Private hospital in Chennai launches centre to treat intestinal failure, complex gastrointestinal disorders

Rela Hospital launches centre for intestinal failure treatment, led by experts, aiming to reduce need for transplants.

Rela Hospital on Friday launched a centre to treat intestinal failure and complex gastrointestinal disorders, primarily for preterm babies who are not eligible for intestinal transplants.

A press release said a multidisciplinary team of 10 experts, led by Anil Vaidya, multivisceral organ transplantation director, and Naresh Shanmugam, director for women and child health and senior consultant, paediatric gastroenterology and hepatology, Rela Hospital, will provide the integrated care.

Mohamed Rela, Chairman and Managing Director (MD) of the hospital, said: “We can discuss adding this to the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Intestinal failure mainly affects preterm infants among babies. Our aim is to provide unique treatments to reduce the need for transplantation.”

Intestinal failure occurs when the intestines cannot absorb nutrients. Dr. Vaidya said: “While losing the large intestine may have a lesser impact, the loss of the small intestine, where most digestion occurs, results in food passing undigested, necessitating intravenous nutrition (parenteral nutrition) for survival in such cases. The centre provides support for infants, children, and adolescents with intestinal failure and complex gastrointestinal conditions.”

Dr. Shanmugam said the intestinal rehabilitation centre would offer comprehensive care at the homes for infants while transitioning them from intravenous nutrition to oral feeding, thereby improving outcomes and lowering healthcare costs.

Ilankumaran Kaliamoorthy, CEO, Rela Hospital, said the centre would greatly benefit children from India and neighbouring countries.