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Maternity – Pre Term Birth: 4 Short-Term Complications of Preterm Birth
The normal gestation period is 260 to 280 days, ideally consisting of 40 weeks. Though several babies are born prior to this time period, if any baby is born before this duration, he/she is referred as a premature baby. If a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, the baby is prone to short term as well as long term health complications. Generally, they do need more care and hospital stay as compared to the ones born in ideal time.
Most of the babies born early possess low birth weight, which plays an important role in several aspects. While some of the complications may exist since the birth, others may develop later in life.
The following complications are experienced during the first few weeks/months of birth-
- Breathing complication- Due to the presence of an immature respiratory system, a premature baby may experience trouble in breathing. This is primarily due to lack of a substance called ‘surfactant’, which enables contraction and expansion, which enables breathing.Preterm babies may also acquire ‘Broncho-Pulmonary Dysplasia’, chronic lung disease and ‘apnea’ which result is difficulty breathing with prolonged pauses.
- Brain malfunction– A preterm baby is highly prone to intra-ventricular hemorrhage, the rupture and bleeding of an artery in the brain. Though most of them gets resolved on its own, some babies need medical help. Excessive bleeding can cause permanent brain damage.
Excessive bleeding can also lead to hydrocephalus, i.e. accumulation of fluid in the brain, for which surgery remains the only feasible solution to release the fluid accumulation. - Cardiac ailments– Patent Ductus Arterious (PDA) and Hypotension (low blood pressure) are the two most experienced heart problems among preterm babies. PDA is a disease in which a natural opening exists between two major blood vessels from the heart.PDA often gets corrected on its own, but if it is left untreated, it can result in uncontrolled blood flow and eventually leads to heart attack. Low blood pressure needs medicines and intravenous support and occasionally blood transfusion.
- Thermo regulation problem– A preterm baby may lose body heat quickly, as he cannot produce an adequate amount of heat to keep balanced heat. The prime reason for the same being, the baby’s body lacks adequate amount of fat to regulate ideal temperature. If the temperature falls beyond a limit, it can result in hypothermia.This condition does not come alone and brings several other problems, including low blood sugar and breathing troubles. The baby’s body tends to use all energy from breastfeeding to staying warm, and thus it does not help to grow. This is the prime reason, why preterm babies are kept in an incubator, until they can deal with the external environment on their own.
Check out 4 more short term complication of preterm birth here.
Kidney Stones: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
Kidney is the organ that filters the blood and formulates urine as a waste. Occasionally, salt and some other minerals solidify together to form kidney stones. The medical terminology for the same is Nephrolithiasis. The site for the stone formation is either in the kidney itself or in the urinary tract. The size of the stones may vary from sugar crystals to tennis balls.
Kidney stones usually do not cause any trouble and go unnoticed, if it is very minute in size and passes through the urine. According to the studies by the ILS Hospitals, approximately one in every 20 individuals, at some stage in life, develop kidney stones. It comes to notice only when it moves to the ureters causing hindrance to the urine flow and onset pain and discomfort while passing urine. Most of the stones will eventually pass from ureter to bladder with time.
Recognizing kidney stones can be quite tricky because abdominal pain can relate to several other factors as well, such as ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis. Also painful urination indicates possible urinary tract infection or any STD.
What are the symptoms?
When the stones descends to the urinary tract, it may either pass with urine, without any trouble or may initiate several symptoms such as:
- Sharp pain in the belly, back or groin
- Presence of blood in urine
- Frequent urination, usually accompanied by pain
- Nausea and vomiting
What are the causes?
Though anyone can develop kidney stones, some people with medical conditions like gout or taking certain medication are more prone to have it as compared to others. ILS Hospitals recommend that dehydration is one of the prime factors for the same. Moreover, diet and family history plays an important role in it as well. Urinary tract infection is another reason for the same, the stones develop because of infections. Certain metabolic abnormalities also increase the chances of having the stones.
Diagnosis and Treatment
A majority of people diagnosed with kidney stones falls in the age range of 20 to 49. A prior occurrence of kidney stone elevates the risk of having it again in future. The diagnosis of stones is mostly done by ultrasound. Additionally, intravenous pyelography and CT scan can be recommended depending on the severity.
