Mumbai doctors give Kenyan woman with 1 in a million disease new lease of life with timely surgery

In a remarkable case highlighting the power of advanced surgical care Mumbai doctors have successfully treated a 30yearold woman from Kenya suffering from a rare condition known as paragangliomaThis was an even rarer secreting tumour which was secreting hormones leading to wide and dangerous fluctuations of blood pressure The young ladyrsquos blood pressure remained critically high unmanageable despite multiple medications significantly affecting her health and quality of lifeFurther the tumour was located deep in the abdomen in proximity to the kidney and major blood vessels a complex and delicate situation With the help of precise roboticassisted surgery it was successfully removed leading to excellent blood pressure control without any medicationsKarkeh Rophina a 30yearold woman from Kenya had been struggling with persistently high blood pressure for several years Despite prolonged treatment it remained uncontrolled leaving her physically exhausted and emotionally distressedEven simple daily activities were difficult and she was constantly anxious about her health With her condition worsening she and her family began searching for advanced treatment options and learned about Gleneagles Hospital in Parel Hoping for a solution she travelled to Mumbai for specialised careDr Prashanth Rao director of surgical Gastroenterology and Minimal Access Surgery who led the surgery with his team said ldquoOn arrival at the hospital in March the patient had severely uncontrolled hypertension that was not responding to medications and was impacting her overall health An MRI on January 14 revealed a tumour in the left retroperitoneal region located between the kidney and aorta which was diagnosed as a paraganglioma She was admitted on March 26 for advanced managementParaganglioma is a rare tumour seen in 1 in a million people that can secrete hormones leading to dangerously elevated blood pressure In her case the persistent high blood pressure levels posed a serious risk increasing the chances of complications such as heart disease stroke and organ damage if not treated in timeHe further added ldquoThis was a rare and highly challenging case Located deep in the abdomen ensconced snugly between major blood vessels like the aorta renal vein and artery and pushing the kidney away it was causing severe uncontrolled hypertension After careful evaluation we opted for roboticassisted surgery which allowed us to access and remove the tumour with a high level of precision and safety The endocrinologist helped control the blood pressure preoperatively and the surgery was planned The anaesthetists helped with controlling the widely fluctuating blood pressure during the surgery The urologists were involved in planning to preserve the kidney The minimally invasive robotic approach helped reduce surgical stress on her body and supported a smoother recoveryWhat makes this case truly significant is that a young patient who was living with uncertainty and a lifethreatening condition can now look forward to a normal and healthier life If left untreated this condition could haveled to severe complications such as heart damage stroke or organ failure With timely intervention the right technology and a dedicated team approach we were able to not only treat the condition but also restore her confidence independence and overall quality of life She is recovering well her blood pressure is normal without any medications and we expect her to lead a stable and healthy life aheadrdquo said Dr RaoRophina said ldquoI was struggling with very high blood pressure for a long time and it was not improving despite treatment It was worrying especially at my age and I did not know the cause Travelling to another country for treatment was not easy but I wanted a solution At the hospital the doctors explained everything clearly and gave me confidence After the surgery I feel much better and my recovery has been smooth I am truly grateful to Dr Prashanth Rao and the entire team for giving me a second chance at life