Pioneering safety: Dr MM Yusuf’s minimally invasive surgeries!
An accelerated pace of life triggered by instant gratification while still seated in front of a screen for hours together has brought about a spike in the probability of heart diseases and a dip in survival rates. With the intent of giving back to the community, Dr MM Yusuf uses the science of medicine to weed out the deeply concerning and a widely popular (in multiple senses) problem in light: the complexities of the human heart.
As he simply puts it, “Heart surgeries are primarily done for two reasons. One – ‘symptomatic’ relief which refers to giving a good quality of life. The second being the ‘prognostic’ relief which refers to preventing death.” Bringing immediate safety and long term benefits of the patient into this equation proves how robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgeries can be a Godsend.
Having understood the essence of cardiac surgeries through personal life experiences at a very young age, Dr M M Yusuf elaborately pursued his career in Cardiothoracic surgery. His medical journey, as he recalls, started with traditional open-heart surgery and swiftly moved to minimally invasive & Robotic surgery. Post his discovery of the technology that could benefit a massively populated country like India, he and his family have returned to give our country the best of care. Under the able guidance of his mentor Dr Frank Praet, Dr M M Yusuf set up a successful Robotic cardiac surgery program in the nation that has proven to be a lifesaving boon for patients owing to its minimal risks and rapid recovery time of 2 to 3 weeks.
As a member of the Cardiology & Cardiothoracic Society of India,
Dr M M Yusuf aims for equality in health infrastructure and points out the dire need of such a quintessential technology’s availability for the whole nation. “In India, the accessibility and availability of health care depends on where you live and what you are. Our population is extremely high; hence the system is compromised a lot. It is important to try and standardize health-care provided in the private sector throughout the country. We do have a huge economical divide in our country.” he opines.
During a pandemic like this, when hospitals beds have risen in value and plummeted in number, an all-pro surgery that is not physically scarring, is highly precise and lets the patient be on their way in 48-72 hours to walk the road of recovery sooner than they’d expect it to be, is truly a boon.
“The major advantage of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS) is that the patient’s fear is alleviated. One question that a lot of patients ask when they come for cardiac surgery is whether their chest needs to be split open to perform the surgery. In MICS / Robotic surgery, this chest split is avoided. However, what we do inside is the same. Instead of our hands, we insert small robotic arms through a pinhole and perform surgery in a safe manner.” he reassuringly adds.
In all fairness, destigmatizing the complexity of heart surgeries and inducing a sense of confidence, therefore trust in patients only helps in fostering hopefulness for the patient and their families. Advancements have taken humankind to a higher level like never before and continue to improve the quality of our lives. Dr M M Yusuf, with his belief in action and change has begun putting it to good use. He has not only been saving lives, but has been doing so with less pain to the patients.
You may connect with Dr M M Yusuf through yusuf@punithas.com