Rare & Innovative Procedure Helps The Woman Swallow Food Effortlessly After Almost Four Decades

CHENNAI, India - June 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Chennai, 16th June 2015:  What began as a little discomfort while swallowing food 38 years ago, progressively worsened until 48-yearold Ponni of Kanchipuram could barely swallow any solid food. No one in the family had any idea what was wrong with her and she was given medication for sore throat; antibiotics, you name it! She started losing weight too as she could barely keep anything down, even water without vomiting, and she would be in the starving state most of the time. For her, eating 2 Idlies itself used to be a nightmare.

What was even more frustrating for Ponni was her inability to find a physician, who could diagnose the problem. After numerous visits to physicians who didn't have any answers, Ponni was finally referred to Global Health City.

Dr. R. Ravi – HOD & Senior Consultant Medical Gastroenterologist and ERCP Specialist at Global Health City said “upon her arrival at Global Health City and after examining the medical history, she was recommended for endoscopy, barium swallow and esophageal Manometry testing to assess the function of the esophagus. The test showed that Ponni had Esophageal Achalasia, a relatively rare disorder characterized by incomplete relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter during swallowing and inability of the esophagus to contract. As a consequence, patients with this disorder experience dysphagia, regurgitation, chest pressure and heartburn”.

Commenting on the treatment options considered in Ponni’s case, Dr. R. Ravi said “Conventional treatment options for Achalasia Cardia are still surgery, medication and dilatation of the junction between the stomach and the esophagus. After evaluating her conditions, the team decided to perform Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) - a relatively new technique that has gained recognition at a very rapid pace with very good outcomes. It is a virtually non-surgical as no external cut is made on the body and the blood loss is close to nil. After the procedure, Ponni’s recovery was remarkable and she was able to talk and walk from the next day itself. More importantly, after a gap of about 4 decades, Ponni could finally start eating and swallowing without any difficulty”.

“I was not able to swallow food properly since I was 10. Eating more than 2 Idlies itself used to be nightmare. Now, I can eat up to 5 to 6 Idlies at a time effortlessly. I felt a great relief and ease in eating food immediately after the surgery and in about just 3 days of time, felt fully recovered. My family and I are grateful to Dr. Ravi and the hospital staff for all that they have done for us”, said the elated Mrs. Ponni.

Emphasizing on the capabilities at Global Health City, Mr. Bhaskar Reddy – Vice President, Corporate Relations said that “it is a very proud moment for us to be featured among one of the very few centres in India who has a capability in performing such a life-changing procedure. Since most patients with Achalasia Cardia show no obvious detectable cause for the disorder, there are no preventive measures for the disease.

The only way to help people with Achalasia Cardia is to diagnose the problem early and to treat them appropriately. This can be done only by increasing awareness level among the general physicians who happen to be the first-point-of-contact for swallowing disorder”.

Global Institute of Gastrosciences
The Global Institute of Gastro Sciences at Global Health City is a one-of-its-kind facility in the region providing complete medical and surgical care for various gastrointestinal disorders including esophageal, pancreatic, gallbladder, hernia, liver, biliary tract, small & large intestine, stomach, and morbid obesity problems. This state-of-the-art centre has further divided into two departments – Medical & Interventional Gastroenterology and Gastro-Intestinal & Minimally Invasive Surgery.

The experts’ team comprises of – Medical Gastroenterologists, Hepatologists, Bariatric Physician, Dietician & Nutrition Specialists, Psychologists, Interventional Endoscopy Specialists, Laparoscopic Surgeons, Gastro-Intestinal Surgeons, Bariatric Surgeons and Transplant Surgeons. Multidisciplinary in approach, the centre works closely with other specialties like Oncology, Paediatrics, Endocrinology, Emergency Care, and Radiology to render the best treatment to patients.

The centre is known for its expertise in Advanced Endoscopy, Therapeutic ERCP, GI motility services, GI stones (gall bladder and pancreatic) management, Bariatric Surgery and GI cancer surgery.

Global Health City
Global Health City, Chennai is a 500 bed multi super specialty quaternary care facility with a capacity to expand to 1000 beds. It renders 360 degree advanced tertiary healthcare services with multi-super specialty and multi-organ transplant services. With the finest combination of expertise, experience, state-of-the art technology and well coordinated team work, every step is aimed at ensuring excellence in patient care.