Rare surgery in Chennai saves a marriage
POSTED May 19, 2009 - 15:16 | POSTED BY Bimal Preet Kaur
Last edited by Harpreet Bhagrath on May 19, 2009 - 16:28
A year and a half ago, Anjali had consumed a pesticide after an argument with her husband regarding food. She was taken to JIPMER (Pondicherry) by her husband and her mother-in-law where she remained admitted for 15 days.
The doctors put her on a ventilator and she was later discharged with a tube in her neck. Due to incubation, her windpipe got narrowed and she was unable to breath and speak properly.
This created problems in her married life and her husband Sivakumar, a cable operator in Thirukovilur, started thinking of leaving her and marrying another women.
She consulted many doctors and visited JIPMER eight times to get her windpipe dilated, but the tube in her neck could not be removed.
Complex surgery performed
Three months ago, she approached doctors at Government General Hospital (GGH). Prof K Balakumar, head of the ENT department at GGH, said “When we investigated, we found that around 4 cm of her windpipe had narrowed considerably. A surgery in this region is tricky as it is very close to the voice box and can damage the vocal chords leading to a permanent speech disability."
The doctors attempted the risky surgery in which they removed the damaged portion of her neck. They moved her larynx downwards and then they pulled the lower portion of the windpipe to meet the non-damaged portion.
The surgery was a success. The same surgery could have cost at least three lakhs in a private hospital.
Since Anjali has become normal again, her husband has discarded the idea to leave her. “We are together now,” said Anjali. “Thanks to the doctors here.”
