Best Multi-Specialty Hospital in Kochi

The Department of Spine Surgery at Aster Hospitals provides minimally invasive treatment for spinal injuries and conditions.

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Diagnostics & Blood Bank

One of the most advanced facilities of its kind in India, the Radiology Suite at Aster Medcity equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment ranging from the world’s fastest CT Scanner to Flat Panel Biplane Hybrid Cath Lab that render high c

Paediatric Surgery & Urology

The super specialty of Aster Paediatric Surgery & Urology offers comprehensive care to kids with surgical issues, from infants through teenagers.

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Robotic Joint Replacement

ster Centre for Robotic Joint Replacement operating under Aster Centre of Excellence in Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement combines the expertise of orthopedic surgeons with advanced robotic technology to provide precise and minimally invasive j

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Epilepsy Centre

Aster Epilepsy centre is equipped with a full-fledged facility with dedicated Video EEG machines for long-term epilepsy monitoring and pre-surgical monitoring of medically intractable epilepsy.

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PICU

Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Aster Hospitals offers a dedicated Paediatric Intensive Unit equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring and diagnostic equipments.

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FAQ's

Is HDR Brachytherapy painful?

The procedure itself is not painful as local or general anesthesia is often used. Some discomfort may occur after the treatment.

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How can I prevent epilepsy?

Sometimes we can prevent epilepsy. The most common ways to reduce your risk of developing epilepsy are:

Have a healthy pregnancy. Some problems during pregnancy and childbirth may lead to epilepsy. Follow a prenatal care plan with your healthcare provider to keep you and your baby healthy.
Prevent head injuries
Lower the chances of stroke and heart disease.
Be up-to-date on your vaccinations.
Wash your hands and prepare food safely to prevent worm infections such as cysticercosis

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What can I do to manage my epilepsy?

Self-management is what one should do to take care of self. You can learn how to manage seizures and keep an active and full life. Begin with these tips:

Take your medicine.
Discuss with your doctor or nurse when you have questions.
Recognize seizure triggers (such as flashing or bright lights).
Keep a record of your seizures.
Get enough sleep.
Lower stress.

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How is epilepsy treated?

A provider and person with epilepsy can do several things to stop or lessen seizures.

The most common treatments for epilepsy are:

Medicine: Anti-seizure drugs are medicines that limit the spread of seizures in the brain. A health care provider will change the amount of medicine or prescribe a new drug if needed to find the best treatment plan. Medicines act for around 2 in 3 people with epilepsy.
Surgery: When seizures arise from a single area of the brain (focal seizures), the surgery to exclude that area may stop future seizures or make them easier to manage with medicine. Epilepsy surgery is mostly used when the seizure focus is located in the temporal lobe of the brain.
Other treatments: When medicines fail to work and surgery is not possible, then other treatments can help. It includes vagus nerve stimulation in which an electrical device is placed or implanted, under the skin on the upper chest to transfer signals to a large nerve in the neck. Another option is the ketogenic diet, high fat and low carbohydrate diet with restricted calories.

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What causes epilepsy?

Epilepsy can be caused due to various conditions that affect a person’s brain.

Some known causes include:

Stroke
Brain tumor
Brain infection
Traumatic brain injury or head injury
Loss of oxygen to your brain. Example: Birth time
Hereditary causes
Developmental anomalies of the brain
The cause of epilepsy is unknown for 2 in 3 people. This kind of epilepsy is termed as cryptogenic or idiopathic.

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If I have a seizure, then does it mean that I have epilepsy?

Not always. Seizures can also happen because of other medical problems.

These problems include:

A high fever.
Low blood sugar.
Alcohol or drug withdrawal.

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What are the major types of seizures?

Sometimes it is difficult to determine when a person is having a seizure. A person with a seizure may look confused or as if they are staring at something that is not there. Other seizures can cause a person to fall, shake, and become unaware of what’s going on around them.

Seizures are classified into two groups.

Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain.
Focal seizures affect just one area of the brain. These seizures are also called partial seizures.

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How long do seizures usually last?

