Docs, robot join to treat complicated tumour  

HYDERABAD:  Doctors at Apollo Cancer Institute led by Senior Surgical Oncologists, Dr Hemanth Vudayaraju and Dr Chinnababu Sunkavalli, performed a complicated robotic surgery, spanning over four hours to remove a rare tumour causing serious life threatening complications to a 30 year old  young man. This is the first such procedure attempted in the twin states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, for an extra adrenal tumour. 

 This tumour, which can be malignant in 40 percent cases, is usually seen in young adults. These tumours have short history due to dangerously high blood pressure and often present early. They require good clinical expertise to diagnose early. They can cause irreversible heart and kidney damage and lead to brain stroke.

The patient B. Raju Naik, a Sales Officer by profession from Warangal, was in extreme distress, when he visited Apollo Cancer Institute. The tumour led to release of excessive hormones causing uncontrolled hypertension and consequently severe headache, convulsions, loss of vision, heart and kidney damage, within a short period of one month since the initial symptoms. He visited three other and also experienced seizures, unconsciousness, dizziness, visual disturbance.

The surgery itself is considered risky as the moment one touches the tumour, it releases hormones which impacts the BP of the patient which can  shoot up to dangerously high levels and abruptly fall to very low levels. The tumour was eventually removed by a robotic surgery approach in which five small incisions of 1 cm were made and long instruments placed in the abdomen.

The surgery was performed with the surgical robot controlled by the surgeon instead of the usual Open Laparotomy approach which requires a 15 - 20 cm incision. The procedure lasted four hours. The patient has since recovered well from the procedure and was fit for discharge on the third day, instead of the 10 days. At the press conference, the patient  said he will join work in a week.