BHUBANESWAR : A 78-year-old woman with advanced laryngeal cancer got a new lease of life following a successful surgery at HCG Panda Cancer Hospital in Cuttack.
Doctors led by surgical oncologist Dr Jyoti Ranjan Swain removed the tumour and treated the patient whose cancer had spread to her trachea and oesophagus. For several months before seeking medical attention, she had been dealing with persistent hoarseness, and difficulties in breathing and swallowing. The woman had visited several tertiary hospitals in the state but was denied surgery over apprehensions of low survivability due to age factor.
“By the time she came to our facility in July, her symptoms had worsened drastically. After a clinical evaluation and diagnostic imaging, it was confirmed the tumour had spread to the larynx, upper trachea, and upper oesophagus,” said Dr Swain. “The surgical plan involved an en bloc resection, which means removing the voice box (larynx), part of the trachea, and the oesophagus in one procedure. This was followed by a complex reconstruction of the food pipe using a segment of her small intestine,” he said.
The patient was discharged in a stable condition and is now under a tailored rehabilitation programme to help her adapt to lifestyle changes following the removal of the voice box.