New Report From Mercy Medical Center, Center for Therapeutic Endoscopy – Purely Endoscopic Appendectomy

Dr. Sergey V. Kantsevoy, Director of The Center for Therapeutic Endoscopy at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, in conjunction with his colleagues at The Melissa L. Posner Institute for Digestive Health & Liver Disease at Mercy, have reported the first purely endoscopic appendectomy (using DiLumen–Lumendi LLC, Westport, Conn, USA–a double-balloon endoluminal interventional platform (DBEIP) consisting of an overtube with 2 balloons: one (aft-balloon) is fixed to the oral end of the overtube, and the other (fore-balloon) can be extended forward or pulled back with 2 attached suture-loops providing traction to facilitate various endoscopic interventions).

Traditional surgical/laparoscopic appendectomy requires abdominal wall incisions/punctures that can subsequently cause hernias, pain, and delayed return to work and regular physical activity after surgical/laparoscopic removal of the appendix.  Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery interventions were often performed with laparoscopic assistance and required advancement of an endoscope into the peritoneal cavity through gastric or vaginal wall with increased risk of infection and abdominal adhesions.

Purely endoscopic appendectomy with the DiLumen platform does not require laparoscopic assistance and advancement of the endoscope into the peritoneal cavity. It eradicates abdominal wall incisions and punctures; decreases the risk of postoperative adverse events; eliminates pain, the need for hospital admission, and restrictions of physical activity; allows early resumption of work; and can become an alternative to laparoscopic, surgical, and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery appendectomy.

Dr. Kantsevoy is a specialist and regional authority in interventional endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound. He has been named a “Top Doctor” in Gastroenterology by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd.

Dr. Kantsevoy has been ranked in the Top 2% of Scientists in the World by PLOS Biology. Board Certified in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, he is a seasoned lecturer and has been invited to medical conferences in China, Germany, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong and the United States. He is also a well published author and has produced decades of peer-reviewed scientific articles for such publications as:

• Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Digestive Diseases and Sciences
• Endoscopy
• Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• Surgical Endoscopy

He is a co-author of several books on digestive disorders, over 20 book chapters and has medical patents on procedures and treatment systems in endoscopic procedures. Dr. Kantsevoy is internationally recognized as a Fellow of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (FJGES) – a prestigious professional designation for gastroenterologists with expertise in endoscopic procedures.  

The Center for Therapeutic Endoscopy at Mercy is a centralized treatment hub for digestive health and liver diseases providing screening services and treatment for illnesses affecting the colon, esophagus, stomach, liver, bile ducts, pancreas and intestines.