(KFHU) First International Successful Operation of Repairing a Severe Esophagus Laceration for a Patient Suffering from Achalasia Syndrome
King Fahd Hospital of the University - Al Khobar
A surgical team from King Fahd Hospital of the University in Al-Khobar affiliated to Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University, led by Dr. Saeed Al-Shumaimi, Consultant Surgeon - Upper Gastrointestinal and Stomach Tumors, succeeded in performing the first surgery of its kind in the world. The surgery performed was to repair a severe laceration of the esophagus for a patient suffering from achalasia syndrome by a double connection for the stomach and the intestine with the esophagus.
Dr. Al-Shumaimi mentioned that the surgical team succeeded in conducting this operation, which is the first in the world to repair severe laceration of a patient at the age of 73 years old. The patient was suffering from chronic functional obstruction of the gastric sphincter that connects between the stomach and esophagus, known as achalasia syndrome. Due to the patient's general condition which includes Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and blood pressure, the patient is treated with the repeated expansion of the cardiac sphincter with a balloon through a gastroscope, but during the second session of the expansion, a severe laceration occurred in the wall of the esophagus from the lower side that worsened the case of the patient.
Dr. Al-Shumaimi indicated that the upper gastrointestinal surgery and thoracic surgery team was immediately called, and the patient was transferred into the operating room to explore and repair the esophageal laceration. Dr. Saeed Al-Shumaimi performed a resection of the lower esophagus and upper part of the stomach with a double connection between the ends of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. The procedure lasted for 3 hours through the laparoscope without a need for surgical opening. The procedure went successfully without a need for surgical opening. The patient was discharged in good health.
During his presentation about the case at the 2019 Korean Endoscopic Surgery Association Conference held in Seoul, Dr. Al-Shumaimi emphasized that it is the first case of its kind in the world where the double connection technique is use to repair the esophageal laceration for a patient with Achalasia. Experts in laparoscopic surgery appreciate the case. The Korean surgeons praised the use of this technique for the first time. Dr. Al-Shumaimi explained that it is a technique usually used after the removal of tumors of the upper part of the stomach in South Korea and Japan. He also stressed that this technique is better than the normal connection between the esophagus and the intestine only for it enables the treatment of severe laceration of the esophagus and achalasia. In addition, the technique is also useful of checking the stomach endoscopically for possible incidence of stomach tumors, which is more frequent at this age. Even the absorption of dietary elements, especially iron and vitamins, is better when using this technique. This case was published as a research paper by the American Journal of Surgical Cases in December 2020 as it is the first to use the double connection technology internationally in the repair of esophageal laceration after expanding the balloon for a patient Akalizia. Dr. Al-Shamimi hopes that this option will be studied more and made as one of the options available to treat this type of disease.
