The discovery of a lump on any part of the body can be a distressing situation. According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and accounted for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. This sparks a natural reaction of panic upon the discovery of a mass. However, there is the reassurance of fast-paced medical advancements. With rapidly evolving technology in the healthcare sector, there are methods of treating patients that do not compromise wellbeing to a great degree.
A 50-year-old female patient visited a physician, complaining of a headache. Otherwise healthy, it was revealed that she suffered from High Blood Pressure and Diabetes. An ultrasound of the pelvis and abdomen revealed a renal mass on the right kidney. Consultant Oncosurgeon (Cancer Specialist Surgeon) Dr Aravinda Dissanayake, upon consultation, recommended a CT scan with contrast, where the mass was found to be radiologically malignant.
Dr Aravinda opted for a Laparoscopy, a minimally-invasive surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to access the interior of the abdomen or pelvis, avoiding traditional large incisions in the skin. This procedure is also known as “keyhole surgery”. Carried out under general anaesthesia, this surgery reduces hospital stay and speeds up recovery time. The removal of a cancerous tumor from the kidney is challenging as the kidney has a very high blood supply from the heart, heavy bleeding episodes can occur, once cut across.
This bleeding was controlled with the use of specialised laproscopic vascular clamps on the renal artery and vein, resulting in minimum blood loss. The cut was then sutured in two layers using absorbable sutures.
Renal cancer requires the complete removal of a kidney. The surgery is called a nephrectomy. A partial nephrectomy involves removing the cancer and preserving kidney tissue as much as possible. Due to the patient being diabetic and hypertensive, the likelihood of complications arising where kidney function may be affected with Chronic Kidney Disease was high.
Through keyhole surgery, a cancerous tumour of 6.8cm in the right kidney was removed without any major incisions in the body. A pathology examination that was conducted after the surgery revealed good margins. The patient’s recovery was fast and she was out of bed the very next day, being discharged on third day. She will not be requiring any further treatment after the surgery. Partial nephrectomy is well received in the Sri Lankan context as the procedure is relatively new. This procedure was carried out successfully at Durdans Hospital.
Durdans Hospital is fully equipped and capable of handling laparascopic procedures and surgeries. The theatres are fully equipped with the necessary equipment and employ dedicated, well trained staff with expertise to aid the surgery. In addition to this, sub specialties are available at anytime in the case of an emergency, establishing a name as a fully-fledged tertiary care hospital.
