Saghir Siddiqui, Regional Chief Operating Officer, KMC Hospital, Mangaluru, said “We are proud to celebrate 20 years of Nephrology services at KMC Hospital in Mangaluru. Our hospital boasts the largest Dialysis Centre with 35 dialysis stations, backed by senior Nephrologists and experienced technical staff. We were the first to introduce modern high-end dialysis with Nephrologist supervision in Mangaluru, and have performed many ground-breaking procedures, including Live Donor Kidney transplants, Swap Transplants, and Paediatric Transplants”.

Have you ever heard about how one person can have multiple personalities? This mental health condition is known as dissociative identity disorder, in which a person identifies having two or more personality states within them. These personalities, also referred to as 'alters' or 'ego' states, have distinct behaviours, memories, and thoughts. It is mostly seen in the form of possession by demons in our country. It is a form of dissociative disorder, which means the separation of some aspects of mental functioning from conscious awareness, leading to mental dysfunction. We spoke to our expert, Dr. Krithishree Somanna, Consultant Psychiatry, KMC Hospital, Mangalore, who explained the causes, diagnosis, and treatment for dissociative identity disorder. 

There are many surgical procedures that can be done on the soft palate like palatal implants and electrocautery which cause stiffening of the soft palate, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, LASER and collator-assisted uvuloplasty, barbed wire pharyngoplasty and palatal advancement surgery.

The tongue procedures aim at reducing the bulk of the tongue either by removal of the tongue tissue or removal of the lymphoid tissue on the tongue using LASER.

When OSA treatments are being considered, a stepwise approach should be used. Surgical correction of structures in the nose, pharynx, tonsils, and tongue will definitely benefit the patient. Tracheostomy (opening on the windpipe) should be a last-line option in severe disease or in treatment-refractory patients. Postoperative sleep studies should be performed to assess the progress.

Dr Anurag Shetty, gastroenterologist, KMC Hospital, Mangaluru, says that fermented food is rich in probiotics and consuming it increases the good bacteria in the intestine which helps in regulating the symptoms of IBS. However, fermentation comes at a cost. “Along with good bacteria, bad bacteria can also grow when fermentation is done in an unhygienic way,” he says.

“We ask people to take probiotics such as curd and buttermilk which does not have any side effects unless consumed when sour, leading to gastritis. But with traditional fermented rice, there is a risk of people getting an infection and food poisoning which can make their condition worse if hygiene standards are not met,” says Dr Shetty

Every year three to four lakh children are detected with cancer in the world. In India, the reported case is over 50000 per year. There is a big gap in the survival of these children between developed and developing countries. Most of these cancers can be cured if we detect them early, and provide the right treatment and right supportive therapy. In many parts of our country, these children are not able to receive tertiary care oncology services. 

Sahana (name changed), a homemaker from Bengaluru, said that her 15-year-old son was becoming rebellious and she noticed him hanging out with older classmates. She didn’t think much of it initially, but when his grades dropped in school, she decided to follow him in April 2021. “He was sitting with some older boys and trying to smoke Marijuana at an empty site near our house. I dragged him home and tried to talk him out of it,” she told Happiest Health.

Most teens are exposed to substance abuse in high school due to impulsiveness and inquisition, says Dr Krithishree Somanna, psychiatrist, KMC hospital, Mangaluru, Karnataka. “Teens try to create their identity in groups and tend to fall into bad habits. It is important for parents to know what their children are up to – whether they are in good company or bad,” she says.

Treatments Galore

Dr Thomas thinks the increasing number of gynecomastia surgeries should not be seen as a negative trend. “It is consistent with the growth of aesthetic surgeries in India, partly a consequence of the increased affluence.” Patients seeking breast reduction surgery undergo a basic psychological evaluation to rule out body dysmorphic issues. Dr Thomas Joe, a plastic surgeon at KMC Hospital, Mangaluru.

Dr Vasu says new surgical methods involve a small incision of hardly a centimetre through which all of the breast glands are removed. The scars are barely noticeable. Radiofrequency or laser-assisted liposuction is done for skin shrinkage and body contouring. It is now possible to give a chiselled look to patients with a normal body mass index. Surgical complications are rare and patients can get back to their routine in 3-4 weeks, Dr Vasu said.

MANGALURU, DHNS: “If you are driving on the right side of a road, move to the left side. If you are driving on the left side, slow down to allow vehicles to move from right to left side to make way for the ambulance,” speakers said during an event that marked the release of a public awareness video ‘Make Way for Ambulance’, at KMC Hospital near Ambedkar Circle recently.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Geetha Kulkarni, addressing a gathering, said stiff penalties and imprisonment await those who do not allow the ambulance to move on the right side of the road. KMC Dean Dr. B Unnikrishnan said there is awareness among Mangalureans on giving way to ambulances.

“In many instances, drivers are confused on hearing the siren of ambulances or fire engines. The 37-second video creates awareness on shifting vehicles to the right side of the road,” he said. Head of Emergency Medicine, KMC hospital, Dr. Jeedhu R said after an awareness campaign, the death of patients in ambulances struck in traffic came down by 30%.

“The number of accidents where ambulances were involved reduced by 3 percent,” Dr. Jeedhu said and added that the road needs to be cleared for ambulances to ensure that the patient receives timely treatment within the golden hour,” he added. Dr. Jeedhu said that the response time of 108 ambulances is 30 minutes. “While the response time of our ambulance is much lesser, it takes lesser than three minutes to be on the road. The driver and paramedic staff are trained how to provide treatment on the spot,” Dr. Jeedhusaid.

Marketing head Rakesh Darshan said they hoped to reach 60 to 70 percent of the target population by uploading videos on social media.  Regional chief operating officer, of KMC Hospital, Mangalore, Saghir Siddiqui welcomed the gathering.

Taking care of your liver is equally important as other organs of the human body. Follow these healthy habits.

The liver is the most important organ in the body however, it is the organ that is commonly neglected when it comes to health. This year let us start with incorporating healthy living habits into our lifestyle. In this article, Dr. Anurag Shetty, Medical Gastroenterologist, KMC Hospital, Mangalore shares why liver health is important and how you can strengthen liver functions.

Why is the liver so important?

The liver is the largest solid organ in the body which is very important in the regulation of the daily functions of the body. It performs more than 500 functions in the body that are necessary for life. Cleaning harmful toxins from your blood, metabolising nutrients and medications, synthesis of proteins, secretion of bile, etc are some of the important functions of the liver. Liver diseases are known to contribute to 2 million deaths globally. Almost every 1 in 5 Indians is known to suffer from some form of liver disease. However, most of these liver diseases are easily preventable.

All You Need To Know About SEASONAL DEPRESSION

It’s typical to have some melancholy throughout the winter. We may feel stuck inside and want to be in bed as the day closes early but if it goes beyond this and affects our daily life, including how we feel and think, it’s called Seasonal depression or scientifically “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)” which needs attention.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s triggered by a change in seasons, usually when the Autumn season starts. It is thought that the lesser daylight and shorter days may cause neurochemical changes in the brain leading to symptoms of depression. ‘Melatonin’, a sleep-related neuro-hormone, is believed to have an etiological link to this condition. Melatonin is mostly produced in the pineal gland in the brain in response to darkness. This helps to maintain the circadian rhythm (24hr internal clock) and sleep timing. Changes in Melatonin levels in Seasonal Depression may disrupt the internal biological clock and hence significantly the mood.