Kasturba Hospital, Sevagram, recently performed successful surgeries on two patients suffering from Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) - a precancerous condition caused by betel nut and kharra chewing. The patients, Mr. Pranay Thakur and Ms. Parvati Patil (name changed), aged 30 and 28 years respectively, had restricted mouth opening and could not open their mouths beyond 4mm.
Specialists from the Department of Dentistry at Kasturba Hospital performed bilateral fibrotomy, coronoidectomy and removed the fibrosis from the patients. They also reconstructed the oral cavity with bilateral nasolabial flaps. The patients were under general anesthesia during the surgery. Dr Dhiraj Bhandari (Professor of Anaesthesia, MGIMS) and team monitored patients throughout the surgeries to ensure their safety and comfort. The surgeries were successful and achieved a mouth opening of 35mm. After suture removal, the patients achieved a mouth opening of 25mm on the 10th post-op day. They are undergoing active physiotherapy and being followed up every 15 days.
Dr. Abhilasha Yadav, Associate Professor of Dentistry, emphasized that Vidarbha is the kharra capital of the country and has many cancerous and pre-cancerous patients who need timely treatment. Dr. P Sanghavi, Head of Dentistry at MGIMS, added that delayed treatment for OSMF not only leads to physical stress but also emotional and financial stress. He urged patients with similar conditions to seek timely intervention.
“The success of the surgeries on these patients is a positive development in the treatment of OSMF. The Kasturba Hospital team's expertise and dedication ensure that every patient receives the best possible care”, said Dr Poonam Varma Shivkumar (Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Sevagram)