39-year-old patient undergoes life-saving surgery at YCHM

The patient a resident of Lavale had suffered a corrosive injury to his food pipe (esophagus) after accidentally consuming a chemical on January 31, 2024

Doctors at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH), Pimpri, successfully performed a highly complex 15-hour surgery to restore the digestive function of a 39-year-old patient suffering from severe esophageal damage.

On January 28, doctors performed the complex 15-hour Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) esophagectomy with a laparoscopic gastric pull-up during which his food pipe was removed and was replaced by gastric conduit (section of the stomach) and used to replace the esophagus (food pipe). (HT PHOTO)

The patient a resident of Lavale had suffered a corrosive injury to his food pipe (esophagus) after accidentally consuming a chemical on January 31, 2024. Over the past year, he underwent multiple procedures, including three endoscopic treatments to open the narrowed food pipe and five surgeries to remove abnormal tissue from his windpipe (trachea). Despite these efforts, his condition did not improve, making it nearly impossible for him to eat or breathe properly, said the officials.

On January 28, doctors performed the complex 15-hour Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) esophagectomy with a laparoscopic gastric pull-up during which his food pipe was removed and was replaced by gastric conduit (section of the stomach) and used to replace the esophagus (food pipe).

The surgery involved removing the damaged food pipe and replacing it with a section of the stomach. This allowed the patient to eat normally again.

The patient was discharged from the hospital last week on Friday, said the treating doctors.

Dr Santosh Thorat, head of the department of general surgery, said, “After the surgery, the patient was closely monitored in the ICU for a week to prevent complications such as infections or breathing issues. He responded well to treatment and was discharged from the hospital on Friday. During the next operation, the patient’s tracheal reconstruction will be done to restore normal windpipe functions.”

“The surgery was challenging but we dealt with it successfully all due to the combined efforts of surgeons, anaesthetists, nursing staff and other support staff in the hospital,” said Dr Deepak Patil, plastic and reconstructive surgeon.