In Lviv, a teenager with a rare disease underwent surgery with the help of the Da Vinci robot

In Lviv, surgeons used the Da Vinci robotic system to operate on 13-year-old Bohdan Kolbun from the Rivne region, who was suffering from a hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Just three days after the procedure, the boy was discharged home, and his heartburn and bad breath had disappeared.

 

Bogdan’s first serious symptoms appeared about a year ago. Due to frequent nighttime heartburn, he had trouble sleeping, and constant belching and bad breath caused him psychological distress. Because of his health condition, he even had to give up his favorite sport, kickboxing.

Doctors diagnosed the teenager with a Type I hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Due to anatomical peculiarities, the valve between the stomach and the esophagus did not close completely, so stomach contents flowed back into the esophagus and irritated its lining.

According to Andriy Stasyshyn, a surgeon at St. Panteleimon Hospital, hiatal hernias are common among adults. In some patients, it is accompanied by GERD, which, without proper treatment, can lead to serious complications, including bleeding, ulcers, and precancerous changes.

When the family sought medical help, it became clear that conservative treatment was not yielding the necessary results, as the problem was mechanical in nature. The specialists at St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital then enlisted Andriy Stasyshyn, who has experience treating such conditions in adults, to perform the surgery.

The surgery was performed using the Da Vinci robotic system. The surgeons repositioned part of the stomach to its proper place, performed a repair of the esophageal hiatus in the diaphragm, and formed a fundoplication cuff designed to prevent stomach contents from refluxing into the esophagus.

“We chose the least invasive and most precise method, with all the advantages of laparoscopic surgery,” said Andriy Dvorakevych, head of the Surgery Center at St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital.

Thanks to the robotic system, the procedure was performed through small incisions without large cuts. According to the doctors, this helped reduce the risks of blood loss and infection. Bohdana was discharged home just three days after the surgery.

After the procedure, the teenager’s heartburn and bad breath disappeared.

The case was reported by St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital and the First Medical Association of Lviv.

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