Doctors of Shillong Civil Hospital successfully performed the first keyhole (Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery-VATS) esophagectomy on a patient with esophageal cancer.
Traditionally esophagectomy surgery, which involves removing part or all of the esophagus or the food pipe, is performed through a big incision on the chest resulting in severe pain and poor recovery.
However, the surgeons led by Dr. Cliff Wanniang and his team, with assistance from Dr. Caleb Harris, Additional Professor, Surgical Oncology, NEIGRIHMS and Dr. Newstar Syiemiong, Anaesthetist, Ganesh Das Hospital along with the Anaesthesia team from Civil Hospital Dr. H. Majaw and Dr. M. Surong successfully conducted the operation, through small key hole incisions using special equipment.
The procedure involves removal of the entire esophagus following which the stomach was made into a tube, to replace the esophagus.
Currently the surgery is performed only in few selected centres of North East India, like NEIGRIHMS and a few other places, where intensive Intra – Operative and Post Operative care are available.
A statement from the hospital said, the surgery has been made possible as now it is equipped to perform complex and advance procedures ever since a MoU was entered with NEIGRIHMS and NHM to collaborate in cancer care.
The patient was diagnosed with stage 3 tumour had undergone the surgery after receiving three cycles of chemotherapy. The patient had a good recovery and has been discharged from the hospital, the statement said.
