Spine tumour nicked in a 10-hour surgery

PUNE: Nanded-based Sunita (name changed), 40, was bedridden for last three months. Along with the terrible pain, she could stand or walk, and was dependant on others for daily tasks. She had lost power in her limbs and hip due to a metastatic tumour in her spine. This malady had followed her previously diagnosed cervical tumour in 2015. The family tried several treatments along with alternative medicines, but all in vain. A ray of hope arrived for the patient and her kin, when the doctors at Sancheti Hospital and Ruby Hall Clinic decided to perform En-block Spondylectomy for the excision for the tumour. 

The 10-hour-long surgery was performed at Sancheti Hospital on September 6, which got Sunita back on her own feet. However, before this relief, Sunita took plethora of medicines, chemotherapies and radiation, which turned out to be helpful, initially. Late in January, 2018, the tumour — being metastatic — started spreading towards the spine. “As the tumour was not showing response to the modern medicines, we went for alternative medicines. It worked in the beginning, but was not very helpful later on. I had severe back pain, and difficulty in walking or standing,” said, Sunita. 

She added that her condition was miserable over last three months and had left her bedridden. The doctors in Pune told her that she would have to undergo surgery — a procedure which was helmed by Dr Shailesh Hadgaonkar and his team. He said, “The lesion was in Sunita’s thoracic spine and appeared like metastatic spine disease. It had compressed her spinal cord, leaving her crippled and in severe pain, after which, she was referred to Sancheti Hospital. This developed lower limb paralysis in the patient.” Dr Hadgaonkar explained that the surgery, En-block Spondylectomy, involved reconstruction of the spine and removal of the lesion. 

“We have used the latest device — Neuromonitor — which helped us perform the procedure safely. The patient was discharged after five days and she was able to stand and walk on her feet from the next day,” he said. Dr Minish Jain, director of medical oncology at Ruby Hall, said that the patient was previously administered chemotherapy for cervical cancer. While it worked well at first, the effect did not prolong and so, radiation was prescribed. 

“The marrow functioning was poor and the palette count was not recovering quickly. In such limited circumstances, chemotherapy cannot be given. Since the tumour was metastatic, we suggested the only option that was left,” he said. Dr Anood Faqih of Physio Studio, Aundh, said that a relevant brace is suggested after the surgery, as the spine becomes weak. More often, it is used till the muscle gets it power back. 

“There has to be a check of the motion and power in the patient’s limbs and permissible exercise and physiotherapy have to follow. The power of the limbs doesn’t come back immediately and on its own, but it has to be done through exercises and rigorous physiotherapy for strengthening the targeted muscles,” she said.

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