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Tuesday, 15 March 2016

Two International Awards for Father of Nephrology Prof KS Chugh

By 121 News

Chandigarh 15th March:- Prof K S Chugh, a world renowned nephrologist and popularly known as Father of Nephrology in India, Former Head of Department of Nephrology and currently Emeritus Professor of Nephrology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh has been honoured with Dr Zbylut Twardowski Life Time Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions in the field of Hemodialysis and Belding H Scribner Trailblazer Award for "his exemplary contributions to the science and practice of renal medicine", during the 36th Annual Dialysis Conference held at Seattle, USA. The Belding Scribner Award was conferred by Prof Andrew Davenport, President of International Society of Hemodialysis and Twardowski Life Time Achievement Award by Prof Madhukar Misra, Past-President of the Hemodialysis Society. The conference was attended by about 2000 dialysis physicians, nurses and technicians from all over the world.

Prof Twardowski is a world famous expert in dialysis techniques and had popularised the button "hole method" of needle insertion for vascular access, invention of Swan neck catheter, several original observations on hollow fibre dialysis and development of "Peritoneal equilibration test" which are now being used world-wide. Dr Chugh started hemodialysis in the PGI with a single Kolff's kidney machine in July 1963. With this machine, a maximum of two to three dialyses could be done daily. Because of increasing demand for dialysis and the difficulties in importing more machines due to prevailing economic conditions and restrictions on imports in the sixties, Dr Chugh managed 2 Kiil dialysers from Watson-Marlow Company from UK as gifts. However, these dialysers also required monitoring machines for monitoring blood and dialysis fluid flow rates, and blood leaks occurring during dialysis. By using improvised equipment made locally, several hundreds of dialysis were carried out in patients with chronic renal failure with Kiil dialysers without assistance of monitoring machines.

Prof Belding Scribner had revolutionised the long term treatment of patients with chronic renal failure who required repeated vascular punctures of an artery and a vein for hemodialysis and these vessels got damaged within a short time making further dialysis impossible. Scribner and his team invented a U-shaped Teflon tube in 1960 that became known as Scribner's AV shuntwhich when inserted between an artery and vein in patient's forearm, obviated the need of repeated vascular punctures for connecting with the dialysis machine. The basic concept of Scribner's shunt led to the use of AV fistula which is now being used as vascular access all over the world. By using innovative techniques Dr Chugh made AV Shunts with locally available Teflon tubing which was moulded over a candle flame into J or U shape. For his innovative skills, Dr Chugh was often referred in the past as "Belding-Scribner of India" by Prof Christopher Blagg, a globally recognized dialysis expert and a close associate of Prof Scribner.

Dr Chugh is a recipient of several other national and international awards including Padmashree by the Govt. of India. The International Society of Nephrology has acknowledged the pioneering work and outstanding contributions of Dr Chugh and has included him amongst 50 legends in Nephrology on whom video films have been made for inclusion in World Nephrology Legacy Library.

 

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