
elective surgeries (scheduled surgeries) also need to ensure that they take all
the necessary precautions as advised by their consultant. If there are any sort
of complications or uneasiness, it is advisable to immediately get in touch
with the hospital with online consultation capability such as Metro Hospitals.
They should know that they have not been left stranded and as per ICMR if
required such surgeries can be done if recommended by your consultant.
Metro hospital is making every
effort to reach out to their patients undergoing treatment and provide all the
possible healthcare facility including round the clock consultation and if
required hospitalization services. We are also equipped with facilities to
provide critical care right at your home and are ensuring that you stay at home
and safe.
We at the Metro group of
hospitals are always committed to realizing the vision of providing world-class
healthcare at an affordable cost and to achieve excellence in Healthcare
services by offering exceptional care through state of the art technology.
The Metro Group was established
in the year 1997 by Padama Vibhusan, Padma Bhusan and Dr. B C Roy National
Awardee Dr. Purshotam Lal with the vision to provide world-class healthcare
amenities to his countrymen at an affordable cost.
Metro Group of Hospitals are the
leading healthcare centers in our country boasting an ultra-modern infrastructure
providing multispeciality care by an exceptional team of healthcare
professionals under the leadership of world-renowned interventional
cardiologist Dr. Purshotam Lal. We at Metro hospitals provide multispecialty
care for 35 specialties that include Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology,
Respiratory, Oncology, Orthopaedics Joint replacement, Gastro and Bariatric
Surgery, Neurology and Neurosurgery, etc.
Dr. Purshotam Lal is a world-renowned
cardiologist who has been trained at world’s top medical institutions in UK,
Germany, and USA and has been granted fellowships at American College of
Cardiology; American College of Medicine; Royal College of Physicians (Canada);
Indian College of Cardiology & Society for Cardiac Angiography Interventions
(USA). He has been constantly innovating and has provided the world with
various procedures in the field of Interventional Cardiology. He has
successfully implemented these procedures and has treated thousands of patients
suffering from complex heart diseases.
He made monumental contributions
in the clinical development of Monodisc Device and for the first time in
medical history performed heart hole (ASD) Closure on a patient from Tamil
Nadu. Some of the other procedures that were performed by Dr. Purshotam Lal for
the first time include
· The first case of Aortic Valve Replacement
with Core Valve, without surgery on July 12, 2004.
· The 1st case in high-risk Aortic
Valvuloplasty in July 1990 for the 1st time in the Medical Literature.
· Introduced INOUE Balloon, the most popular
balloon for opening tight valve, for the 1st time in the country.
· Developed a new concept of “METRO CORONARY
SCREENING” for the patients who have been having a phobia of conventional
coronary angiography.
· Introduced more than 20 interventional
procedures in the country such as Coronary Atherectomy, Slow Rotational
Angioplasty, Rotablator, etc.
· Performing the largest no of
angioplasties/stenting as a single operator in the world – as per HEAL Survey –
the leading health magazine.
His contributions in the field of
interventional cardiology are numerous and he is constantly working to provide
affordable healthcare to all.
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