Friday, January 31, 2020

Values abound - Dr. Niranjan Mallnaik of Baptist Hospital ..

I am writing this post just to help reinforce the belief that there are still good, value based, ethical surgeons around in our society.

Four years back, around 2016, after getting six recurrences of low back ache due to a herniated disc, St. Johns hospital Bangalore senior doctors advised me to go for a surgery. My sister Alice in Mumbai could persuade me not to proceed for the surgery. For a second opinion, after talking to my elder brother in law, I decided to meet Dr Niranjan Mallnaik of Baptiste Hospital given that Baptist medical administration was already taken over by the globally renowned Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, TN.

After seeing my three MRI scans and numerous Xrays taken from 2003 onwards from IIT Mumbai, he plainly advised there was no need of a surgery. He just asked me to reduce my weight than at 86 kgs to around 78, carry out some physiotherapy exercises and continue the regular active life. I was relieved. Other wise I was worried  about the risk in the surgical invasive procedure and how it would have fared. Four years have passed by, I am carefully following Dr. Niranjan's advice and have not had a recurrence yet.

Click here for Dr. Niranjan's bio at Baptiste Hospital.

Yesterday I happened to visit Baptist hospital again with my son Easaw George for a second opinion regarding his right shoulder popping out of the socket issue. Hosmat hospital doctors had recommended a surgery for him. For a second opinion, I arranged this visit to Dr. Niranjan in Baptist Hospital through my brother in law.

Dr Niranjan had firstly a thorough check on Easaw and then had a look at the MRI, flatly said that a surgery is unnecessary at this stage. Dr. Niranjan was quite confident there was no need a surgery now, just physiotherapy would do. Easaw planning to go to a business school in Spain for MBA by August '20, getting clarity was the need of the hour. He wanted to be doubly sure about what the Hosmat hospital doctor had earlier said. He told the doctor how his shoulder has been popping out of the socket for at least 5 times since the first time in 2011.

Dr. Niranjan stuck to his stand and said no surgery is needed now as the injury is not severe and physio exercises should suffice.

As different from normal unethical doctors from corporate hospitals, like Apollo, Fortis, Sagar, Manipal and others, where doctors are given unethical monthly surgery targets, Baptiste does not do anything of that sort and the doctors behave at their ethical best.

I am convinced that Dr. Niranjan like any senior, qualified ortho expert believes that human body is infinitely capable of healing by itself. Almost 80 percent of all invasive procedures on the body are unnecessary and I am very happy about it.

Click here for a USA today article..

A great kudos to Dr Niranjan.

George