Combining medical skill and the outreach of technology, a doctor at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here has started a website, www.aorticclinic.com , which offers patients with problem of aorta answers to their queries about treatment and its costs.
“Aorta is the largest artery of the body and carries oxygenated blood from the heart to all parts of the body and treatment dealing with this is a specialised field. Surgery of the aorta is carried out at a few medical centres in the country and not even many doctors are aware about the availability of surgical intervention in the India,” said Dr. Shiv Choudhary of the Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery Department at AIIMS. He launched the website three months ago and has started getting queries from patients in India and aboard.
“Earlier and even now we get patients who come to us after having wasted a lot of time searching for proper treatment for problems of the aorta. That is why we decided to set up a website to reach out to those who are in need of guidance. Through the website we are not offering treatment of any kind but what we are essentially attempting to do is to spread awareness about the disease. Through the website we will also allow patients to send us their medical reports, or upload MRI, CT scans which can help us provide them with pointers about what to do next,” said Dr. Choudhary.
Using technology alongside the skill of the scalpel to help patients across the world, the doctor says not many doctors too are aware of the facility for aorta surgery in India. “As soon as a patient contacts us we see his report and see how urgent his requirement for treatment is and the nearest hospital where he can get treatment. In case we feel that the patient needs urgent specialised treatment we call him to AIIMS. Some patients also ask us about the cost of treatment and doubts about the course of treatment. AIIMS has been doing this surgery for nearly two decades now and we have formed a team here at the hospital specific for aorta surgery. Aorta surgery is very demanding in terms of skill and infrastructure to support it and is a team intensive surgery,” said Dr. Choudhary.
The website has already helped patients in Africa, Bangladesh and some closer home to get treatment in time. “Providing quality treatment in time to everyone in need is the simple principle guiding this venture,” he added.
