CHENNAI: The Urology Department at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, which performs minimally invasive procedures for kidney stone removal, was upgraded with equipment worth `80 lakh on Thursday.
Health Minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar inaugurated the equipment - holmium laser, flexible ureteroscopy and harmonic scalpel along with a high definition C-arm instrument for the operation theatre.
“This is the first government hospital in South India to have this equipment. It was procured through the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme,” the Minister said.
He pointed out that procedures done with this equipment in a private hospital could cost up to `60,000 while it they are free at the government hospital.
Dr Jayaraman, HOD Urology Department, said that the holmium laser and the flexible ureteroscope were used for locating, visualising through a camera and breaking kidney stones. Bigger stones can be removed through the laser source. “The C-arm is the third eye in an endoscopic urological procedure. It gives a view outside the ureteroscope,” the doctor said.
The harmonic scalpel aids in sealing blood vessels up to 5 mm in laparoscopic procedures. The department has been performing minimally invasive procedures for kidney stone removal for the past 10 years. It has also treats over 1,200 patients every year with shock wave lithotripsy, a non-invasive treatment for kidney stones.