Dubai woman’s life saved after surgeons treat ‘rarest of rare’ hernia

Dubai: Surgeons at a Dubai hospital were able to save the life of a young woman whose bariatric surgery for weight loss had resulted in a rare hernia that could have turned fatal.

Minal Chetan Kumar Patel, 38, an Indian realtor and resident of Dubai, had travelled to India for her bariatric surgery in 2017. After the surgery, Patel was happy as she lost a considerable amount of weight. She shed more weight in the following two years and was able to excel in her job as a property consultant.

However, in March, Patel was rushed to the Emergency Room of Aster Hospital, Qusais with severe abdominal pain and bouts of vomiting.

Misunderstood as food poisoning

Patel thought it was food poisoning and it never occurred to her that this was a complication arising out of her bariatric procedure carried out nearly five years ago.

It was not the first time Patel had experienced abdominal pain post the bariatric surgery. Patel told Gulf News: “I used to get the pain occasionally. However, I thought I was suffering from a bad reaction to food that did not agree with me. The pain would last for a day, and then subside. Therefore, I neglected those symptoms and continued with my daily routine.”

Poor blood supply

At Aster Hospital, Qusais, on advice of the emergency doctor, Patel underwent a CT scan. The scan revealed intestinal ischemia, a serious condition caused due to an insufficient supply of blood flow to the intestines. Patel was referred to Dr Sudheer Salavudeen, specialist general surgery at the hospital, who elaborated on the case.

Contorted intestines

He added that they found milky fluid filling the spaces between the intestinal loops. The laparoscopy footage showed that the intestines were herniating into the ‘Petersen’s space’ in the abdomen.

‘Rarest of rare hernia’

“The milky fluid was actually Chyle, which is a mixture of lymph and emulsified fats. Minal’s was a classic case of Petersen’s Hernia. This is a rare condition. A very few people develop the complication following a gastric bypass procedure. It requires an immediate surgical intervention, as the chances for dilation and tear are more. It was fortunate that this patient came to us at the nick of time,” said Dr Salavudeen.

Dr Salavudeen and his team cleared the contortions in the intestine of the patient and Patel was kept under observation in the ICU for two days. The doctor also diagnosed her with electrolyte imbalance and anaemia. Medicines and supplements were prescribed, and Patel was discharged by March 18.

Speaking of her condition after the procedure, Patel said: “I am doing very well now. I do not feel any pain. I am thankful to Dr Sudheer and his team at Aster for their proper diagnosis of the condition and the right treatment.”