AIIMS Bathinda has established the region’s first dedicated Peritoneal Cancer Unit with an advanced Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) facility, offering specialised treatment for certain abdominal cancers involving the peritoneum.Set up under the Department of Surgical Oncology, the unit is equipped with the R-AND Performer 3 HIPEC System. It will provide Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) combined with HIPEC to appropriately selected patients with peritoneal surface malignancies, including certain colorectal, appendiceal and ovarian cancers that have spread to the peritoneum.Dr Nikhil Garg, Head of the Department of Surgical Oncology, said the facility would provide an important treatment option for patients with abdominal cancers. He added that the treatment would also be covered under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.Two doctors from the institute have undergone specialised training in Germany to operate the system.“This machine purchased for nearly Rs 12 crore is the first in the region,” Dr Garg said.AIIMS Bathinda Executive Director Dr Ratan Gupta said the availability of advanced cancer treatment at the institute had reduced the need for patients from the Malwa region to travel to other cities.“There had been a time when patients from the region travelled to Bikaner in Rajasthan for cancer treatment, with a train being referred to as the ‘Cancer Express’. The situation has now changed, and patients from other states are coming here for treatment,” he said.Dr Gupta said several patients were also being referred to AIIMS Bathinda by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for specialised treatment.AYUSH services launchedAIIMS Bathinda has also started AYUSH services, including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Siddha and Homoeopathy. The services are aimed at providing patients with holistic and preventive healthcare options alongside modern medical treatment, under appropriate clinical guidance.Nearly 1,000 cardiac patients on waiting listDr Rajiv Kumar, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, said a large number of patients with cardiac ailments were visiting the institute.Despite the department conducting around 20 major and minor surgeries daily on average, nearly 1,000 patients are currently on the waiting list, he said in response to a query.Dr Kumar said the authorities had been requested to provide additional staff to help the department meet the growing demand for cardiac services.