Robotic surgery used to treat colon cancer in an 89-year-old woman.

According to Binh Dan Hospital, Mr. Q. is the oldest patient among nearly 3,000 robotic surgeries performed at the hospital since the introduction of robotic surgery for adults in late 2016.

Previously, due to symptoms of passing black stools and a dull pain in the right side of her abdomen, Mrs. Q. was taken by her family to a medical facility in Ho Chi Minh City for examination.

Here, the patient's abdominal CT scan revealed a tumor in the right colon along with numerous surrounding lymph nodes. A biopsy following the colonoscopy confirmed it was cancerous. The patient's condition caused her to have poor appetite, anemia, and progressive wasting and weight loss.

In addition, the patient suffered from cardiac arrhythmia, making the surgery for the elderly woman very difficult. Ms. Q. was discharged from the hospital and returned home, but had to be hospitalized for blood transfusions every two weeks.

Upon learning that robotic surgery could treat colon cancer with minimal invasiveness, less pain, and faster recovery, Mr. Q. decided to go to Binh Dan Hospital for surgery.

Dr. Nguyen Phu Huu, Deputy Head of the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, who was in charge of the surgery for Mr. Q, said: One of the concerns of Mr. Q's relatives was his very weak physical condition after a period of battling a malignant tumor.

When first admitted to Binh Dan Hospital, the patient weighed only 34kg and was so weak that she couldn't walk on her own. Her relatives feared she wouldn't be able to withstand the major surgery.

However, as a retiree, after careful consideration, Mrs. Q. still decided to opt for surgery in the hope of achieving a better quality of life, being able to take care of herself, and not being a burden to her children.

"Surgery on an 89-year-old patient with stage 3 cancer and severe malnutrition was a significant challenge. We held interdisciplinary consultations and prepared very carefully to be able to perform the surgery, in response to the resilience and trust that Mrs. Q. placed in us," shared Dr. Huu.

The patient held the doctor's hand tightly, thanking him for his dedicated surgical care and for saving his life.

First, the surgeons collaborated with nutritionists to improve the elderly woman's physical condition for 10 days before surgery. Finally, the most anticipated event occurred: Mrs. Q.'s 120-minute surgery was a complete success. The tumor was completely removed, the lymph nodes were quickly excised, and most importantly, the healthy tissues in the patient's abdominal cavity were preserved.

After the surgery, Mr. Q. was cared for in the Intensive Care Unit of the Gastrointestinal Surgery Department and began eating and drinking again on the third postoperative day.

Patients continue to receive nutritional care and physical therapy to help them move early after surgery, improve lung ventilation, prevent vascular and pulmonary embolism, prevent pneumonia, and prevent anastomotic leakage.

The abdominal ultrasound performed on the 7th postoperative day showed a clean abdominal cavity with no fluid. The patient was discharged on the 10th postoperative day.

Sharing with the doctor before being discharged, the elderly woman said: "I felt tired right after the surgery, but it gradually subsided, and now I feel healthy. Thank you, doctor, for giving me a second chance at life."

In recent years, thanks to interdisciplinary collaboration and the application of robotic surgical systems, Binh Dan Hospital has successfully treated gastrointestinal diseases, especially gastrointestinal cancers. Many elderly patients with weakened physical condition have also been able to undergo successful cancer surgery.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phau-thuat-robot-dieu-tri-ung-thu-dai-trang-cho-cu-ba-89-tuoi-post836894.html