A team of surgeons from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and the U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre recently completed a rare and intricate eight-hour surgery to eliminate kidney cancer that had extended into a patient’s heart. The 50-year-old woman, identified as Hansaben, was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in her left kidney. Further tests revealed that the cancer had developed a tumour thrombus, a mass stretching from the renal vein into the body’s largest vein, the inferior vena cava, and reaching the right atrium.
Doctors noted that such cases are unusual and present significant surgical challenges. Following thorough planning involving specialists from various departments, surgeons from the Department of Urology at Civil Hospital and the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS) Department at the U.N. Mehta Institute conducted the operation over approximately eight hours. The procedure entailed removing the cancerous kidney and extracting the tumour thrombus from the inferior vena cava and the right atrium.
To ensure the surgery’s safety, the team utilized advanced techniques such as cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermic circulatory arrest, where the body’s temperature is lowered, and blood circulation is briefly halted. The patient, who was successfully weaned off ventilator support on the second day post-surgery, is currently in good recovery. The entire treatment, including intensive care, blood transfusions, and post-operative care, was provided free of charge under the state government’s healthcare schemes at the Civil Hospital campus.
