Rare surgery performed in Bangalore

BANGALORE: It was life anew for 68-year-old Devegowda,who was suffering from tumour in the right chest wall (rib cage) for the last three months, when he was told that he was now tumour-free.A rare surgery was performed on Devegowda recently by a team of doctors lead by surgical oncologists Dr Madhu Y C and Dr Harish K at M S Ramaiah Hospital.The tumour was found on the right side of the chest wall infecting the right lung, explained Dr Madhu. A biopsy revealed that tumour was the malignant. In most cases of lung cancer, the infection spread to other parts of the body easily.The surgery to remove the tumour done was a “supramajor” surgery, requiring expertise and skill. The operation lasted for six hours. The right lung and a part of the right chest wall (four ribs) was removed. The resected (removed) chest wall was reconstructed with prolene mesh and bone cement.Adding to the challenge was that the anaesthesiologist had to monitor and support the patient, who was using only a single lung, during the course of the surgery.Even as he was recovering, he developed an air leak from the closed wind pipe (he was a chronic smoker). That, combined with a bad cough, aggravated a bout of tuberculosis. A second surgery was performed and the wind pipe was cleared.Dr Madhu said that lung cancers affecting chest walls were rare tumours that require artificial reconstruction of the chest walls. The patient is now doing well and is said to be discharged shortly.