Last Update:2025-07-04
Chiayi Christian Hospital has made another breakthrough in the field of minimally invasive medicine! A young woman suffered a fish bone that caused esophageal perforation. After two years of arduous treatment, the Chiayi Chrisitan Hospital medical team successfully repaired the damaged esophagus after innovatively applying the "Endoscopic Suture System", becoming the first successful case in Asia to use this system to heal esophageal perforation. Chiayi Chrisitan Hospital held a "Regaining a Delicious Life, Endoscopic Suturing Technology Innovation Press Conference" at Luke auditorium at 10 a.m. on April 17 (Thursday) to share this breakthrough technology. 28-year-old Miss Qiu suffered an esophageal perforation after accidentally swallowing a fish bone. The wound was located near the heart, aorta and lungs, which was very challenging. She has undergone nearly ten surgical and endoscopic minimally invasive treatments at the Friends Hospital. After a long period of treatment and care, it is still difficult to completely heal. In addition to being unable to eat orally for two years, she even had complications of infection and underwent a partial lung resection. At that time, in order to prevent the condition from continuing to deteriorate, she was recommended to undergo a large-scale esophageal resection and reconstruction surgery. Faced with the major consideration of future quality of life, Ms. Qiu was assisted in being referred to Chiayi Christian Hospital to seek other possible treatment options.
After arriving at Chiayi Christian Hospital, Dr. Zhou Juguang of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary evaluated the patient's condition and decided to try an innovative approach - using the "endoscopic suture system" originally used for gastric reduction surgery to repair esophageal perforation. Dr. Zhou said: "This operation is very demanding in terms of time and technology, but the patient's firm will and desire for life are the driving force for us to go all out."
In order to reduce the risk of surgery and ensure the success rate, Chiayi Christian Hospital launched an interdisciplinary integration model, closely discussed with domestic and foreign experts before the operation and conducted multiple simulations, combining endoscopy, imaging and surgical expertise to accurately plan the surgical process. In the actual operation, the endoscope entered through the mouth accurately sutured the perforation, which took only 10 minutes to complete. Dr. Zhou recalled: "That was the quietest ten minutes I have had in the past ten years. Every stitch is the patient's hope to taste delicious food again."
After the operation, Ms. Qiu recovered quickly, successfully removed the nasogastric tube, and resumed normal eating. She said with emotion: "Being able to drink water and eat again is a happiness I never imagined. Chiayi Christian Hospital did not give up on me, and Dr. Zhou accompanied me through this journey like a guardian." Chiayi Chrisitan Hospital Director Chen Wei said that this operation is a new milestone in Taiwan's minimally invasive endoscopic technology. In the past, similar conditions often required high-risk surgery. In the future, endoscopic suturing is expected to significantly reduce the burden on patients, shorten the recovery period, and improve the overall quality of life. The Chia-Chi team has currently applied this technology to gastrointestinal fistulas, surgical complications, and wound repair after giant tumor resection, continuing to expand the breadth and depth of the application of endoscopic technology. Director Chen pointed out: "Endoscopy is transforming from a diagnostic tool to a key force in treatment. We will continue to work towards a safer, minimally invasive and precise direction to benefit more patients."