Prof SM Chandramohan MS MCh FACS is the founder Director of Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology

Sad to hear the demise.
Prof SM Chandramohan MS MCh FACS is the founder Director of Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, Center of Excellence for Upper GI Surgery, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Madras Medical College, Chennai – 600 003, India.

After receiving his medical degree in 1979 from Thanjavur Medical College in Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India, Prof SM Chandramohan completed his MS postgraduate training at Madras Medical College and Government General Hospital, Chennai. He was the best outgoing candidate of that year for the entire state of Tamilnadu and was honoured with a gold medal by The Madras University in 1984. He then worked at a rural Primary Health Center which catered to 47 seaside villages of Thanjavur District under the supervision of the Director of Public Health. Later he joined the prestigious MCh Surgical Gastroenterology super speciality program at The Madras Medical College under the leadership of Prof N Rangabashyam. He was the seventh person to qualify with MCh Surgical Gastroenterology degree in the entire country.

He was the founder of the department of Surgical Gastroenterology at the Institute of Non Communicable Diseases at Government Royapettah Hospital and became the full Professor at Government Kilpauk Medical College in 2000. Considering his pioneering work he was promoted as Head of the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Madras Medical College. In recognition of his work on Upper GI disorders the department was upgraded to ‘Centre of Excellence in Upper GI Surgery’. With his untiring efforts the Centre evolved to Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology. The institute has been recognised as the regional referral centre for upper gastrointestinal disorders.

Prof S M Chandramohan’s clinical interests include surgery for Upper GI Disorders which include both benign and malignant oesophagogastric disorders. He has special interest in the management of gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer and GE junction tumours. His pioneering work in the management of caustic injuries of the upper GI tract is widely acknowledged. His innovative surgical techniques in the management of complex pharyngo oesophago gastric strictures due to corrosives are being followed all over the world. Several hundred patients live to tell their story.

His research interests include epidemiological aspects and newer operative strategies to optimise the outcome in gastric cancer and oesophageal cancer patients and management of postoperative complications. He has also participated in the development of minimally invasive, endoscopic and laparoscopic operations. The department pursues active research in managing advanced gastric, GE junction and Oesophageal malignancies and complex corrosive strictures of the oesophagus and stomach.

His technique of coloplasty for reconstruction, using stomach for reconstruction in the presence of antral stricture; the taking up of conduit to the neck using camera sheath technique; the partial stapling technique of the anastomosis; totally stapled pharyngocaecoplasty; strategies to be adopted for failed conduits; revision anastomosis technique in the neck, self-dilatation technique which can be done by the patient themselves have created a major impact in easing out the management of these complex problems. He has defined a new entity called “Gastrocele” in patients with double strictures. He has described a new working classification for Isolated Gastric Strictures which won the Hari Om Ashram Award from the association of Surgeons of India for the best research work.

New concepts in surgical training and education have been a major focus of his academic interest. He has authored more than 300 scientific presentations, papers, editorials, textbook chapters, abstracts and video productions. He has been an invited speaker for more than 100 regional, national and international lectures on the subject of oesophagogastric surgery and laparoscopic surgery. He is a member of the Board of Studies in Surgical Specialties, in The Tamilnadu Dr M G R Medical University, Chennai.

He has been director for more than 50 courses and workshops on advanced gastroesophageal surgery. He was instrumental in increasing the MCh Surgical Gastroenterology postgraduate seats from two to six per year the largest number in the entire country. He has been instrumental in encouraging post graduates and even undergraduate medical students in doing original research and presenting their work in national and international forum fetching them awards and grants from well recognised societies.

He now holds the additional position of Director of International Student Programme and Professor of Upper GI surgery at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and research which is one of the top ranking universities in the entire country where he also guides PhD programme. He has also helped several students visit the Centers of Excellence across the world and has created opportunity for students from various centers across the world to visit centers doing unique work in this part of the world.

He has been the secretary of the Indian Association of Surgical Gastroenterology (IASG) for 3 years. He is the President of the 8th APGCC.He is a council member of the International Gastric Cancer Association (IGCA) ,Membership committee member of the International Society for Diseases of Esophagus (ISDE),Permanent scientific committee member of the OESO, Fellow of American College of Surgeons(FACS), Fellow of the International Medical Sciences Academy and Fellow of the Association of Surgeons of India(FAIS).