Department of Emergency

In any emergency, time is very crucial. The care providers should know the value of time and should be well-experienced to make quick and right decisions. Any delay in time or a simple mistake can cost the patients their lives. Gleneagles Hospitals emergency medicine and trauma care facilities are one of the most advanced in India. They contain speciality care sections for Accident and Trauma, Cardiac Emergencies, and Paediatrics emergencies. The department consists of professionals with specialised training and years of experience in dealing with medical emergencies.

The emergency medicine and trauma department includes leading fellowship-trained experts in emergency care and our subspecialists are available for consultations. The Centre is staffed with trauma physicians, emergency room physicians, surgical residents, and nurses – all in readiness to respond to any kind of medical emergency.

We are one of the largest emergency care departments with many years of experience in this field, treating thousands of patients each year. The emergency care wards are well furnished with the latest technology machines to provide the best of service and care to victims.

Division units add another level of service for the patients. They are:

• Rapid treatment unit
• Evaluation and treatment unit
• Decontamination unit

Do not panic in case of any emergency condition, we are just a call away.

PROCEDURES

• MECHANICAL VENTILATION

Mechanical Ventilation is a form of artificial respiration that uses a ventilator, which is a breathing machine, to assist the patients with their breathing. It is used when the Lungs are not functioning properly. This breathing support helps in getting enough oxygen to the body and also helps in the removal of carbon dioxide from the body. Mechanical ventilation is used in the ICU when patients are not strong enough to breathe on their own so they take complete support of the machine, ventilator. Doctors take extreme care to prevent the patient from developing infections in the Lungs, especially Pneumonia.

Mechanical ventilation involves the penetration of an instrument through the mouth or the skin. There are two main modes of mechanical ventilation and they are positive pressure ventilation, where air is pushed into the trachea, and negative pressure ventilation, where air is sucked into the Lungs.

• ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG)

An Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that is commonly performed to check the electrical activity of the Heart. An ECG shows the Heart’s electrical activity by tracing lines on paper. These tracings which have spikes and dips are called waves.

An ECG is performed to find the cause of unexplained chest pain. This could be caused by a Heart Attack. It also helps in finding the cause of the symptoms of Heart Disease. The symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness, and palpitations. The other uses of ECG are to find out the thickness of the walls of the Heart, to check if the medicines used to treat the Heart are working properly and also to check the health condition of the Heart when other diseases are present.

• ARTERIAL LINE

An arterial line is a catheter that is inserted into an artery, as is the case for IVs. They may be inserted into the wrist or groin. The arterial line is a way to constantly monitor and measure the blood pressure of the patient. This constant monitoring of the blood pressure is essential to treat the patient safely. Arterial lines can be used in patients with very high or low blood pressure. It also provides access to frequent blood sampling, as the blood can be withdrawn from the patient with the help of the catheter.

An arterial line is mostly inserted in the radial artery of the wrist or brachial artery at the elbow. Insertion is usually painful so this procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Arterial lines are typically inserted by physicians, surgeons, anesthesiologists or nurses.

• CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR)

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is the combination of life-saving measures performed to restart Lung and Heart function in a patient who has stopped breathing or whose Heart has stopped beating. This condition is called Cardiac Arrest. A few methods may include applying pressure on the chest attempting to restore the Heart rhythm to normal (with an electric shock) and also administration of medications and artificial respiration using a face mask or breathing tube.

When the Heart stops, the lack of oxygenated blood can cause Brain damage. In this condition, a person may die within 5-10 minutes. CPR can keep oxygenated blood flowing to the Brain and other vital organs until any other medical treatment can restore a normal Heart rhythm.