GMCH Successfully carries Whipples Procedure (Surgery)

Udaipur : Oncology surgical team of Geetanjali Cancer Center, Geetanjali Medical College & Hospital, Udaipur were successful in performing the whipple surgery for three patients of age 50, 63 & 75 years respectively hailing from local districts of Rajasthan recently. The patients were referred from local hospitals in view of obstructive jaundice and abdominal pain. After evaluation and CT Scan investigations they were diagnosed to have cancer of pancreas. After proper optimization, they were taken up for Whipple surgery. The surgery encompasses removal of gall bladder, bile duct, duodenum, jejunum, head and uncinated process of pancreas (the affected area from cancer). It is then followed by reconstruction of GI grace wherein the reattachment of the remaining organs to allow food digestion normally after surgery. The surgery lasted 6-7 hours. The patients were then shifted to ICU for further post operative care. In spite of old age, the patients have started eating on the 8^th day of surgery which marked their well recovery. Experienced and expertise of the onco surgeons resulted in successful surgery with the complications of long & complicated surgery, poor health conditions of patients due to jaundice and old age. The routine treatment of pancreatic cancer is whipples surgery, but due to advanced age and associated complications; its’ being treated with placement of stents or medicines. The operating team comprised of Onco Surgeons Dr. Ashish Jakhetiya & Dr. Arun Pandey.

“The Whipple procedure is used to treat tumors and other disorders of the pancreas, intestine and bile duct. It is the most often used surgery to treat pancreatic cancer that’s confined to the head of the pancreas. After performing the Whipple procedure, the reconnection of the remaining organs to allows to digest food normally after surgery. This procedure is a difficult and demanding operation and can have serious risks. However, this surgery is often lifesaving, particularly for people with cancer,” said Dr. Ashish & Dr. Arun.

“The whipple procedure is a technically difficult operation, often involving open surgery. It carries risks both during and after the surgery which may include bleeding at surgical areas, infection of the incision area or inside the abdomen, delayed emptying of the stomach (difficult to eat or to keep food down temporarily), leakage from pancreas, gastric obstruction etc. But surgeries done by highly experienced surgeons at centers doing many operations like this, results in fewer complications and a higher success rate,” Dr. Ashish & Dr. Arun, onco surgeons, GMCH.

The patients, Rajsamand resident, Ratan Singh Chundawat (Age 75 years), Aneesha Begum (63 years) and Banswara resident, Hukam Ram (Age 50 years) presented at the hospital with very poor health conditions and jaundice. They were treated free under the flagship scheme of Rajasthan Government’s Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana (BSBY).