Chennai hospital launches centre to treat gastrointestinal bleeding

Apollo Hospitals launches advanced centre to treat GI bleed. Risk factors include age, medication, alcohol consumption. Centre offers personalised, individualised treatment. Symposium on Sunday, upskilling session and hands-on training on Sept 19-20. Early identification and treatment can prevent serious conditions.

Apollo Hospitals on Friday launched an advance centre to treat gastrointestinal bleed. 

Mo. Thoufeeq, GI Bleed lead, British Society of Gastroenterology, U.K., said one in 1,000 bleed in their gastrointestinal track. Early identification and treatment could prevent serious conditions. Elderly persons and those on medication for joint pains and excess consumption of alcohol and heavy smokers are vulnerable to GI bleed. Not all who suffer GI bleed, however, require hospital admission.

“Behind every bleed there is a blood vessel,” said senior consultant gastroenterologist K.R. Palaniswamy. “Bleed can occur anywhere along the tract that begins at mouth and ends at the anus. The condition is a cause of worry as some people remain asymptomatic but when the bleed occurs they could lose as much as 1-2 litres of blood. At any given time, five-and-a-half litres of blood flows through the human system, said Pandurangan Basumani, the hospital’s senior consultant and interventional gastroenterologist.

Lifestyle changes such as consuming fastfood and junk food, untimely eating habits are among the causes for increasing incidences of the condition, said K.R. Palaniswamy, senior consultant gastroenterologist at the hospital.

The centre’s motto is to offer personalised, individualised advanced treatment for the condition, the doctors said. It is organising a symposium on the treatment of the condition on Sunday, Doctors from the U.K. will hold a special upskilling session. Hands-on training will be provided on September 19 and 20.