Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 8: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Narayana Hospital, Jammu added another milestone to its long list of achievement as its team of experts performed Jammu region’s first ever VATS Thymectomy or removal of the thymus gland on a patient suffering from Myasthenia Gravis, a rare autoimmune disorder.
A 41-year-old patient suffering from Myasthenia Gravis and on multiple medications for the same was detected to have a small thymictumor on CT scan. The patient visited SMVD Narayana Hospital for an expert opinion and consulted neurologist Dr Ankush Sharma. Post evaluation the doctor recommended removal of the thymus gland which would not only help in improving symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis but also help in significantly reducing medication dosage.
The Patient was then referred to the Hospital’s surgical oncologist Dr Abhinav Choudhary who suggested that the best way to approach the surgery is via thoracoscopic approach as open surgery carried a lot of risks including one of excessive bleeding. The patient underwent VATS Thymectomy successfully and was discharged second day post-surgery. His symptoms improved significantly and medication dosage also reduced by 70%.
Talking about the challenges of the case, Dr Choudhary said “Giving anaesthesia to a patient of Myasthenia Gravis is a huge challenge as even a small dose of relaxant can be potentially lethal. Surgically the thymus gland is situated right on top of the major vessels &heart and even a small mistake while performing the surgery could lead to life-threatening internal bleeding. But all these factors were taken care of meticulously.”
According to Dr Ankush Sharma, VATS Thymectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves the removal of the thymus gland located in the chest cavity. The thymus gland plays a crucial role in the development of the immune system, and its removal is often recommended for patients with thymictumors or autoimmune diseases such as Myasthenia Gravis.
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