12.5-cm tumour removed from 17-year-old’s spine

S Anitha (17) had been bedridden for two weeks after she was diagnosed with a tumour in her spinal cord. The resident of Kolathur was admitted to SRMC on May 8. 

“She was finding it difficult to walk after being bedridden for two weeks. Her MRI had showed lipoma within the spinal cord extending from D1 to D9,” said Dr K Selvakumar, Professor, Neuro Surgery, who led the team of doctors that treated her.

The tough surgery, to remove a 12.5 X 1.2 cm long tumour from within her spinal cord, took the doctors at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre where she was admitted, between eight and nine hours. Post her surgery and adequate rest, the girl started walking without any support and has been discharged from the hospital.

“The surgery, performed on May 16, required a long segment bone removal before the tumour could be removed. Laminoplasty was, therefore, done, so as not to compromise on spinal stability. It took long as the tumour had encircled the spinal cord tightly and had to be removed delicately without injuring it, which otherwise, would have caused functional neurological problems,” he added. 

She was under rest and 10 days after the surgery, she started walking with support. She was discharged on May 30 and is taking follow-up treatment, he stated.