PIONEERING SURGERY “SAVES BOWELS”

Pioneering Technique Allows Surgeons to Remove Polyps with Minimal Trauma to Bowels

A pioneering surgical technique has allowed doctors at a hospital in London, UK to remove pre-cancerous growths whilst preserving the bowels. These growths, or polyps often grow in the rectum and removing them can cause irreparable damage to the bowels and result in the patient requiring a stoma bag. A technique developed by Prof Brian Saunders, a gastroenterologist, and surgeon Janindra Warusavitarne has allowed surgeons to minimise trauma to the bowels during polyp removals. To date the new method has been performed on 20 patients at St. Mark’s hospital in London.

The new technique involves passing a tube via the anus into the rectum, where a tool that facilitates combined laparoscopy and endoscopy surgical techniques, is used by one surgeon to move the polyp away from the wall of the rectum while another surgeon cuts it clear. “What that does is minimise the amount of trauma to the rectal area,” said Prof. Saunders in an interview with the BBC. He also added that the method had been used to remove an 18 cm polyp from a previously bed-ridden patient, the man subsequently went on to make a full recovery in what was a life-changing operation.

The efforts by Prof. Saunders and Janindra Warusavitarne have been praised by the Royal College of Surgeons, which said, “We look forward to seeing further results in the future as this technique is still in its early phase but it’s a promising sign of what’s to come.” It is hoped up to 300 to 400 annually could benefit from the results of their work, a figure which could grow with bowel cancer screening coming online.