RIMS docs successfully remove tumour
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 24 2022: Doctors at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Imphal performed an 8-hour long challenging surgery to remove a big lump of tumour from the oral cavity of a man on October 19 .

The team of doctors was led by Dr Ak Ibohal Singh, Head of Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, RIMS Imphal, Dr P Manisana Singh, Dr L Oken Singh, Dr Nehar Sinam, Dr Manish Rajpurohit and Dr Shishi Elangbam, said a statement of the hospital today.

The operation was done at the newly constructed Modular Operation Theatre of the hospital.

The 52-year-old patient, Yakub (name changed) hailing from Mantripukhri, Imphal had a tumour on the inside of his left cheek (Buccal Mucosa, near the gingivobuccal sulcus), suspected to be caused by his age old habit of chewing tobacco.

RIMS docs successfully remove tumour

After visiting few doctors in town, he was ultimately referred to the Department of Plastic Surgery, RIMS, Imphal.

From his very first OPD visit, he was admitted to the recently inaugurated Burn Unit.

When examined, the cancer had already encroached onto his lower gums, alveolar bone of the lower jaw bone (mandle), underlying cheek skin and the lymph nodes in the left side of the neck.

But this didn't discourage the reconstructive surgeons of the RIMS Hospital to go ahead with the challenging operation.

As there was a big tumour inside the oral cavity, administering anaesthesia was an equally daunting task.

Professor S Sarat Singh, Dr T Hemjit Singh, Dr M Brajagopal Singh, Dr I Joyshankar and Dr Anita Gurung performed endonasal intubation and monitored the patient minutely throughout the 8 hour of the operation, said the hospital.

Through surgery, the left cheek, lower teeth on the left side, upper portion of the mandible and all the lymph nodes on the left side of the neck (Level 1 to IV) were removed.

The through and through defect was reconstructed by a free radial artery forearm flap harvested from the no-dominant (left) forearm, fashioned into a bipaddle by folding onto itself, so as to recreate both the skin as well as mucosa.

Later, the blood vessels of the flap were joined to those in the neck through a painstaking process of microvascular anastomosis.

The operation was assisted by a team of theatre nurses, namely A Asha, Eloni Susan, H Shoroshoti and T Desikanta, said the hospital.