For the first time in Rwanda, doctors at King Faisal Hospital (KFH) successfully carried out an Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) to treat early lower rectal cancer. ESD is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a flexible, tube-like tool called an endoscope to remove precancerous and cancerous areas in the gastrointestinal tract. ALSO READ: How Rwandan surgeons saved a baby with 70% liver cancer The gastrointestinal tract includes the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, and the anus. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, even in the United States, only a few centres perform ESD because it requires high skill and precision. A statement shared by KFH via X on Tuesday, on October 7 noted that the procedure allowed the patient to avoid chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a permanent colostomy, a surgery that creates a new opening in the belly for stool to leave the body when the normal route through the rectum can’t be used. ALSO READ: How minimally invasive heart surgeries are saving children’s lives in Rwanda The hospital called it a proud moment for Rwanda’s medical community and a major step forward in cancer care. The ESD procedure targets tumours located under the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Such tumours can be close to muscle tissue and can be difficult to remove completely with other methods. ALSO READ: Rwanda trains 400 African medics in minimally invasive surgery It can be used to treat tumours and lesions that involve the layer between the lining of internal organs and the muscle wall. It is employed in the removal of growths, especially those without clear borders or those too large to remove in one piece by other methods. Using ESD in such cases can help minimise the risk of cancer spreading, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
