Bluewater Health's surgical program performed a first ever specialized cancer surgery earlier this month.
The rectal surgery, specifically called Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision (TaTME), is also known as "bottom-up" surgery.
General and Colorectal Surgeon Dr. Jeremy Springer said it's a new minimally invasive alternative for patients with low rectal cancer.
"The pelvis and rectum is a hard place to operate and using this new technique makes it a little bit easier for the surgery itself, which leads to better outcomes and ultimately faster recovery for patients," Springer said.
General Surgeon Dr. Colin Way assisted Dr. Springer in leading the surgical team through the procedure.
"We've only done one TaTME at Bluewater Health but, using a similar technology and platform, we also treat early stage rectal cancers in a minimally invasive fashion using something called TAMIS (transanal minimally invasive surgery) and we have treated seven or eight patients with that platform to date," he said.
Previously, Dr. Springer said patients had to travel to other centres to receive this level of specialized care.
"Those patients would normally have to go to a larger tertiary care centre, such as London, or Windsor, or Toronto for example," said Springer.
Chief of Staff Dr. Michel Haddad said he's proud of the surgical team for venturing into new frontiers.
“Such efforts are only possible with innovation, collaboration, dedication and expertise," Haddad said. "Surgeons are required to have specialized training to perform this innovative procedure, and so we are thrilled to have Dr. Springer and Dr. Way here at Bluewater Health to provide these specialty services locally.”
Local cancer treatment options were expanded in 2023 when Dr. Springer was recruited to Sarnia-Lambton.
He completed his fellowship in minimally invasive colon and rectal surgery at the University of Massachusetts. Bluewater Health had also invested in the specialized instrumentation needed to treat patients with early stage rectal cancer.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
While colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Canada, Dr. Springer said it is preventable, treatable, and beatable.
“When colorectal cancer is detected early, patients have more treatment options and a better chance of survival and recovery,” he said. “When treated in its early stages, colorectal cancer is curable in over 90% of patients, and when performed in a minimally invasive manner, patients experience faster recovery with less pain and post-operative complications.”
Dr. Springer said it impacts people of all ages, and regular screening is a great way to reduce your risk of developing the disease.
Symptoms include: unexplained constipation, diarrhea or change in bowel habits, ongoing urge to have a bowel movement, blood ranging from bright red to dark black, persistent abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, weakness and fatigue and anemia caused by iron deficiency.
Lifestyle and risk factors include: significant consumption of red meat, low fibre diet, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, being overweight/obese, lack of physical activity, age, family cancer history and inflammatory bowel disease.