Live relay of surgery from Italy at Mumbai cardiology seminar

“Participating delegates will not only witness the procedure, but will simultaneously be able to interact with Colombo, Anil Kumar added. Kumar, who himself is a cardiologist of repute, said Colombo has brought revolutionary changes in stent implant. During cardiac procedures, stent is used to prevent re-narrowing of the coronary artery immediately after the angioplasty for long term restenosis.

Colombo, who is rated among the first five cardiologists in the world, suggested that after stent implant, there is no needof administering anti-coagulant to prevent clotting of the stent. Instead, it can be tackled by aspirin tablet, which is relatively safer.

“The live telecast will cost Rs 40 lakh out of which Rs 30 lakh will be donated by the Milan Heart Research Institute, while the remaining amount will be released by the CSI,” Kumar said.

Anil Kumar said the four day conference will discuss at length the role of cardiac procedures in present day cardiology, coronary artery surgery – past, present and future and future of interventional cardiology. Noted cardiologist K K Sethi will speak on sudden cardiac death – a challenge for the next millennium.

Replying to a question, Kumar said while cardiologists in India are on par with their counterparts in any part of the world, the high cost of treatment was certainly a matter of concern. “Earlier, cardiac ailments were treated only at Mumbai and New Delhi. But now with advancement in technology as well as expertise, the ailments are now being treated even at smallerplaces,” he claimed.

President elect of the CSI, Ashin Mehta, said emphasis of the conference will be on discussing preventive aspects of heart related diseases, CSI Head S C Munshi remarked that along with the routine heart problems, there will also be discussion on rheumatic heart ailments. Munshi said earlier, heart diseases were reported in higher age groups, but it has been observed that even younger children are also prone to the ailments. “We will have to consider these aspects at the conference,” Munshi pointed out.