Elderly Uzbekistan man undergoes robot-assisted surgery for rare colonic tumour

Faridabad: A 67-year-old man from Uzbekistan has been given a new lease of life after being successfully treated for his rare colonic tumour via robot-assisted surgery.

"This marks the world's first robot-assisted surgery for the condition," according to a statement from Amrita Hospital, Faridabad.

The patient was presented to doctors with a special condition where his liver and colon were positioned differently (situs inversus partial), and he had a malignant tumour in this mispositioned colon. Situs inversus partial is quite rare, with overall incidence (including both totalis and partial) being approximately one in 10,000 people.

The tumour was found to be a rare variant of colonic malignancy. The tumour was obstructing the patient's large intestine, preventing him from eating solid foods and posing a risk of spread and complications. His symptoms included vomiting, inability to eat, weight loss, anaemia, and abdominal distension.

"Robot-assisted surgery significantly enhances precision and accuracy during procedures through its advanced features. The operation was conducted using a console that provides a magnified, high-resolution 3D view of the surgical site, offering superior depth perception and detailed anatomical visuals," said Abhishek Agrawal, Robotic GI Oncosurgery Consultant, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, who led the six-hours long surgery.

By the third day, the patient was able to resume a normal diet and was discharged just a week after the procedure, the hospital said.

"Based on the final biopsy report, the patient will need to undergo chemotherapy. After completing the treatment, he will only require routine blood tests and imaging for surveillance to detect any early recurrence and receive timely treatment. They can continue with their normal life without the need for long-term medications or restrictions," said Saleem Naik, Senior Consultant, GI Surgery, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad.

"The robot-assisted surgery not only relieved my symptoms but also improved my quality of life significantly. I can now eat normally and live without the constant pain and discomfort that I was experiencing," said the patient, thanking the doctors.