Doctors save 33-year-old from rare, life-threatening condition

In an extraordinary medical case, doctors in Delhi successfully treated a 33-year-old woman whose brain had herniated into her nasal cavity — a condition that could have proved fatal if left untreated.

Specialists at HCMCT-Manipal Hospitals, Dwarka, reported that the woman initially presented with persistent nasal blockage and discharge lasting several months. Scans revealed that a portion of her brain had slipped through the eroded skull base into her nasal and oral cavities.

“Targeted CT and MRI scans revealed that part of her brain had herniated through the eroded skull base into the nasal cavity. What made this case challenging was the technical precision needed to manage such a delicate and high-risk cranial base reconstruction,” said Dr Ashish Vashishth, head of ENT, Cranial Base and Neck Surgery at Manipal Hospital.

A multidisciplinary team performed an eight-hour surgery, using advanced endoscopic and transcranial techniques to reposition the brain tissue and rebuild the skull base.

“This was an extremely rare and technically demanding case. Almost half of the frontal and basal parts of the brain were hanging down through the skull base defect, which made performing the surgery exceptionally complex,” said Dr Anurag Saxena, cluster head–Delhi NCR, Neurosurgery.

“Through a carefully coordinated endoscopic and transcranial approach, we successfully repositioned the brain, reconstructed the skull base and ensured her safe recovery. The patient has now recovered well and is leading a normal life under regular follow-up care,” he added.

Doctors described the case as a remarkable example of precision and teamwork, noting that such conditions are extremely rare and often misdiagnosed in their early stages.