A first-of-its-kind multi-centre live workshop on the emerging trends in coronary and non-coronary angioplasties is being organised by the Wockhardt Hospital and Heart Foundation on August 10, 2003 via satellite. The one-day workshop will be held in Bangalore and Mumbai simultaneously on the emerging trends in coronary and non coronary angioplasties. A team of leading interventional cardiologists at the Cardiac Cath Labs of Wockhardt's facilities in Bangalore and Mumbai will perform eight challenging cases of Angioplasties which will be transmitted live to more than 1000 doctors at the two cities at the same time. A series of such satellite workshops is being planned across the country at an investment cost of Rs.10 lakh.

Wockhardt is conducting the workshop in association with Harvard Medical School. There is a faculty of 22 eminent cardiologists in the area of angioplasty from Bangalore and 10 from Mumbai. There will be discussions between the medical fraternity and the faculty in both the locations.

The future of heart care for patients is an integrated approach between cardiac surgeons and cardiologists, we are progressing towards an era of hybrid procedure where the patient will get the best benefit of a minimally invasive bypass surgery and angioplasty at the same time, stated Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chief Cardiovascular Surgeon, Wockhardt who will have a first live demonstration of a conscious off pump coronary bypass surgery.

This workshop marks the beginning of an extensive knowledge exchange programme for Wockhardt Hospitals which now operates a cluster of super speciality hospitals in Mumbai besides its speciality heart hospital in Bangalore and a speciality nephrology hospital in Calcutta. "Our aim is to implement modern medical science technologies and such live interactive workshops are a vehicle of real time learning on the most advanced treatment possibilities for heart patients which will benefit the medical community in both cities" said Vishal Bali, vice president, Wockhardt Hospitals.

The objective of the workshop is to showcase how complications in every sphere of heart disease whether blocks in coronary arteries, peripheral and carotid arteries and choked heart valves are being treated through Angioplasty procedures. In Bangalore and Mumbai, Wockhardt has the highest experience of performing angioplasties with drug eluting stents.

The use of drug eluting stents in patients with high complications has changed the way cardiologists manage patients with blocks in coronary arteries and non - coronary arteries. When doctors see live procedures performed and complications being managed, it will be a learning experience to appreciate the intensity of online decision making for the benefit of patients. A case of septal abalation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will also be performed," said Dr. Ranganath Nayak, chief cardiologist, Wockhardt.

"Interventional Cardiology over the last 20 yrs has transformed from sole balloon angioplasty to the present day angioplasty with drug eluting stents which have reduced the restenosis rates dramatically" added Dr. Subash Chandra, Cardiologist.

Dr. Ranganath Nayak and Dr. Subash Chandra, will are coordinating the workshop from Bangalore along with Dr. Vijan and Dr. Rawat who are conducting it at Mumbai.