AIIMS-P doctors remove rare tumour from 3-year-old girl’s chest

Patna: Doctors at AIIMS Patna have successfully removed a rare chest tumour from a three-year-old girl using minimally invasive keyhole surgery, marking the institute’s first paediatric thoracoscopic tumour removal. The complex procedure spared the child a major chest incision, significantly reducing pain, scarring and recovery time. The child was operated on in the first week of March and is now reported to be doing well, sources said.

The slow-growing tumour, a ganglioneuroma measuring 7 x 6 x 5 cm, was completely removed through three tiny 5-mm incisions, eliminating the need for a large chest opening. Ganglioneuroma is a rare benign tumour arising from nerve tissue and can develop in the chest cavity.

Doctors said such tumours are conventionally treated through open thoracotomy, a major procedure involving a large incision and rib spreading, often resulting in significant postoperative pain, visible scarring and a prolonged recovery period.

The paediatric surgery team at AIIMS Patna opted for a thoracoscopic approach to minimise surgical trauma and improve recovery. Using a tiny camera and specialised instruments inserted through small incisions. The team took nearly five hours to complete the delicate procedure.

The surgery was carried out by Dr Amit Kumar Sinha, Dr Saurav Srivastava, Dr Amit Kumar, Dr Rashi, Dr Digamber Chaubey and Dr Gaurav Shadilya. A key role was played by the paediatric anaesthesia team led by Dr Chandni, which administered single-lung ventilation using an advanced bronchial blocker technique — a highly specialised method in very young children.

“The child recovered well after surgery and was extubated immediately in the operation theatre. She showed steady postoperative improvement and was later discharged in stable condition,” an official press release from AIIMS Patna said.

Prof (Brig) Dr Raju Agarwal, executive director of AIIMS Patna, said the achievement reflected the institute’s commitment to advanced, safe and compassionate healthcare. He added that the growing use of minimally invasive techniques was helping reduce pain, shorten hospital stays and speed up recovery, especially in children.