Main Line Health performs first U.S. surgery with colostomy‑avoiding device – Mainline Media News

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LOWER MERION — One of the main fears of patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery is that they will no longer be able to pass stool normally and will need a temporary or even permanent colostomy bag. Main Line Health has taken the lead in addressing that fear head-on — performing the first U.S. surgery using a device designed to allow more patients to avoid a colostomy.
John Marks, MD, FACS, FASCRS, performed the procedure at Lankenau Medical Center recently, marking the nation’s first in a clinical trial of the Colovac device. Dr. Marks, who is the James Widener Ray Chair in Colorectal Surgery at Main Line Health and has performed over 3,000 laparoscopic and robotic colon surgeries, is a professor at Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR), which oversees trials for the health System.
Colovac is a soft, flexible tube inserted inside the rectum, forming a seal to keep fecal matter away from the surgical repair. Body waste passes through the tube via the anus rather than through an opening into a colostomy bag. The tube stays in place for 10 days until the body’s healing and tissue repair processes are complete and is then removed in a brief procedure similar to a colonoscopy. By comparison, a temporary colostomy typically is in place for three to six months and requires another surgery to reverse, while a permanent colostomy remains for life.
“I’m proud that Main Line Health continues to demonstrate its leadership in colorectal surgery by being the first in this groundbreaking trial,” Dr. Marks said. “It’s the best of all worlds with the Colovac device. The top priority is to cure the disease, but we also want to give the patient the highest quality of life. We believe this trial will demonstrate the ability to treat the cancer while allowing more patients to go home without a colostomy bag.”
An estimated 18-35% of colorectal cancer survivors have a temporary or permanent opening that allows waste to exit the body, according to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. (At Lankenau, the figure is 7%.) Dr. Marks and his partner, Henry Schoonyoung, MD, remain the only surgeons in the region participating in the Colovac trial; Dr. Marks anticipates that the trial will drive these percentages even lower.
“This is one of the most exciting developments we’ve had at LIMR in a long time,” added George Prendergast, PhD, President and CEO of LIMR. “It’s the marriage of clinical and research expertise and the willingness to try cutting-edge procedures to improve patient experience that sets Main Line Health and our Institute apart. We eagerly look forward to the results of this study and are optimistic that this device will soon be used throughout the world.”
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