Doctors at GCH perform rarest rare 'Vagal Paraganglioma' surgery

Only 1 in million patient diagnosed with the tumour

VAIBHAV PARWAT

Aurangabad, April 23:

Doctors of the Government Cancer Hospital (GCH) achieved yet another medical marvel by successfully removing a rare tumor of the nerve cells, ‘Vagal Paraganglioma’ which was located on left side of the neck and was blocking the blood supply to the brain and the heart. The complex surgery took four hours.

A 23 year old male patient from Nanded had developed a tumour on the left side of the neck with difficulty in swallowing and hoarseness of voice for the last 6 months. His relatives brought him to the GMCH for examination. A CT scan revealed overgrown mass tissues. Initially, doctors thought it to be a cancerous tumor. But upon further investigation, they noticed that he was suffering from Stage-4 vagal paraganglioma that extended into part of the throat at the back of the mouth behind the oral cavity. Further studies revealed overgrown mass tissues measuring approximately 13 cm. Team of doctors including head of the department of ENT Dr Sunil Deshmukh, associate professor Dr Prashant Keche, Dr Mahendra Katre, Dr Vasant Pawar, Dr Shailesh Nikam, Dr R Alapure, Dr Sonal Pachlore and Dr Namrata Dhobale under the guidance of GMCH dean Dr Varsha Rotte-Kaginalkar, OSD cancer hospital Dr Arvind Gaikwad, and superintendent Dr Kashinath Chaudhary performed this complex surgery.

Only 1 in a million cases

Dr Deshmukh said, “These kinds of tumors are found in 1 out of every million people. The tumour blocks the blood flow to the brain, heart and other important veins in the body that could cause serious health problems or even death of the patient. For this kind of rare case, complete removal of tumour by surgical resection is the first choice of treatment. However, since vagal paragangliomas are highly vascular lesions and in view of anticipated large volume blood loss, the patient underwent pre-operative endovascular embolization to cut off blood supply to the tumor. The doctors further had to cut the vagus nerve, then tie it up during the operation and connect it after the operation. The surgery was done without harming the patient or his movements in any way.”

13 cm long tumour

This surgery is one of the rarest surgeries to be performed in a government hospital in the country. Also, the world record for the biggest tumour removal in vagal paraganglioma stands at 12 cm. However, the doctors here removed a tumour that was 13 cm in length.