Doctors Perform Complex Surgery as 90-Year-Old Man’s Stomach Moves into His Chest

A 90-year-old man faced a rare problem where part of his stomach moved up toward his chest, making it hard for him to breathe and eat.

This condition is very rare and is found in less than 1% of cases which caused him to throw up whenever he tried to eat. It also caused him pain and made his chest feel heavy. Because of this, he stopped eating out of fear of the pain and vomiting. In just 11 days, he lost 5 kilograms and started having trouble in breathing.

Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital diagnosed him with a hiatus hernia after running tests, including an endoscopy. This type of hernia happens when the top part of the stomach pushes up through an opening in the diaphragm into the chest area. This pressing on his lungs made his symptoms worse.

Due to his age and the complexity of his case, surgery was necessary. Dr. Tarun Mittal from the Laparoscopic and Laser Surgery Department led the team. They planned carefully and decided on a laparoscopic surgery, which uses small incisions.

During the surgery, they found tough adhesions around the hernia, which they carefully separated to free the stuck stomach. Then, they moved the stomach back into its correct place in the belly and closed the hole in the diaphragm with a special mesh to strengthen it. They also did a procedure called fundoplication to help stop stomach acid from going back up into his throat.

Thanks to the skill of Dr. Mittal and his team, which included Dr. Ashish Dey, Dr. Anmol Ahuja, Dr. Tanushree, and Dr. Karthik, the surgery was successful. The patient not only survived but recovered quickly. He was able to walk just one day after the surgery and was soon well enough to leave the hospital.

This story shows how advanced medical care and skilled doctors can make a big difference, even in complicated situations. It’s a testament to the importance of timely diagnosis and effective treatment for patients facing challenging health issues.