Chennai’s Kauvery Hospital has successfully removed a tumour from the inferior vena cava (the largest vein in the body that passes through the liver), of a 56-year-old woman from Salem.

"The woman complained of indigestion and abdominal pain. When an ultrasound scan was done, a tumour was found, growing in a major vein, closely associated with the liver. This was a rare type, measuring 10*10 cm. It required immediate removal to avoid complications which otherwise might turn fatal,” said Dr K Elankumaran, Head of Liver Diseases Transplantation & Hepatobiliary Surgery, Kauvery Hospital.

This kind of tumour is rare, contributing to one in one lakh adult cancers. When diagnosed, it needs major surgical resection for better outcome and survival. The procedure also involves grafting of the vessel, which demands a deft, delicate and dexterous vascular surgical procedure.

"The patient underwent surgery, and the tumour along with a portion of the inferior vena cava were removed. Since the major vessel was affected by the tumour, we had no option but to remove a portion of it and restore continuity through a vascular graft. The whole procedure took 10 hours, and within a week, the woman was fit for discharge," explained Dr N Sekar Natarajan, Senior Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Kauvery Hospital.

Liver cancer or tumour generally occurs when the tumour arises from another organ such as colon, lung, intestine and spreads to the liver (metastasis). However, there are instances of primary liver cancers, where the tumour grows from the organ itself and later spreads to other organs in the body, turning fatal if not diagnosed and treated in time.

Speaking on the successful management, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Kauvery Hospital said, "Liver diseases are one of the leading causes of death in India. A highly specialised and totally dedicated team is essential to arrive at the right diagnosis and treatment to such patients whose life is at risk. I congratulate Dr N Sekar, Dr K Elankumaran and team for successfully treating this very challenging disease.”