Novel Endoscopy sponge treatment for esophageal perforation and anastomotic leak at Kasturba Hospital

Manipal, Oct 06, 2022: In yet another milestone, the doctors of Kasturba Medical College and Hospital Manipal conducted endoscopy sponge treatment for a patient with esophageal perforation and anastomotic leak.

An anastomotic leak occurs when a surgical anastomosis fails and the contents of a reconnected body channel leak from the surgical connection and is considered one of the most severe complications of bowel resection surgery.

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A 51-year-old man was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy. A week later he had developed mediastinitis with anastomotic dehiscence. He was considered for another surgery but the general condition of the patient was not fit for another surgery so the team of Doctors including Dr. Shiran Shetty, Head-Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Dr. Balaji from the Department, Dr. Naveena Kumar, Head of Department of Surgical Oncology and Dr. Joseph Thomas, Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery, decided to go for a novel treatment called Endosponge / vacuum therapy.

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Here a sponge with a vacuum was placed in the mediastinum cavity through endoscopy, which helped to close the defect naturally and without any surgery. After three weeks the patient was able to eat orally.
“This is the first innovative approach to treat patients in this part of South India and is a cost-effective and safe approach,” Dr. Shiran Shetty said.

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Dr. Avinash Shetty, Medical Superintendent congratulated the team and said this kind of procedure was possible at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal because of the team of expert doctors.