| Department
of Surgery |
| The surgical services
at SIH - R & LC, Karigiri are currently fairly broad based
and encompass Leprosy Reconstruction, Orthopaedics and Trauma
Surgery, General Surgery and ENT Surgery. |
| |
| Leprosy
Reconstructive Surgery |
| The primary aims of reconstructive
surgery procedure in leprosy are to restore functional activities
and a good cosmetic result. All surgical interventions for leprosy
patients are undertaken and as such no patient requires to be
referred elsewhere for any surgery relating to impairments of
leprosy. |
| The Surgery Department
continues to be a tertiary referral centre for complicated and
neglected plantar ulcers and foot problems. Prevention and Management
of Impairments and Consequences, a hospital-based, multidisciplinary
approach to disability prevention in leprosy looks at problems
relating to impairments from the point of view of the patients
and a participatory approach including the family is adopted
to address physical, psychosocial and economic needs. |
| Training for all levels
of health workers in Reconstructive Surgery, management of foot
problems and prevention of disability is available and can be
tailor made for individual needs. |
|
| Orthopaedics
and Trauma Surgery |
| Orthopaedics and Trauma
Surgery is integrated with the Leprosy Reconstructive Surgical
facilities catering to the communities of leprosy patients as
well as the villages nearby Karigiri. The type of Orthopaedic
cases dealt with include fractures, joint injuries, infections
of bone and joints including tuberculosis. Surgical expertise
is also available for most neurological disorders involving
locomotor system like Polio, Cerebral Palsy etc., |
| Training: |
| Diplomate in National
Board for Orthopaedics is run by the Department in collaboration
with CMC Hospital, Vellore. |
|
| General
Surgery |
| Because of the demand
for general surgery and Obstretics and Gynaecology Service at
affortable cost, these two units were started. This facility
has been a boon to Karigiri & surrounding villages. These
services are not possible without a well equiped operatiion
theatre and skilled staff. The operation theatre is adequately
staffed and equipped to provide quality care. Over 60 surgical
procedures are done each month. |
|
| Ear
Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgery |
| The Department of Ear
Nose and Throat came into being in 1998 at SLR&TC Karigiri. |
| The nasal depression
deformity that leprosy can cause constitutes a large component
of the stigma evoked by this disease. Hence even before 1998,
there was collaboration between the ENT Department of CMC Vellore
and SIH - R & LC Karigiri, in the form of a monthly visit
to see patients with ENT diseases and sporadic joint research
studies into the pathogenesis of nasal deformity. Meanwhile
development and refinement of Reconstructive Surgery on the
sunken deformity of the nose was also progressing at SIH - R
& LC |
| The exact role the nose
played in the spread / transmission of leprosy – conceded
to be naso respiratory, from the only known reservoir of bacilli-the
untreated lepromatous nose – has yet to be delineated |
| In this context the setting
up of a ENT Department has served in following ways |
| Leprosy patients old
and new are seen as referrals especially when they present as
untreated and with nasal symptoms. The treatment for common
ENT ailments and those specific to nasal damage due to leprosy
especially in Lepromatous Leprosy and in reaction states is
thus given early to obviate deterioration of nasal structure
and function. |
| Outpatients are seen
on four out of the five-day working week. In patient admission
and operations are carried out once a week. |
| In 2004, through the
receipt of a Rotary International Matching Grant, an Operating
(Ear) Microscope and Nasal Endoscopes- were purchased; this
has helped enhance quality and range of treatment at this secondary
level ENT care proviso. Those needing higher care are referred
to CMC. |
| Collaborative efforts
into Research and Training activities of SLR&TC are going
on. |
|
| Dental
Department |
| The Dental Unit was initially
started at Gudiyatham, Karigiri Hospital, with basic surgical
sets for extraction and diagnosis. The unit started functioning
from April 2005, three days a week. Seven months from then,
the Dental Unit at Paul Brand Integrated Health Centre (PBIHC)
