In another major achievement, the doctors of Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and GB Hospital successfully replaced a patient’s esophagus with colon.

Addressing a press meet on Thursday, the team of doctors led by Medical Super of GB Hospital, Dr Shankar Chakraborty said that according to the patient’s family, Prasenjit Das (23), a resident of Koidhepa, Madhupur in Sepahijala district, consumed rubber processing acid (formic acid) in March last year following a quarrel with his younger brother. He was immediately taken to the Madhupur Primary Health Centre. There, it was discovered that the acid had severely burned his esophagus, causing it to shrink and close off. For the past one and a half years, he had been unable to eat rice or drink water properly.

On June 3, 2025, his family brought him to GBP Hospital for advanced treatment. Gastroenterologists Dr. Mrinal Debbarma and Dr. Shubhadip Pal performed an endoscopy and identified a stricture in the esophagus. As a temporary solution, repeated esophageal dilations were performed every three weeks, which allowed him to consume some liquid food. However, after some time, the dilation stopped working. A feeding tube was then inserted through his abdomen to allow liquid intake.

He was referred to the Department of Gastro Surgery under Dr. Dipankar Shankar Mitra. After discussing the case with cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Kanak Narayan Bhattacharya, it was decided to create an alternative path for the damaged esophagus. The team opted for an esophageal bypass surgery, where a section of the colon is used to replace the esophagus, placing it inside the chest.

This type of surgery was performed for the first time in GBP Hospital and in the state of Tripura. On June 5, 2025, a joint team led by Dr. Mitra and Dr. Bhattacharya successfully conducted the complex surgery in the CTBS (Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery) operation theatre of GBP Hospital.

The 7-hour long operation was conducted by Dr. Dipankar Shankar Mitra (Gastro Surgeon), Dr. Kanak Narayan Bhattacharya (Cardiothoracic Surgeon), Dr. Kishore, Dr. Kiran, and Dr. Abhinav and others including OT team.

In such complex surgeries, transporting a portion of the colon up to the neck through the chest, in front of the heart, while keeping it intact and ensuring proper blood circulation, is a major challenge. The goal is to ensure that the new organ functions effectively as an esophagus, said Dr. Kanak Narayan Bhattacharya.

He said that the patient is currently in stable condition and recovering well. He has gradually started taking liquid food and is awaiting a barium CT scan before being discharged.

The patient’s family, the doctors, and hospital staff expressed their happiness over the successful completion of this rare and difficult surgery. Importantly, the operation was carried out completely free of cost under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).