CHENNAI: A three-kg rare tumour, one of only 800 or so cases reported worldwide, was removed from the right lung of a 48-year-old man from Kanyakumari district by doctors from Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the Government Stanley Hospital here.
Doctors said this was a congenital, non-malignant tumour, to remove which they had to cut open the sixth, seventh and eighth rib during a three-hour surgery on July 13.
Dennis, a daily wage labourer hailing from Marthandam in Kanyakumari district, was admitted to the hospital with breathing difficulty and fatigue, after other private hospitals told him he was suffering from a cancerous tumour.
“I am a construction labourer who was active at work till about six months ago. Until then, I hadn’t felt any discomfort. But since February, my health condition started deteriorating rapidly. I was short of breath even if I walk for few feet,” Dennis said.
Hamlet, his wife, recalled how his condition worsened over the past few months, though he never complained of any pain or discomfort. “He lost appetite and then stopped going for work as he could not even walk after developing breathing difficulties. He used to cough even when he talked,” she added.
Dr K Dhamodaran, Head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department of the hospital. said scan reports showed that the giant tumour was compressing the patient’s right lung from within.
“The tumour rose from a part of the lung, and was tangled with the blood vessels, making it difficult to separate from the lung. Luckily, we could remove tumour alone safely without any damage to the lung. His lungs are functioning well now,” said Dr Dhamodaran.
According to him, there are only around 800 such cases reported worldwide so far. Dr A Sivaraman, assistant professor said the cause of the tumour is unknown. “There is a two per cent chance of re-occurence. So, the patient has to come for review once in six months or so,” he added.
Dr Isaac Christian Moses said the surgery, which would have cost nearly `5 lakh in private hospitals, was done free of cost under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.
Two weeks after the surgery, Dennis and Hamlet are getting ready to return to their native after being scheduled for discharge on Tuesday.