Feb 18, 2021 02:55 AM
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IMPORTANT - READ THIS BEFORE YOU OPT FOR PRISTYN CARE SERVICES.
I was and I am still having Varicose veins in both my legs. Being a chef working in New Zealand and having to work for long hours while standing, was the root cause for varicose veins in both my legs. In my previous visit to India, I decided to get my varicose vein surgery done in both my legs before I could fly back to New Zealand. After looking up different options over the internet, I decided to go ahead with Pristyn Care to get the varicose veins treated.
Post completing some research over the internet I decided to go ahead with Pristyn Care to get the varicose veins surgery done. On contacting Pristyn care, I was directed to a representative Mr. Shaan of Pristyn Care, who told me that the procedure was a 1-day procedure called Endovenous laser treatment(EVLT). I was told that the procedure would take place at Pristyn Care’s daycare centre in Kothrud, Pune- Maharashtra. Furthermore, Mr. Shaan had told me that this procedure has a record of being 100% safe and that it was the most effective procedure performed by the doctors of Pristyn care who have had over 15+ years of experience. The total cost for the procedure that I was offered was ₹60, 000(all-inclusive – as I was paying in cash without the aid of any Mediclaim or insurance) with free unlimited consultations with the doctor after the surgery was done.
Further to the commitments from Pristyn care and its representative and having gone through their website https://pristyncare.com, I decided to go ahead and get my varicose veins treated from them. The date given to me was 19/11/2020 to get the veins treated by EVLT.
On the morning of 19th November 2020 – A cab was sent to my home, to take me to Pristyn care’s daycare centre in Kothrud; instead of which, I was taken to Deccan Multispecialty Hardikar Hospital at Shivaji Nagar – Pune. Having asked about the change in location at reception, I was told that Pristyn care has the only daycares for consultations and not for performing such procedures. I was also told that even though the EVLT procedure and my admission would be at Hardikar hospital the EVLT procedure would be performed by the experienced doctors of Pristyn care along with post-procedure consultancy & examinations and none other.
After being admitted the hospital staff at Hardikar followed their usual protocol and completed all preliminary checks, blood tests, x-rays, COVID – test, etc. as a part of the procedure and allotted me the room where I would spend the next whole day until the discharge papers were signed by the doctor after the EVLT procedure was completed and after I was kept under observation for any post-procedure complications. After being admitted and after a few hours, I was put on IV with a few doses of saline water and some pre-operational medication as per the orders given by Dr. Pankaj Waykole of Pristyn care who was the Doctor in charge of performing the EVLT procedure.
Around 12:00 pm in the afternoon, Dr. Pankaj Waykole paid his visit and had a look at my varicose veins, and told me that the hospital staff will prepare me for the EVLT procedure that he would perform with his team at 2:00 pm on 19/11/2020. Further to his orders the hospital staff gave me a pair of clothes to change into and completed their usual protocol and prepared me for the EVLT procedure. I was told to sit on a wheelchair and was taken to the operation theatre thereafter.
The hospital staff made me sit on the wheelchair outside the OT for almost an hour as the OTs was being sanitised and cleaned from the previous operations. Post assigning me an OT, I was made to lie down on the bed for almost 45 mins with no one in the room; which left me wondering if they had actually planned for performing the EVLT or not. Anyways going forward at around 3:45 pm Dr. Pankal Waykole along with his team including a senior assisting Dr. Milind Joshi, Anaesthetist Dr. Nita Bonde and a Radiologist came to the OT. Dr. Pankaj introduced me to the entire team and told me who was responsible for performing what part of the procedure.
The radiologist was told to perform the venous doppler test throughout the procedure to identify the veins that were affected by varicosities and thereafter Dr. Nita Bonde would inject the required dose of Spinal Anaesthesia and administer the same throughout the duration of the procedure.
