23-Year-Old Breathes Easy After Tumour Surgery At SUM Hospital In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: A 3 kg tumour was removed from the chest of a 23-year-old woman by the surgeons of Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medical sciences of SOA.

The tumour had compressed the patient, Sonali Dalei’s left lung and pushed the heart and windpipe to the right of the chest cavity, said the surgeons.

Sonali came to IMS and SUM Hospital complaining of chest pain and breathlessness, said Dr. Soumya Surath Panda, Head of the department of Medical Oncology. She was dependent on external oxygen supply, Dr Panda added.

After evaluating her condition, an examination revealed that the giant tumour was not cancerous but was an intrathoracic tumour which had compressed her left lung and pushed the mediastinum (heart and wind piple) towards the right of the chest cavity. She also had multiple neurofibroma over her face and hand, said Dr. Debasish Sahu, Head of department of Cardio Thoracic Vascular Surgery (CTVS) on Monday.

A team of doctors led by Dr. Sahu conducted the surgery. Dr. Sushanta Kumar
Bhoi, consultant Cardiac Anaesthetist, conducted the operation. They approached the tumour by Clamshell Thoractomy as also a Median Sternotomy with extension of the incision for complete removal of the tumour, he said.
Post operation, Dr. Shakti Bedanta Mishra and Dr. Sagarika Panda of the Critical Care department managed the patient. Her recovery took a long time as the drainage tube had to be kept for a protracted period because of frequent fluid accumulation. Besides, the left lung took a long time to expand after the tumour compression effect was released, Dr. Sahu said. Plastic Surgeon Dr Binayak Mishra conducted the post-operative cosmetic repair of the chest wall.

Medical superintendent, Prof. Pusparaj Samantasinhar said the surgery and entire treatment was done under BSKY insurance scheme.