SRM Med College performs major liver surgery at nominal cost

CHENNAI: For the first time in the history of SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Center (SRM MCH & RC), Kattankulathur, the doctors here have performed a major surgery at a very nominal cost. The procedure was possible at low rate as SRM MCH & RC is a multi-specialty and has quality doctors capable of such surgeries.

Lakshmi (name changed), a 47-year-old woman, came to SRM MC & RC with complaints of vague discomfort in her upper abdomen. Following evaluation and investigations, the doctors here discovered that she had developed a tumour (15x15cm) on the left lobe of her Liver.

Doctors here tell that a majority of tumours coming from the liver will be Metastatic (primary cancer elsewhere but spreads to the liver). After a thorough evaluation of the patient, which included a PET scan, the doctors ruled out the presence of any other tumour.

Although all the bio-chemical markers for cancer in blood were within normal limits, an ultrasound-guided FNAC (needle test) came positive for Malignancy (cancer).

After confirming that it was the primary cancerous growth coming from Liver (Hepatoma), a multi-disciplinary team, including General Surgeon,

Surgical Gastroenterologist and Medical Oncologist revaluated the patient and decided to go ahead with resection (removal) of left lobe of liver as a means of initial treatment for the patient.

Major surgeries like liver resection are offered only in specialised centres and the charges levied will be enormous.

At SRM MCH & RC, whose mission is to offer quality medical care at very nominal rate, took up this challenge.

The team led by Dr Balamurugan, Dr Athira, Dr Sivarameswaran, Dr Mallikarjun, Dr Padma, Dr Elakkiya, Dr Jayadharshini, Surgical Gastroenterology head Dr A Ratnasamy and Anaesthesiologist Dr Mirnalini, Dr Sujina, Dr K. Karthik operated on Lakshmi.

The patient required only one unit of blood transfusion during the surgery and later discharged within a week.