Departments

The Department of Cardiology at Amrita is a tertiary care center of repute with patients from South India as well as neighboring countries of South Asia and Middle East being referred for advanced cardiac care.

The cardiology department has set the benchmark for cardiovascular care in South India. Approximately 10000 new patients are treated annually. A 24-hour emergency team with a Mobile Intensive Care unit provides speedy access in emergencies.

The center is fully equipped to provide intensive and multidisciplinary comprehensive medical care for cardiac patients.

The center offers noninvasive imaging modalities like transthoracic and transeosaphageal echocardiography with tissue doppler imaging, contrast and stress echocardiography, intraop echocardiography, 24 hour Holter, HUTT, Loop recorder, multi detector CT, cardiac MRI, nuclear cardiology studies and PET imaging services.

It also has invasive services with fully equipped cardiac catheterisation lab with angiogram, angioplasty, IVUS, FFR, rotablation and peripheral angioplasty services.

The electrophysiology services include 2D and 3D mapping systems and pacemaker and AICD implantation. The centre also offers preventive cardiology services and has undertaken various research projects and is a teaching institute for various undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Program at Amrita is one of the busiest programs in the country. Over 3000 cardiac surgical operations are performed annually. The operations performed include coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair and replacement and operations for congenital heart defects.

The Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Podiatric Surgery is the only full-fledged Endocrinology centre in Kerala providing advanced care for diabetes mellitus as well as  for a variety  of complex endocrine disorders. With 20 doctors and nearly 50 supporting staff, the centre offers complete clinical care for virtually all endocrine diseases. All aspects of diabetes care is  addressed comprehensively i.e. screening for diabetes and its complications, management of acute and long standing diabetic foot  disorders including lower limb angioplasty, joint reconstruction surgeries, paediatric and adoloscent diabetes, Insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring system, diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment. Work done by Podiatry wing is unmatched in the country and it serves as a premier referral centre for complex foot problems in South India. It is also a major referral centre for pituitary, adrenal, parathyroid and thyroid disorders and is well supported by an excellent Neurosurgery and Endocrine surgery team.

We run a comprehensive thyroid cancer clinic along with Nuclear Medicine & Head & Neck surgery which provides multidisciplinary care to patients. Obesity clinic for adults and children was established a few years back and all therapies from medical to Bariatric surgery are offered by our centre. Osteoporosis assessment and management is aided by the availability of DEXA scan in house and expertise in dealing of complex issues by a team of specialist including rheumatologist and spinal surgeons. The Paediatric Endocrinology wing is unique in providing comprehensive care to children with Type 1 Diabetes, growth disorders (short stature and tall stature),  pubertal disorders ( late and early puberty), childhood obesity, disorders of sexual development, thyroid disorders  and  bone disorders. The innovative community work of Amrita Diabetes Welfare Association is unparalleled in India. The services are available 7 days a week with 24 hour telephone helpline for diabetes related problems. Evening clinics are available 5 days a week to make it easier for those with daytime jobs.

The Department of Internal Medicine is one of the premier departments bringing together an elite cadre of clinicians, investigators and educators in one of the world’s top medical schools.

The Department has 25 full-time faculty members and is embedded in a remarkable basic science environment at the Health Science Campus at Amrita with a collaborative culture that affords numerous opportunities for interdisciplinary and translational research.

The Department is supported by the latest diagnostic facilities that include Microbiology, Serology, Molecular Medicine, Pathology, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. The presence of all the major subspecialties at AIMS enables the department to provide comprehensive care to a patient with multiple problems without fragmentation of care and with the ability to optimize medical treatment, thus improving quality of life.

The Department is actively involved in teaching MD General Medicine, MBBS, BDS, B. Sc. Nursing, M. Sc. Nursing, M Pham and Pham D students. The Department gives utmost importance to clinical research and studies. Inspiring dynamic minds, quality health care, excellent academics, inspiring atmosphere for clinical research and outstanding infrastructure defines the Department of General Medicine at Amrita School of Medicine.

The Department has facilities for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of complex gastrointestinal, liver, gallbladder, and pancreatic diseases. The core units of the Institute are the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and the Gastrointestinal Surgery Department. The departments of Imaging, Interventional Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Lab Services also work closely with the Digestive Diseases group. The Department of Gastroenterology is comprised of the following services and areas of speciality:

• Gastroenterology/Hepatology
• Liver Centre
• Centre for biliary and pancreatic disorders
• Centre for luminal disorders
• Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and ERCP
• Centre for swallowing and oesophageal disorders
• Gastrointestinal haemostasis
• Cancer detection and palliation unit
• Paediatric gastroenterology
• Intensive care services
• Tele-medicine and tele-education services

The expectancy of life has increased significantly in the last few decades. With advancing healthcare facilities, it is expected to persist in the coming years, and expectancy of life at birth may well surpass 80 years in most countries of the world, including India.