Usually, a seizure may last from a few seconds to a few minutes, based on the type of seizure.

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What is epilepsy

Patients having two or more seizures or a tendency to have recurrent seizures, are termed to be having epilepsy.

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What is a seizure?

A Seizure is a condition in which sudden, uncontrolled electrical irregularity occurs in our brain. It may cause changes in behaviour, movements or feelings, and levels of consciousness.

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When should I consider seeing a general physician?

There are several health conditions that are considered to be treated by general physicians. These include heavy breathing, nausea, fainting, bleeding or deep cuts, vaccinations, viral infections, or regular health checkups. Our general physician remains well-prepared to treat these health problems any time.

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What are the most common types of conditions that general physicians treat?

General physicians treat several common conditions, such as diabetes, indigestions, muscular pains, high blood pressure, migraines, bleeding or fractures, skin allergies, and viral infections. Our general physician treats these issues with effective medications and personalised treatment plans.

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What is the role of a critical care physician in a patient's treatment journey?

Critical care physicians in Ongole examine patients’ critical illnesses and diseases through a comprehensive monitoring process. This process includes a physical examination, diagnostic and imaging tests, analysis of previous reports, identification of potential side effects and associated risks, and, after considering all steps, treatment of patients with the best treatment plan.

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What advancements or technologies are utilised by Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics?

Aster Mother Hospital has required medical equipment and devices such as diagnostic tools, MRI machines, CT scanners, X-ray machines, ultrasound machines, bone densitometer, arthroscopy equipment, joint replacement implants, and physical therapy equipment.

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What advancements or technologies are utilized by Orthopedic surgeons?

Orthopedic surgeons utilize advancements and technologies such as arthroscopic surgery, computer-assisted navigation systems, 3D printing for customized implants, regenerative medicine techniques, minimally invasive procedures, and advanced imaging modalities for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

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What are the precautions of 1st Trimester pregnancy?

Precautions during the first trimester include:

Avoiding harmful substances (e.g., alcohol, smoking, certain medications).
Eating a balanced diet with sufficient folic acid, iron, and calcium.
Maintaining regular prenatal visits.

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What are the early signs of Pregnancy?

Common early signs of pregnancy include:

Missed period
Nausea or morning sickness.
Fatigue.
Tender or swollen breasts.
Increased urinationLight spotting (implantation bleeding)
Food cravings or aversions.
Mood swings.

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What is pre natal care visit?

A prenatal care visit is a medical appointment for pregnant women to monitor the health of both the mother and the developing baby. It includes physical exams, lab tests, ultrasounds, and discussions about health, nutrition, exercise, and any potential complications.

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What conditions do Obstetrics and Gynaecologists treat?

Obstetricians manage:

Pregnancy and prenatal care
Labor and childbirth
Postpartum care
High-risk pregnancies
Miscarriages

Gynecologists treat:

Menstrual problems (e.g., heavy periods, pain)
Reproductive health issues (e.g., endometriosis, fibroids)
Fertility problems, Menopause management,
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs),
Gynecologic cancers (e.g., ovarian, cervical, uterine).

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What are Obstetrics and Gynaecology?

Obstetrics: The branch of medicine that deals with pregnancy, childbirth, and the care of women during and after childbirth.

Gynecology: The branch of medicine that focuses on the health of the female reproductive system, including the diagnosis and treatment of disorders and diseases related to the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and breasts.

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Are Obstetricians and Gynaecologists same?

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Who are spine surgeons, and what do they do?

Spine surgeons are medical specialists trained to diagnose and treat conditions related to the spine. They perform surgeries to correct issues such as spinal deformities, injuries, and degenerative diseases. Their work often involves collaborating with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care.

