Advancing healthcare through translational research

Amidst the lockdown, Pawan from Arrah, Bihar came across a scientific webinar on YouTube about Achalasia Cardia, a rare disorder which prevented the oesophagus from squeezing food into the stomach. He researched the term after a local doctor diagnosed his 2-year old son with the condition, and said that without timely treatment it could result in mortality.Little did he know that leaving a mere comment asking for help on the YouTube video, would eventually lead to the recovery of his son.
Doctors at AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, under the supervision of Chairman, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, performed one of the most complicated therapeutic endoscopic procedures POEM (Peroral endoscopic myotomy) on the 2-year old. Pawan’s son is among the 500+ patients, who undergo this procedure at the hospital every year. The family returned home within a week.
“At AIG Hospitals, we believe clinical excellence can only be attained through sustained academic programs,” said Dr Nageshwar Reddy. Clinical excellence, academics and research complete the healthcare ecosystem and create newer avenues to optimize patient care. A shining example is the hospital being able to initiate an islet cell autotransplant program for patients with chronic pancreatitis, where insulin-producing islets are isolated from the removed pancreas and replaced in the patient’s liver, to prevent the development of diabetes.

“Islet Cell transplant requires research scientists to isolate such cells, clinicians to identify the right candidates and expert interventional radiologists to perform the final transplant. In addition to adopting a holistic approach, we ensure uniform quality of care across social strata, irrespective of patient backgrounds. This is the core principle on which we built an institution of international repute.” Dr Reddy added.
In 2016, the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO) recognized AIG Hospitals as one of the few Centers of Excellence for Gastrointestinal Disorders worldwide. It is also the only institute outside Europe, to be affiliated to The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and train European doctors on advanced endoscopic procedures. Integrating academics and research ultimately helps patients.

“Almost 20-30% of India’s population suffers from Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), impacting the quality of life. Earlier, surgery was the only option to treat GERD. We use sophisticated GERDx techniques, to cure acid-reflux with endotherapy. Apart from using this device, we are simultaneously conducting a large clinical trial to measure the effectiveness of the procedure and ways to enhance the outcome,” Dr Reddy said.
The optimizing outcome with personalized care plans is a constant endeavour at AIG Hospitals. Smriti, a 28-year old, IT-employee weighed over 100 kgs with a BMI of 33. Obesity resulted in hypertension, pre-diabetes, and most importantly limited her lifestyle. She underwent a non-invasive outpatient endoscopic procedure using The Endomina System, with minimal side effects and complications. Within three months, she lost over 24 kgs and gained a whole lot of confidence.

Another example of a patient-focused research initiative is Gut-Microbiome (microorganisms in the gut region of a human body). Understanding and altering the genetic make-up of gut microbiomes can potentially lead to curing numerous diseases including IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). But before the therapeutic stage is reached, part of the research work also has to measure overall disease prevalence. Backed by an international charity fund, AIG Hospitals has undertaken the herculean task of identifying IBD patients in Southern-rural India with some of the best diagnostic tools.
“First, we need to understand the extent of any disease, then experienced clinicians treat and spread knowledge in the form of academic sessions, followed by fundamental research to fill the gaps in clinical care. This is the kind of overall healthcare habitat that AIG stands for,” Dr Reddy continued.
Research & innovation go together just as medical & surgical aspects of treatment. Recently, AIG Hospitals became one of the first centres in India to use the ECHELON CIRCULAR™ Powered Stapler, for anastomosis in a Laparoscopic Anterior Resection surgery.
“We used our audio-visual infrastructure to LIVE stream the surgery for an audience comprising doctors from across South-Asia. We strongly believe that the exchange of clinical knowledge in form of academics will pave the way for next-gen therapies and treatment modalities,” said Dr GV Rao, Director and Chief of Surgical Gastroenterology at AIG Hospitals.
Setting up world-class infrastructure is the first step, building value out of it for patients is the underlying objective. The hospital installed Cardiac Mapping System with real-time visualization in its Cath Labs, to manage complex cardiac arrhythmias in a more cost-effective manner, with precise localization of the site of arrhythmia within the heart. “It is the Patient-first ideals at AIG Hospitals that result in one of the highly advanced technology-driven solutions to achieve safer and better treatment options,” said Dr C Narasimhan, Head of Electrophysiology.
The same principle enabled the hospital to associate with one of the World’s leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies, to transform the way GI Endoscopy is currently practised. “AI is a great companion for a clinician and can help in early diagnosis of many diseases which are missed in regular health checkups like Esophageal Cancer, which can be fully-cured if detected early. It is all about connecting our cumulative expertise with the help of technology to better serve patients,” Dr Reddy concluded.
Part of the prestigious Mayo Clinic, USA, Care Network, AIG Hospitals continues to build, scale and sustain the trio of Clinical Excellence, Academic and Research to enhance overall patient care in India.
Disclaimer: The views/suggestions/opinions expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the experts and the experts and the hospital concerned.