Pain killers are usually given to deal with the pain. Occasionally, some medication is given to ease the flow of urine, so that small stones can pass without hindrance. If oral medication does not yield desired results, the surgical technique, lithotripsy is done.
Heart Attack vs. Stroke – What’s the Difference & How to Spot?
There are many diseases that give quality time for diagnosis and treatment. On the other hand, there are some diseases that need immediate medical attention. According to the doctors practicing in the ILS Hospitals, two of the most encountered medical emergencies are – heart attack and stroke. These diseases are very closely related, as both occur due to blocked arteries, but they are not the same thing.
Perceiving the symptoms in time is very crucial for saving a life.
So what actually happens during the two?
- Heart attack– When the coronary artery (the blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart) narrows to a limit when the blood flow gets restricted or blocked completely, it initiates a heart attack. The plague or cholesterol build up are the main causes for the same.
- Stroke– When the carotid artery (the blood vessel that carries blood to the brain) bursts or gets blocked, it causes a stroke.
It is mainly of two types.
a. Ischemic stroke (the most encountered one) occurs when the blood supply to the brain cuts off due to blockage or plaque buildup.
b. Hemorrhagic stroke, in which the blood vessel bursts and releases in the nearby tissues.
What are the symptoms?
The onset of the symptoms can be very rapid, usually without any prior warning. Some of their symptoms are similar while the rest is quite different. It varies significantly based on the severity of its occurrence, age, gender and the overall health condition.
Symptoms of Heart Attack
- Chest congestion or pressure that can spread to neck, jaws, back and arms
- Pain in the upper abdominal cavity
- Fatigue and nausea
- Excessive sweating
Symptoms of Stroke
- Numb sensation on one side of the body (usually left side), especially face
- Difficulty seeing, speaking/ understanding
- Sharp headache
- Loss of balance and body coordination
- Confusion
The Risk Factors
Since both the conditions are related to blocked arteries, they share several common risk factors such as-
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Family history
- Smoking
- Aging
High blood pressure is closely related to both of these diseases. The prime reason is persistent high blood pressure that exerts force on the blood vessel, which in turn strains them. This results in its rigidity and thus causes poor circulation, leading to heart attack and stroke.
Diagnosis
The doctors operating in ILS Hospitals primarily gather family history and personal medical history as it plays a crucial role in it.
A possible stroke can be diagnosed by carrying out a CT scan, which can depict the area of poor blood circulation or rupture and bleeding. Depending upon the situation, an MRI can also be advised.
A possible heart attack can be diagnosed by an electrocardiogram, which evaluates the health of the heart muscles.
The 3 Most Common Congenital Diseases
According to Cardiologist, on an average, about 303,000 newborns die within 4 weeks post detection, as a result of congenital diseases. Congenital diseases are present due to some medical deformities during the time of birth. Congenital disease can cause long term disability, which may have adverse effects on survival and development. Several times it remains unclear regarding the exact cause of this congenital defects.
Here are the 3 most common congenital defects a baby may suffer from:
1. Congenital Heart Disorder
It is the medical condition in which there exists a problem in the heart structure since the time of birth. Its symptoms may either be absent or may vary from mild discomfort to life-threatening condition such as heart failure. It can be distinguished by presence of bluish skin, low birth weight and fatigue.
The exact cause for congenital heart disease often remains unknown. Mother’s infected with Rubella during the period of pregnancy may act as a contributing factor for the same. Additional factors during pregnancy such as consumption of alcohol or tobacco or some specific medication may also play a significant role for the same.
2. Down Syndrome
This medical condition is also called Trisomy 21, in which a third copy of chromosome number 21 present alters the genetic makeup. It affects adversely on the physical growth and mental development. It can be characterized by observing delayed growth and moderate intellectual disabilities. A grown up individual suffering from down syndrome possess an average IQ of 50, which is equivalent to mental age of a child of eight years old.
The possibility of having down-syndrome is associated with the mother’s age. The risk of suffering from it is about 3 percent for pregnant woman with age more than 45, this risk minimizes to 0.1 percent in case the woman is 20 years
3. Cleft lip and Cleft palate
Also called orofacial cleft, this is a class of defects that include either cleft lip, cleft palate or both. In a cleft lip, an opening may stretch till nose. It may be present either on one side, both sides or in the middle. In a cleft palate, an opening exist between the roof of mouth and nose. These conditions arise when joining of tissues does not occur effectively.
