A 32-year-old man, weighing 120 kg, recently underwent a minimally invasive procedure to remove a large cardiac tumor at a city hospital.
The patient came to Fortis Malar with complaints of breathlessness and frequent dizziness.
Yes. Manohar, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, identified a 115 x 8 cm tumor in his right atrium, which blocked blood flow to the right ventricle. Doctors said that such tumors are a rare occurrence as the tissues of the heart are resistant to cancer. However, if the tumors are not removed they can be fatal because they block blood circulation.
A team led by Tejaswi N Marla, Clinical Lead, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Fortis Malar, removed the tumor through a small incision and reconstructed the chamber. He claimed that this was the largest cardiac tumor in the history of medicine using a minimally invasive procedure.
An echocardiogram and computerized tomography imaging revealed that the mass blocked blood flow to the ventricle, a rare occurrence. “If the mass had embolised it would have blocked the pulmonary artery causing immediate death,” he added.
The doctors said that the traditional surgery was not chosen because the patient had to remain bedridden for three months. Chandrasekhar, the facility director of the hospital, spoke.