Srinagar, Dec 18 : Doctors at BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, successfully performed a highly complex, organ-preserving robotic surgery on a 73-year-old patient from Srinagar. The patient had two primary cancers occurring simultaneously in different parts of his colon. This complex procedure was led by Dr. Manish Jain, Director & Unit Head, Gastrointestinal Oncosurgery, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi
The patient, Basheer Ahmad, had previously undergone surgery and radiotherapy for prostate cancer elsewhere in Srinagar. However, for nearly two months the patient had been experiencing disturbing symptoms, including irregular bowel movements and bleeding during stool passage. The patient was understandably anxious, particularly after doctors at another hospital recommended total proctocolectomy, which would involve removing the entire colon and carrying a stoma bag (a bag that collects body waste through an opening on the abdomen). This option would have drastically affected his quality of life. Due to his deteriorating condition and for seeking a more advanced and organ-preserving solution, family decided to visit BLK Max Hospital in Delhi.
Upon his arrival, the diagnostic evaluations at BLK-Max Hospital revealed a rare and challenging condition synchronous colonic malignancies, meaning two primary cancers occurring simultaneously in different parts of the colon. Further the tests confirmed cancer in two areas of the colon and also found two growths, one of which was starting to become cancer.
Dr. Manish Jain, Director & Unit Head Gastrointestinal Oncosurgery, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, said;
“This patient presented with two separate primary cancers in the colon, and our priority was to treat both malignancies in a single stage while preserving as much of the colon as possible. After detailed radiological evaluations confirmed that this was two different cancers and not a recurrence, we staged the diseases as Stage 3 in the right colon and Stage 2 in the sigmoid colon (lower part of the large intestine).”
Dr Manish, further added;
“Given the complexity of the case, his age, prior prostate cancer surgery, and the presence of two distinct malignancies, we chose a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted approach. We performed two colon surgeries in the same operation (single-stage synchronous segmental colectomies). This included a robotic right hemicolectomy (removal of the right side of the colon) and an anterior resection (removal of the lower part of the colon near the rectum). The surgery took eight hours. We successfully performed the surgery without any complications and, importantly, without the need for a stoma, which is often unavoidable in such challenging scenarios.”
Post-surgery, the patient recovered exceptionally well. He was able to start liquid intake by the second day and showed early return of bowel function the same day. By the seventh day, he was discharged on a soft diet and normalizing bowel function. Post-operative pathology confirmed complete removal of the cancerous tissues from both involved segments of the colon
Given his stage of disease, the patient has been advised to undergo chemotherapy to further minimize the risk of recurrence.
This case highlights BLK-Max Hospital’s advanced surgical capabilities in managing complex, multi-site cancers through minimally invasive methods that prioritize organ preservation and patient quality of life.
