Vascular surgery 8211; the way out

At 35, Police Constable Dhar Pawar from Solapur was about to lose his right leg. The nicotine from the 40-odd cigarettes he consumed dail...

At 35, Police Constable Dhar Pawar from Solapur was about to lose his right leg. The nicotine from the 40-odd cigarettes he consumed daily had insidiously crept into his arteries and caused 85 per cent blockage. The treatment? Amputation of the leg from the knee.

The amputation may have solved the problem of his blocked arteries, but what about the other problems it would have created in his life? What about his job, which he would stand to lose? Who would care for his two little children? How could he be gainfully employed as an invalid?

Pawar8217;s surgery was almost fixed at Miraj. Had it not been for an informed physician, he would have lost his leg. It was on his suggestion that Pawar came to Pune. And with the help of vascular surgery, only the toes had to be amputated. The rest of his leg was saved.

Unfortunately, not many doctors are aware of the benefits of this relatively new field of medical science. Two years ago, when Narendra Choudhry had gangrene in his toes, he had to have his leg amputated from the thigh. While that saved his life, it made him an invalid who is now dependent on others even for a walk in the park.

If this seems like a fact far removed from your world, consider this. It is not so much accidents that result in amputations as much as vascular disease. 8220;In our country, out of every 10 amputations, nine are done because of vascular disease,8221; says Dr. Dhanesh Kamerkar, the only doctor in Pune and one of the 14 in India to have specialised in vascular surgery.

Vascular disease is unlike an appendicitis, where the problem ends when the appendix is removed. Here another problem begins when one is solved 8211; disability. Earlier, these problems were dealt with by heart surgeons. 8220;But given the emergencies in heart disease, the problems with blockages elsewhere in the body got sidelined.8221;

What is vascular disease and how does it affect us? Says Kamerkar, 8220;Simply put, it is a disease of the blood vessels. Most common among them are blockages of the arteries and veins. If left undetected, it can lead to gangrene as the limbs involved do not get enough blood supply.8221;

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The causes for these blockages are many. Foremost among them being diabetes, smoking and a diet that leads to cholesterol build-up. Generally, it is the legs that get affected by arterial blockages.

The most common symptom, according to Kamerkar, 8220;is cramps in the legs whilst exercising or walking, a wound that does not heal, reddening of the foot, a tingling or numb sensation in the legs.

8220;Generally, pain in the legs while walking is not taken seriously by people. Only a Colour Doppler Test can verify the damage to the arteries and the extent of the harm.8221;

Unlike in the past where amputation was the only solution, now, a surgery that either removes the blockage from the blood vessels or by-passes it is available. Saving limbs is now easier than what it used to be some years ago. As Pawar puts it, 8220;With just my toes missing, I can at least work at the police control room. I won8217;t have to be a dependent.8221;