Agartala, June 26 — In a groundbreaking medical milestone, doctors at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) & GBP Hospital have successfully conducted Tripura’s first esophageal bypass surgery using a section of the colon. The complex procedure has given a new lease on life to a 23-year-old patient from Sepahijala district who had been unable to eat or drink normally for over a year.
The successful surgery was announced at a press conference on Thursday by Medical Superintendent Dr. Shankar Chakraborty and Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Kanak Narayan Bhattacharjee.
The patient, Prasenjit Das of Madhupur, had ingested formic acid in March 2024 following a family dispute. The chemical severely damaged his esophagus, leaving him unable to swallow. Despite temporary relief from repeated dilatation procedures, he had to rely on alternative feeding through an abdominal route for more than a year.
On June 3, 2025, the patient was admitted to GBP Hospital. Gastroenterologists Dr. Mrinal Debbarma and Dr. Subhadeep Pal diagnosed a severe esophageal stricture. Given the complexity, Dr. Dipankar Shankar Mitra of the Gastro Surgery department, in consultation with Dr. Bhattacharjee, recommended a colon interposition surgery, where a section of the colon is used to replace the esophagus.
The high-risk, seven-hour operation was successfully performed on June 5 by a multi-disciplinary surgical team inside the CTVS OT. The colon was rerouted from the abdomen to the neck, maintaining blood supply and restoring digestive function.
Remarkably, the life-saving surgery was performed completely free of cost under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). The patient is now stable, recovering well, and has resumed liquid intake.
The surgical team also included Dr. Kishore, Dr. Kiran, Dr. Abhinav, anesthesiologists Dr. Manimoy Debbarma, Dr. Surajit Pal, and dedicated OT staff, marking a proud moment for Tripura’s medical fraternity.
