Efforts on for early identification of cervical cancer

Pune, September 29: While international research has shown that HIV positive women are more prone to cervical cancer, a study has now been undertaken jointly by National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), B J Medical College (BJMC) and Vanderbilt University to identify simple techniques that can diagnose the cancer at an early stage.
Dr Sanjay Mehendale, deputy director, senior grade, NARI and the principal investigator of the project that the US-based National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) will fund the study. Dr V L Yemul, dean, BJMC and Sassoon Hospital said 300 HIV positive women will be recruited for the study.
As part of this study, a function was held at OPD number 63 at SGH where the facility of colposcopy—a diagnostic tool to determine the cause of abnormalities found in Pap smears— was provided. Dr Mohan Swaminathan, Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar, NARI director Dr Ramesh Paranjape and others were present on the occasion.
Yemul said efforts were taken to introduce more schemes and programmes as part of the diamond jubilee year celebrations of BJMC. Elaborating on the techniques that will be tested during the study are the Acetic Acid (Visual Inspection after smearing with Acetic Acid) test and a viral test for detecting the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
Explains Mehendale, ‘‘The VIA test will study the usefulness of the technique of smearing the mouth of the cervix with acetic acid. In case there is cancer then then there will be colour change and even a non-technical person can perform this technique in peripheral areas.’’

Advanced hysterectomy technique now introduced in city hospital

Saturday, October 31, 1998

PUNE, Oct 30: To avoid a painful abdominal incision and facilitate an early recovery, consultants at the Poona Hospital and Research Centre have introduced the scientifically advanced technique of laproscopic hysterectomy.
The new technique is performed using a video camera attached to a telescope. It goes into the patient's body through a small incision of 1 cm taken in the umbilicus. Three small incisions of 5 mm are made in the lower abdomen through which forceps and scissors are inserted to perform the surgery. Next, the uterus is removed through the vagina as per this technique. Abdominal hysterectomy traditionally involves the removal of the uterus through an abdominal incision.
The major advantage of the minimally invasive surgery is that it totally avoids the need for traditional surgical incision on the abdomen which is the major cause of post-operative pain, morbidity and prolonged recovery time. The patient is be discharged in 72 hours and can resume normal work after three weeks of rest.
Gynaecological endoscopist Sunita Tandulwadkar and gynaecologist Swati Anpat, who completed 40 cases of laproscopic hysterectomy, have also been awarded at the Annual Conference of Pune Obstetric-Gynaecological Society for their work in the field.

Free advice is being provided to patients on Mondays and Tuesdays between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Lohia Wing, Poona Hospital.

 

IVF babies now healthier with blastocyst transfer
14 May, 2003 l 0643 hrs ISTlHUNED CONTRACTOR/TIMES NEWS NETWORK

AT 5.30 pm on Monday evening, gynaecological endoscopist and chief IVF consultant of Ruby Hall clinic, Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar, is a bit tense as she waits for a television screen to come alive. A few seconds later, it does and the image produces a whoosh of excitement in her.

“Yes, we are doing great,” gushes Dr Tandulwadkar, referring to the growth of an embryo that has been monitored for the past three days. The situation is important because this particular centre is the first in the world which has done a blastocyst transfer within three months of its set-up.

Providing an explanation, Dr Tandulwadkar states, “Inspite of the many advances in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and the mushrooming of the new In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) centres around the world, the takehome baby rates have been stubbornly low, mainly because of broken down cells, slow cleavage rates and limited length of survival which pose serious problems. What happens, therefore, is that couples may invest a huge amount in the process, but the guarantee factor is limited to a mere 25 to 30 per cent. This can result in a financial and psychological blow to those who have found the courage to undergo the operation. The blastocyst transfer process is one that pushes up the success rate to above 65 per cent.”

Based on guidelines provided by the Sydney IVF Centre (said to be the best in the world), Dr Tandulwadkar undertook a year-long study process, visiting centres around the world. In simple terms, a blastocyst culture allows genetically defective embryos to cease development and allows only the toughest to survive for longer periods in vitro, thereby producing a select population of embryos for transfer in the uterus.

What’s more interesting is that Ruby Hall’s IVF Centre is now equipped with state-of-the-art incubators which implies that embryos can be frozen and stored for a period of 10 to 15 years. “We can have couples coming back to us for another child and the embryo would be ready for use.Where incubators are not available, healthy embryos are thrown away,” explains Dr Tandulwadkar.

I-Day miracle at city hospital

16 Aug 2005
Indian Express

PUNE: Two years ago, on Independence Day, Ruby Hall Clinic?s In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) centre had its first test tube baby. This year, the centre created a record on August 15, as a post-menopausal 50-year-old woman, in a highly complicated case, gave birth to twins.
Bhomi Bhote, CEO of Ruby Hall Clinic said that the woman had approached Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar at the IVF centre. During her first visit she was detected with a large fibroid and she also suffered from uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension.
She was advised against pregnancy, due to high risk factors like age and other health problems. In addition, she would also require a major surgery, laparoscopic myomectomy, before planning a pregnancy.
It took two months to her control diabetes and hypertension. She also underwent a myomectomy to take care of the large fibroid. The wounds took nearly four months to heal and then she was taken up for the IVF programme, where two quality embryos were transferred. Although in her first attempt she conceived twins, continuing the pregnancy was a challenge.
There was constant threat of rupture of the uterus. Due to her menopausal condition, the size of the uterus was smaller than those of a reproductive age, said Dr Tandulwadkar. However, untiring efforts by Dr Ajit Tambolkar of Poona Hospital and Research Centre and Dr Abhay Mutha of Ruby Hall Clinic, the diabetes and blood pressure were controlled with insulin and anti-hypertension drugs.