Rare brain surgery gives new lease of life to patient

Lucknow, Aug 29 (IANS) Doctors at a private hospital in Lucknow have successfully operated upon a 42-year-old man suffering from a rare brain tumour -ependymoma.

Ependymoma is a type of tumour that can form in the brain or spinal cord and develops from ependymal cells in the brain's ventricles. These ventricles have cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for protection of the brain and spinal cord.

When these ependymal cells grow uncontrollably, they give rise to tumours that block the flow of CSF.

It has an incidence rate of 22 in every 10 lakh and affects both children and adults.

Dr Bhawan Nangrawal, who led the surgical team of Wellsun Medicity Hospital, said the surgery was done on August 22 and the patient was discharged on Monday.

“The patient from Siwan (Bihar) worked as a plumber in Dubai. He had been experiencing blurred vision, headaches and vomiting. He came to us seven days ago with his reports. A tumour was confirmed through MRI testing. Open surgery was risky because the tumour was deep inside the brain and extraction could have damaged other parts of the organ,” he said.

Hence, laparoscopic surgery was performed by making a 15 mm hole.

“It took one-and-a-half hours to extract the tumour and fix hydrocephalus, fluid build-up in the third ventricle. An alternate pathway was also created for absorption of fluid,” he added.

Dr Sapna Yadav, a neuro anaesthetist at the hospital, said, “If left untreated, these cases have a 100 per cent mortality rate. However, the good news is that in 80 per cent cases, the tumours are benign.”