Executive Director of AIIMS Bhopal, Professor (Dr) Ajai Singh has asked people to stay away from scams and quacks against the bizarre practice of skin branding for alleviating abdominal ailments or their cure. Such practice by quacks is prevalent in rural areas in many parts of the country, and MP region is no exception. < "Recently one patient visited in Gastro Surgery OPD who had skin branding done with hot iron rings and hot pieces of earthen pots on her abdomen for pain and swelling by a local quack in her village about 10 yrs back. With no relief, it was repeated after a year. When we evaluated her, she was found to be actually suffering from a condition called Portal Hypertension. Spleen was enlarging over last many years and now became quite huge in size and was causing pain" informed Dr Vishal Gupta, Additional Professor, Gastro Surgery,  AIIMS Bhopal. "There was another patient who had branding done for pain abdomen. Later he had jaundice and was found to be suffering from the cancer adjoining pancreas. Fortunately, cancer was diagnosed timely enabling us to offer surgery" Dr Gupta added. Such bizarre practices are not warranted at all, rather than of any proven benefit they may endanger patients life. There are multiple reasons for pain in abdomen or jaundice; from simple problem like stones to serious one like cancer. Proper assessment and timely investigations are essential for correct diagnosis and treatment. "One patient was lucky as cancer was detected timely and curative surgery (Whipples operation) could be performed. But the real problem could be ascertained only recently in other patient when she sought proper medical care." said Dr Gupta.

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