60-Year-Old Sadık Gözel Cured of Elephantiasis with a World-First Surgery in Istanbul

Sadık Gözel, a 60-year-old resident of Istanbul, was cured of elephantiasis through a surgery that was performed for the first time in the world due to the specific area it targeted. This operation also marks Turkey's first successful surgery for elephantiasis.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Veli Karaaltın, a Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeon at Acıbadem University Atakent Hospital, stated that treatment options for elephantiasis, also known as lymphedema, are very limited. He described lymphedema as a condition resulting from congenital or acquired abnormalities in the lymph nodes or lymphatic pathways, which causes swelling in the affected body part due to the inability to drain lymph fluid from the tissues.

Karaaltın explained that patients with such conditions are often directed towards non-curative or conservative methods, leading them to live with the disease. He noted that the nature of the disease adversely affects the patient's quality of life. He further explained that the disease progresses in stages, initially causing swelling in the affected area, eventually developing into the severe form known as elephantiasis.

"SURGERY IS A WORLD-FIRST IN TERMS OF THE AREA IT TARGETED"

Karaaltın noted that in similar diseases, which are generally seen in tropical regions, surgical methods are usually limited. He emphasized that the primary goal of this surgery was to restore the patient's health rather than making a pioneering achievement in the field.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Karaaltın continued: "The operation is the first of its kind in the world concerning the area it targeted in the human body. It is the first successful surgery for elephantiasis performed in Turkey. Essentially, we performed a lymph node transfer from another region. The neck area is rich in lymph nodes. We prepared it using microsurgical techniques and transferred it to the affected area. Thankfully, it was successful. We are currently on the 10th day. Everything is looking good, and the tissue is alive. This method will be promising for such patients. It could represent the cutting edge of today's microsurgical techniques. We are hopeful that this solution will be beneficial for patients. In other words, we transferred lymph nodes with their vessels from the neck to the non-functioning lymph nodes and vessels in the testicles."

"THIS METHOD HAS A HIGHER SUCCESS RATE"

Karaaltın noted that with the transplant, the course of the disease changed, and the patient’s quality of life improved. He said, "We can now say there is a solution for lymphedema patients. When Sadık arrived, his testicles were swollen to five times the normal size."

He explained that they reduced the size of the patient's testicles surgically and took measures to prevent the disease from recurring. While the prevalence of elephantiasis in Turkey is not very high, it has reached a significant number. Karaaltın mentioned that treatments for this disease generally involve medication and some surgical methods. "However, our method is more effective. In other methods, lymphatic vessels are found and transferred to the venous system. Our approach is more physiological, more rational, and has a higher chance of success."

THE DISEASE STARTED WITH A COLD

Sadık Gözel explained that his disease began in 1996 with a cold, which led to pain in his lower back that radiated to his genital area, causing edema. He mentioned that severe wounds developed in the affected area and he struggled with the disease for a long time, receiving treatment from various doctors and using different medications without success. Gözel said, "Due to my condition, I had difficulty performing ablution, praying, and other activities. Now, thank God, I have regained my health."

Source: https://www.ntv.com.tr/saglik/fil-hastaliginda-dunyada-ilk,0hQHGNvtz0GPJfs3D1SAxg