MediScene
EVAR for life
The tension was palpable. It was not that Consultant Vascular and Transplant Surgeon, Dr. Rezni Cassim, did not know what he was doing — for he had performed this life-saving procedure on numerous occasions in Australia where he had recently trained — but that the odds were heaped up against the patient. It was the [...]
MediScene
Spotting the clues for cancer
After being diagnosed with cancer, more than one patient has looked back and remembered those early symptoms they neglected – the hoarse voice that seemed to linger or the sudden, inexplicable loss of weight. These are the clues that shouldn’t be ignored – they might turn out to be benign, but equally they could indicate [...]
MediScene
Shingles: The three-day deadline
Shingles is a very common condition that can be a real pain – both figuratively and literally. While most of you would have heard of shingles, many of you would be unaware that the story of shingles begins with chickenpox. Chickenpox Chickenpox is a viral infection caused by the varicella zoster virus. It is predominantly [...]
MediScene
Don’t turn cheers to tears
Sri Lankans, especially males, drink a fair amount of alcohol. Surveys show that more than half of Sri Lankan males over 15 are alcohol users and, a majority of them have had alcohol use related problems at some point in their lives. Over the years, deaths from liver diseases – an indirect measurement of alcohol [...]
MediScene
Countering two age-old ailments
By the time your 60th birthday rolls around, many of the critical decisions that will determine your state of health will have already been made. For instance, the strength of your bones. You can only add on critical bone mass up to the age of 25. The changes that occur in the body as part [...]
MediScene
Taking a trip? Check those drugs
It is always better to have a chat with your doctor before you go on a holiday. He may know what medication you should take with you. If you do not have a doctor who knows your medical history, it is still better to talk to a doctor, who may suggest a few things that [...]
MediScene
Doctor turns patient
It was a busy morning in the operating theatre. I was the consultant anaesthesiologist responsible for the patients on the operating list, but in a moment my role was reversed. A fall resulted in a fracture of my femur, and suddenly I was a patient. A five-month stay in hospital ensued, which taught me several [...]
