In a groundbreaking medical achievement, a team of doctors at New Delhi Private Hospital has successfully treated two women suffering from complex fistulas, an abnormal connection between the large intestine and womb–using an innovative cardiac occluder fistula closure device.
Using a novel approach, the medical team employed a cardiac occluder device, typically used in heart surgeries, to seal the fistulas, offering a new treatment option for this challenging condition.
The patients, both in their 60s, had been experiencing severe symptoms, including the passage of stool from the vagina, due to radiation therapy and previous surgeries. Despite undergoing multiple surgeries, they found no relief until they were referred to Dr Anil Arora and Dr Shivam Khare.
“The first patient, a 61-year-old woman, had been suffering from the passage of stool from the vagina due to a rectovaginal fistula for years, following radiation therapy for cervical cancer. The second patient, a 65-year-old woman, was experiencing the passage of stool from the vagina because of an abnormal connection between the small intestine and the vagina, known as an enterovaginal fistula. Both patients had previously undergone unsuccessful surgeries and faced limited treatment options until they were referred to Anil Arora and Shivam Khare,” said the hospital in a statement.
The innovative procedure was performed by Dr Arora and Dr Khare, with the assistance of Dr Neeraj Agrawal, a pediatric cardiologist. By adopting the cardiac occluder device, the team successfully sealed the fistulas using a minimally invasive approach, ensuring a quicker recovery and a high likelihood of long-term success.
“The procedure was performed by Dr Anil Arora and Dr Shivam Khare, with the assistance of Dr Neeraj Agrawal, pediatric cardiologist at the Hospital. For these complex fistula cases, Agrawal played a crucial role in adapting the cardiac occluder device, which is typically used in heart patients. Together, the Gastro Endoscopy team successfully sealed both fistulas minimally invasively, offering the patients a quicker recovery and a high likelihood of long-term success.” It said. This pioneering achievement marks a significant advancement in the field, offering new hope to patients who had previously run out of options.
Shivam Khare, Consultant, Gastroenterologist, SGRH said, “Using a cardiac occluder device in these cases is a novel approach that minimizes risk and recovery time while providing an effective solution to complex fistulas. This marks a major advancement in the field, especially for patients who have previously run out of options.”
Anil Arora, Chairman, of the Institute of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Pancreatobiliary Sciences, added, “The ability to adapt this device to treat fistulas is an example of the collaboration between multiple specialities and the role of collaborative innovation in modern medicine.”
(With inputs from ANI)
