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Angioplasty in Nutshell – What it is and Where Should you Avail it?

The heart is a muscular organ that acts as a pumping device for the circulation of blood in the body, along with the other elements of the circulatory system. Many times, some complications lead to a cardiac emergency and a timely action of good hospitals can deal with it effectively. To avoid such mishaps, it is always recommended to seek routine consultations, screenings, and treatment from a descent cardiologist, from time to time.

Let’s understand about a very special cardiological procedure, the angioplasty, in details.

What Is Angioplasty?

Angioplasty is a non-invasive procedure, used to unclog the blocked or narrowed blood vessels and ensure the blood flow in the circulatory system stays effective.

Why And When Angioplasty Is Needed?

At first, let’s understand the working function of the heart in a nutshell. The coronary arteries pump oxygenated blood first to the heart and then throughout the body, while the veins collect the deoxygenated blood back to the heart and then to the lungs. It seems like a pretty simple procedure, but the double-circulation system is quite complex in structure.

Because of high cholesterol and other medical conditions, prolonged plaque built up, which in turn narrows or blocks the blood vessels entirely. As a result, the heart either gets the blood supply at a much slower rate or none at all. If left untreated, the plaque built up hardens and can lead to cardiac cell damage, triggering a heart attack. A timely Angioplasty is required to unclog the blocked blood vessels and to restore the heart’s function.

How Is Angioplasty Carried Out?

Angioplasty

Angioplasty is a non-invasive procedure, but a clear explanation is required to understand it correctly. The angioplasty uses a thin, tube-like structure to unclog the plaque build up in the blood vessels. The procedure is minutely surgical in nature, as the probe is inserted like a needle, through a suitable blood vessel (wrist or leg). It is then moved gradually towards the clogged blood vessel and with little force, the blood vessels are cleared.

Even though it involves piercing the needles, it is rightly referred to as non-invasive, as it involves no piercing of the blood vessel of the heart directly.

Where Should You Consider Getting An Angioplasty?

Angioplasty required specialized skills and advanced medical technology to be safe and effective. It can only be done in hospitals or diagnostic center that offers catheterization laboratory (cath labs) facility. At ILS Hospitals, we offer advanced cath labs along with other diagnostics services. For more information, get in touch with http://ilshospitals.com/hospital-locations.php?location=dumdum

Gestational Diabetes And Its Consequences On Mother & Baby During Pregnancy

A successful pregnancy ends with a safe childbirth from where you take a new step to the journey of motherhood, this time, holding your child in your arms. Almost every maternity hospitals in Kolkata offers both Cesarean and natural delivery and the suitable birthing option is chosen by the help of both parents and the doctor. Several conditions during the pregnancy, sometimes leave a very little room for the choice and compel people to go for a particular procedure. Gestational diabetes is one such condition. Let’s see what it is and how it might influence birthing options.

What is Gestation Diabetes?

Gestation diabetes is a unique kind of diabetes that onsets only during pregnancy. Thankfully, it often resolves on its own after childbirth, but it complicates several aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. Unmanaged or undiagnosed diabetes often has severe consequences.

How It Affect The Fetus?

The large fetal size is one such common complication, in which the size of the fetal baby is abnormally large. In medical terms, they are referred to as Large for Gestational Age (LGA), Macrosomic infants and they can often weigh up to 12 pounds. This happens when the baby starts producing a high level of insulin as an auto response to a high level of glucose produced by the mother’s body. This exceptionally large size makes the natural birthing option a risky procedure for both the baby and the mother.

How It Complicates Childbirth?

Delivering the baby naturally, through the birth canal is challenging because of the large body structure, which might get wedged during the childbirth. In fact, ‘shoulder dystocia’ is a common complication that is found in such cases. This complication arises when the shoulder of the baby gets stuck in the mother’s pelvic bone due to large shoulder and upper body fat. It can lead to fracture and other injuries to the baby’s neck or collarbone. Moreover, due to prolonged and more strained labor, the baby often does not get enough oxygen during labor and that might lead to severe life-threatening consequences as well.

How It Is Risky For Mothers As Well?

It brings challenges to the mother as well. Delivering the large baby significantly increases the chances of having labor-related bruises, tear, pain and bleeding. Often a cesarean delivery is opted to ensure a safe childbirth, but it has risks of its own.

What Can Be Done?

