a challenging corrective surgery performed by Dr Anup at RAK Hospital. The surgery restored unusual food-pipe disorder in a 73 year old woman who suffered from it for nearly 2 years.COURTESY PRESS RELEASE IMAGE
Ras Al Khaimah: After suffering excruciating stomach pain for nearly two years, along with throat problems and difficulty swallowing, American national Bindu F Dukuly, 73, finally found cure at RAK Hospital in the UAE.
She suffered from Achalasia cardia, a serious condition caused by the absence of nerves in the esophagus. Its most common symptom is difficulty swallowing. Patients get a sensation that swallowed food and liquids get stuck in the chest, with the problem becoming severe over time. Other symptoms include regurgitation of swallowed food and liquid, chest pain, heartburn, a sensation of fullness or a lump in the throat, hiccups, and weight loss.
The doctors team at the hospitals minimal access department diagnosed the food pipe dysfunction. An expert team of surgeons restored esophageal function using sophisticated advanced technology in keyhole surgery, avoiding any big surgical incisions and scars.
“The previous surgeries done outside the UAE did not provide any relief to the patient, as the disease wasnt even diagnosed properly,” said Dr Anup Kumar Panigrahi, senior specialist and head of department, Minimal Access Surgery. As a result, he said, the case had gotten further complicated and it was quite a challenge to operate on her. The patient had also lost a significant amount of weight and was very weak, which made it more difficult to perform corrective surgery.
She had reached a stage wherein swallowing liquids was also impossible for her, making the condition totally unbearable. The agonising pain from her stomach and throat radiated to her ears and even arms, to the extent that even bending and lifting became tedious tasks. “The patient was relived through Laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation, an effective and safe surgical procedure in resolving symptoms of achalasia and is today the first choice in treating the disease”, added Dr. Panigrahi.
Dr. Raza Siddiqui, executive director of RAK Hospital said: “Our team of expert doctors has treated many challenging cases and this is just another feather in our cap. We are glad that the procedure was successful and the patient suffered no complications post-surgery”.
Dukuly, the patient, said: “I cannot thank the doctors at RAK Hospital enough for alleviating my pain and giving me my life back. After going through two unsuccessful surgeries and years of pain, I finally found relief and am able to enjoy my life.”
