Iraqi woman with rare genetic disorder treated in Gurgaon

Gurgaon, May 13 (IANS) Thanks to Indian doctors, a 27-year-old Iraqi woman who suffered from a rare genetic condition in which several vital body organs exist in duplicate has got a new lease of life.

Doctors at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute here carried out a successful seven-hour surgery on the woman who they said was on the road to recovery following the April 18 complicated medical intervention.

A management student from Baghdad, the woman had two urinary bladders with two urethras, two uterus, two vaginas and two small and large intestines.

One of the colons in her body was opening in between the vaginas. This resulted in fecal incontinence, causing great physical discomfort and repeated infections.

The patient was diagnosed as having caudal duplication syndrome, which is prevalent at birth in less than one per 100,000 cases, a Fortis statement said.

With only about 30 cases reported worldwide so far, the disorder is associated with partial or complete duplication of the spine and some other caudal structures such as urogenital and gastrointestinal tracts.

The young woman, determined to pursue her career despite her difficulties, had no control on her second colon. So, she wore diapers all the time and ate sparingly.

She went to several hospitals in Turkey and Germany. But considering the risks of surgical intervention, doctors declined to operate on her, the statement added.

At Fortis, she underwent comprehensive radiological and endoscopic evaluation, following which a reconstructive surgery was conducted. She made a full recovery without complications after years of misery.

"It was a difficult case, where genitoplasty and colocolonic anastomosis were performed on the woman through the seven-hour surgery," said Sanjay Gogoi who led the team of doctors.

"We were able to establish a connection between the two large intestines and completely remove the ‘vaginal-colon’,” he added.

"External and internal genitalia were reconstructed and her reproductive organs were saved, even enabling her to bear children in future.

"A multidisciplinary approach and modern urological reconstructive techniques allowed us to undertake such complex reconstructions, previously thought not possible,” Gogoi, director, urology and renal transplant at Fortis, added.

"This was one of the most difficult and challenging cases for our team. The fact that it gave a new life to a patient from across the continent is most rewarding and provides hope to numerous patients in other countries to get the best in world class treatments at Fortis hospitals in India,” added Simmardeep Singh Gill, zonal director of Fortis.