Vadodara: A 21-year-old woman has regained the ability to drink water and swallow after six years, following a highly complex, multidisciplinary surgical intervention at Parul Sevashram Hospital in Vadodara.Six years ago, she developed a severe tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) — a condition in which an abnormal connection forms between the trachea (windpipe) and the oesophagus (food pipe), allowing food or liquids to enter the lungs instead of the stomach—after consuming pesticide. The condition left her dependent on a tracheostomy tube for breathing and a ryles tube for nutrition. It led to recurrent episodes of pneumonia, poor control of secretions and a complete inability to take food or liquids orally, severely compromising her health and quality of life.She was later referred to a multidisciplinary team at the city-based hospital. Gastro surgeon Dr Pratik Shah initially performed a feeding jejunostomy to restore her nutritional status and endoscopically retrieved a broken segment of the ryles tube.Subsequently, cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Dr Sagar Sahita, along with oncosurgeon Dr Vasantharaja and their team, performed a posterolateral thoracotomy and successfully achieved primary closure of both the trachea and the oesophagus.After nearly three months of careful planning and optimisation, a combined Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) and bronchoscopy enabled precise mapping of a 3 cm fistula located 1.5 cm from the carina in the lower mid-trachea. The defect was repaired with support from critical care specialists and other super-speciality consultants.Following surgery, the tracheostomy tube was removed. A post-operative scan conducted 14 days later confirmed healthy, viable flaps with no evidence of leakage. Emphasising the importance of collaboration, Dr Sahita said that an integrated team approach was crucial in managing such complex cases.The entire treatment was provided free of cost under the PMJAY scheme during the patient’s 45-day hospital stay. Doctors said the young woman has now resumed oral intake and is finally able to experience the simple yet profound joy of drinking water again.
