Ashwin Porwal

Dr. Ashwin Porwal( born on June 30, 1979) is a consultant procto-surgeon based in Maharashtra, India and has been noted for being the first STARR (Stapled Tran anal Rectal Resection) surgery expert in the state for ODS-a form of chronic Constipation. Another first for him was the introduction of Defeography- a diagnostic test for ODS in Maharashtra.

To this date, the count of Starr surgeries conducted by him stands at 300 while the MRI Defecography test has been conducted over 500 times. He is also credited for having successfully carried out the first P.O.P.S (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Suspension) Surgery in the country in February 2013.

He is the founder of the chain of ‘Healing Hands Clinic’s in Pune, Maharashtra; a centre specializing the management of piles, chronic constipation, hernia and other ano-rectal diseases.

Early Life and Career
Dr. Ashwin Porwal belongs to Maharashtra, India and is based out of Pune. After completing his graduate degree in Medicine from B.J.Medical College (Government Medical College), Pune in June 2004; he pursued a DNB in General Surgery from Poona Hospital & Research Center.

During this period he developed a keen interest in furthering his knowledge in medical innovations and specializations that were still in the nascent stages in his country. In his own words-‘he was eager to learn the best that medicine had to offer to man’. This pursuit took him to Italy, Europe in 2005 where he trained in Advanced Laparoscopy and Bariatric Surgery from the Genova Medical School, under the Guidance of Dr Scopinaro who has been hailed as the ‘Father of Obesity Surgery’ and also went on to undergo certification in Wound management from Madeleine Flangan of University of Hertfordshire, U.K.

Aiming to seek perfection in laparoscopy, he ventured to France to acquire a Diploma in laparoscopic surgery from EITS – IRCAD, Strasbourg University in March 2009.EITS is the only university in the world offering diploma certified diploma course in laparoscopy. Having decided to specialize in Proctology he trained under Dr.Longo at St.Elizabeth Hospital, Austria from November, 2009.Here, he learned the technique of STARR surgery for ODS-A form of chronic constipation and Rectal prolapsed and developed an expertise in Stapler surgery for Piles (Miph).

Since then, he has been actively involved in both clinic practice and research. He is a consultant procto-surgeon attached with the Poona Hospital & Research Centre, the Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai, the Goa Apex Hospital, the Jehangir Hospital and the Inamdar Hospital, Pune.

On an independent level, he founded the chain of ‘Healing Hands Clinic’s specializing in both surgical and medical management of anorectal diseases via allopathic, homeopathic and ayurvedic modalities and dietary modifications. His vision for Healing Hands Clinic is to enable ‘Innovative and minimally invasive cure for anorectal and lifestyle diseases’.

Towards this initiative, he has been instrumental in introducing the STARR Procedure for the first time in Maharashtra for management of OD- a form of chronic constipation and enabling the availability of the Defecography test to allow for the early detection of cases of constipation.

This year in February, Dr Porwal achieved the milestone of having successfully treating 5000 patients affected by Piles via the MIPH (Minimally Invasive Procedure for Hemorrhoids) procedure. This milestone has been appreciatively dubbed by his team and patients as ‘5000 Stories of Piles to Smiles’.

Research Work
Dr Porwal has been actively involved in clinical trials from varied streams of medicine. He has worked as a Principal Investigator for the following trials


 * Open labeled InjFilgastrim trial; Indication - patients who receive Chemotherapy
 * Open labeled Sibutramine trial; Indication - Obesity
 * Phase III-IV trial; Indication - Post Operative Hernia patients
 * Phase III trial; Indication - Ureteric Colic

He also facilitated the enrollment of a maximum number of patients in a month among all Indian sites for an Acute Skin and Skin Structure Infection Study.

Achievements
•	Performed the first S.T.A.R.R (Stapled Transanal Rectal Resection) surgery in Maharashtra, in Nov 2009 and now holds the highest record in Asic Pacific for having performed more than 200 S.T.A.R.R surgeries and more than 5000 Stapler Haeorrhoidopexies.

•	Selected to present a paper on Hemorrhoids Surgery and STARR Surgery for constipation at World Congress on Coloproctology in Rome, 2011.

•	 Invited as a speaker for symposium on ' Management of Haemorrhoids : Have we moved on?' at Nashik, Maharashtra where he spoke on-‘ Recent Advances in Treatment modalities - how do they stand on evidence'

•	 Invited as speaker at Indian Society of Colo-Proctology and Surgeons Society, Jaipur where he spoke in detail on the STARR procedure - technique & complications

Publications
Published a paper on “Efficacy and Tolerability of Intramuscular Dexketoprofen in Postoperative Pain Management following Hernia Repair Surgery”

Charity Work
His team at the Healing Hands Clinic provides subsidized care to the Below Poverty Level population in accordance with his belief that- "No patient must be turned away because of the lack of money".