MADURAI
Doctors at Government Rajaji Hospital have recently removed a rare tumour of the adrenaline glands from a 24-year-old woman, who was seven months pregnant.
According to the doctors, the woman from Ilaiyankudi panchayat in Sivaganga district, approached GRH with symptoms of frequent headaches, palpitations and high blood pressure of 270 / 170 (as opposed to the normal of 120 / 80). The doctors said that she was at high risk since such blood pressure could lead to mortality.
She was subsequently diagnosed with Pheochromocytoma, a tumour of the adrenaline glands. “In this case, the tumour was bilateral, which means it was on the adrenaline glands lying above both the kidneys. The tumour on the right was of 7 cm x 5 cm in size while the one on left was 10 cm x 8 cm,” said S.R. Dhamotharan, Head of Endocrine Surgery and General Surgery at GRH.
While Pheochromocytoma was reported only one in one lakh persons, the possibility of it occurring during pregnancy was rarer and reported only one in 50 lakh cases, he added.
“As adrenaline glands produces a variety of hormones, a tumour on them means that more hormones are produced, resulting in symptoms like high blood pressure and headaches,” said R. Selvakumar, Professor, Institute of Anaesthesiology at GRH.
Stating that the surgery was complex owing to the high and fluctuating blood pressure and the tumour being located closer to the uterus, K. Vanitha, Dean, GRH, said that there was a risk of 80 % maternal mortality and 30 % foetal loss in such cases.
“However, our expert team of doctors successfully performed the surgery and saved both the mother and the foetus. The heartbeat and other signs of the foetus are normal. She will deliver the baby in a few weeks time,” she added.
Dr. Dhamotharan said that in western countries, the foetus is generally removed in such cases as a precautionary measure to save the mother. “Here, we have managed to save both,” he said.
Highlighting that both the adrenaline glands along with the tumour were completely removed, Dr. Selvakumar said that the woman must use steroids as medication throughout her life for the secretion of hormones.
Dr. Vanitha said that while the surgery could have costed ₹ 5 to ₹ 7 lakh in private hospitals, it was done free of cost at GRH under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.
She appreciated the team of doctors that included Sumathi from Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sridhar, Medical Endocrinologist, S. Muthukumar and S. Balamurali from Endocrine Surgery, and K.G. Prem Kumar and N.R. Karthik Kumar from Anaesthetics.