Ongole: Rare surgery to cure swallowing disorder performed at KIMS

Ongole : The medical superintendent of KIMS Hospital in Ongole, Dr T Srihari Reddy, announced that the senior gastroenterologist of their hospital performed a rare surgery to cure a patient suffering from the swallowing disorder, for the first time in the region of erstwhile Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts.

Speaking to the media at the KIMS Ongole, Srihari Reddy explained that a 24-year-old woman from Yerragondapalem, who is suffering from a condition unable to take food and liquids, approached the hospital a few days ago.

He said that the patient, a woman, vomited everything she consumed immediately, and approached them after consulting many hospitals. He said that after conducting necessary tests, gastroenterologist Dr Vemulapati Ashok Kumar diagnosed the patient to be suffering from Achalasia Cardia.

Dr Ashok Kumar explained that Achalasia Cardia is a rare esophageal disease that makes it difficult for food and liquids to pass from the swallowing tube Gastroenterologist at KIMS Ongole Dr Ashok Kumar explaining the rare surgery at a press conference at the hospital on Saturday connecting the mouth to the stomach.

He said that when the nerves in the esophagus are damaged, it becomes paralyzed and dilated over time, and loses its ability to squeeze the food down into the stomach. In such cases, the food consumed will be fermented and washed back into the mouth and the patient vomits everything she consumed. Due to this, he said that the patient suffers from chest pain, bronchitis, etc, and may also develop cancer in the esophagus.

Dr Ashok Kumar explained that the treatment for the Achalasia Cardia is a critical process that is available in metros only. The advanced treatment for the condition is by endoscopic procedure called, POEM (Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy), which is expensive and not available in the nearby cities.

He said that after consulting with the management, they decided to perform the POEM procedure at a low price to the patient, for the first time in the region. He said that they were discharging the woman just one day after the surgery. With the availability of this technology, he said that they could treat all types of stomach, liver, and pancreas diseases in KIMS Ongole, saving money and time for the patients.

KIMS Ongole chief operating officer K Ankireddy appreciated Dr Ashok Kumar and his team, Dr Srihari Reddy for the successful introduction of the new procedure, and thanked hospital managing director B Bhaskara Rao, executive director T Giri Naidu for their cooperation and support. The hospital marketing general manager Amaranath also participated in the programme.