I examine, investigate and treat patients with complex hematological disorders, every day on Daycare basis at Breach Candy Hospital.
Dr. V. P. Antia, M.D, Diploma in Haematology (London) has over 35 years of practice in Clinical Haematology. He is currently the Director - Haematological medicine at Breach Candy Hospital trust which is his main place of work. He has a hospital based comprehensive setup including a dedicated haematology and transfusion medicine daycare service, wherein he examines, investigates and treats patients with haematological disorders on the same day. Patients from India and abroad avail this facility. He is a recognised teacher for clinical haematology of the Maharashtra University. His students are also involved. He was Honorary clinical haematologist at the internationally renowned Tata Memorial Hospital and Jaslok Hospital for 20 years.
The Department of Haematological Medicine at Breach Candy Hospital has a well staffed, patient friendly service involving Doctors, technicians, nurses and receptionists who are well geared to cater exclusively to the needs of patients with haematological / heamato-oncological disorders. The dedicated staff is well trained in all aspects of management including chemotherapy, transfusion medicine treatment - packed cells, platelets and other component therapy, chemotherapy for Haematological malignancies and other Haematological treatments like IV iron and immunoglobulin therapy are routinely given on day-care basis. Whether it is component therapy, blood transfusion or chemotherapy, patient comfort is our priority. We are a hospital based setup and often have components in excess, thus for our regular patients we do not insist on replacement donors.
Patients for Heamatological problems are referred to us in our Clinic in the Department of Haematological medicine. On the spot blood is collected and investigated stat in our specialized lab in the department. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment is instituted in our day-care service which is a part of the Department.
Being a Hospital setup, we have ancilliary facilities and expertise in bone-marrow Histopathology and Imaging services.
Dr. V. P. Antia, Head of Haematological Medicine who is mainly trained in U.K. where haematologists manage and are trained in both Clinical and Laboratory services. This expertise and unique setup at BCH, Dept. of Haematological Medicine wherein Clicinal, Lab and Blood bank, functions in unison as one department which results in quick and accurate diagnosis and management.
Patients suffering for haematological disorders are treated under this one roof of Breach Candy Hospital by thorough professionals and utmost care. Some of the common haematological cases handled by Dr. Antia are mentioned below.
This by definition implies low haemoglobin levels. Most patients with Anaemia are treated by Iron, B12, folic acid by their general physicians. Many do not respond and they require a Haematology consultation. There are numerous causes of Anaemia like Thallaesemias, Autoimmune Haemolytic anaemia, Aplastic anaemia, Mylodysplastic syndrome which are investigated in our specialized lab, bone-marrow studies (if necessary) done and accordingly treated.
This by definition implies low platelet counts. After Anaemia, Thrombocytopenia is the second most common Haematological manifestation and needs a Haematology consult, investigation and appropriate management. There are various causes of Thrombocytopenia - ITP, infection induced, Drug induced etc. They may require platelet transfusions and our department being in a Hospital setup has facilities to administer it in our day-care center.
Some patients have unprovoked bleeding, some bleed excessively on minor trauma. These cases need a Haematological consult for investigations and necessary treatment. Some bleeding disorders are congenital like Haemophilia and Von Willebrand disease but most cases are acquired secondary to liver disease or drugs etc. As the FDA approved blood bank is also a part of the department, the necessary component therapy is provided in our day-care center.
More commoner than patients who bleed are the patients who clot or thrombose leading to deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Often there is a deficiency of a protein in the blood which needs investigation. We also have an anti-coagulation clinic where patients on anti-coagulants are venisected, investigation reported and dose adjusted within 15 minutes. With newer anti-coagulants in the market, we opine on the type of anti-coagulant, duration of anti-coagulant therapy in a individual case.
This is defined as fevers not responding to the regular treatment for a period greater than a month. Fevers are managed by general physicians. When they do not respond to the given treatment, it requires a Haematological consult. We rule out a Haematological disorder by bone marrow study, send the marrow for culture to rule out an infectious pathology and also send the biopsy for gene expert and rule out tuberculosis. All these investigations are done at the Breach Candy Hospital.
There are specific clinical indications to do a bone marrow study. Bone marrow is often subjected to various ancillary tests like Cytogenetic tests, FISH, Culture, Histopathology. Over the years we have developed expertise in the diagnostic procedure including its interpretation. Our anaesthetist, Dr.Uma Dhamankar, who is a part of our team, specialises in a technique called Conscious sedation where the pain and anxiety associated with the procedure is minimised while the patient is fully conscious and awake during the procedure.
A Haematological Malignancy is suspected by the general physician on the basis of various symptoms and lab reports. The patient is then referred to a Medical Oncologist / Haematologist. We haematologists handle three malignancies (Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myloma) and specialise in the investigation and management of the same. Over the last 25 years in practice we have excellent results and good survivals in Haematological malignancies, specially chronic myloid leukemia, multiple myloma, mylodysplastic syndrome, acute myloid leukemia, Hodgkins disease, CLL etc. In these disorders we have used the latest therapy including monoclonal antibodies, targeted therapy and novel agents in our day-care setup.
We at Breach Candy Hospital Department of Haematological Medicine, have ideal working conditions geared to patient care and comfort.
