Dr. Samrat Jankar successfully performs a Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy on a 23 Yr girl with swallowing issues

Dr. Samrat Jankar

Dysphagia is one dreadful health disorder that makes it difficult for the individual to swallow liquids, consume foods and even saliva. This debilitating condition can hamper the individual's capacity to ensure adequate intake of calories and fluids for maintaining good health.

Recently, Dr. Samrat Jankar well-known gastroenterologist in Pune, resolved difficulty in swallowing issue in a 23 Yr girl for the past one year. She was detected with grade 4 dysphagia wherein she was unable to swallow liquids and/or her saliva. Her health had deteriorated to a great extent. She had lost nearly seven kgs weight in the past six months. The clinical diagnosis stated the patient was suffering from Type II achalasia cardia and its associated complications.

Achalasia is a serious condition related to the esophagus, the tube through which the food travels to reach the stomach. A muscular ring called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) lies between the stomach and the esophagus.

In achalasia condition, the lower esophageal sphincter remains closed leading to food collected in the esophagus which causes issues in swallowing. Achalasia occurs due to damage in the nerves of the esophagus. If a patient is complaining of heartburn, belching, vomiting or dysphagia for quite some time, it becomes necessary to consult a gastroenterologist for proper diagnosis.

On consultation with Dr. Samrat Jankar, one of the best laparoscopic surgeon in Pune suggested the Laparoscopic Heller myotomy and a toupet fundoplication as treatment in a single surgical seating.

Through the Laparoscopic Heller myotomy procedure, the surgeon opens the lower muscle of esophageal sphincter along with the upper part of the stomach to loosen it. This procedure is termed as myotomy and relieves the patient from their swallowing difficulty.

Post myotomy, a toupet fundoplication is performed to create a low pressure valve by partially wrapping the stomach around the esophagus. This is done to prevent the reflux in the stomach from entering the esophagus. In case of acid reflux conditions post dor fundoplication, the patient is then treated with antacid medicines.

Type II achalasia cardia is an extremely rare disease affects the lower esophageal body and the sphincter. It has been noted that the esophageal nerves and muscles have degenerated to a great extent leading to improper relaxation and contractions of the sphincter.

Apart from difficulty in swallowing i.e. dysphagia, the patient complains of chest pain and regurgitation of food and liquids. The patient may also develop issues in the lungs and significant weight loss.

Dr. Samrat Jankar expressed his satisfaction on the successful outcome of the surgery. He stated, ‘I am extremely happy to see my patient recovering well. The fact that she was able to feed herself and consume a healthy diet without any issues is indeed a recovering sign, that too, on the third day after her surgery'.

He further states, Laparoscopic Heller myotomy procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that provides a good resolution to the swallowing disorder along with fast recovery and minimal trauma to the patient. The main advantages of performing a Laparoscopic procedure is better visibility of the surgical site and the added leverage of using high precision equipment for better outcomes.