Thus, as it is clearly indicated, having gestational diabetes can have several effects on both mother and the baby, it is crucial to seek consultations and care from reliable maternity hospitals to ensure a safe pregnancy and childbirth ahead. Seek consultation from experience Gynaecologist of ILS Hospitals for any such complications to ensure safe pregnancy and childbirth.

6 Tips To Stay Healthy During This Season Change

The scorching summer is finally bidding goodbye now, as we are done with the fans and AC for some time now. We are welcoming the winters gradually with the warm and cozy winter wears. This seasonal change is beautiful and thrilling, but it also makes many of us queue in hospitals for various reasons. Relying on soups, herbal tea and over-the-counter drugs become inevitable for many of us, but following some tips can help you mitigate the ill-effects of seasonal shift effectively.

So, check out the following tips to stay healthy during this ongoing season change.

Keep Personal Hygiene In Check

Healthy Tips

Regardless of the season, hygiene always acts as the first line of defense for many contiguous and pathogenic conditions. Doing simple, yet crucial hygienic practices such as washing hands properly, taking regular showers, using a handkerchief while coughing and sneezing and ensuring sanitation hygiene itself can keep several complications at bay.

Stay Hydrated

healthy tips

The fluid and ion balance is a crucial factor for a healthy body. Even though drinking water seems a little challenging during winters, staying hydrated is crucial. Try to have adequate water each day and also try to have other beverages such as tea, soups, and broths to meet the requirements.

Catch Up With Your Zzzs

healthy tips

Sleeping for 7-9 hours is crucial, during every season. Sleep deprivation can not only make you feel lethargic and weak but also slows down your immunization. Thankfully, sleeping adequately during winters is not difficult, is it!

Breathe The Nature

healthy tips

The changing weather should not restrict your movement in the outdoors. In fact, try to blend with the changing nature. Not only it will boost your immunity, detoxify your body but also uplift your mood in several ways.

Eat Seasonal Fruits And Veggies

Healthy tips

Every season brings some challenges, but nature also brings several delicious and nutritious fruits and veggies with every season. They are all enriched with crucial nutrients to help you have a better health.

Stay Dressed Accordingly

healthy tips

Of course, enjoying the winters is crucial, but so is suitably getting dressed. Consider carrying winter wear to your office or school, which you can drape while returning to your homes, as the temperature drops significantly during nightfall.

As you can see, staying in good health is quite effective if you follow these simple, yet helpful tips for the season. However, in case you fall into the traps of illness, don’t hesitate to seek medical consultation at the earliest to make a speedy recovery. You can always visit ILS Hospitals for any such conditions.

Asthma – All You Need To Know About

‘Breathe In, Breathe Out’. This is a common tip we offer to one another every now and then, to cope up with our stressful lives. However, did you ever wonder that how much our lungs are working 24/7 to keep providing this air supply? Lungs have alveoli, which are expanding and contracting to facilitate the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. However, many a time, due to some malfunctions, the lungs cannot perform well and as a result several respiratory conditions onset.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is one very common inflammatory type respiratory illness that is caused by the obstruction of the airway, which eventually leads to mild to severe breathing difficulties. Let’s understand all about asthma in details.

How Lungs Work?

Lungs are a set of organs that facilitate the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen for the body. The windpipe progressively branches into smaller tubes and buds throughout the lungs, like a channel. As we breathe in, we inhale air through the nose and it travels all the way into the lungs, where it diffuses into the bloodstream. Simultaneously, it absorbs carbon dioxide and expels it from the body through the same passage.

How Asthma Occurs?

Asthma onsets when this passage gets blocked and it reduces the amount of air passing through the windpipe. It happens due to the swelling of the lungs mucus lining, which in turn, results in tightening of the muscles around it. Its degree of severity varies from people to people. For some people, it is managed effectively with minor medication, while for others, it poses severe threats in the form of asthma attacks. Moreover, the repetitive occurrence of the same causes a nuisance by interfering daily-life activities.

What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma?

Asthma can often be characterized by chest congestion, chest pain, breathlessness, whistling or wheezing while breathing, trouble sleeping due to the high severity of the other symptoms. Often the symptoms heighten up even more with cold and flu. For some patients, the symptoms trigger with a certain condition like exercise or exposure to a certain type of chemicals or so.

