Shillong, August 26: A 74-year-old woman with obesity, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes was diagnosed with early stage endometrial cancer. She was treated at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).
The women where she underwent a total laparoscopic hysterectomy with fluorescence imaging technique for sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping using indocyanine green (ICG) with 4K camera platform.
The surgery was performed by a team of doctors drawn from different departments of NEIGRIHMS, including Dr. Ananya Das, Additional Professor, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr. Caleb Harris, Additional Professor, Dept. of Surgical Oncology.
Dr. Pallabika Mandal, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Surgical Oncology, and Senior Resident Doctors from both the departments. The surgery was supported by a team of anaesthesiologists led by Dr. Neha Rawat, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anaesthesiology.
The use of ICG-based surgery meant that only the most relevant lymph nodes were sampled, resulting in early recovery for the patient. The lymph nodes thus removed were sent for “Frozen Section” analysis, which confirmed that the surgery was adequate.
Dr. Vandana Raphael, Professor and Head of the Department of Pathology, said that nodes removed by SLN technique need extensive study with expertise before a report can be given. The department has been offering this facility since several years.
Prof. A.S. Singh, Senior Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said that the department has the latest equipment for this technique. Prof. C. Daniala, Medical Superintendent of NEIGRIHMS, said that such inter-departmental collaboration (called Multidisciplinary approach) is the key to successful treatment of cancer.
Prof. Nalin Mehta, Director of NEIGRIHMS, while appreciating the team, said that this technique is currently being used in a very few centres in NE India and hence a great boon for patients seeking treatment at NEIGRIHMS.
This case highlights the benefits & feasibility of using laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of cancer. Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed through small incisions, resulting in less pain, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery. ICG Technique SLN mapping adds further to precision and accuracy of the surgery.