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How do I prepare for the EMU Admission

To prepare for an EMU Admission:
•   Wash your hair the night before or the day of the test, but do not apply any conditioners, hair creams, sprays or styling gels to your hairs. Hair products use should be avoided as it can make tougher for the sticky patches that are used to hold the electrodes to adhere to your scalp. If you have weaves or braids, need to be removed before a test is completed.
•   Wear loose-fitting clothes
•   Follow your physician’s instructions regarding your medication.
•   Arrive at the hospital on scheduled time, delays can occur if you are late.
•   You may bring electronics like a laptop to use during your stay.
•   Visitors are allowed during your EMU admission. A family member or loved one who is familiar with the seizure is asked to stay along with the patient at the hospital.

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What are EEG and video EEG and their necessity?

Video EEG is nothing but a simultaneous recording of EEG along with a video camera focused on you all the time. You will be admitted, and EEG leads will be connected to you. You will be under the camera for 24 hours while your EEG on. When you have a seizure, it will record the exact movements you do during your seizure activity and simultaneous EEG recordings. This will provide us with the exact idea of the area of your brain accountable for producing these seizures. Generally, 3-10 episodes of seizure will be recorded and so patients usually stay for 5-7 days in the hospital. We generally stop your drugs so that more seizures can be obtained in a short time. It is secure as you are having seizures in a controlled environment of the hospital, supported with doctors and nurses all the time.

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What is an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU?)

It is a specialized unit in the hospital for constant monitoring of brain activity using EEG and Video, where a patient is admitted for 3-5 days. This provides your doctor with a better understanding of your seizures by seeing how your brain functions and what you are physically doing during the event.

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What are the investigations required for a patient with drug-resistant epilepsy?

Basic tests include Video EEG, 3 Tesla MRI epilepsy protocol and Neuropsychological assessment. Additional tests needed may be PET scan, SPECT scan, functional MRI, WADA.

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What is the incidence of epilepsy and drug-resistant epilepsy?

There are 70 million persons with epilepsy (PWE) worldwide, nearly 12 million PWE are expected to reside in India, which contributes to nearly one-sixth of the global burden. One million Indians have medically refractory seizures. An approximate 5 -6 lakh people are candidates for epilepsy surgery in India.

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What is Epileptology and what is the role of epileptologist?

Epileptology is a subspecialty of Neurology, focussing on evaluation and management of difficult to treat or complex epilepsy cases where seizures were not controlled despite starting anti-epileptic medications prescribed by a physician, paediatrician, or Neurologist.
Epileptologist is trained in detailed evaluation and management of complex paediatric as well as adult epilepsy cases and plays the key role in precisely finding out whether there is an epileptogenic focus in the brain which can be surgically removed to permanently cure epilepsy.

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What can I do to manage my epilepsy?

Self-management is what one should do to take care of self. You can learn how to manage seizures and keep an active and full life. Begin with these tips:

Take your medicine.
Discuss with your doctor or nurse when you have questions.
Recognize seizure triggers (such as flashing or bright lights).
Keep a record of your seizures.
Get enough sleep.
Lower stress.

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What are complications with epilepsy surgery?

Epilepsy surgery is a carefully planned procedure, carried out under optimal circumstances to remove the region of brain causing the seizures, and to spare parts of the brain necessary for everyday functions.
Complications are very infrequent in epilepsy surgery, major complications like motor deficits, language deficits, vegetative states and disabilities are seen in 3-5% of cases. Other treatable complications like infections, prolonged hospitalizations, transient deficits, speech problems, mood problems, visual field deficits are common and do not alter the normal daily life. Overall, epilepsy surgery is safe surgery, and it improves quality of life of many patients and their care takers significantly.

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What are the chances of improvement after epilepsy surgery?

Chances of seizure control depend on many variables and varies between 50-90%. If MRI shows some lesion which could be completely removed, then 9 out of 10 people can achieve seizure freedom and almost 6 out of 10 patients can be off medicine. However, outcome is in the magnitude of 50% with palliative surgeries. Outcome typically depends on the responsible pathology.

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What are different types of epilepsy surgeries?

Epilepsy surgeries are of two types. In patients where we find a small, focal brain area responsible for epilepsy, we go for resection of that area. These surgeries are called curative surgeries where once that area is removed; patient will be mostly free of epilepsy. However, there is a group of patients in which a large area is responsible, or we could not define a small area or removing complete area is not feasible; surgeries are meant to just reduce seizure frequency and improve quality of life. These surgeries are called palliative surgeries.