Treatment Of Asthma

Most asthma cases can be effectively managed with timely, medical measures. Often it requires either or both, rescue inhalers (to treat symptoms) and prevent inhalers (to prevent the symptoms). In severe cases of asthma attacks, using asthma shots might be inevitable as well.

Read moreEarly symptoms of Lung Cancer

ILS Hospitals offer quality treatment for asthma along with the best care for a wide range of other respiratory and chest conditions.

Busting 6 Myths About – Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery is the most common joint replacement surgery that is executed in the leading Orthopaedic clinics. Sadly, several misconceptions and myths surround the same. It’s time to burst 6 most common myths that surround knee replacement surgery.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Fact – The success rate of both partial knee replacement surgery and total knee replacement surgery are exceptionally high. In fact, availing it from experienced doctors, through the advanced medical approach, and at a decent Orthopaedic clinic, has as high as a 95% success rate.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Fact – One can drive with much ease and comfort, within 6-8 weeks after the laparoscopic knee replacement surgery.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Fact – It is a common and frightening misconception. Having natural movements like bending knees, or sitting on the floor can be done, with proper guidance post recovery and rehabilitation. It greatly depends upon the quality of surgery and implant.

Read more – Which Orthopaedic Joint Replacement should you consider for yourself.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Fact – This happens in very rare cases when pain and discomfort arises. Usually, such cases happen, if an inexperienced doctor makes any error while implanting, but the same can be corrected accurately. Many eminent Orthopaedic clinics perform revision surgeries on outpatients, on a regular basis.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Fact – Well, often people prefer to have these replacement surgeries done for one knee at a time, mainly due to financial constraints. However, from a medical perspective, getting them both done together is not only safe but has its perks too. Just undergo the surgery in one go and no need to pause for a double recovery period either.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Fact – It greatly depends on the quality and type of surgery. While open surgery takes about a couple of months to make a complete recovery, the advanced laparoscopic surgery enables the patient to resume most of their daily work within a couple of weeks.

In a nutshell, Knee Replacement Surgery is an extremely safe and effective surgery. For most of the patients, it is a procedure that gives them a second chance to make the best out of life.

Facts About C-Section Every Expecting Mother Should Know Of

Bringing a life to the world is both amazing and challenging. A successful term of pregnancy ends up with a successful birth, which occurs either naturally or surgically. Most maternity hospitals nowadays assist in both natural and caesarean birth. Earlier the number of caesarean birth (also known as C-section) was very limited, but nowadays more and more cases are being noted. This advanced procedure helps many complicated births, but several myths surround it that makes many pregnant women avoid it on purpose.

Let’s burst 5 common myths regarding the same.

Myth 1 – It is Risky

Fact – Like any surgical procedure, it has certain risks attached to it. But so is with natural birth, where the use of forceps can cause injury to both mother and child. It is safe to conclude that a C-section from the hands of experts is possessed no long-term threats whatsoever. In fact, in many cases, it is a lot safer than natural birth.

Myth 2 – It is Always An Emergency Procedure

Fact – Many C-sections are indeed done on an emergency procedure. But, it can be elective as well. Maternity hospitals are observing that many women these days actually prefer the C-section due to its benefits.

Myth 3 – It is Only For High-Risk Pregnancies

Fact – Most high-risk pregnancies and breech babies are advised for C-section to mitigate risks associated with natural birth. But there is no thumb rule for it. Any women can choose to have her baby through this procedure if she feels it is the right one for her.

Myth 4 – It is Impossible To Deliver Naturally After A C-Section

Fact – Earlier, it was quite a changeling and considered so. These days, it is not only possible but actually is practiced by many women. It is more professional called VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Caesarean).

Myth 5 – C-Section Makes a Less of a Mother

Fact – No. Absolutely not. No matter how a baby is born, a mother is a mother. She is every bit of strong and commendable.

So, don’t let the silly myths stop you from considering the C-section for your baby if you feel it is the better option out of the 2.

Always remember the quote, by Laura Stavoe Harm: “There is a secret in our culture and it is not that birth is painful but that women are strong”.

All About X-Ray Tests And Its Scope

Diagnosis plays a crucial role in the overall treatment and care. In fact, it is not uncommon to find long queues in the good diagnostic center just like you find in the best hospitals. To make things easier for our patients, we at ILS Hospitals, offer most advanced high-end diagnoses including Cath lab, MRI, ECG, CT scans and more, within our premises itself. Today we will discuss a special diagnosis test, namely the X-ray as we are observing the World Radiation day, on 8th November.

