SRM doctors perform liver resection at nominal cost

CHENNAI: For the first time in the history of SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Center (SRM MCH&RC), Kattankulathur, the doctors here have performed a major surgery at a nominal cost. 
Lakshmi (name changed), a 47-year-old woman, came to SRM MCH&RC with complaints of vague discomfort in her upper abdomen. Following evaluations and investigations, the doctors here discovered that she had developed a tumour (15x15 cm) on the left lobe of her liver.

Doctors told that a majority of tumours coming from liver will be Metastatic (primary cancer elsewhere but spreads to the liver). A thorough evaluation of the patient was done, which included a PET scan to rule out the presence of any other tumour. Although all the bio-chemical markers for the cancer in blood were within normal limits, an ultrasound guided FNAC (needle test) came positive for malignancy (cancer). 

After confirming that it was the primary cancerous growth coming from liver (Hepatoma), a multi-disciplinary team including a general surgeon, surgical gastro enterologist and medical oncologist revaluated the patient and decided to go ahead with resection (removal) of the left lobe of liver as a means of initial treatment for the patient.

Major surgeries like liver resection are offered only in specialised centres and the charges levied are exorbitant. SRM MCH&RC, whose mission is to offer quality medical care at very nominal rate, took up this challenge. 

The team including, Dr Balamurugan, Dr Athira, Dr Sivamareswaran, Dr Mallikarjun, Dr Padma, Dr Elakkiya, Dr Jayadharshini, Surgical Gastro Enterology head Dr A Ratnasamy, anaesthesiologist Dr Mirnalini, Dr Sujina, and Dr K Karthik, operated on Lakshmi. After a two-hour-long surgery, the doctors removed the left lobe of the liver (left hepatectomy).

The patient required only one unit of blood transfusion during the surgery and was put on oral feeds the very next day. Lakshmi was later put on post-operative ward and later discharged within a week. This surgery is to bring notice to the public that such major surgeries can be done safely in SRM MCH&RC and that the procedure was covered under CM Insurance Scheme, without much financial burden to the patient or her family.