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Who is a general surgeon, and what do they do?

A general surgeon is a medical specialist qualified to carry out a broad spectrum of surgical treatments, ranging from simple to intricate. They identify and surgically treat a wide range of illnesses, traumas, and ailments that affect the skin, breasts, abdomen, and other organs.

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How often should I get a wellness health checkup?

The frequency of wellness health checkups depends on your age, health status, and risk factors. Generally, it is recommended to have an annual checkup, but your doctor may suggest a different schedule based on your specific health profile.

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Why should I get a wellness health checkup?

Regular wellness health checkups help detect health problems at an early stage when they are easier to treat. They also provide valuable insights into your health status, allowing you to take proactive steps to maintain or improve your well-being.

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What are the most common types of conditions that gastroenterologists treat?

Gastroenterologists at Aster MIMS Kannur commonly address prevalent conditions such as acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcers, liver disorders, gallbladder issues, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal cancers. With expertise and precision, they offer effective care for a broad spectrum of digestive system conditions tailored to individual needs.

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What question should you ask an anesthesiologist?

When you consult an anesthesiologist before a surgical procedure, you can ask them about the type of anesthesia they will perform. Also, if you have any questions regarding the procedure, you must not hesitate to ask them.

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What are the common heart conditions in children?

The most common heart conditions in children include:

Congenital heart defects
Cardiac arrhythmias
Acquired heart diseases

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What advancements or technologies are utilized by Pulmonologists?

Pulmonologists utilize various advanced technologies and methods, including bronchoscopy (visual examination of airways), thoracentesis (removing fluid from the space around the lungs), and advanced imaging techniques (CT scans, MRIs). They also use pulmonary function tests to assess lung function and utilize cutting-edge treatments, including targeted therapies for lung cancer and biologic drugs for asthma.

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What can you expect from Bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery is done in the hospital using general anesthesia. This means you're unconscious during the procedure. The specifics of your surgery depend on your situation, the type of weight-loss surgery you have. Today, bariatric surgery is performed laparoscopically or Robotic without making the traditional large cuts. Laparoscopic / Robotic surgery can make recovery faster and shorter. Depending on your procedure, you may need to stay a few days in the hospital.

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What are the risks factors of Bariatric Surgery?

As with any major procedure, bariatric surgery poses potential health risks, both in the short term and the long term such as:

Excessive bleeding.
Infection.
Reactions to anesthesia.
Blood clots.
Lung or breathing problems.
Leaks in your gastrointestinal system.

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Who benefits from Bariatric surgery?

In general, bariatric surgery could be an option for you if:

Your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or more, called extreme obesity.
Your BMI is 35 called obesity, and have a serious weight-related health problem, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or severe sleep apnea. In some cases, you may qualify for certain types of weight-loss surgery if your BMI is 30 to 34 and you have serious weight-related health problems.

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How many days do I have to get admitted?

Day care /one day/short stay admission: surgeries such as lap cholecystectomy / lap appendicectomy / lap hernia surgery

Early morning admission > 6 to 8 hours of fasting > pre op medications > surgery > post op monitoring in recovery room > overnight ward stay > discharge next day

Long stay admission: abdominal surgery, cancer surgery, intestinal surgery

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How to plan and schedule surgery?

Post consultation you can meet anaesthetist(PAC- Pre Anaesthetic Check-up )and undergo basic blood investigations, and submit insurance documents / finance counselling to avoid hassle free admission and surgical procedure.

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What happens in outpatient department?

Generally, most of you will approach surgeon with primary diagnosis, however symptoms such as abdominal pain, swellings, weight loss, bleeding, etc will be further investigated and diagnosed. Plan of care will be discussed to patient and family members.

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One Aster

Personalized Medical Assistant for all your healthcare needs.
Book instant appointment, pay securely, eConsult with our doctors and save all your health records at one place are some of the benefits of OneAster App. It is everything you need, to manage your family Health.

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