Berhampur: A surgical team of the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) and SUM Hospital at Sitalapalli recently performed a complex neurological procedure to remove a life-threatening tumour from a 60-year-old woman’s brain.
This is the first time that such an advanced surgical technique had been conducted in Berhampur, the hospital said in a press release.
The patient, who came to the hospital complaining about an agonising headache and weakness in her left upper and lower limbs, was put through an MRI which revealed a large left Cerebellopontine angle tumour.
Such tumours are challenging as they reside deep at the base of the brain, crowding the brainstem and involving the delicate cranial nerves that
control facial movement and hearing.
To tackle the complex location of the mass, the neurosurgery team used a High-Precision Neurological Microscope, which allowed surgeons to visualise delicate brain structures and blood vessels with extreme clarity, and Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator (CUSA), a sophisticated machine that uses ultrasonic frequency to fragment and aspirate tumour tissue while preserving vital nerves and healthy brain matter.
The team was successful in ‘near-total excision’ of the tumour.
Dr Pravat Kumar Jagadev, Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, led the team, and was supported by Dr Pratyush Kumar Mishra of Neuro-Anaesthesia department and the dedicated Neurosurgical Operation Theater staff.
Following the surgery, the patient was found to have Grade II facial palsy, a common occurrence given the tumour’s proximity to the facial nerves. With targeted physiotherapy, she has been showing gradual improvement.
Hospital Director Deba Prasad Dash congratulated the team and said that the surgery marked a significant milestone in advanced neurosurgical care in south Odisha.
“The successful use of advanced technologies such as the High-Precision Neurological Miscroscope and CUSA demonstrates the growing capabilities of our institution in handling highly complex brain surgeries,” said Dash.