The most effective treatment for chondrosarcoma is surgery, however his tumour in the chest wall was enormous and widespread,
The most effective treatment for chondrosarcoma is surgery, however his tumour in the chest wall was enorm ous and widespread, involving vital neck structures and huge veins originating from the heart. He was started on chemotherapy at another institute prior to coming to Apollo Hospitals in an attempt to decrease the tumour, de sp ite the fact that it is not standard of treatment. His tumour in the chest wall did not diminish despite chem otherapy and targeted therapy, and it continued to grow in size.
Speaking about the complexity of the disease, Dr. Ajit Pai, Senior Consultant in Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai said, “The lesion comprised three components, one each in the neck, chest wall, and inside the chest, squeezing the key structures in the neck, the heart, lungs, and the major vessels. Pati ent started to develop difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing and chest pain. Multiple centers across India were hesitant to offer surgery to him owing to complexity of the lesion and the perceived low probability of success.”
He added, “At this juncture, he reported to us and we thoroughly evaluated him. His scans revealed a tumor in the chest wall and neck with involvement of sternum (central chest bone), collar bo ne, ribs, important vessels in the chest and neck (aorta, carotid and subclavian Vessels) and the wind pipe (trachea).”
Based on a detailed study done by the by team of experts headed by Dr Ajit Pai, Senior Consultant in Surgical Oncology with sup port from the Dr Rajarajan Venkatesan, Vascular surgeon, Dr MM Yusuf, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Dr Arun Kan nan, Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr Dr. Chepauk Ramesh, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Dr Bhaskar, Cardiac Anesthetist the surgery was planned and performed.
The patient underwent a 14 hour surgery on 25th of February 2022 and his tumor along with part of the sternum, 3 ribs on each side and collar bones was removed completely. The vital blood vessels were preserved because of careful preoperative planning and meticulous surgery. The chest wall was reconstructed by the plastic and reconstructive surgeon with synthetic materials and tissue from the back muscles. The sternal bone was reconstructed with bone cement encased in a mesh and a new chest wall was created.
Appreciating the team of doctors Ms. Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals group said, “We have always believed that harnessing the right technology and combining it with medical expertise help work mira cles. This case is one such example, we are happy to be setting high standards in patient care. At Apollo Hospi tals, we put the patient first in all we do and deliver world-class treatment that is both accessible and affordable. We are convinced that such medical milestones will alter the lives of many more individuals who are in dire ne ed.”
Mr. Abdullah recovered well in the post-operative period without major complications with intensive post-ope rative care in the CCU. The Biopsy report confirmed that his Cancerous tumour was removed completely with negative margins and he is currently undergoing radiation therapy which is an adjunct to the surgery. His surg ery and uneventful recovery have given him a new lease of life and a prospect of cure, which seemed a remote possibility a few months ago.