According to ENT Specialists of ILS Hospitals, if this condition is left untreated, it can interfere with feeding, speech and hearing function. It also causes persistent ear infection. Consumption of alcohol or tobacco or even obesity during pregnancy has been associated with this group of diseases.
Health Packages – Why Should You Get One Today?
No one fancies getting sick. But remaining healthy all the time is more like a fantasy than reality. Thus, it is important that one keeps track of their health from time to time. Mostly people go for one or few particular screenings, neglecting the remaining ones. However, to maintain a good health, it is important that you keep in check several aspects of your health. So, what is the most feasible way to do it? The answer is – avail the health checkup packages in ILS Hospitals.
What is a health checkup package?
Regular check-ups can detect problem as soon as they begin, which makes the treatment easier and ensure complete recovery. A health check-up is a complete package that includes all necessary tests together under a single roof. It contains a range of checkups to detect and prevent illness. Going for appropriate screening and health care service helps you to ensure a healthier and longer life. The frequency at which you need to undergo these tests depends on individual’s age, family history, lifestyle and previous health history.
Why it is better than individual test?
An ideal health check-up package consists of all necessary tests in a single set. So, it saves from deciding, which one to choose and which one to skip. It also enables you to get a complete screening in one go. Thus, it helps you to pick the one as per your specific need. Moreover, if you are having it done at a proper place, most of these packages include additional consultation, in which the doctor helps you to understand your results, which otherwise looks like a foreign language, and gives you proper guidance regarding your health.
Where to go for Health check-up in Kolkata?
Due to today’s robust lifestyle, no one has the time to follow balanced diet and adequate exercise. It is not surprising that most of us fall into the trap of illness every now and then; making diabetes and depression the giant players in the world of common illness. Now it’s time to show some dedication towards your health. Make ILS Hospitals, your first choice if you are considering for health check-ups. We, at ILS Hospitals, offer several health check-up packages to meet the requirements of different age group.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – What, Why, Where?
As soon as a mother gives birth to a baby, the first thing they want to do is to bring their precious possession to their home. But if the little one is take her to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), it becomes a major cause of concern for the parents causing fear. Though it may sound alien at first, but understanding NICU and its need can ease the fear and allow the parents to help in the child’s recovery.
So, what is Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)?
NICU is a special section in pediatric department of a hospital, where newborn babies are kept for days or weeks subjected to the baby’s scale of prematurity. This department of the hospital possess special equipment and personals who are trained to provide extensive care to the babies and their special needs.
The equipment at NICU provides adequate oxygen and temperature and mitigates the risks associated with them. Altogether it provides the optimal environment for the baby’s sustenance.
Why does some babies need special care?
During the birth of a child, several physical and emotional changes come into play for both mother and baby. During pregnancy, all the vital functions such as transfer of nutrients, removal of wastage, protection from pathogens and supply of oxygen come from the mother. But, as the baby comes out of the uterus, it can no longer depend on the placenta for transferring vital nutrients and major body functions, as it needs to adjust with the outside environment. Some of the major adaptation to be undergone by the baby post birth are as follows:
- The lungs must become functional and breathe air
- The heart must circulate blood efficiently
- The liver must initiate its own immunity system
- The digestive system must process food and eliminate wastage
- The kidney must initiate the fluid and iron balance of the body
For most of the babies, this transition comes naturally without any major problem. But if the baby is born premature or with low birth weight or with some congenital disease, then this transition becomes quite challenging. Thankfully, special care is available for such babies in NICUs.
So where to take your baby if she needs special care?
ILS Hospitals offers NICU facilities to babies with special needs. It has trained specialists and modern equipment to help the baby adapt with the external environment. Such new born babies get a new life at ILS Hospitals. Especially, for the people of Eastern India.
A Brief Description Of Umbilical Hernia
One out of every five babies are born with umbilical hernia. Usually, it is a disease of infants and gets corrected on its own while growing up. Let’s have a brief introduction of umbilical hernia and its treatment.
