All of us know that prevention is better than cure and its importance cannot be overemphasized. However, not every disease is preventable and screening provides us with the second best option of catching them early. Although there are various definitions for screening it can simply be summed up as detecting disease early in asymptomatic (those without any symptoms) individuals.
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Medical care of a child is different from that
Medical care of a child is different from that of an adult, and no one knows this as well as a Paediatrician (Child specialist). Similarly, the Orthopaedic care of a child is different from that of an adult.
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The current era of sedentary lifestyle is coupled with an exponential growth of lifestyle diseases like Diabetes Mellitus and high Blood Pressure, but very few people have heard of Chronic kidney disease as a public health menace. The numbers are simply frightening in 2005.
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Reconstructive surgery is commonly known for cosmetic procedures. World over, there has been a steady awareness and demand for breast enlargement, nose job, face lift etc. While utility of such treatment is debatable, there is another offshoot, called reconstructive urology, which is progressively seen a steady growth.
Several congenital ailments leave lifelong handicaps. One such is hypospadias, where the location of the male urethral opening is abnormal. This leaves a boy failing to void himself normally. This occurs in 1 in 300 live births and due to lack of specialized centres, undergo repeated surgeries Two eminent surgeons, Culp and McRoberts had poignantly emphasised “It is the inalienable right of every boy to be a pointer instead of a sitter by the time he starts school and to write his name legibly in the snow.” With modern techniques, most of these boys undergo a single stage repair, reducing morbidity and mental trauma.
Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction is by far the most common cause of pediatric kidney disease, occurring in 1 per 1000-2000 newborns. Minimally invasive reconstruction with Laparoscopic and Robotic techniques have made it feasible to treat this challenging condition with three 2 mm ports, and the child is discharged within 24 hours.
Prostate related diseases affect 10- 24% of an aging male. Many end up requiring surgery and this may sometime lead to post prostate surgery urinary incontinence. Traditionally, pads, penile clamps and catheters were the only solutions. However, modern reconstructive procedures like Advanced Male Sling and Artificial Urinary Sphincter enable one to regain urinary control.
Urethral Stricture (narrowing of the urethra affecting urinary flow), is a relatively common disease in men with an associated prevalence of about 0.6%. Trauma remains the most common aetiology in developing and Third World countries, with about 90% of men presenting with complications, including the life time dependency on a catheter. Modern repair techniques (aka Urethroplasty), uses tissue transfer from the mouth, tongue and penile skin etc., to reconstruct the scarred urethra, with high success rate of above 90%.
Urinary incontinence is increasingly afflicting more and more people. Most adopt coping methods like adult diapers, fluid restrictions etc., which yield less than ideal outcomes. Stress incontinence (loss of urinary control on coughing, straining) is common in some women after multiple child births, leaving them prone to recurrent urinary tract infections and social embarrassment. TVT (tension free vaginal tape) was introduced in Sweden in 1995. It quickly become the "gold standard" operation for treating women with stress urinary incontinence, with almost 85% cure rate.
Over active bladder (OAB) is another common bothersome ailment afflicting about 15 -17% of healthy individuals. Standard treatment with life style alterations and medications can relieve milder forms of OAB. However, side effects of drugs and inadequate relief used to leave these patients frustrated. Interstim- bladder pacemaker is an effective treatment for this condition, which allows an individual to lead a normal life.
Aging populations and trauma have increased the incidence of erectile dysfunction. When medical management fail, penile prosthesis is the way forward. These artificial implants provide adequate concealment and functional outcomes, enabling normal conjugal lives and fertility.
Management of Genito urinary cancers have made significant progress and most are cured. However, living without an urinary bladder for a bladder cancer patient is a daunting task. At FMRI, Neo-bladders are being routinely made using modern laparoscopic and robotic techniques, enabling one to live without urine collection devices. Emasculation as a sequelae of penile cancers treatment and penile trauma is psychologically and physically devastating. Penile reconstruction using forearm muscles enable great aesthetic and functional outcomes and FMRI is one of the few centres in India offering these services.
