Modern VATS Technique Cuts Esophageal Surgery Time from 12 Hours to 3
Aug 08, 2026
Using the modern Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery method, which reduces a typical 10 to 12 hour open surgery to just 2 to 3 hours, doctors at the state's Regional Cancer Centre successfully treated a woman's esophageal cancer without major incisions.
The patient, a 35-year-old woman from Agartala's Ramnagar area, had been suffering from various complications in her esophagus for four months, unable to eat any food and experiencing constant severe pain. She came to the outpatient department of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Regional Cancer Centre on 2 July 2026, after which doctors referred her to the Surgery Department following preliminary examination.
Specialists conducted the necessary screening, confirming the presence of cancer in her esophagus, which doctors determined could be removed through surgery. Cancer surgeons decided to perform the procedure through VATS, a technique carried out through small incisions using a camera and narrow instruments, without any major cut to the chest. This esophageal surgery service is currently available, on a government basis, only at this Regional Cancer Centre within the entire Northeast region.
The woman was admitted on 27 July 2026 under the supervision of Surgery Department specialists, and the surgery was successfully completed on 29 July 2026. She was kept under medical observation for two days following the procedure and discharged after making a full recovery.
The hospital noted that the achievement reflects the growing surgical capabilities of the Regional Cancer Centre, which continues to serve patients not only from Tripura but also from other Northeastern states and neighbouring countries. The treatment was provided entirely free of cost, and the woman's family expressed gratitude to the surgeons and health workers involved in her care.
