The Department of Surgical Oncology at the Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, continued to render services despite the COVID-19 situation performing 280 major cancer surgeries during the period.
Speaking to reporters in Udupi on Saturday, lead surgeon A.N. Naveen Kumar said that the cancer block was never closed and continued to serve needy patients with the support of the hospital administration. There was outpatient department facility every day.
Initially, COVID-19 testing and isolation were carried out and major cases were not taken up. Gradually, all cases were taken up and surgically, there were no extra challenges to offer treatment and perform surgeries, he said.
Important surgeries
Dr. Kumar elaborated a few important surgeries performed by the department in the recent past that included tracheal (windpipe) cancer surgery, a complex procedure to perform. During the procedure, the tumour was removed along with the part of the affected windpipe after which the remaining windpipe was connected to the lower part or branches (main bronchus). Four such surgeries, including one on a 70-year-old patient, were performed. The patients are on regular follow-up.
Tumour removal
Two major surgeries involving removal of large tumours inside the chest that choked the heart, major blood vessels, lungs and windpipe too were performed.
The first involved the removal of a 3-kg tumour from the chest of a 15-year-old boy. After the removal of the tumour, the chest bone was reconstructed with artificial bone and the boy is under follow-up.
Another surgery was performed on a 15-year-old girl to remove a 5-kg tumour from her neck. The neck was covered with plastic surgery, Dr. Kumar said.
He said that the thoracoscopic and laparoscopic cancer surgeries were routinely performed in the department for lung, food pipe, stomach, large and terminal intestine, uterus and kidney. It was also performing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy surgeries for advanced, stage 4 cancer of stomach, large and terminal intestine and ovarian cancer, Dr. Kumar said. Limb saving surgery for cancer of lower limbs were also performed.
The team led by Dr. Kumar includes Nawaz Usman, Keshava Rajan and Preethi Shetty, who were trained at Tata Memorial Hospital Mumbai.
Coordinator of Manipal Comprehensive Care Centre Naveen S. Salins and Deputy Medical Superintendent Padmaraj Hegde have congratulated the team.
