Kolkata: In a rare surgery, SSKM Hospital has given a fresh lease of life to a 33-year-old man from Burdwan by removing a malignant chest wall tumour with intra-thoracic extension, weighing around 7 kgs.
The tumour was encompassing his lungs, nerve bundle innervating the hand, Subclavain vessels (vein & artery) and other vital organs.
According to the doctors in India, there was no such case reported earlier. There was a high possibility of patient dying on the operation table as the malignant tumor, situated on the chest wall had been encompassing the lungs, exerting pressure and preventing its expansion, thereby limiting entry of air and oxygen.
The patient, Sk Abdullah was suffering from Neurofibromatosis type 2 with intra thoracic and extra thoracic extension, encasing the Subclavian vessels and the nerves around the hand (Brachial Plexus) when the tumor had a rapid growth in last one year.
According to the doctors, it was rare case Neurofibromatosis which underwent sarcomatous change (rapid malignant change characterized by invasion and infiltration of the surrounding structures). Only nine such sarcomatious change in neurofibroma with both intra-thoracic and extra-thoracic extension have been reported across the globe.
Dr Sandeep Kumar Kar, Assistant Professor, Cardiac Anaesthesiology, IPGME&R, who was a part of the team said incidents of type 2 Neurofibromatosis, which is a generalised form of Neurofibromatosis termed as Von Recklinghausen's Disease, has an incidence rate of one in 4,000.
The team of doctors comprised of Dr Santanu Dutta, Prof Anupam Goswami, Dr Sandeep Kumar Kar and Dr Riya Sonam. There was a high risk during the operation as it could affect the lungs, brachial plexus, subclavian vessels and other organs.
The doctors had difficulties during the operation due to the size of the tumor on the chest wall.
The patient had also been facing difficulties in his air passage. A resident of Pangacha village of Raina in East Burdwan, Abdullah was initially taken to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital where the doctors expressed their inability to perform the surgery.
The patient was also taken to the Cardiothoracic vascular surgery (CTVS) outdoor a month ago.
After going through all necessary tests, the surgery was conducted and the malignant tumor was removed from his body successfully. Four units of whole blood and 3 units of ringer lactate and one unit of plasma expander was infused to compensate the fluid loss in this extensive surgery.