Doctors remove football-sized tumour from 35-yr-old’s rib
A team of doctors at Fortis Escorts Hospital has successfully transformed the life of a 35-year-old patient by removing a rare, football-sized rib tumour that had been causing persistent chest swelling for over two decades. The condition worsened after the patient sustained a rib injury during a friendly boxing match.
The surgery, carried out by Dr Dinesh Gupta, Dr Anish Bhatia, Dr Rajinder Kaur and Dr Sunila Kapila, ensured the safe removal of the tumour while preserving the surrounding blood vessels. Dr Dinesh Gupta discussed the complexities involved, explaining the tumour, which had developed after the rib injury, had gradually increased in size over the years, causing respiratory discomfort in the last six months. This discomfort eventually prompted the patient to seek medical attention.
Dr Gupta said the tumour, which had gone undiagnosed for 20 years, had grown to a substantial size (24 cm × 13 cm × 13 cm). It was compressing vital organs such as the heart and the right lung and its size had placed it dangerously close to major blood vessels, posing a significant risk of bleeding during surgery. The proximity of the tumour to the lung also heightened the risk of puncturing lung tissue, which could have led to severe respiratory complications.
Surgical Oncologist Dr Anish Bhatia said the patient has made an excellent recovery. Within just one day, the patient regained normal lung function, resumed a regular diet and was able to walk again.
