The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Japanese method to treat chronic total occlusion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 22, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Japanese method to treat chronic total occlusion

Staff Reporter

Live demonstrations formed part of the one-day programme

CHENNAI: The first Indo-Japanese course on chronic total occlusion was launched at Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Porur on Sunday. Live demonstrations formed part of the one-day programme.

The programme introduced Indian cardiologists to a new type of hardware to treat chronic total occlusion.

Over the years various methods to ensure the free flow of blood into and out of the heart have helped but only to some extent.

The Japanese method is expected to help the 30 per cent population that reaches the hospital in time and survives a heart attack.

"Ten to 15 per cent of people come for treatment with total obstruction. The obstruction is hard and requires special devices to treat," says S. Thanikachalam, chairman of Cardiac Care Centre of Sri Ramachandra Hospital.

"The Japanese have devised a new method. We treated four people yesterday using this technique and they are doing fine."

"Nature has provided the human heart with cross circulation facility but the quantum of blood flow to the heart muscle is not enough to sustain the heart muscle."

In regular walkers who have suffered heart problems, heart attack incidences are lower because the exercise opens up the collateral circulation of blood through minor blood vessels surrounding the heart.

Lack of exercise causes

problems in heart muscles

Lack of exercise coupled with disorders such as stress, hypertension and diabetes do not allow for opening up of the cross circulation facility and in the event of an attack the heart muscles die for want of blood.

Inaugurating the course, Yoshiaki Kodaki, consulate General of Japan, said the workshop indicated the close cooperation in medical science between India and Japan.

Considering that both countries had a reputation for high medical care it is but natural that both countries cooperate in improving medical services.

Reading out an excerpt from a statement signed by the prime ministers of both countries emphasising the need for partnership in areas of science and technology, he said the workshop was a sign of future cooperation between the two countries.

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