Operation ‘Life’

The specialists of the Children’s Surgery National Applied Research Hospital operated a patient with a rare neuromuscular pathology of the esophagus – achalasia. A schoolgirl had a laparoscopic esophagocardiomyotomy.

“Achalasia is not widespread, especially in children: in our Center we fix such diagnosis approximately once in every 2 years. However, in 2015, we observed 2 such patients,” explained Alexandr Makhlin, the head of the operating team, deputy director of the Children’s Surgery National Applied Research Hospital. “A spasm of cardia happens, and as a result, obstruction develops. Disturbance of swallowing, unpleasant sensation of a coma in the throat, nausea aggravate for several years. Food is only semi-liquid, washed down with water.”

“Nastya first came to us in December last year. She was 15 years old. The diagnosis was made in the Zhlobin Children’s Hospital, confirmed in the Gomel CSTO. In the Children’s Surgery National Applied Research Hospital the girl was operated a balloon dilatation twice – the stenotic area was widened, however, the improvement with this method was temporary. Constantly accumulating food stretches the esophagus, it becomes inflamed; as a result, muscle tissue also ceases to contract.”

“Now we have performed laparoscopic esophagocardiomyotomy. This was our second operation. The first was held 3 months ago. The result is positive. The intervention lasted about 2 hours. After isolation of the esophagus and cardiac part of the stomach, the serous and muscular layer was longitudinally dissected, then a modified Nissen fundoplication was performed. The patient is quickly recovering. She was able to eat on the second day.”

“The first signs of the disease I had 3 years ago,” told Nastya.  “Gradually it was getting worse, 2 years later I could not eat at all. It was especially difficult after the experiences: for example, if I would be upset because of the school mark, I couldn’t eat dinner … I ate small portions, no harmful food. I was engaged in athletics, shooting; participated in the competitions Snow Sniper. But because of illness, I had to stop playing sports: with the slightest load, a sharp pain in the stomach. I could not even stay.”

“I gave up the dream of studying at the Command and Engineering Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Because I spent almost a year in hospitals, my academic performance declined. Now I’m in the 11th grade. After the operation, I hope I will catch up.”  … and a ‘BIG’ heart  On the same day, the cardiac surgeons of the Children’s Surgery National Applied Research Hospital performed another rare operation – the simultaneous elimination of 2 heart defects (coarctation of the aorta and open ductus arteriosus) in a 1.5-month-old boy weighing only 2.5 kg. This was the first such operation on the vessels of such a crumb. The aortic defect was corrected endovascularly by transluminal balloon dilatation.

 Taken from the site www.MedVestnik.by