New lease of life for colon cancer patient in Chamba

Chamba, May 17

Doctors at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (PJNMC), Chamba, have given a new lease of life to a patient suffering from left colon cancer, successfully performing a high-risk left hemicolectomy surgery. This was the second instance of the surgery being performed at PJNMC.

Hemicolectomy involves the removal of the left part of the large intestine and is considered highly risky due to the increased chances of bleeding. The complex and risky surgery was led by specialist surgeon Dr Ashwani Kumar and conducted by team members Dr Abhinav Kumar, Dr Cliffin Mathai, Dr Preeti Sharma, anaesthesiologists Dr Saloni Sood, Dr Sunil, Dr Akanksha Singh and Dr Ravinder, nurses Shweta and Anjana, and OTA personnel.

The four-hour surgery was a success, not only saving the patient’s life but also setting a new milestone for the medical college. Dr Ashwani said hemicolectomy is often required for the treatment of bowel cancer. Before the surgery, patients are given medication to empty the intestines. During the operation, the unhealthy part of the intestine is removed, and the remaining ends are joined together.

This is a complex and delicate procedure, he noted.

Dr Ashwani said the patient had visited the hospital about two weeks ago, complaining of stomach ache. He had earlier visited various health institutes, including PGI-Chandigarh. An ultrasound test showed no abnormality; however, a CT-scan suggested colon cancer, which was later confirmed by colonoscopy. “Hemicolectomy is quite a complex surgery. After discussions with the medical team, we decided to go ahead with a left hemicolectomy procedure, which was successful. Given the hospital being a small institute, this is great achievement,” he added. The patient has been placed in post-operation supervision and would need 10-15 days to fully recover. PJNMC Principal Dr SS Dogra congratulated Dr Ashwani and the entire team for their success. The institute was making efforts to provide the best possible medical services and cater to the need of the population of the rural district, he said.