RP Sengupta, chairman and managing director of the Institute of Neurosciences Sanat Kr Sinha

Conventional surgery by opening the skull to treat brain aneurysm — a localised swelling of the wall of an artery — is less costly than minimally invasive surgery, doctors said on Tuesday.

The Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, has set up a new unit at the hospital in Mullickbazar to revive the conventional aneurysm surgery because it is less costly and has fewer chances of complications, according to neurosurgeons.

The surgery should be practsised more often, they said.

The institute has taken the help of Hirotoshi Sano, vice-director and adviser of neurosurgery, Shinkawabashi Hospital, and emeritus professor, Fujita Health University, Japan, to revive the conventional method.

Endovascular coiling, a minimally invasive technique, that does not require an incision in the skull to treat brain aneurysm is the current practice.

R.P. Sengupta, the chairman and managing director of the Institute of Neurosciences, explained why they wanted to revive the traditional aneurysm surgery.

In endovascular coiling, a catheter is used to reach the aneurysm in the brain. “A situation can arise where the catheter cannot reach the point because it is twisted. In that case the procedure cannot be conducted. The coils can damage the vessels and you have to then call surgeons to repair the damage,” Sengupta said. Such risks are less in conventional surgery, he said.

Also, the surgery is cheaper than endovascular coiling and it is the “ideal model” for a poor country like India, he said. “Conventional surgery can cost a maximum of Rs 1 lakh. But endovascular coiling costs a minimum of Rs 3 lakh. Aneurysm requires a surgical skill. That is why we have engaged the maestro from Japan.”

The Fifth Sano and Sengupta Academy of Aneurysm Surgery was inaugurated at the hospital on Tuesday evening.

Hirotoshi Sano said conventional surgery was popular in Japan. “It is still popular in Japan. I want to work with the Institute of Neurosciences to pass on the skill among young neurosurgeons.”

CU tournament

Calcutta University published the revised dates for its inter-collegiate tournaments/selection trials for the 2019-20 session. The revised dates, October 31 to November 15, have been uploaded on www.caluniv.ac.in.