The baby was diagnosed to have a tumour on the right adrenal gland. (Representative pic)
Doctors at the Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) successfully performed minimally invasive surgery to remove a tumour from the adrenal gland of an 11-month-old child using the Posterior Retroperitoneoscopic method.
The baby girl, a resident of Kollam, was diagnosed to have a tumour on the right adrenal gland, identified through ultrasound by Dr. Sanuja Titus Santosh, Senior Consultant, Department of Pediatrics, when the baby suffered with incessant crying. A CT scan confirmed the tumour in the baby's adrenal gland situated above the right kidney, positioned close to the large blood vessel and liver.
The adrenal gland secretes hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which aid in survival during stressful conditions. Given the young age, there was a high likelihood that the adrenal tumour could be cancerous. Traditional surgical removal involves a large incision in the abdomen, moving the intestines to the side to reach the tumor site. However, the location of the adrenal tumor made it particularly suitable for the posterior retroperitoneoscopic method, which approaches the tumor from the rear side through keyhole.
During the two-and-a-half-hour surgery, the medical team removed the adrenal tumor through a small keyhole incision on the back while the child's face laid down (prone) under anesthesia.
Dr Reju Joseph Thomas, Senior Consultant, Pediatric Minimal Access Surgeon, said that this method enables surgery to be performed without entering the abdomen and without disturbing any other organs inside. The use of Ligasure, a specialized instrument for tissue sealing and cutting simultaneously, helped not only in reducing the risk of blood loss, but also with minimal pain and scarring. Remarkably, the baby was able to eat and drink the same evening, and was sitting up and playing the very next day.
Dr Jacob John Theophilus, a Senior Consultant in the Department of Anesthesia, headed the anesthesia team. The surgical team also included Dr Shaji Palangadan, a Senior Consultant in Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Dr Jayanand Sunil, a Consultant in Surgical Oncology.
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