Our society is rapidly undergoing change. Increasingly, women, who were the traditional caregivers of the elderly, are taking to work.

Many in the working generation leave the state in search of jobs. So we are faced with a situation where in the elderly are increasing in numbers and living longer while the number of care givers are rapidly decreasing. This is reflected by a rapid increase in the number of old age homes ,but most often than not, they do not provide healthcare maintenance.

Treating elderly – understanding their requirements and modulating treatment accordingly is an independent expertise. Medicines are often not tolerated at the usual doses, and elderly require a different dosing regimen. The Geriatrics Department at AIMS understands these special requirements of the elderly and cater to them accordingly with a holistic approach.

We ensure that all patients receive a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment with the help of specially trained doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dietician, medical social worker, occupational therapist and an effective treatment plan is modulated after discussions with these personnel

This Geriatrics Department is the first of its kind in India which started functioning in January 2001. The benefit for the comprehensive geriatric consultation is that the patient can meet all the team members at the same time during their visit.

Geriatric medical care differs from usual medical practice because the focus is on preservation of function and improving the quality of life and not just investigating, diagnosing, treating and curing specific diseases. We deal with the patient’s social and psychological problems as well as his/ her medical problems and also frequently work with the family or caregivers who are assisting the older person to help them provide better and effective care.

The Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery has a comprehensive surgical program focusing on:

• Oncological surgery of the GI tract
• Pancreatico -biliary surgery
• Gastric and oesophageal surgery
• Liver transplant
• Advanced laparoscopic surgical procedures
• Specialised colorectal surgery including sphincter saving, stapled and pouch procedures
• Infra-abdominal vascular reconstructions
• Retroperitoneal tumour excisions
• Infra-abdominal trauma

The operating rooms are one of the best equipped in the country with advanced facilities such as a dedicated C-arm image intensifier, harmonic scalpel, argon becim coagulator, CUSA, and intra-operative ultrasound and endoscopy.

One of the first few specialities to start at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, the Department of Nephrology started functioning in July 1998.

The Nephrology unit has facilities to treat all types of kidney diseases in all age groups. The Department provides comprehensive health care for patients with different types of renal (kidney) diseases.

Acute and chronic renal diseases and renal problems due to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stone disease, infections, hereditary illnesses and poisons are diagnosed and treatment is provided. Till now, over 250,000 patients have been treated in the outpatient clinics and over 15,000 patients have been treated in the wards.

The Department has a state-of-the-art dialysis unit, where over 1,56,500 dialysis has been completed so far. The excellent care rendered by the unit has resulted in patients surviving over ten years on hemodialysis and enjoying a good quality of life.

Other treatment modalities like continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, plasmapheresis, hemoperfusion, continuous renal replacement therapy and slow low effciency dialysis are being done regularly and successfully.

Kidney transplantation is being done for the last 11 years; transplantation is a team work which involves the Urology unit, Anaesthesiology and other supporting departments. The donors have been first degree relatives (385 in number) and deceased donors (20 in number). A recent analysis of the survival data showed a ten year survival of 81%, which is superior to many well known centers in USA (77%).

The Department conducts a DM course in Nephrology, as well as M. Sc. courses in Dialysis therapy and Allied Health Sciences; in addition, a Ph. D. programme goes on in the department. There have been over 35 publications from the Department in peer reviewed indexed national and international journals.

The Department of Head and Neck Surgery is organized as a multidisciplinary team, supported by the most modern diagnostic and treatment infrastructure to deal with all major problems arising in the head and neck region. This is the first of its kind clinical service, which brings under one umbrella, a multidisciplinary team of specialists in the fields of Head and Neck Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Maxillofacial Surgery, Neurosurgery and Otorhinolaryngology for the management of complex ailments of the head and neck region.

The Department offers state of art treatment in head and neck cancers. The treatment is decided and executed by a multi disciplinary tumor board comprising of  surgical, medical and radiation oncologists as well as supportive services like pathologists, head and neck radiologist and swallowing therapy  specialists.  The patients are offered appropriate reconstruction including microvascular free flaps. The swallowing therapy center in the department is first of its kind in the country.

