Repeatedly refused surgery due to the risk of "death on the operating table
The tumor in Ms. Canh's neck area appeared silently about 18 years ago. In the early years, the tumor was still small and did not cause much discomfort, so she monitored it at home.
However, over time, the tumor grew non-stop, until it exceeded 10 cm, it not only deformed the entire anterior neck area but also compressed large blood vessels, pushing the trachea. The large tumor made it increasingly difficult for her to breathe, swallow food and daily activities.
For more than 10 years, she and her relatives have knocked on the doors of many upper-level hospitals in Hanoi with the hope of having surgery to improve their quality of life. However, all closed with headshakes of concern for the same reason: the patient's age was too old, the tumor was large and located close to important anatomical structures in the neck area, making the risk of death on the operating table extremely high. After many refusals, she gradually thought she would have to carry that tumor with her for the rest of her life.
The turning point came when she came to Vinmec Ha Long Hospital to visit her grandchild being treated there. Accidentally seeing an abnormal tumor in her neck, Distinguished Doctor Pham Viet Hung, Director of the Digestive Center, proactively came to inquire.
Through initial examination, realizing that this was a particularly complex case, Dr. Hung and his team quickly organized a multi-specialized consultation to comprehensively assess the health status and the possibility of intervention. The challenge is not only to remove the giant tumor that has existed for nearly two decades, but also to strictly control all risks throughout the anesthesia, surgery and postoperative resuscitation for a patient nearly 90 years old.
After carefully analyzing the benefits and risks, the team agreed to perform the surgery with the highest goal: ensuring safety and bringing a chance of definitive treatment for the patient.
60 minutes of stress to remove large blood vessel tumors for elderly patients
According to MSc.BS Pham Hoa Hung, Head of the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Relief, the biggest challenge starts right from the anesthesia stage.
The tumor grew large, compressing and dislocating the trachea, and at the same time protruding deep into the mediastinum, making endotracheal intubation particularly complicated. At the age of 88, the responsiveness of organs to anesthesia also decreased significantly, increasing the risk of complications.
After successfully controlling the airway, the surgery was officially performed under the supervision of TTƯT. BSCKII Pham Viet Hung. In more than 60 minutes, the team had to remove the tumor located close to the carotid arteries - veins and the laryngeal nerve system. These are all important structures, just a small injury can cause serious complications for the patient.
Thanks to the close coordination between specialties and precise surgical techniques, the entire tumor was successfully removed, almost without bleeding and still preserving important blood vessels and nerves.
Only one day after surgery, Ms. Nguyen Thi Canh was able to eat, exercise gently and almost no longer felt much pain.
Dr. Hung emphasized that old age does not mean completely losing the opportunity to have surgery. For cases of complex medical conditions, it is important to fully assess the risk, carefully prepare anesthesia and resuscitation plans, and have close coordination between many specialties to choose the most appropriate solution for each patient.
On the day of leaving the hospital, Ms. Canh could not hide her emotion: "For more than 10 years of searching for treatment opportunities but all failed, until I met Dr. Hung at Vinmec Ha Long Hospital. For me, it was a predestined relationship, a great luck - like catching gold.
The case of the 88-year-old woman who was rescued from her airway is not only a personal journey to escape the burden carried for nearly two decades. It is also proof that many complex surgical cases, where people previously had to travel hundreds of kilometers to the central level for treatment, can now be resolved right in the locality. Moreover, this is also a beautiful story about the compassionate hearts of genuine doctors, who always want to bring a healthier and better life to patients.
