Dr. Kambiz Kadkhodayan, a gastroenterologist at the Orlando-based AdventHealth Center for Interventional Endoscopy, has successfully performed the world’s inaugural “Candy Cane” endoscopic procedure. The patient, Rene Galloway, a former emergency room nurse, had previously undergone nine surgeries over the past 13 years. Due to her medical history, she was deemed a less favorable candidate for additional surgeries.
The “Candy Cane” procedure involves:
- Removing a problematic segment of the patient’s small bowel using a repurposed endoscopic device.
- Subsequently, a channel for food intake is established. Both stages of the procedure are executed without resorting to traditional surgery, utilizing an endoscope and other FDA-approved instruments.
Dr. Kadkhodayan performed the entire procedure without making any incisions. He expressed his satisfaction with the results, noting that four other patients have since undergone the procedure with similar success. He stated, “I can’t tell you how rewarding and satisfying it is as a physician to know that we’ve described a procedure that may help countless patients in the future.”