What is Umbilical Cord?
Umbilical cord is the connection between a mother and child during pregnancy. The umbilical cord passes through the belly button. Ideally, this opening closes on its own shortly after birth.
When does Umbilical Hernia arise?
When the opening of the belly button does not close, the intestine or surrounding tissues bulge out of the weak spot near belly button. Thus, the condition of umbilical hernia arises.
This type of hernias usually do not induce any pain or discomfort. Statistically, 90 percent of babies suffering from umbilical hernia get cured of it on its own. But, if it does not close by the time the child reaches the age of 4, then treatment is required.
Infants having Umbilical Hernia
Babies who are either born premature or with low birth weight or belongs to African-American origin are more prone to developing this kind of hernia. It can be found in both, girl and boy.
Adults having Umbilical Hernia
It is mostly a disease of infants, but it can occur to an adult as well. It occurs in adults when the weak spot experiences too much pressure. Contributing factors for the same can be:
- Multiple pregnancies
- Being overweight or obese
- Having twins or triplets or more
- Presence of fluid in the abdominal cavity
- Previous stomach surgery
- Persistent cough
Diagnosis of Umbilical Hernia
It can be easily detected in children, especially while crying or laughing. It can be visually distinguished by presence of a swelling near the belly button. In case of adult, the swelling near the navel, which may also induce pain, is a sure shot way of distinguishing umbilical hernia.
Complications associated with Umbilical Hernia
As already mentioned, umbilical hernia is usually not associated with any major trouble. However, it becomes quite serious and needs immediate treatment, if the umbilical cord is incarcerated. A physical examination is done to determine whether the cord is incarcerated or not. During this examination, the surgeon tries to push it back inside the abdominal cavity. If it can’t be pushed back, then it is already incarcerated. Such condition arises when the protruded part does not get enough blood supply and might end up developing gangrene and serious infection.
Laparoscopic Vs Macro-Laparoscopic Pain Mapping
According to gynecologists, the statistics of women suffering from some or the other gynecological disease is rising day by day due to numerous intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors. There are several surgical techniques for diagnosing these conditions, the two most useful techniques are laparoscopy and pain mapping. Let’s understand in details, how each of these works.
Laparoscopy
In the past 3-4 decades, the utility of laparoscopy has evolved remarkably. Today, laparoscopy is one of the most employed means of diagnosis used by gynecologists. It is used for taking a look inside the stomach to detect the presence of any defect in the reproductive organs. As compared to traditional diagnosis tools, laparoscopy is less expensive and offers quicker recovery.
It is performed under general anesthesia where a small telescope is inserted through the navel to capture the images of the internal organs. The presence of natural carbon dioxide in the abdominal cavity provides working space for the surgeon; in case it looks insufficient, additional amount can be injected through the navel to enlarge the gap between the skin and internal organs. The telescope is moved around inside the stomach to reveal the condition of fallopian tube, ovaries and uterus. It is particularly helpful to detect ectopic pregnancies and treatment of ovarian cyst and endometriosis. In case any abnormalities are observed, it can be further diagnosed.
Micro-laparoscopic pain mapping
Pain mapping is a useful diagnostic tool and particularly helpful if the patient is suffering from some chronic pain and no other tools is yielding any helpful results or unable to track the source of the pain. It is performed under sedatives while inserting the laparoscope inside the body, after which its effects wear off. The doctor then touches instrument to each organ such as ovaries, uterus ligaments and bladder separately and asks for the patient’s response. It is used to diagnose any persistent pain in the pelvic region.
Once the exact reason for the pain is estimated, then further medication is employed towards proper medication, which may be done either in the same session or in a new session. As compared to traditional laparoscopy, this technique aims to find out the exact reason for the chronic pain and cures it completely.
At ILS Hospitals, advanced and recommended technological approaches are employed to provide treatment and care for the patients suffering from several gynecological diseases.
Everything You Should Know About Partial Knee Replacement
Partial knee replacement, also referred as uni-compartmental knee replacement, is a surgical approach to cure severe arthritis of knee. Earlier, almost every patient suffering from arthritis went for total knee replacement; wherein the entire portion of infected cartilage along with a layer of functional one is carved off the knee and replaced with metal and plastic implants.
