CHENNAI: When 50-year old Arumugusamy from Otteri was diagnosed with carcinoma bladder in 2007, the initial treatments caused recurring of the tumour, and he also developed renal failure with a non-functioning left kidney. But today, a year after his urinary bladder was removed at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, he has recovered with no recurring tumours.
The infected bladder was replaced with a bladder that was created using the small intestine. He has completely recovered now, and is back to routine work.
“We had some difficulty in convincing the patient about removing the bladder. But he has now completely recovered with no side effects,” says Dr N Muthulatha, Head of Department of Urology, who headed the team that performed the surgery.
The procedure, that costs up to Rs 10 lakh, was performed free of cost under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. Using the funding, the doctors are trying out new procedures and performing the same for people who cannot afford it.
In another case of urological disorder, a 42-year-old patient, Sivanesan had a case of ‘stricture urethra’. He had difficulty in passing urine since his childhood. To solve the issue, a procedure called buccal muscosal graft urethroplasty was done. “We took the skin from the oral cavity, and made an artificial urethra. He is now free of what was a life long problem. He is also free of tubes that he had been using,” adds Dr Muthulatha. The procedure would have cost Rs 2 lakh in private hospitals. Small complaints with urinary system are often ignored or self-medicated by people, say the doctors.
“We urge patients not to do self medication in any cases of urinary issues, even if it appears minor. Blood in urine and difficulty in passing urine can all be signs of renal problems, and doctors should be contacted immediately,” says Dr R Narayanan Babu, dean, Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.