Pune Hospital performs robotic surgery for rare swallowing disorder

Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital in Pune completed a robotic surgery for Achalasia Cardia (esophageal motility disorder) in a 55-year-old woman who had been struggling with progressively worsening difficulty in swallowing and significant weight loss over the past three years.

Dr. Prasad Ashok Bhate diagnosed the condition, and Dr. Suprashant Kulkarni performed the surgery recently, an official statement from the hospital said.

Achalasia is a rare and debilitating esophageal motility disorder characterized by incomplete relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and lack of peristalsis.

As per experts, the gold standard for diagnosis has been manometry, and the go-to definitive therapy has been the Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy. However, with the advent of robotic technology, a new era of minimally invasive techniques has emerged.

These techniques offer precision, accuracy, safety, and minimal or nil blood loss. The robotic procedure incorporates three-dimensional binocular vision with magnification options and high-definition, providing surgeons with an unparalleled view of the affected area.

The stable platform, coupled with a surgeon’s controlled robotic operative equipment and instruments, ensures maneuverability to access the inaccessible areas, which otherwise is difficult to access manually and thus giving comfort along with accuracy during the operation.

Rekha Dubey, CEO of Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, said they were excited about the team’s success in accomplishing the surgery for this rare disorder.