What is x-ray?

The credit goes to the German Physics professor Wilhelm Rontgen, who accidentally discovered it while some experiment. X-ray screening is one of the oldest diagnostic techniques in the medical realm. It uses shielded, controlled ionized radiation to pass through the human body and it produces images accordingly. Any deformity and damage can be clearly evaluated from the same.

Scope of x-rays

X-Ray tests have huge scope in various medical specialties. We list out few most common –

1. Orthopaedics

a) The most common use of x-ray is the diagnosis of orthopaedic deformities. It is used to identify the damages to bones and joints.

b) It also can be used to estimate the bone density and thus is quite helpful to diagnose medical conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis.

c) It can also detect the presence of the bone tumors. However, its nature has to be determined by further screenings.

2. Dental

a) It can be used to check the alignment and damage of teeth and jaws. It can also be used to check for the cavities in the mouth.

3. Thoracic and abdomen cavity

a) Several lung conditions can be detected by x-ray tests, namely tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and sometimes even cancer.

b) It can also detect several conditions, namely blocked blood vessels.

c) It is a useful tool to detect the presence of stones in the abdominal organs.

d) It is highly useful to trace any swallowed item, particularly in the case of children.

Though the number of diagnostic center offering X-ray screening is mushrooming in every corner, not every unit is using them as per the standard guidelines. As a result, many a time, people suffer hair loss, burns, and other complications due to poorly shield x-ray radiation. At ILS Hospitals, we ensure the x-ray tests offer only the positive benefits to the patients. We will be back soon with one such special diagnosis technique and its scope.

Most Common Health Complications of Newborns

‘A newborn – a new beginning of life, a new hope, a new possibility’

If you are a new parent, you too can clearly relate to the same. However, having a child brings several concerns along with it. It is highly likely that you are constantly worried about the health and wellbeing of your little one. If you do, you are not alone and as per obstetricians, your worries are not pointless either. Newborns and infants are most susceptible to various illnesses from right after birth and until they turn at least a year old. You can find several infants being treated in hospitals on a daily basis. Here we present, a few most common health problems of newborns and infants-

Read moreMust-Have Immunization For Your Kids

1. Birth Injuries

It is the most common type of trauma seen in newborns and often occurs due to the use of forceps during childbirth. It is more common among breech babies and the ones with difficult labor. Most of the birth injuries resolve with time, however, in a few cases the degree of damage is more severe such as fracture and needs immediate care.

2. Diarrhea

Having loose motion is quite normal for young infants. It is often due to the reaction of antibiotics and infections. It is recommended to keep the baby hydrated and if the color and texture of the stool change rapidly, it is wise to seek an opinion from an expert.

3. Vomiting

Just like the loose motion, vomiting is quite common among newborns as well. It is particularly prevalent after feeding. Thereby, parents and other caregivers are encouraged to burp the child after feeding them. Persistent vomiting leads to severe dehydration and thus proper care is advised. Moreover, throwing greenish vomit is a red flag and requires immediate medical attention.

4. Fever

Infections are quite common among infants due to a low immune system. Thereby, having a fever too is common, as fever is the body’s autoimmune response to fight the infections. But parents are advised to seek help, if fever higher than 101 degrees persists for long, as it may lead to severe complications in the future.

5. Skin Problems

The baby has very soft and delicate skin during infancy and they suffer very frequent diaper rashes. It can lead to itching, irritation and other dermatology issues. It is therefore advised to use a good diaper cream and change the diapers more frequently.

We are observing newborn care week from 15thto 22nd November. And thereby encourage every new parent to take adequate measure towards ensuring that their child has a healthy childhood and life ahead. We, at ILS Hospitals, have expert neonatologists and pediatricians to deal with any kind of infant medical condition. Also, we are all equipped with the Neonatal intensive care unit.

Rely on the quality treatment and care of ILS Hospitals to treat any illness or injury of your newborn.

Invasive, Non-Invasive and Interventional Cardiology – How Are They Different?

The heart is one of the most crucial organs of our body. Its function is vital for our functionality and survival. The count of heart diseases is increasing at a steady rate. While some conditions like palpitation can be addressed with oral medication, some conditions like heart attack qualify as a cardiac emergency. Cardiology is the special branch of medicine that deals with diagnosis, treatment, and care for heart ailments.

