A 38-year-old Ethiopian patient who had several failed surgeries and life-threatening complications back home had a successful challenging oesophageal replacement procedure.
The patient was malnourished and unable to speak or eat when visited at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. Due to severe vomiting that caused the esophagus to rupture, the patient developed Boerhaave syndrome. He had serious side effects from earlier failed treatments abroad including stomach damage and the necessity for a tracheostomy tube for breathing.
The patient received medical care under Senior Consultants Dr. Vivek Tandon and Dr. Deepak Govil of the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and GI Oncology, where a group of experts studied the case in detail.
Detailed medical evaluations concluded that because the stomach had been mostly excised, it was not appropriate for reconstruction.
Dr. Vivek Tandon noted that the case demanded both surgical precision and careful pre-operative planning with thorough post-operative care.
Esophagus replacement surgery ranks among the most difficult gastrointestinal procedures, particularly in complex cases with previous complications and failed surgeries.Dr. Deepak Gohi, Senior Consultant, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and GI Oncology
Using the colon for esophageal reconstruction helped to overcome challenges from previous surgeries and complications. The surgical team planned to use the colon, or large intestine, to replace the esophagus. Following a colonoscopy that revealed severe infectious inflammation, the patient underwent two months of intensive therapy to heal the colon and improve his overall wellness.
Two teams operated on the neck and abdomen at the same time in the ten-hour challenging procedure. The technique was successful in spite of adhesions and scar tissue from previous surgeries.
The patient made a switch from tube feeding to regular eating following surgery, and speech was restored after the tracheostomy tube was taken out. The patient is presently at home and will continue to receive routine examinations.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Dr Puja Devi/MSM)