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There is a completely new
technology arriving to deal with aneurysm (swelling) of the arteries. This
relates to implanting a PTFE covered stent in the affected artery to block off
the flow of blood into the aneurysm. PTFE expands into polytetra fluroethylene.
"The PTFE covered stent is the
latest technology in this field. This is mainly used to treat aneurysms where
there is a dilatation of the blood vessels or arteries. Such a procedure could
be carried out, for instance, when there is an aneurysm in a major artery like
the aorta. The aorta is the body's prime hosepipe," Dr Ashok Bandyopadhyay told
ET. Dr. Bandyopadhyay is chief cardiac surgeon at Kolkata's Peerless Hospital.
According to him, the operation, which is known as covered stenting of
descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, is being performed in the West, especially
the US, for around the last two years. In that sense, the technology can be said
to be an emerging one in India. Incidentally, implanting a covered stent, Dr.
Bandyopadhyay said, is brought off through a teamwork between the cardiologist
and cardio vascular surgeon.
The covered stenting technique
is picking up in India, he said, primarily in metros like Mumbai, Delhi,
Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. Peerless Hospital, for example, has recently
pulled off a covered stent procedure. Dr. D Ghosh Roy, consultant cardio in the
hospital said that the patient, 52-year-old Kari Bouri, was admitted with
recurrent bleeding when he coughed, jaundice and acute and chronic renal
failure. "We have successfully carried out a covered stenting procedure on the
patient and a he is much improved man now. A normal surgery on him would have
been of very high risk. We are releasing him soon," Dr Roy said.
As things stand, the cost of a
covered stenting procedure is placed in the region of Rs 4 - 4.5 lakh. A
conventional open vascular surgery entails in the region of Rs 1.5 - 2 lakh. Of
course, doctors could also embark on the covered stent process when a standard
surgery can run a high risk for the patient. "The cost of the covered stenting
tech is high because it's a comparatively recent development and the stent and
equipment to carry out procedure have to be imported from Singapore," Dr.
Bandyopadhyay said. Aneurysm cases which require covered stenting implantation
come up off and on and there is little reason why the technique will not catch
up fast in the coming days, Dr. Bandyopadhyay summed up.
(Ref : The Economic Times
dated May 30, 2006)
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