Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 16: In a first of its kind, Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu has started free placement of Vascular Access Device (VAD) for safe chemotherapy administration to cancer patients.
A team headed by Dr Ashutosh Gupta HoD Oncology from GMC Jammu, Dr Puja Vimesh HoD Cardio-Vascular Anesthesia and Dr Arvind Kohli Senior Consultant Cardio Vascular Surgery from SSH Jammu have recently started placing these highly sophisticated devices in cancer patients requiring prolonged chemotherapy.
These devices consisting of Chemo-Ports and Peripherally inserted central lines (PICC Lines) are used for safe and accurate delivery of anti-cancer chemotherapy. These are very expensive devices and are being provided free of cost to PMJAY beneficiaries. Dr Arvind Kohli is an expert in placing Chemo Ports while Dr Puja Vimesh has got expertise in placing PICC lines.
Dr Ashutosh informed that this new facility has been introduced free of cost for the first time in Jammu for facilitation of cancer patients. “With the placement of these devices, it is possible to deliver chemotherapy properly as per recommended guidelines. Also, as no peripheral veins need to be pricked during each chemo cycle, there is no risk of extravagation of chemo drugs and no risk of veinous infections. These devises make chemotherapy administration virtually pain free,” he added.
He said, “There are certain chemotherapy regimens which require long infusions of more than 48 to 96 hours each time. Previously, it was not possible to administer such chemo regimens from peripheral veins. Now, with placement of such Vascular Access devices, we can safely administer such complicated chemo regimens”.
Dr Arvind Kohli informed that earlier the patients had to go out of J&K for placement of such devices and had to shell out nearly Rs 50,000 for each device placement. Now, as all expertise is available at SSH, we can benefit all patients with no financial resources.
“These devices will help greatly in children undergoing cancer chemotherapy as the children usually do not cooperate for repeated chemo cycles due to fear of pricks,” said Dr Puja Vimesh.
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