City hospital doctors performed a rare procedure to remove two huge tumours from a 48-year-old woman’s neck. The procedure involved simultaneous removal of rapidly-growing twin neck masses in the thyroid and parotid glands on the right side.

Sanjeev Mohanty, senior consultant and head of ENT, head and neck surgery, MGM Healthcare, performed the procedure on the patient, a homemaker in the city, who presented with difficulty in breathing and swallowing food for the last six months.

After seeking medical assistance from other hospitals over the past year without relief, she approached MGM Healthcare.
Investigations at the hospital revealed that her thyroid, which typically measures 2 - 4 cm in size, had transformed into a rock-hard tumour measuring 15 - 20 cm, while the parotid gland, usually 4 cm in breadth, had developed a tumour measuring 12 - 14 cm. Thyroid glands regulate the body’s metabolic rate, growth, and development, while the parotid glands, located below the ears, are responsible for producing saliva that enters the mouth through a duct behind the teeth.

The size of the tumours and their proximity made surgery a challenge.

The surgeon decided to excise both tumours given the delicate positioning of the tumours. Dr. Mohanty said the strong suspicion of malignancy resulted in the decision to remove both tumours through a modified facelift incision. The approach also ensured an aesthetically pleasing outcome. “The surgical procedure involved a total parotidectomy and total thyroidectomy, with intra-operative frozen section control to confirm the nature of the tumours,” he explained.

“The surgery took approximately six hours, and we were able to successfully preserve all the important nerves and their physiological functions,” he added.

The patient has since returned to normal life, the doctor said.