After a year of living in a state of not being able to eat and drink normally due to chemical burns, a 53-year-old patient in Can Tho was operated on by doctors at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital to restore the digestive tract. After nearly two months of surgery and rehabilitation, the patient has been able to drink water through the mouth and gradually practice eating again.
Taking toilet cleaner by mistake, losing the entire stomach
About a year ago, Mr. T.P. S (53 years old, Can Tho) unfortunately mistakenly drank toilet bowl bleach. The chemical caused serious burns to the digestive tract, causing the entire stomach to become necrotic.
The patient was treated at a local medical facility and had to undergo surgery to remove the entire stomach to save his life. After that, he continued to undergo about two months of intensive resuscitation treatment.
However, the consequences of chemical burns did not stop at the stomach. When transferred to Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, endoscopy results showed that the oral cavity and lower throat were scarred and completely narrowed. The natural feeding route was almost gone, while the patient also lost the entire stomach.
Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hoa - Deputy Director of the Center for Gastrointestinal Surgery and Pelvic Diseases - said that this is a particularly complex case because the patient simultaneously lost his stomach and no longer has natural food. Recovering eating ability therefore becomes a major challenge for the treatment team.
Create a new feeding line with a segment of the colon
The goal of the surgery is not only to restore the circulation of the digestive tract but also to help the patient eat and drink again through the mouth.
The surgery lasted about 5 hours and was performed with the coordination of many specialties.
Doctors had to solve the situation of the natural feeding tube being completely narrowed due to burn scars. Viet Duc Friendship Hospital has coordinated with experts from the Central Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital to create a new feeding tube through the right sinus, a structure located in the lower throat area.
Then, the surgical team used a segment of the colon to shape the food passage to replace the damaged esophagus. This segment of the colon was connected at the top with the glottis and the bottom with the small intestine, thereby forming a new path for food from the mouth to the intestine.
This is a complex technique, requiring doctors to accurately calculate the location and perform multiple closures to ensure food can circulate, while limiting the risk of postoperative complications.
After the surgery, the patient continued to be specially monitored due to three important mouth attachments.
After a month, all three mouths connected were well connected and stable. The patient continued to be transferred to the rehabilitation phase, starting to practice swallowing and getting used to drinking water through the mouth.
Rehabilitation of swallowing function is one of the most important steps after surgery.
After nearly two months of surgery, Mr. T.P. S. has been able to drink water through the mouth and gradually practice eating again. This is an important milestone, showing that the new feeding function is gradually being adapted and opening up hope to help the patient return to normal living.
