Doctors at the Ankura Hospital for Women and Children in the city successfully operated on a child who had a rare tumour, hybrid neurofibroma in the cervicoaxillary canal, an uncommon area for the growth of a tumour in the body.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, hospital's medical director T.V. Vijay Kumar explained that in the medical literature, there was no medical history to lean on as it was the first such case of tumour found in the cervicoaxillary canal (neck area). "Due to this and other factors, the surgery was challenging. We will publish a paper on the case," Dr. Vijay said.
Consultant paediatric surgeon Varun Kumar along with paediatric intensivist Ravi Kumar Mooli and plastic surgeon Tarun Kanth performed the surgery. Dr. Varun said that they were able to remove the tumour which was about 8 X 3 centimetres in size without any damage to the nearby area, he said.
Dr. Ravi Kumar said the child was under anaesthesia for eight hours during the surgery and recovery was also a challenge. There were chances of recurrence of the tumour in other parts of the body and the child needed to be monitored, he said. The exact cause of the growth of the tumour could not be determined, doctors said.
Before the surgery, Likhita Sai was unable to move her left arm and now she is actively playing, the girl's parents P. Venkateswar Rao and Nagamani said.
