Profile of Non Traumatic Surgical Disorders Found in the Pilgrims/ Trekkers Travelling to Shri Amarnath Ji Cave (Report‪)‬

Background & objectives: The "Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra" is an annual congregation in which the devotees trek a difficult route of around 40 km to reach to a cave at a height of approximately 14,000 feet at Pahalgam in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, India. These trekkers are subjected to stress and strain of the long mountainous route and difficult security scenario as a result of which they are prone to develop some surgical disorders. We ascertained the profile of non-traumatic surgical conditions met in these people at the various medical aid centres and the base hospital Pahalgam so that a policy could be framed to prevent these conditions. Methods: This study was conducted at the Government Base Hospital Pahalgam, Kashmir, between June and August 2006. The patients with non traumatic surgical conditions attending the hospital were included in this study. Necessary investigations were done and patients requiring surgical intervention were operated upon.