KOCHI: An abnormally huge tumour in the spinal cord of a newborn was successfully removed through a complicated neurosurgery at the Little Flower Hospital, Angamaly. The boy born to Sumaj and Manisha of Chalakudy underwent the surgery just 12 hours after birth.
This rare medical condition in which a large tumour is formed in the lumbar spine is called myelomeningocele. The tumour was as big as the baby’s head. Dr Arjun Chacko, the neurosurgeon who performed the surgery, said a rupture of this swelling could have caused life-threatening bleeding, paralysis, and infection.The highly complex surgery was assisted by neurosurgeon Zia Mydin. Anaesthesia for the surgery was extremely difficult due to the age of the child. Extremely specialised anaesthetic methods had to be used as the usual neuromuscular blockers could not be used due to the fact the nerves have to be continuously monitored throughout the surgery.