Search the Internet           Tips

'The prime minister has selected the best talent in the world'

Sheela Bhatt

"He is awesome! Certainly, Dr Chittaranjan Ranawat is the best. The prime minister has selected not the best Indian doctor but the best talent in the world," says Dr Nilesh Patel, attending cardiac surgeon at the Lenox Hill Hospital, New York.

The Lenox Hill Hospital is on 77th Street and Lexington Avenue. Dr Ranawat is director of the Joint Replacement Centre at the hospital. His office is on the 11th floor and Dr Nilesh Patel works on the fourth floor in the cardiac department headed by another medical legend, Dr V Subramanian.

Says Dr Patel, "Both the Indian doctors wield commendable authority at this hospital. Dr Ranawat, who will perform the knee joint replacement operation on Prime Minister Vajpayee, is a soft-spoken man of few words. He never throws his weight around. I learnt of his achievements when I was studying at the MP Medical College in Jamnagar. In 1996, when I came to the Lenox Hill Hospital, I saw him for the first time in the coffee room for surgeons adjoining the operation theatres. I found him to be a quiet man."

Dr Ranawat is unlikely to make small talk with his patients. But a simple assurance from him, "You will improve, don't worry, things will be fine," is all it apparently takes to put his patients at ease.

He is surely a doctor with a heart. Daksha Amin, one of his Indian patients, was charged only a nominal amount when the doctor learnt that Mrs Amin was not insured. And this is just one of his charitable deeds.

Dr Patel attributes Dr Ranawat's success to his detailed planning and management skills. His juniors say it is not difficult to anticipate Dr Ranawat's movements inside the operation theatre. One of his juniors exclaims, "He is so well-planned that 12 minutes after surgery has begun, we know he will cut the right side of the bone. At the 47th minute, he will stitch the muscles below the joints."

Adds Dr Patel, "Therein lies the secret behind his success. Even after having performed so many surgeries, he never takes things for granted. If an incision has to be 6 cms long, Dr Ranawat will not cut on the basis of his own judgement, rather he will use a measure tape. He will proceed methodically. He will cut the skin first and then his blade will touch the fat below. He will not overstep or merge two steps."

Normally, his surgeries take 90 minutes. To avoid bleeding, many of his patients are given hypotensive anaesthesia.

"A few weeks back, we were discussing the need to research the impact of knee joint replacement surgery on a patient's psyche and his likes and dislikes. Dr Subramanian has noted that the likes and dislikes of patients change after they undergo open heart surgery. For instance, if someone is fond of blue, certain types of music or certain vegetables, it is noted that after heart surgery, the patient's preferences change. Dr Ranawat also feels this area deserves research as some of his patients's likes and dislikes change after surgery," Dr Patel told rediff.com

The PM's surgery: The full coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report