ERCP procedure begins at Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala

Patiala, November 21

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure, was kickstarted at Government Rajindra Hospital here yesterday. A workshop pertaining to this procedure was held here yesterday. Once attendees became familiar with the ERCP the technique was immediately started.

Dr Bhavneet Bhalla, a consultant surgeon and an expert of the ERCP had trained hospital faculty. He himself conducted ERCP on patients therein.

Dr Ashwani Kumar, professor and head, Department of Durgery, said the ERCP was a minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for pathologies of the biliary tree. The doctor said biliary tree was a system of ducts (narrow tubular structures), organs (including the liver, gallbladder and pancreas) and associated structures that function to produce, store, secrete, and transport bile.

Earlier, patients requiring ERCP were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, but this facility at the medical college will bringrelief to the people from the area. From now on, the ERCP will be conducted by Dr Ashish Bhagat, associate professor, medicine, in collaboration with the Department of Surgery.

Dr Ashwani said, “Our aim is to provide advanced surgical facilities in medical college to cater to medical requirements of the public. These facilities will be available at affordable price. We want to improve the health infrastructure.” — TNS