Hello hopefulandpositive,
I had the Nanoknife procedure eleven months ago. Like your husband, I was not a candidate for Whipple because of atrial involvement. My surgery was done at the University of Iowa Hospital by Dr. Carlos Chan. I had eight rounds of Folfirinox chemo and 25 rounds of chemo radiation prior to my surgery. The chemo and radiation shrank my tumor from about 3 cm to just under 2.

My surgery was an open procedure, and they also moved where my bowel connects to my stomach to avoid future blockages due to narrowing or scarring of the bowel (the tumor was very close to it). My surgery was on a Friday, and I went home the following Wednesday. I was definitely sore afterwards, but it wasn’t terrible. I used pain meds for maybe a week, mainly to help me sleep, then Tylenol was fine. My doctor did not recommend any chemo after the surgery, but some doctors do.

I’ve had PET and CT scans every three months. The most recent one was about a month ago. So far, so good! No signs of any active cancer cells and my CA 19-9 is at 18 (the lowest it’s ever been). I feel great, and dairy is the only food that gives me any minor issues.

I know not everyone is on board with this procedure, but I am very grateful that I was able to have it done. There is a Facebook page called Nanoknife Surgery Warriors. It is run by a doctor in Florida, Dr. Robert Donoway. He is a big proponent of Nanoknife and performs many of them. He thoroughly answers questions and in my opinion it’s worth checking out.

I’m more than happy to answer any questions you have. Best of luck!!