In the United Kingdom, a practicing Haematologist in the National Health Services is in charge of the Haematology lab,
transfusion medicine services and sees patients with Haematological problems referred to him. He also treats and admits in the wards, patients with Haematological disorders and Haematological malignancies like
Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myloma. This ensures optimum patient care.
As Dr. Antia trained and worked extensively in the United Kingdom, he wished to establish a similar setup at Breach Candy Hospital ever since he joined on the staff.
Thanks to the Trustees and Management of Breach Candy Hospital, Haematology and Transfusion medicine was encouraged and
the result is the center of excellence in Haematology services.
It has now been recognised as a post graduate training department for Haematology and Haemato-oncology by the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS).
This is probably the only clinical haematology service working under the banner and supported by hospital facilities. Other centers are privately run. The Breach Candy Hospital has a brand name and reputation for ethics, quality of service which is reflected in our haematology services. The charges of the services are done and controlled through the hospital. Also the department and hospital goes the extra mile to ensure patients convenience. In case of patients receiving multiple blood transfusions we supply from the blood bank stock which often has a surplus.
Dr. V. P. Antia (M.D.) has a Diploma in Clinical Haematology (London). He has over 35 years of practice in Clinical Haematology. Dr. V. P. Antia did his initial training in Haematology at the Tata Memorial Hospital. Subsequently he did his qualification in Haematology at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School - University of London. In London, he has trained at the Hammersmith Hospital. Subsequently he did a Clinical Fellowship at the Department of Haematological Medicine, University of Cambridge and worked at the Addenbrooke's Hospital - Cambridge. He has also done clinical fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - New York in Bone Marrow Transplant in Haematological malignancies.
He is currently the Director - Haematological medicine at Breach Candy Hospital trust which is his main place of work. He has a hospital based comprehensive setup including a dedicated haematology and transfusion medicine daycare service, wherein he examines, investigates and treats patients with haematological disorders on the same day. Patients from India and abroad avail this facility. He is a recognised teacher for clinical haematology of the Maharashtra University. His students are also involved. He was Honorary clinical haematologist at the internationally renowned Tata Memorial Hospital and Jaslok Hospital for 20 years.
He was a part of the International Recommendation Panel for management of Fungal Infections in haematological malignancy held in Vienna 2012. Subsequently the guidelines were published in the prestigious Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
He was the local Indian expert in the series telecasted on National Geographic – “The Girl who bleeds tears”.
He has lectured on various topics in haematology internationally and nationally. He is a post graduate university teacher for fellowship in Haematology and Haemato-oncology.
We are academically oriented with international representative publications like developing a guidance document for managing invasive fungal diseases.
Dr. Antia was a part of the International Recommendation Panel for management of Fungal Infections in haematological malignancy held in Vienna 2012. Subsequently the guidelines were published in the prestigious Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Dr. Antia was featured as the local expert on this baffling Haematological bleeding problem which was telecast on National Geographic Channel and was well received all over the world.
Dr. Antia is a very renowned & an excellent doctor full of patience and kindness towards his patients.He is superb in his diagnosis & medical treatment. The services of the Haematology Department and Blood bank are also excellent.
Harsh (11 years).
What a good idea to make a website! I now have a chance to see your whole department together. After reading the contents gives one greater confidence on the kind of people one is dealing with and their capabilities. I am sure lot of people will benefit by this portal which is unusual in India. My congratulations!
Before closing I would like to say that I have personally visited your department many times for the treatment and I find everyone is helpful, friendly and skilled. I am sure this atmosphere is there in the department because of your leadership. I know you as a Haematologist whose knowledge, experience and diagnostic skills are well known.
S. B. Garware
"When we realized that my father, Kanti Kanoria, needed special help our family doctor, Dr. Nitin Shah, suggested a few names. As chance would have it, Dr. Antia was the first doctor that we approached and we felt very comfortable with him. We decided in the first meeting that we were happy with having Dr. Antia as the specialist and did not take any alternative advise in India.
Dr. Antia was a great support and we felt satisfied with having our father under his care. We did consult two specialists in America through emails and telephonic conversations, one of whom we did subsequently visit with my father at the Mayo Clinic. However, that visit was more for his and our mental satisfaction that we were doing our very best. Dr. Antia was surprisingly quick to give us his prognosis and the American doctors did not see any differently from the very beginning. When we did finally meet Dr. V. Rajkumar at Mayo Clinic, he too said that we had been receiving the best consultation and treatment possible for my father at Breach Candy Hospital under Dr Antia.
Unfortunately my father did not survive his disease, but we remain satisfied that we were able to get him the very best treatment possible. We found Dr. Antia and the staff at Breach Candy very professional, caring and humane in their approach and concern throughout, and were a great support to my father and to the entire family through the two years of my father's treatment. We are thankful for having come across Dr. Antia and his team."
Anurag Kanoria, PhD.
I found the Breach Candy Dept of Haematology a home away from home. The care of the doctor and nursing staff is impeccable. Special mention must be made for Dr. Antia's diagnostic skills and patient orientation. The department runs like clockwork keeping the patient at the centre of focus.
Marzin R Shroff
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