COIMBATORE: Coimbatore-based Gateway Clinics, recently removed a
tumour
weighing 7kg from the backside of the abdomen (retroperitoneal space) of a 56-year-old
woman
.
The patient, who is a resident of Sowripalayam in the city, was diagnosed with retroperitoneal sarcomas, a rare tumour type, about two years ago. Doctors in a
hospital
where she had initially taken treatment had advised her not to undergo surgery because of the difficult location of the tumour.
Dr. Senthil Kumar, surgeon says,"it took 7 hrs to remove the tumour. It was a very complex operation as the tumour was occupying the entire abdomen area.Patient is healthy now."“When she was diagnosed, the size of the tumour was just nine centimetres. But when she came here it was grown up to 30cm and weighed 7kg. By the time, the tumour had spread to other vital organs – kidney, urinary tract, a section of small and large intestine and uterus,” said Dr K Sendhil Kumar, a surgical gastroenterologist and laparoscopic surgeon, who operated the woman.
“As it was growing quickly, we needed to remove it at the earliest,” he said.
A team of doctors comprising four surgeons and two anesthetics performed the surgery on woman a week ago.
As the tumour was located on a mainstream blood vessel which carries blood from lower part of the body to the heart, the operation was risky. The team had to be careful and identify each vessel carefully so as not to disturb the mainstream blood vessel. The operation lasted seven hours.
Sendhil Kumar said, “To remove the tumour without leaving any residue, we had to remove the organs – right kidney, uterus, ovary and a portion of both the intestines. Even if a small portion of the tumour was left behind, it would start spreading quickly.”
“The woman is now free from of all sorts of discomforts she faced while carrying the large tumour,” he added.
.