21/09/2025
The MMC-accredited CME titled âUnmasking LPR and Dysphagiaâ was held on 21st September 2025 at Ramee Grand Hotel, Apte Road, Pune, under the aegis of AOI Pune, led by Dr Kavita Chaudhuri, with able support from Dr Ajinkya Kelkar and Dr Monika Bhagat. It commenced with registration and a hot breakfast, welcoming a diverse audience ranging from senior ENT consultants to postgraduate trainees.
The speaker panel included experts from ENT, gastroenterology, pulmonology, and paediatrics, fostering a vibrant multidisciplinary learning environment.
The scientific program began with Dr Sheetal Mahajani, gastroenterologist and hepatologist, who delivered a comprehensive 'Approach to dysphagia management' âcovering causes, diagnostics, and managementâinterwoven with patient narratives and interactive discussion. Dr Prasun Mishra, HOD ENT at Bharati Hospital, followed with a practical walkthrough of 'Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing' (FEES), detailing equipment setup, staff, patient and material preparation, scope selection, and a live patient demonstration. He concluded with an open invitation for collaborative learning. Dr Vinay Thorat, HOD Gastroenterology at Sassoon and Pune Hospital, presented on the 'Gastroenterologist's perspective on GERD and LPR', emphasizing ENT-relevant insights: the vulnerability of the larynx, RSI and RFS as diagnostic anchors, and when to escalate to focused investigations.Paediatric gastroenterologist Dr Prateek Agarwal highlighted atypical presentations of 'LPR in paediatric patients'âchronic cough, poor feeding, recurrent infectionsâand stressed the importance of clinical suspicion, parental coordination, and awareness of eosinophilic oesophagitis. Distinguished senior ENT specialist Dr Sumit Bhatti delivered a detailed session on 'LPR and its management' addressing the common and uncommon manifestations of LPR, decoding RFS scoring, outlining lifestyle modifications, and classifying pharmacological treatments by discovery date, side effects, and pitfalls. Dr Himanshu Pophale, a promising young pulmonologist, addressed 'Chronic Cough' through a case-based lens, covering common and rare causes, baseline investigations, and a stepwise approach using the cough severity index, including the latest therapeutic options.
The day concluded with a lively multidisciplinary panel discussion led by Dr Sumit Bhatti, featuring our esteemed ENT chairpersons Dr KK Desarda and Dr Dinesh Lokhande, along with specialists from pulmonology, paediatrics, and gastroenterology. Over twenty practical questions were addressed, ranging from reflux frequency and diagnostic shifts to patient reluctance toward OGD. Lighter moments included the humorous pollââWho all have taken a PPI this morning?ââwhich drew laughter (but no hands) from across the hall. Key clinical queries included screening tests for suspected LPR, timing and rationale for PPI administration, and H. pylori eradication protocols. The panel also explored severe consequences of untreated LPR, such as arytenoid granulations, and discussed future therapeutic directions including inhaled formulations and repurposed mucosal-protective drugs. Audience questions added further depth, touching on antibiotic co-prescription, voluntary vomiting, gluten intolerance, and the role of postoperative anti-inflammatory drugs in ENT recovery.
The discussion reinforced several key takeaways: LPR is a multidisciplinary diagnosis requiring high clinical suspicion and collaborative care; lifestyle modifications remain central to management; empiric treatment is often justified based on validated scoring tools like RSI and RFS; and emerging therapies may soon offer more targeted options. The CME closed on a note of camaraderie and curiosity, leaving participants better equipped to recognize and manage LPR and dysphagia across age groups and specialties. It concluded with a vote of thanks acknowledging our chairpersons Dr KK Desarda and Dr Dinesh Lokhande, and MMC observer Dr Rahul Telang. Our academic sponsors and the hotel service staff were also appreciated. The academic feast was followed by a ten-course sumptuous lunch, rounding off a day of rich learning and collegial exchange.
