Dr.Harinder Singh Bedi nominated for prestigious BMJ (British Medical Journal) Awards South Asia 2017

Ludhiana, September 18, 2017: Dr.Harinder Singh Bedi, Chairman Cardiac Sciences at the Ludhiana Mediways Hospital, has been nominated for the prestigious BMJ (British Medical Journal) Awards South Asia 2017 under the category ‘Healthcare Innovation of the Year’. The aim of BMJ Awards South Asia 2017 is to acknowledge excellence in healthcare and felicitate individuals & teams that have displayed an exemplary commitment to practice of medicine in South Asia. More than 2000 extraordinary nominations from healthcare professionals across South Asia (from top academic institutions, corporate hospitals, government organizations and industry leaders have participated to nominate their phenomenal work in the second edition of BMJ Awards South Asia 2017.

In his innovation, Dr. H.S. Bedi (Cardio-Vascular & Thoracic Surgeon) presented a new technique for preventing the formation of a Broncho-pleural fistula (BPF) after lung resection. Dr. Bedi stated, “The incidence of Tuberculosis and cancer of the lungs is quite high in South Asia. Resection of lungs becomes necessary in early cases of lung cancer to aim for a total cure of the cancer, as well as in advanced cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB of the lungs), T.B. cases not responding to medication and those with bleeding from lungs.”

Dr. Bedi, who is trained in all the super-specialties of Cardio Vascular, Endovascular and Thoracic Surgery, informed, “5-10% cases of lung resection can be complicated by the formation of a broncho-pleural fistula (BPF), which is a potentially fatal condition.” In order to avoid this complication after lung resection, Dr. H.S. Bedi devised an innovative technique wherein he used the Internal Mammary Artery (an artery of the chest wall usually used in bypass surgery) to provide a vascular flap for covering the bronchial stump remaining after lung resection. He commented, “The Internal Mammary Artery (IMA) gives an excellent vascular cover to the bronchial stump and helps in preventing the formation of a broncho-pleural fistula. I recommend this technique in all cases of lung resection as the Internal Mammary Artery is easily available and its use is not associated with any side effects. This technique prevents the dreaded complication of a BPF after lung surgery without any additional cost. No special instruments are required for performing this technique”.

Dr. Bedi presented this technique before eminent Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Surgeons and after a rigorous peer review, the technique was published in The World Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery. Recognizing the originality of the innovation, the medical fraternity has labeled the technique as the Bedi-IMA Buttress technique. Dr. H.S. Bedi’s pioneering work in beating heart bypass surgery helped him devise this new method in thoracic surgery.