Madurai: Pregnant woman, foetus saved as rare tumour is removed

MADURAI: In a rare procedure, doctors at the Government Rajaji Hospital have successfully removed a tumour from the adrenal gland of a pregnant woman and saved her unborn child. Called pheochromocytoma, the tumour occurred at the rate of one in one lakh people and was much rarer among pregnant women — seen only in one of 50 lakh.

Hospital dean Dr K Vanitha told reporters here on Tuesday that the 24-year-old woman, who was in her seventh month of pregnancy, had come to the hospital complaining of headache, palpitation and very high blood pressure of 270/170.

She was admitted to the hospital and investigations showed that she was suffering from pheochromocytoma, a benign tumour. She said pheochromocytoma in a pregnant patient was life-threatening for the mother and foetus. If undiagnosed it could result in 50% maternal and foetal mortality.

A team of doctors at GRH led by Dr S R Dhamortharan, head of the department of endocrine surgery and general surgery, decided to operate upon her. The team also comprising Dr Muthukumar, Dr Selvakumar, Dr Prem and Dr Karthikeyan, assisted by medical endocrinologist Dr Sridhar and obstetrician Dr Sumathi, removed the tumour in two hours ten days ago.

Though the baby was at risk of termination of pregnancy, the doctors managed to ensure that both the foetus and mother were out of danger thanks to rigorous post-operative measures. The mother is expected to deliver the child in another 10 to 12 weeks. The surgery which would have cost about Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh in private hospitals was done free of cost at GRH.