Today, we will brief 3 major branches of cardiology, namely- invasive, non-invasive and interventional cardiology. All three of them have the ultimate same goal- evaluate the heart’s structure and functions and diagnose a heart condition when encountered.

1. Invasive Cardiology

As the terminology clearly indicates, this branch deals with invasive approaches. It involves either open or laparoscopic incisional probes to trace the abnormalities of the heart. Two of the most common procedures are angioplasty and stenting. It aims to clear the blocked blood vessels through a surgical approach.

2. Non-Invasive Cardiology

Unlike the previous one, non-invasive cardiology carries out diagnosis and treatment without inserting any equipment inside the body. It includes procedures such as Holter monitor, ECG, Echocardiogram, MRI, CT scan etc. It uses imaging techniques to extract crucial information about the heart.

3. Interventional Cardiology

It involves an advanced technique to address cardiac issues. It is an advanced branch of cardiology and needs expert medical team along with advanced, high – end equipment and technology. It mostly uses a small tube-like catheter to rectify narrowed, blocked and damaged blood vessels. It includes procedures like Valvuloplasty, Percutaneous valve repair, Percutaneous coronary intervention (CPI), congenital heart defect correction etc.

Underlying, untreated or misdiagnosed medical conditions can actually end up the surface as a cardiac emergency unannounced. Thus, it is natural for a patient to wonder which cardiology procedure is ideal for them. However, it is not a matter of choice of the patient and can only be evaluated by an expert cardiologist. Thereby, it is not uncommon to find a patient simply complaining about a ‘racing heart’ might actually be referred to a specialist after the primary screening.

Most of the cardiological conditions are well addressed at ILS Hospitals. However, our expertise Interventional cardiology is unparallel. We address coronary artery diseases along with congenital heart diseases, heart valve diseases, and peripheral vascular diseases. For any cardiac check-up or emergency, contact us at https://bit.ly/2DvtWAg

Watch Out For These 5 Health Hazards During Diwali

It is the time of the year when we all have the best excuse to have as many sweets we want because it is the festive season of Diwali. This festival brings joys and celebration, but sadly, it often brings several unwanted medical complications as well. Watch out for these health hazards that might come uninvited during this time.

1. Burn Injuries

The festival of lights is celebrated with candles, diyas, and firecrackers by the enthusiasts all over India. Moreover, cooking for hours and roaming around ritual fires also increase the chances of fire-related accidents. Needless to say, burn injuries are the most common accident that occurs during Diwali. Unless it is a minor, first-degree burn, it is always recommended to get it treated under a medical specialist.

Read more – A Guide To Types Of Burn And Its Treatment Approach

2. Blood Sugar Fluctuation

As Diwali involves binge eating on delicious treats and sweets, keeping blood sugar in check is quite challenging. In fact, many people hanging in the pre-diabetes zone become susceptible to diabetes during Diwali and seek diabetes treatment afterward. Though it is not exactly a medical emergency, it is crucial to keep count of the sugar intake as diabetes is tricky to resolve after it onsets.

3. Respiratory Discomfort

The level of air pollution increases profoundly due to fireworks during this period of time. This leads to severe respiratory discomfort, especially for children, expecting mothers and older people. People with any respiratory discomfort are particularly advised to practice caution against possible exposure to dense smoke and polluted air.

4. Ear Injury or Hearing Trauma

Firecrackers also produce an abundant amount of loud noise of high decibel. Often it gets corrected on its own, but exposure to the same from a close range can cause some severe damage such as temporary or permanent deafness. Just like the previous safe measure, ENT specialists advise people with a sensitive ear to practice caution to mitigate any severe injury or complications.

5. Cardiac Ailments

The eruption of sudden loud noise due to crackers causes alarm and uneasiness in people, especially, those who suffer from hypertension and other underlying cardiac discomforts. It also might induce sleep disturbance, restlessness, fidgetiness and impulsive behaviors among more susceptible people.

So, keep a note to avoid these health hazards amidst of enthusiast Diwali celebration. Always have a first aid kit within reach, but seek medical help, to rule out the chances of long-term consequences. Happy Diwali!

ILS Hospitals is open 24*7 even during this Diwali to offer you complete medical assistance if needed.