Man with 600-gm tumour survives three-hour surgery
suffering from vascular tumour, Pillai avoided being diagnosed for eight months for fear of the scalpel
Chandrashekhar M Pillai, 48, noticed a small bump on his neck eight months ago - a bump that seemed to grow a little every day.
Pillai’s family pleaded with him to visit a doctor, but he refused, fearing surgery, fearing that it might turn out to be something fatal, and that if he died his family would be in dire straits. For eight months, he let the tumour grow unchecked.
By the time Pillai finally visited Dr Jyoti Dabholkar, HoD of ENT and head and neck surgery in KEM hospital, the tumour weighed a staggering 600 gram.
“Pillai had a massive goitre on his neck caused by the swelling of his thyroid glands. It probably happened due to a lack of iodine in his system,” she said.
On Wednesday, March 14, Dr Dabholkar conducted a three-hour-long operation on Pillai. “The operation was very risky because of the size and position of the tumour. But thankfully it turned out well,” she said.
Pillai had a vascular tumour, which made the operation trickier. The surgeons had to ensure he didn’t lose too much blood during the surgery. Also, the tumour was compressing the trachea, which made it difficult for the surgical team to anaesthetise him. The recurrent laryngal nerves, used to control one’s voice box, were below the tumour. Any damage to those nerves and Pillai would’ve lost his voice forever.
The parathyroid gland, essential for the metabolising of calcium in the body, was also in close proximity to the goitre. Finally, the enormous size of the tumour itself made it a high-wire balancing act for the surgical team.
In spite of the myriad risks involved, the operation was spectacularly successful, and Pillai has now been shifted to the general ward. He is able to eat as well and speak without any problems.
Riteish Pillai, his son, said, “I’m very glad that my mother forced him to visit a doctor. I’m so happy now to see him without his tumour.”
Dr Dhabolkar stated, “Everybody should visit the doctor at the very first sign that something is untoward. Goitres are especially dangerous, because if left untreated they can turn cancerous. And medical technology has advanced to such a degree that the chances of a successful operation have increased manifold.”
CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS
Excess TSH (or similar hormones), cysts, and tumors will
enlarge the thyroid gland. Of these, TSH enlarges the entire
gland while cysts and tumors enlarge only a part of it.
The only symptom from a goitre is the large swelling just above
the breast bone. Rarely, it may constrict the trachea
(windpipe) or esophagus and cause difficulty breathing or
swallowing. The rest of the symptoms come from thyroxin or
the lack of it.
Diagnosis: The size, shape, and texture of the thyroid
gland help the physician determine the cause. A
battery of blood tests are required to verify the specific
thyroid disease. Functional imaging studies using
radioactive iodine determine how active the gland is and
what it looks like.
PAIN IN THE NECK: The tumour removed from
Chandrashekhar Pillai’s neck
suffering from vascular tumour, Pillai avoided being diagnosed for eight months for fear of the scalpel
Chandrashekhar M Pillai, 48, noticed a small bump on his neck eight months ago - a bump that seemed to grow a little every day.
Pillai’s family pleaded with him to visit a doctor, but he refused, fearing surgery, fearing that it might turn out to be something fatal, and that if he died his family would be in dire straits. For eight months, he let the tumour grow unchecked.
By the time Pillai finally visited Dr Jyoti Dabholkar, HoD of ENT and head and neck surgery in KEM hospital, the tumour weighed a staggering 600 gram.
“Pillai had a massive goitre on his neck caused by the swelling of his thyroid glands. It probably happened due to a lack of iodine in his system,” she said.
On Wednesday, March 14, Dr Dabholkar conducted a three-hour-long operation on Pillai. “The operation was very risky because of the size and position of the tumour. But thankfully it turned out well,” she said.
Pillai had a vascular tumour, which made the operation trickier. The surgeons had to ensure he didn’t lose too much blood during the surgery. Also, the tumour was compressing the trachea, which made it difficult for the surgical team to anaesthetise him. The recurrent laryngal nerves, used to control one’s voice box, were below the tumour. Any damage to those nerves and Pillai would’ve lost his voice forever.
The parathyroid gland, essential for the metabolising of calcium in the body, was also in close proximity to the goitre. Finally, the enormous size of the tumour itself made it a high-wire balancing act for the surgical team.
In spite of the myriad risks involved, the operation was spectacularly successful, and Pillai has now been shifted to the general ward. He is able to eat as well and speak without any problems.
Riteish Pillai, his son, said, “I’m very glad that my mother forced him to visit a doctor. I’m so happy now to see him without his tumour.”
Dr Dhabolkar stated, “Everybody should visit the doctor at the very first sign that something is untoward. Goitres are especially dangerous, because if left untreated they can turn cancerous. And medical technology has advanced to such a degree that the chances of a successful operation have increased manifold.”
CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS
Excess TSH (or similar hormones), cysts, and tumors will
enlarge the thyroid gland. Of these, TSH enlarges the entire
gland while cysts and tumors enlarge only a part of it.
The only symptom from a goitre is the large swelling just above
the breast bone. Rarely, it may constrict the trachea
(windpipe) or esophagus and cause difficulty breathing or
swallowing. The rest of the symptoms come from thyroxin or
the lack of it.
Diagnosis: The size, shape, and texture of the thyroid
gland help the physician determine the cause. A
battery of blood tests are required to verify the specific
thyroid disease. Functional imaging studies using
radioactive iodine determine how active the gland is and
what it looks like.
PAIN IN THE NECK: The tumour removed from
Chandrashekhar Pillai’s neck
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