By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Saharanpur, 21 May: Leading healthcare provider in North India, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dehradun, has now introduced ‘glue therapy’ in the state. A press conference was organised here, today, to make people aware about this therapy. This therapy stops excessive bleeding from lung and enables the patients to recover faster. Dr. Vaibhav Chachra, Consultant & Head, Department of Pulmonology, introduced the technique for the first time in Max Hospital, Dehradun.
Hemoptysis is the medical term for coughing up blood. Blood coming out of the mouth while coughing is an unusual occurrence and is enough warning to see a doctor immediately. Bleeding in small quantities over a long duration or large quantities in short duration can mean a threat to life and should be treated as a medical emergency. A thorough evaluation to determine the site of bleeding and underlying causes is extremely important to save a life.
Recently, the life of a 52 year old man was saved in this manner. The man had massive hemoptysis for 6 hours and bled profusely. Urgent bronchoscopy and glue therapy was done otherwise the patient would have bled to death. After a careful approach, the patient’s lungs were reached with a bronchoscope and glue therapy was done to stop bleeding from the lungs.
Dr Vaibhav Chachra, who performed this difficult procedure, elaborated, “Another procedure of stopping bleeding from lungs is BAE (Bronchial Artery Embolisation) but is only feasible if the site of bleeding is identified in a stable patient. In case of an emergency, when the patient is bleeding continuously, ‘glue therapy’ remains the mainstay where immediate cessation is achieved. The process for which patients had to travel out of the city can cost the life of the patient.”
Glue Therapy is the instillation of ‘n-butyl-cyanoacrylate’ a colourless liquid under direct visualization using a bronchoscope. The correct site of bleeding is located and the glue has to be applied carefully at the correct location. This immediately stops the bleeding, also saving the airway, thereby preventing the patient on going to the ventilator and further complications. It is a cheap, instant and effective method of stopping a bleed but requires all tertiary level facilities for backup.
Dr Rahul Prashad, Medical Superintendent, Max Hospital, added, “As a responsible hospital, we continuously strive to bring in the latest medical advancements. “Glue therapy” is a fairly simple technique of immediately stopping a lung bleed.”