started functioning from Monday to Friday. This Unit is well
equipped to cater to people who have all kinds of diseases in
the oral cavity. |
| OPD Services |
The Dental Unit at PBIHC
functions from
Monday – Friday – with OPD in the morning (8.00-12.30)
and
Monday – Friday – with treatment for patients on
an appointment basis (1.00-4.30) |
| Treatment Available |
| Diagnosis, Extraction,
Restoration, Minor Surgery, Cosmetic treatment, Root Cannal
Surery, Periodontal surgery, Scaling (oral prophylaxis) removable
Orthodontics, Biopsy for detection of oral cancer. |
| Dental Health Education |
| All patients who visit
the Dental OPD are educated about basis dental diseases and
proper brushing habits for maintenance of good oral hygiene. |
| Dental Prosthesis |
| The Dental Unit has also
started Prosthetic work. We provide removable dentures and fixed
dentures according to the patient’s oral periodontal status
and the patient’s affordability. Ceramic teeth, used for
replacement of missing teeth, are also available at our unit. |
| Community Dental Services |
| Care for people in rural
areas is our primary concern, where oral screening for Dental
problems is conducted in schools and community at the Katpadi
and Gudiyatham Block and then referred to either the Gudiyatham
Karigiri hospital or the PBIHC. Presently the Unit is taken
care of by a Dentist and a Dental Hygienist. |
|
| Ophthalmology |
| Eye service has been
available at SIH - R & LC or "Karigiri" Hospital
since its inception. |
| Out patient services
at the Paul Brand Integrated Health Centre (Katpadi Unit) include |
|
Ophthalmic consultation and glaucoma
evaluation
Screening for diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy
Leprosy Ocular complications
Optical shop facility |
| Inpatient service
at Karigiri main Hospital |
|
State of the art cataract surgeries
Facilities to admit 40 patients |
On an average, each year
more than 13,000 patients are examined and almost 1500 cataract
surgeries performed.
80% of the treatment is free or subsidized. The work is helped
by the contribution on of Christoffel Blinder Mission (CBM) |
| Community outreach: |
| |
Community eye clinic at Gudiyatham
.
Eye camps in surrounding villages for common eye disorders
. Each year camps are held and over 1500 surgeris are done. |
|
| Nursing
|
| Nursing Services in Karigiri
complement and support the medical facilities in out-patient,
in-patient and community-based care. A total of 150 beds are
available in different categories, depending on the patients'
ability to contribute towards their stay and treatment. 11 of
these are "Private" rooms (some single, some double
occupancy). Total care is provided and family members are encouraged
to accompany patients to learn home care and to share in the
responsibility of their relatives' health, hence Family-based
Care is an integrated approach here at Karigiri. |
|
| In
Patients: |
Patients may choose
to be admitted in one of two categories of beds
A)General ward bed: These are
beds which are in a dormitory type of ward where there will
be about 10 patients
B)Private Rooms: These rooms
can accomodate either one or two patients.Single rooms are
for one patient and his/her attendant. Double-bedded rooms
can accept two patients with an attendant each.
All rooms have attached toilets with western
closets. All rooms are provided Kitchenette where patients
are allowed to cook for themselves,if they so desire.
A bed costs consist of bed,nursing and routine
service charges. |
|
| Ayurvedic
Department |
| The Ayurvedic Department
was started in June 2003 – when the Integrated Health
Centre at Old Katpadi started functioning. Its is well recognized
that Ayurvedic treatment has a role in todays health care. As
part of SIHR & LCs contribution to holistic health care, Ayurvedic
services are also provived at the PBIHC. A fully qualified Ayurvedic
Physician has been employed. |
| Service includes |
| |
Treatment for skin disease |
| |
Treatment for different forms
of arthritis |
| |
General massages |
| The special massages,
for which Ayurveda is renowned, will commence after the appointment
of a therapist. |
| Research |
| A study comparing the
efficacy of Ayurvedic oil massage as against physiotherapy wax
bath in reducing contractures of fingers of leprosy patients,
prior to surgery, has just got off the ground. |
|
