Doctors at a city hospital removed a giant tumour, weighing about seven kilogrammes, from the chest of a 31-year-old man, thus providing him with a fresh lease of life.
The surgery was conducted earlier this month. The neurogenic tumour, arising from nerves within the patient’s chest, had grown to an enormous size. The resulting pressure, due to displacement and compression of the heart, major blood vessels and the food pipe, was intense as the tumour pressed against these organs, said Dr Vaibhav Mishra, senior consultant at Department of Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Surgery.
“These tumours can be benign or cancerous, growing in the area of the chest that separates the lungs. This <g data-gr-id="14">area,</g> called the mediastinum, is surrounded by the breastbone in front, the spine at the back, and the lungs on each side,” said Mishra.