Thai surgeons successfully conduct laparoscopic surgery for cervical cancer, first time in Southeast Asia

BANGKOK, January 12 (TNA) - Surgeons of Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital have successfully conducted laparoscopic surgeries for cervical cancer and returned the menstrual cycle and reproduction to their female patients for the first time in Southeast Asia. The success was publicly announced today by Clinical Professor Dr. Udom Khachin, dean of the Faculty of Medicines of Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University, Clinical Professor Dr. Charnchai Wantanasiri, head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Associated Professor Dr. Peerapong Inthasorn, a surgeon in the field of gynecologic cancer of the department, saying that the successful five-hour surgeries were delivered by a team of seven experienced physicians, including surgeons, anesthetists and pathologists. According to the Thai doctors, the team of physicians made five holes into a patient’s abdomen and inflated the abdomen to facilitate the operation in which blood vessels and lymph nodes connected to a suspected cancer location as well as suspected tissues were removed, but good blood vessels and the uterus were kept so that the female patients retain their menstrual cycle and reproduction in 1-2 years. Assocociated Professor Dr. Peerapong noted that such the surgeries worked with the first stage of the cancer and patients took only 7-10 days to recover, and that the laparoscopic surgeries resulted in smaller wounds and reduced the chances of connective membranes in the uterus. Besides, such the surgeries cost only 50,000 baht each, but patients under the government-sponsored universal health insurance, social security and government welfare are also eligible for the treatment. Cervical cancer is now the most common cause of female deaths in Thailand with even lower average age of patients. There are as many as 6,000 new patients yearly or eight patients per day. The doctors urge women who have sex to undergo a check-up for cervical cancer once a year and those who never have sex to have such a check-up when they are 35 years and over. (TNA)