XN000022-1991-06-21 — Page 10

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FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1991

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NEW LITHOTRIPTER INSTALLED IN QMH

THE

MANY PATIENTS WITH STONES IN THE URINARY TRACT WILL BE SPARED RISK AND PAIN OF SURGERY FOLLOWING THE INSTALLATION OF A LITHOTRIPTER FOR EXTRA-CORPOREAL SHOCK WAVE LITHOTRIPSY FOR TREATMENT OF STONES IN QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL.

THE EQUIPMENT IS DONATED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB (RHKJC) AND 1S THE FIRST LITHOTRIPTER INSTALLED IN A GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL.

IT WAS TODAY (FRIDAY) OFFICIALLY HANDED OVER TO THE NEW LITHOTRIPTER UNIT OF QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL, BY MR CHAU CHAM-SON,

CHAM-SON, STEWARD OF THE RHKJC WHICH HAS GENEROUSLY DONATED $16 MILLION TO THE HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE EQUIPMENT AND OTHER ACCESSORIES.

DEPARTMENT

AT THE HANDING-OVER CEREMONY, THE HOSPITAL SERVICES THANKED THE RHKJC FOR ITS GENEROSITY, THROUGH WHICH MEDICAL SERVICES WILL BE IMPROVED.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE NEW MACHINE WILL BE USED MAINLY FOR STONES IN THE URINARY TRACT.

"THE LITHOTRIPTER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THIRD GENERATION MODELS,

IS MUCH IMPROVED THAN OLDER DESIGNS.

"IT WILL HAVE BOTH X-RAY AND ULTRASOUND SYSTEM FOR LOCALISATION SO THAT ALL STONES, WHETHER THEY ARE RADIO-OPAQUE OR NOT, CAN BE DETECTED EASILY

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THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE NEW LITHOTRIPTER IS A VERY POWERFUL MACHINE AND STONE DISINTEGRATION CAN USUALLY BE ACHIEVED IN ONE TREATMENT.

MOREOVER, TREATMENT IS PERFORMED WITHOUT ANAESTHESIA IN OVER 90 PER CENT OF PATIENTS.

"SOME PATIENTS REQUIRE ONLY AN INJECTION OF PAIN-KILLING DRUG AND MANY DO NOT NEED ANY DRUGS AT ALL DURING THE TREATMENT.

"THIS MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR PATIENTS TO BE DISCHARGED ON THE SAME DAY. THE STONES, FRAGMENTED INTO SMALL PIECES, WILL BE PASSED OUT WITH URINE SPONTANEOUSLY," HE EXPLAINED.

PATIENTS WILL USUALLY EXPERIENCE SOME REDDISH URINE AND MILD PAIN WHEN FRAGMENTS ARE PASSED OUT, AND COMPLICATIONS ARE RARE.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE SCOPE OF TREATMENT MAY BE EXTENDED TO STONES IN OTHER BODY SYSTEM SUCH AS BILE DUCT STONES, WHICH IS A COMMON DISEASE IN THIS LOCALITY.

APART FROM SERVING PATIENTS FROM HONG KONG ISLAND, THE NEW MACHINE WILL PROVIDE TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS FROM OTHER REGIONS IN THE TERRITORY.

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