Agartala, June 26, 2025: In a major breakthrough for Tripura’s healthcare sector, doctors at Agartala Government Medical College and GB Pant Hospital have successfully performed the state’s first colon interposition surgery replacing a patient’s damaged oesophagus with a segment of his colon.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, GB Pant Hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr. Shankar Chakraborty termed the surgery a historic feat. “This is the first time such a complex oesophageal reconstruction has been conducted in Tripura,” he said.
The patient Prasenjit Das (23), a resident of Kaiyadepa in Madhupur under Sepahijala district had ingested formic acid in March 2024 following a domestic dispute. The corrosive substance severely burned and closed off his oesophagus, leaving him unable to consume solid food for over a year.
Initially treated at Madhupur PHC and later by gastroenterologist Dr. Mrinal Debbarma in January 2025, Das underwent several oesophageal dilatations that provided only temporary relief. When further procedures proved ineffective, he was referred for advanced surgical intervention.
A multidisciplinary team led by Gastro Surgeon Dr. Dipankar Shankar Mitra and Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Kanak Narayan Bhattacharya decided to perform an oesophageal bypass surgery. On June 5, surgeons successfully reconstructed the damaged oesophagus using a portion of the colon, routed through the chest cavity, a high-risk seven-hour-long procedure performed in the hospital’s CTVS Operation Theatre.
Dr. Chakraborty confirmed that the patient’s condition is now stable. He is gradually transitioning to oral intake and is expected to be discharged soon. A barium CT scan is scheduled as part of his recovery monitoring.
The surgery was carried out under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), with the entire treatment provided free of cost.
The medical team included Dr. Subhadeep Pal, Dr. Kishore, Dr. Kiran, Dr. Abhinav, and anaesthetists Dr. Manimoy Debbarma and Dr. Surajit Pal, supported by a skilled OT crew.
