Robotic Multi‑Specialty Surgery for Crohn’s‑Related Ileovesical Fistula

MITR Hospital, a super‑speciality surgical centre in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, successfully completed a rare robotic operation to treat an ileo‑vesical fistula in a patient with a 15‑year history of Crohn’s disease. The patient, a man in his late 30s (name changed to Rajesh), had developed an abnormal tunnel between his bowel and urinary bladder, causing passage of gas and fecal matter through urine. Conventional laparoscopy was deemed too risky due to extensive scarring, and open surgery would have required a large abdominal incision and prolonged recovery.

The joint team of urological and gastrointestinal surgeons performed the entire procedure through keyhole incisions using a robotic platform that provides magnified three‑dimensional vision and wristed instruments. The diseased bowel segment was resected, the abnormal opening in the bladder was closed, and the bladder wall was reconstructed, all in a single operation. The patient was discharged within days and reported being pain‑free and able to plan his life without the constraints of his illness.

Surgeon Commentary

  • Dr Manish Dubey, Senior Urologist & Robotic Surgeon, highlighted the need for close coordination between urology and gastrointestinal teams and praised the robotic system’s precision and 3D clarity, which enabled safe dissection through heavily scarred tissue and a rapid postoperative recovery.
  • Dr Vijaykumar Malladi, General & GI Surgeon, emphasized the technical difficulty of intestinal resection and continuity restoration in a patient with long‑standing Crohn’s‑related scarring, noting that the robotic platform made the procedure possible without the risks associated with conventional methods.
  • Dr Vijaykumar Yadav, Consultant Urologist, added that robotic surgery has transformed the management of complex cases, allowing procedures that once required large incisions to be performed through small ports with patients returning home within days.

MITR Hospital’s Robotic Surgery Capabilities

Since 2024, MITR Hospital has performed over 70 robotic urological and urogynaecological procedures, covering the full spectrum of the specialty. These include cancer surgeries such as radical prostatectomy and partial or radical nephrectomy, complex reconstructions like pyeloplasty, Boari flap, ureteric reimplantation, and augmentation cystoplasty, as well as urogynaecological operations such as sacrocolpopexy and vesicovaginal fistula repair.

The hospital operates from a 25‑bedded focused surgical centre, ensuring each patient has direct access to their treating surgeon. Established in 2010, MITR Hospital has served 1.2 lakh patients and completed more than 20,000 successful surgeries over the past 16 years. Its departments span Adult Urology, Andrology, Pediatric Urology, General and GI Surgery, Gynecology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Orthopedics, Arthroscopy & Joint Replacement, and Internal Medicine, all led by senior specialists and supported by dedicated nursing and anaesthesia teams.

For further information, visit www.mitrhospital.com.

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