Cambodian patient with large craniopharyngioma successfully operated

On September 26, information from Minh Anh International General Hospital said that this unit had just successfully operated on a Cambodian patient with a large craniopharyngioma located in a particularly dangerous location.

Two months ago, Mr. CS (44 years old, Cambodian nationality) suddenly had symptoms of dizziness, headache, almost lost vision in his left eye, and his right eye also had severe vision loss.

After visiting many hospitals in Cambodia, doctors discovered that he had a large craniopharyngioma, located in a dangerous area, so they refused to operate. Through the media, Mr. CS and his family heard about the reputation of Vietnamese doctors, so they decided to go to Vietnam to find the cause and treatment.

At Minh Anh International General Hospital ( Ho Chi Minh City), doctors found that the patient had a very large craniopharyngioma compressing the pituitary gland, brainstem, hypothalamus and third ventricle (a narrow cavity in the brain, located between the two thalamus and part of the hypothalamus, containing cerebrospinal fluid). The large tumor also invaded and compressed important nerve and blood vessel structures.

Specialist II Doctor Do Van Long, Department of Neurosurgery - Spine, Minh Anh International General Hospital said that large craniopharyngioma is a big challenge in treatment, surgery to remove large tumors is very complicated and has many potential risks.

With the large size of the tumor, the surgeon must clearly identify each structure, nerve element, blood vessel and structures surrounding the tumor. The tumor must also be carefully dissected under a high magnification microscope system.

The second difficult problem with this surgery is that in addition to removing almost the entire tumor in the brain, it is also necessary to preserve the pituitary stalk, avoiding damage to the hypothalamus, brainstem, and blood vessels.

“If the hypothalamus is violated, after surgery the patient may experience severe diabetes insipidus, frequent urination, sometimes up to 20 liters of urine a day, causing difficulty and inconvenience in the patient's daily life,” Dr. Long shared.

With modern microsurgery equipment and experience in many difficult surgeries, on September 24, doctors at Minh International General Hospital successfully performed this surgery.

One day after surgery, the patient was able to answer the doctor's questions clearly, move his arms and legs, and both eyes could see clearly.

According to Dr. Do Van Long, craniopharyngioma is a congenital tumor that forms and develops from cells left over from the fetus. These tumors develop near the pituitary gland and close to the skull.

In theory, craniopharyngioma is a fairly rare benign tumor in the brain; however, because the tumor develops near the pituitary gland, it will affect the function of this organ, affecting many other organs because the pituitary gland is where hormones are produced for activities.

Doctor Long recommends that if people experience symptoms such as increasing headaches, unexplained vision loss, or signs of endocrine disorders, they should proactively seek examination and screening at a neurology or endocrinology specialist. Early detection and intervention are always the key to effective treatment, minimizing dangerous complications for patients./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/benh-nhan-camuchia-co-khoi-u-so-hau-lon-duoc-phau-thuat-thanh-cong-post1064323.vnp