But in case of partial knee replacement, only the infected portion of the knee is removed and resurfaced. It is ideal for those patients whose osteoarthritis is restricted to single compartment.
Structure of the knee
Need of knee surgery arises when the cartilage protecting the knee wears off gradually. This can be observed either in the entire knee joint or merely in single area. The knee is comprised of three major compartments, namely:
- Lateral compartment, which is the outer part
- Medial compartment, which is the inside of the knee
- Patellofemoral compartment, between kneecap and thighbone
How diagnosis is carried out?
The doctor estimates the extent of damage of bones and cartilage either by X-rays or Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
How partial knee replacement is carried out?
In this surgical approach, the surgeon diagnoses each bone and observes the limit of the osteoarthritis; and replaces the damaged compartment with plastic or metal implant called prosthetic, which can mimic the natural movements up to a large extent. The partial knee replacement aims to restore as much as healthy bones and cartilage as possible.
Advantages of partial knee replacement over total knee replacement
Partial knee replacement is gaining popularity among doctors and patients because of the numerous benefits it offers. Due to smaller incision, the patient needs shorter hospital stay and experiences lesser pain after surgery. The recovery period becomes comparatively faster. Since a large extent of healthy bones and cartilage is left intact, the patients experience more natural movement of knee as compared to total knee replacement.
Ideal candidate for partial knee replacement
As per doctors of ILS Hospitals, if an individual is suffering from osteoarthritis and no other medical treatment is helping to soothe the pain, then this orthopedic replacement can be considered as the ideal solution. In order to qualify for it, the arthritis must be finite to only one compartment. If a patient is suffering from knee stiffness and ligament damage, they can also be considered for this treatment.
With proper diagnosis and treatment, partial knee replacement demonstrates successful and long lasting result for patients of several age groups.
Coronary Artery Diseases: What, Where And How
Every year, 29th September is celebrated as World Heart Day. It aims to increase awareness amongst the people regarding heart diseases and its treatment.
Heart diseases in India is becoming epidemic. As per latest statistics, near about 30 million heart patients reside in India and about two lakh cardiovascular surgeries in India takes place every year. Out of 30 millions, 14 millions lives in urban areas, whereas rest 16 million lives in rural area. This outburst of cardiovascular diseases are due to several reasons, such as aging, food habit and lifestyle.
There are several types of cardiovascular diseases in and the most common one is coronary artery diseases it is also called ischemic heart diseases. This occurs due to blockage in blood vessels build up by plaque. These are a group of conditions which results in anigma (both stable and unstable), heart attack and sudden cardiac death.
How does it occur?
There are mainly two kinds of blood vessels, veins carry oxygenated blood from body to heart and arteries which carry oxygenated blood from heart to body. The arteries are thinner in cross section and elastic and smooth in nature. After developing plagues on the lining of arteries, the blood flow gets disrupted. Also, it make the inner surface sticky and attracts lipoproteins, inflammatory cells and calcium etc. Altogether they mix and sticks to the blood vessels making it thinner by growing inward.
Ultimately new blood vessels may develop around the blockage to supply the blood to heart. This process may get hampered by hyper-stress or vigorous exercise. In case the plaque bursts, and the blood clot block the blood supply of heart, the patient suffers heart attack. If the blood vessel to brain is blocked then the patient suffers ischemic stroke. If a blood vessel bursts within the brain, the patient suffers hemorrhagic stroke.
What are the Symptoms?
The most common symptoms are heartburn, loss of consciousness, heaviness, irregular heartbeat, weakness, nausea, sweating, chest discomfort, which may extend up to other body parts such as neck, jaw, shoulder and back. The severity of symptoms may increase during exercise or emotional stress.
How it can be Diagnosed?
It can be diagnosed by using ECG (Electrocardiogram), EKG (Echocardiogram), CT scans and several others. These procedure enables the doctor to evaluate the condition of the patient and provide suitable cardiovascular surgeries in India.
What Preventive measures to take?
One can reduce the chances of being susceptible to coronary artery diseases by following a healthy diet combined with regular exercise and not consuming any toxic substance such as cigarette and alcohol. In certain cases, medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol may be prescribed by the doctor.
