Founder & President, ESOINDIA
Prof SM Chandramohan MS, MCh, FACS, FAIS, FIMSA 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 is 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 current research projects include research on Tissue biomarkers for gastric cancer; Tumour budding in Esophageal and Gastric Cancer, Role of OCT-4 in gastric cancer, sarcopenia in Esophegeal and Gastric Cancer, PD-16 in Gastric Cancer, EGFR over expression in Gastric Cancer; Tissue CEA as a bio marker in gastric cancer, MTV in Esophageal cancer to mention a few.
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 has 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 Specialities, 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 is a council member of International Gastric Cancer Association (IGCA); Education committee member of International Society for Diseases of Esophagus (ISDE); Scientific Committee member of OESO and President of Asia Pacific Gastro Esophageal Cancer Congress (APGCC).
He is also a Fellow of American College of Surgeons (FACS); Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow (FRCS); Fellow of International Medical Sciences Academy (FIMSA) and Fellow of Association of Surgeons of India (FAIS).
As Founder and President of ESOINDIA, the NGO he has founded and in the capacity of Director, International Student Programme at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER). He has initiated more than 25 research Projects on Esophagus and Stomach and few of them has already won International and National Awards.
In parallel with his efforts at surgical intervention and innovation to save those who attempt to take their own lives by drinking acid, Prof. Chandramohan has also worked for more than two decades to create awareness about good gastrointestinal health, cancer, suicide prevention, drug abuse and other societal concerns.
What began as a crusading spirit at the turn of the century has today become an established movement, aided and pursued by the ESOINDIA (www.esoindia.org) non-governmental organisation that Prof. Chandramohan established.
In the initial phase, Prof. Chandramohan took his dedicated team of doctors and professionals to conduct health camps in remote centres, such as Coonoor in the Nilgiris (2001), Nagapattinam in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami (2004). He later cast his net wide, involving students and youth, for a variety of awareness programmes using the medium of essay writing, speech contests and art displays. Prize winners among the essayists and contributors were chosen for making original, distinct contributions on how cancer of the GI tract could be prevented, identified early, treated and managed.
Several Camps are held every year to mark important days observed by WHO and competitions held on that theme. The prize-winning entrants have been chosen from around the State. Hundreds of entries were received by Prof. Chandramohan in response to his call, in areas such as gastric cancer prevention, drug abuse awareness, and mental health. The scores of winners then got an opportunity, at the special awareness programmes to interact with a wide audience, as well as meet survivors of cancer and acid-drinking episodes.
The most recent of these events was held in Chennai during Independence Day 2019 on August 15, while a mega outreach camp to help tribal populations was conducted, also during the year, at Kotagiri in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
As a persuasive speaker in Tamil, Dr. Chandramohan coined the clarion call “Vizhithezhu” (Arise, Awaken) to galvanise civil society in the State to participate in cancer awareness programmes. Programmes under this banner were held in Chennai and Kodaikanal, where prominent members of the arts such as musicians and actors participated along with youth and students who took part in the contests. These programmes are detailed on the ESOINDIA website, and presented in multimedia form on the organisation’s YouTube channel.
He has formed Gastric Cancer Help Group and Esophageal Patient’s Support Organisation with Survivor Volunteers and Supporters and they play a pivotal role in conducting the awareness programme.
For the energetic, community-focussed Prof. Chandramohan, these two decades of efforts only mark a beginning, and higher levels of engagement with patients and community is a constant pursuit. All these he has done as in Individual with Social commitment with the help of Survivor Volunteers and ESOINDIA which he founded.
Madras Medical College and Government General Hospital, Chennai
Madras Medical College and Government General Hospital, Chennai
Thanjavur Medical College, Thanjavur
Thanjavur Medical College, Thanjavur
Thanjavur
Surgery and Surgical Gastroenterology
Gastroesophageal Cancer Surgery, Caustic Injury Reconstruction, gastrointestinal surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery and Translational Research in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer.
Best Performing Government Doctor Award by The Government of Tamilnadu 2014
Best Doctor Award – The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University on Doctors Day – 01 July 2012
Best Teacher Award – The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University on 01 July 2011
Best TamilNadu Scientist Award by the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Tamil Nadu for the Scientific Achievements. 2009
SANJEEVI Award for Best Social Awareness and Empowerment Activities in the management of Corrosive Injury Patients on 06 July 2008 by MAFOI and EKAM Foundation
He has individually won many notable awards and also has been instrumental in guiding the young doctors working with him to do award winning research work. Travel grant by International Surgical society for Diseases of the Esophagus, Best Paper Awards and travel grants at IGCA 2011, ISGIO 2009 Travel Grant, JSS Travel Grant 2009, JATS Travel grant, ISS/ISSF Travel Scholar award, APDW JGH Travel fellowship are notable.
Apart from patient care, academics and research he is also keen on conducting programs to create awareness in the society. The notable programmes which have helped the society are:
He is the founder of ESOINDIA (an organisation which offers dedicated service to patients with diseases of Esophagus, Stomach and Obesity). The Gastric Cancer Help Group and the Esophageal Patients Support Organisation formed by Medical and Para medical personnel along with survivors and supporters formed by him helps not only the patients but also conducts regular awareness programme and help research projects by young doctors.
ESOINDIA is dedicated to Serve the People with diseases of Esophagus Stomach and Obesity, create Awareness to the Society, Organize Conferences & CMEs to benefit medical fraternity and encourage research by young doctors.
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