The centre will address a range of intestinal failure and gastrointestinal conditions
Chennai-based Rela Hospital has opened a Centre for Intestinal Rehabilitation and Nutrition Support. The team led by Prof Anil Vaidya Director – Multivisceral Organ Transplantation and Dr Naresh Shanmugam Director – Women and Child Health & Senior Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Rela Hospital includes 10 other experts.
The centre addresses a range of intestinal failure and gastrointestinal conditions, including: Short Bowel Syndrome, marked by reduced intestinal function; Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction, where the intestines fail to move food properly; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, characterised by chronic digestive tract inflammation; Hirschsprung Disease, causing severe constipation due to missing colon nerve cells; Omphalocele, the protrusion of abdominal organs at birth; Necrotising Enterocolitis, intestinal damage in premature infants; and volvulus, a dangerous intestinal twisting that cuts off the blood supply.
Prof Mohamed Rela, CMD, Rela Hospital, said, “While intestinal failure is rare in children overall, affecting approximately 24 in 100,000 babies, it significantly affects preterm infants. In India intestinal transplantation is often the primary treatment. However, our vision is to provide a comprehensive range of unique treatment services to the children, thus minimising the need for transplantation. We prioritise medical, surgical, and nutritional therapies to encourage natural intestinal growth, aligning with advanced international standards. We have an ongoing partnership with Carevue Health in offering these services. We hope that this new centre will benefit a large number of children from India and neighbouring countries.”
Prof. Anil Vaidya, Director – Multivisceral Organ Transplantation, Rela Hospital, said, “The intestine, comprising the small intestine (10 feet in newborns, 20 feet in adults) and the large intestine (around 5 feet), plays a critical role in digestion. While losing the large intestine may have a lesser impact, the small intestine, where most digestion occurs, is essential. Its loss results in food passing undigested, necessitating intravenous nutrition (parenteral nutrition) for survival in cases of intestinal failure. Our centre provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary support for infants, children, and adolescents with intestinal failure and complex gastrointestinal conditions.”
Dr. Naresh Shanmugam, Director – Women and Child Health & Senior Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Rela Hospital commented, “The intestinal rehabilitation centre will provide end-to-end care encompassing a wide range of specialisations and nutritional & medical support for small infants both in hospital and in-home until they reach adequate weight where surgery or transplant could be offered. The services include advanced therapies to support intestinal function, personalised treatment for better patient outcomes, and collaborations with partner hospitals for continuity of care. Importantly, we offer Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) programmes for sustained support, enabling patients to receive vital nutrition at home. Our multidisciplinary team works to transition patients from IV nutrition to oral or enteral feeding, reducing transplantation requirements, improving long-term outcomes, and reducing healthcare costs.”
Dr Ilankumaran Kaliamoorthy, CEO, Rela Hospital, commented, “This centre would deliver unique services which would benefit a lot of children not only from India but also from neighbouring countries.”
