Many patients had put off advised surgery after the pandemic broke out. And those considering cosmetic surgery were not too keen to go ahead with it either.
Things are changing slowly, and fears are receding, according to doctors Metrolife spoke to.
Dr Nagabhushan J S, gastrointestinal and colorectal surgeon, has observed a steady increase in the demand for non-emergency conditions over the last two months. “This has transformed our elective surgical caseloads across specialities,” he says.
Dr Swaroop Gopal, neurosurgeon, has seen a slow increase in the demand for brain tumour surgery. He is also starting to see outstation patients.
“Every month we see a five to eight per cent increase in patient numbers,” he says. If the trend continues, by March, many hospitals will have about 80 per cent of their pre-Covid numbers, say authorities. Knee replacement and oncology-related surgeries are also done in greater numbers.
However, not all are convinced the fears have receded. Dr Govindaiah Yatheesh, unit head of a major hospital chain, says it is nowhere close to reaching pre-Covid numbers.
“People are still scared. Those who are coming now are the ones who are tired of waiting,” he says.
He believes hospitals should do more to boost the morale of patients, which can help improve visitations. “There is also an onus on the patients to take precautions, such as taking a shower immediately after reaching home,” he says.
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgeons have their hands full with those who had put off procedures making a beeline to the hospitals.
Cosmetic surgeon Dr Naveen Rao says that consultations were almost at zero until two months ago. “Many had reservations about visiting hospitals. While the numbers have gone up, it is nowhere near pre-Covid levels,” he says. Earlier, on a weekend he would do 25-30 consultations, while now he only does 10-15.
Majority of the people coming in are in the 20-30 age group, usually unmarried, and either looking for a spouse or planning a wedding. “Many had postponed their weddings and plan to get hitched by summer. They feel that if they get the surgery done they will be ready in time for their big day,” he says.
With companies continuing working from home, many working in the IT sector are opting to go under the knife as they have ample time to recover.
Clients with children tend to have these procedures done during the summer holidays. However, with no summer holidays to look forward to, many are choosing to get them done now. Rhinoplasty (nose job), gynecomastia (breast reduction surgery for men), hair transplant and tummy tucks are among the popular procedures.
Fear of second wave
Dr Madhusudan G, senior plastic surgeon, suspects the increase in patient footfalls is because of the news about an imminent second wave of the pandemic. “People want to get their elective plastic surgeries done before that,” he says.