Elderly man saved by new surgical procedure
Print Edition
THE Minhang District Central Hospital saved a 95-year-old man’s life by using a non-invasive method of removing stones from the bile duct.
The procedure, called ERCP, is relatively new at the hospital.
The patient, Li Jiaxin, went to the hospital complaining of vomiting and dizziness.
He was diagnosed with acute cholangitis, an infection of the tube that carries bile from the liver to the gall bladder and intestines to help food digestion.
“Traditionally, surgery would be needed to remove the stone, or calcium buildup, blocking the duct,” said Zhang Ziping, a doctor at the hospital. “But we were afraid that the patient couldn’t withstand surgery because of his age, so we decided to use ERCP.”
That is a procedure whereby a physician can access the pancreatic and bile ducts by placing an endoscope — a bendable, lighted tube — through the mouth and down into the stomach and digestive tract. Li’s bile duct was first drained of excess liquid and then the stone was removed. His condition rapidly improved, and he was released from hospital.
“Traditional open surgery causes patients a lot of pain,” Dr Zhang said. “It’s daunting for most people, not to mention elderly folks like Li.”
According to Dr Zhang, the success rate of traditional gall bladder surgery is only about 50 percent, and that of ERCP is expected to reach 95 percent in the near future.
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