The spectrum of work executed by the department includes endoscopic and conventional skull base surgery, laser surgery sialendoscopy and management of thyroid diseases.

The department pioneered the training in head and neck surgical oncology by starting its 3 year fellowship training programme 10 years back. The programme was accorded recognition as MCh programme by the medical council this year and is the only other institution in India along with Tata Memorial Hospital to run such programme. The swallowing therapy unit runs an MSc programme which is also first of its kind in the country. The department runs teaching programmes every year in microvascular surgery, head and neck cancers, thyroid disorder management and Craniomaxillofacial trauma.

The department has several international publications to its credit and has bagged prizes in all the national conferences in head and neck surgery in the country for the past 10 years. The faculty has been recognized in various international forums and the department has hosted several national and international trainees.

Neurosurgery is the speciality concerned with the surgical treatment of diseases of the nervous system composed of the brain, spinal cord and spinal column, as well as the nerves that travel through all parts of the body. The Department of Neurosurgery at AIMS is fully equipped to perform all types of surgeries for a wide range of illnesses. These include:

• Congenital diseases of the brain and spine and other illnesses affecting children
• Tumours of the brain, spine and spinal cord
• Vascular diseases such as aneurysms and vascular malformations
• Degenerative disc and other spinal diseases
• Instrumentation of the spine and the cranio-vertebral junction
• Diseases of the pituitary gland
• Stereotactic surgery
• Surgery for epilepsy and movement disorders
• Stroke and haemorrhage in the brain and spinal cord

The department is supported by state-of-the-art dedicated neurosurgical operation theatres, equipped with a Carl Zeiss OPMI NC4 Operating Microscope, a Karl Storz Neuroendoscope, a Midas Rex drill system, a ValleyLab Ultrasonic Surgical aspirator, a Siemens C—arm with facility for DSA, Codman and Aesculap operating instruments, and a Leksell Stereotactic frame. A dedicated Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit provides comprehensive care for postoperative and acutely ill patients. The Department also now offers steriotactic radiosurgery in connection with Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics.

The Centre for Urology and Renal Transplantation offers comprehensive facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of genitourinary problems in adults and children. A highly qualified and experienced team of dedicated urologists and resident surgeons who are available 24 hours a day mans it. The latest “state of the art” technology and equipments are available. The faculty subspecializes in the fields of paediatric urology, urological oncology, laparoscopic urology, endourology, andrology, female urology, neuro – urology and reconstructive urology. Along with the support of the nephrology services more than 400 renal transplantation operations have been successfully performed. The department has established itself as one of the best of it’s kind not only in the country but comparable to the best the world.

The Department of Oncology provides medical expertise for the treatment and prevention of solid tumours and haematological neoplasms in adults and children. Facilities are available to undertake outpatient chemotherapies in a specialised day care unit. Specialised methods of administering chemotherapy include the use of indwelling catheters and chemo ports.

Services Offered

• Chemotherapy (Out-patient and In-patient)
• Blood and Component Transfusion
• Paracentesis
• Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy
• Lumbar Puncture
• Psycho-Oncology Clinic
• Bio-Safety Cabinet for preparation of chemo drugs
• Dedicated service for dispensing chemotherapy drugs

The Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Speech Pathology and Audiology is one of the most well equipped departments with experienced faculty and instruments.

Otorhinolaryngology, as it stands now, is not merely dependent on routine outdoor evaluation and conservative management as it used to be in the past. The Department has adjusted well with the advancement of medical technology.

With the advent of modern day telescopes, operating microscopes and lasers, the department now handles various ear-nose-throat and neck disorders efficiently and precisely. The Department has state-of-the-art microscopes to perform micro ear-surgeries including cochlear implant.

There are nasal and nasopharyngeal endoscopes for diagnostics and video endoscopy facilities for all types of endoscopic sinus surgeries including transnasal pituitary and surgery for CSF rhinorrhoea. Microlaryngeal surgeries and voice-improving phonosurgery are also performed.

There is a dedicated voice clinic, conducted weekly, to cater specifically to patients with voice issues. This includes the investigation modality of videolaryngostroboscopy. Salivary gland stone cases are being managed by the new modality of sialendoscopy. Sleep disorders, especially snoring and sleep apnoea, are growing in incidence. The Department has recently taken the lead in setting up a multi-disciplinary ‘Snoring Clinic’.