A 48-year-old woman from Mauritius with a pancreatic tail tumor was successfully treated with complex robotic surgery in Delhi-NCR. The patient underwent a ‘robotic distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy’ to remove the tumor which was four centimeters in size.
According to the Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, on presentation, a whole-body PET CT scan was conducted. It revealed that, in addition to large uterine fibroids (eight centimeters in size), there was a mass on the tail of the pancreas – an uncommon and rare occurrence.
An endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle biopsy confirmed that the tumor was benign. However, it had to be removed as it had the potential to become malignant.
“The surgery of the pancreatic tail tumor is one of the most complex robotic surgeries. Most patients who undergo this surgery are prone to developing complications,” Dr. Niranjan Naik, Director Surgical Oncology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, said in a statement. Up to 4 percent of patients have the risk of mortality which is one of the highest in the world.
“We conducted two surgical procedures in the same general anesthesia in one sitting – a distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and a total abdominal hysterectomy,” Naik added. Both the surgical procedures were managed robotically through a few very small keyholes.
“Our approach worked, and the patient has recovered well without any post-operative complications,” Naik said. According to the hospital, pancreatic tumors can form within the head, body, and tail of the pancreas. Most of these tumors are malignant or have malignant potential.
“The patient has recovered well, and there have been no postoperative complications,” said Dr. Ritu Garg, Zonal Director, Fortis Memorial Research Institute.
