“Surgery without surgery”

Dr. Adrian Lebonthieu and Professor Zvi Fierman during a surgery

Two stomach surgical operations were carried out last Thursday at the Hille Yaffe Medical Center by use of the most up to date method the major advantage of which is that it does not involve making incisions in the patient’s body, even of the most minimal nature. The two operations that were performed – one to rectify a reflux problem, and an operation for narrowing the stomach – well known surgical procedures routinely performed by surgeons, were performed on this occasion combining a technique in the sphere of gastroenterology. It should be mentioned that in the case of stomach narrowing surgery – “at Hillel Yaffe they are proud to be the first in Israel in applying it. In the case of the reflux surgery, the operation has only been performed in one other hospital in Israel – and only one day before the same procedure was carried out at “Hillel Yaffe”. Thus, the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center has joined the ranks of medical centers worldwide that perform these unique surgical operations, the sole purpose of which is to facilitate the patient’s speedy recovery.

The two operations, were performed in collaboration with the Gastroenterology Institute and the surgical set up of “Hillel Yaffe” and under the direction of  Dr. Adrian Lebonthieu a senior surgeon at the Henri Mondeur hospital in Paris, France, who is an expert in this method of surgery. The purpose in bringing in Dr. Lebonthieu, was as mentioned, learning this technique so that the team of doctors at the Medical Center will be able to perform similar operations in the future.

Professor Zvi Fierman, Director of the Gastroenterology Department, who organized Dr. Lebonthieu’s arrival together with Dr. Rocardo Alfassi, the Director of the Surgical Department, mentions that the two operations are related to two well known phenomena – reflux surgery, and the appearance of an increase in the acidic content of the esophagus. This a problem from which about 15-20 percent of the population suffers in varying degrees, with a small percentage of them requiring surgery in order to deal with it effectively.

The second operation – is to constrain the stomach. It is also a well known and routine procedure performed on persons suffering from obesity. “These two operations” explains Professor Fierman, “for the most part involve making incisions in a person’s body, even though they are of a minimal nature and of the minimal invasive kind. Under the new procedure, which we performed here on Thursday, no incisions are made at all, but rather, a gastroscopic catheter is inserted and which in situ performs the necessary remedial work (creating an increase of pressure in the stomach passage in order to prevent an esophagal reflex, or to constrict the stomach). This procedure is called endoscopic pondoplyakcia, and although performed under surgical supervision, the operation is performed by a Gastroenterologist, and as stated above, without incisions”. 

Dr. Nasser Sakran, Senior Surgeon in the Surgical Department, who routinely performs the operations to constrict the stomach and was a participant in the surgery carried at “Hillel Yaffe”, observes that “a surgical procedure to constrict the stomach will undoubtedly make things significantly easier for the patient, and its introduction can be a help to obesity sufferers”.

The patients treated by this procedure, requiring only brief hospitalization, have also expressed their satisfaction with the whole procedure. The Hillel Yaffe Medical center intends to continue  studying, in depth, and become professionally proficient with a view to performing these operations in the future, in light of their wish to improve the treatment available to the public in the area and in general.