City hospital puts Pakistan national back on his feet

Bangalore: After visiting several countries for avascular necrosis (cellular death of bone components) treatment, Pakistani businessman Imran Qureshi (31) chose to come to Bangalore.

While the doctors in other countries (USA, China and Saudi Arabia) had suggested an extensive invasive surgery, a city based hospital provided him an option of stem cell therapy. Now, with the last injection due on Friday, Imran seems to have recovered and is all set to go home.

Imran had arrived in Bangalore exactly a month ago, after being diagnosed with advanced avascular necrosis of hip about two-and-a-half-month ago. He was not able to walk and since his wife was expecting, it made him more stressed out.

Imran said "Considering all the complications, I did not want to undergo surgery. I checked for various options over the internet and consulted several leading hospitals in the US and also doctors in Pakistan and all of them suggested surgery. It was then I came across the Bangalore Institute of Regenerative Medicine and had discussions over the internet with patients, who had undergone treatment there, and also with the doctors there. I then discussed about the procedure with my family members and came to Bangalore with my brother in mid-November."

Regarding his treatment, the institute Chairman Dr H.N Nagaraj said, "Even before his arrival we had checked all his reports and had several discussions."

"So we commenced his treatment as soon as he arrived. Through a small incision the bone marrow of the patient was extracted and processed in our specialised laboratory, following which they were injected directly into the his hip joint. This stem cell restores hip joint function that was lost due to cartilage damage and facilitates repair of blood cells."

Imran has already undergone three sessions of infusion, a final one will be done Friday.

"I am very happy about the treatment I received here in India and Bangalore in particular. I will be able to walk on my own now after about a month.

After a week I am leaving for Pakistan where I can meet my daughter, who is now a month old, and all the family members."