The commencement and summary of the EVLT procedure:
Dr. Nita Bonde along with the assistance of one nurse tried several times to inject the spinal anesthesia but repeatedly failed as the needle was not long enough to penetrate through to the correct spot. In my opinion, instead of continuing to prick several times, it would have rather been sensible to just grab a longer needle and inject the anesthesia. Having searched for several minutes and not finding the longer needle Dr. Milind rushed to the pharmacy in the premises and got a longer needle for injecting the dose of the spinal anesthesia – by the end of the anesthesia my back looked and felt like a Dartboard on which amateurs had practiced ??.
As the anesthesia kicked in and I felt the numbness the procedure began and within 45 minutes to an hour the veins affected by varicosities were ablated by performing the EVLT procedure. My legs were bandaged and Dr. Pankaj told me that the procedure was successful and that thereafter it would take about 3 months for the ablated veins to completely disappear and my legs look normal. He also told me to take a tablet named Daflon -1000mg for the next 30 days - twice a day and to wear compression stockings on both my legs for good. Having followed the direction given by Dr. Pankaj and after the completion of the post-procedure examinations by the hospital I was discharged from the hospital and dropped off at home.
After about a month of completing the procedure, I was called in for a check-up by Dr. Pankaj at another site in Kothrud(but not the daycare certainly). Having examined by Dr. Pankaj he told me that he was concerned about a few veins on the lower leg that was still blue and had a slight bulge. Further to which he increased the dosage of Daflon 1000mg and told me to continue to wear the stockings. Having followed the instructions given by the doctor for another 15-20 days(approx. 1.5 months after the EVLT procedure was performed) I requested another consultation with Dr. Pankaj as the veins on my lower leg seemed to worsen and the blueish colour of the ablated veins were not subsiding. On examination, Dr. Pankaj told me to continue with Daflon 1000mg for another 90 days along with Neurobion forte for treating the numbness on my legs that came as a result of the EVLT procedure and to apply coconut oil to get rid of the blueish colour of the ablated veins.
Dr. Pankaj and the representative of Pristyn care were well aware that I had to fly back to New Zealand in the next 15 days or so. He told me to carry with me the stock of medicines and to wear stockings. He also told me that after completion of 3 months of the EVLT procedure the legs start looking normal with no numbness, itching, or pain. As he was aware of my travel to New Zealand Dr. Pankaj told me to be in touch with him on WhatsApp and share the pictures of my legs so he could give his advice on what I should be doing thereafter.
Today it has been 3 months since the completion of the EVLT procedure from Pristyn care and the veins on my lower leg(ankle area), upper thigh, calf area, etc. are the same since the EVLT procedure has been performed. They itch and have a slight bulge looking terrible along with numbness which remains the same. I have exhausted all the medicines that I carried along and yet no improvement in the lower leg. Dr. Pankaj Waykole does not revert back to the WhatsApp messages even after seeing them. The representatives of Pristyn care don’t answer my calls or revert to the WhatsApp messages irrespective of several calls and messages sent to them. Mr. Shaan from Pristyn care has blocked my contact and I am left here in New Zealand with no choice but to seek medical aid to fix these issues.
Having consulted a senior doctor here in Auckland – New Zealand, I was told that the EVLT procedure performed was incomplete and that not all the veins that were affected by varicosities were ablated properly. It is now going to cost me another$1500(NZD) to get the varicose veins fixed with a couple of months of bed rest. This means I shall be staying at home and have no source of income until the doctor here in New Zealand declares me fit to work.
I am rather lucky enough to ensure that my legs are taken care of here in New Zealand by paying a cost but the unwanted turmoil, agony, and mental stress that I am undergoing is not what I paid for to Prystin care or the team of doctors.
In conclusion, all I would say is – If you care about your health and body; go ahead and pay a premium price and get treated at a better institution, rather than getting trapped in the fancy advertisements and false commitments given by Pristyn care and its team of doctors and representatives.
Thanks for reading and I hope you make the right decision after reading my review.
PS: I had given a positive review 3 days after the surgery(which does not count anymore). This is the real review and a summary of my experience with Pristyn care and their Doctors has been.
