R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, AUG 18
When size becomes the enemy of safety, precision becomes the surgeon’s most powerful weapon. In a remarkable demonstration of what modern medicine can achieve when neurointervention and neurosurgery work as one, a multidisciplinary team at MGM Healthcare Malar, Adyar, has successfully removed a massive 890-gram brain tumour—one of the largest such tumours reported in clinical practice worldwide.
- MGM Malar team turns a formidable brain tumour into a triumph of precision, planning and multidisciplinary care
- Pre-surgery embolisation cuts tumour blood supply before complex craniotomy, enabling safer and more precise removal
- Rare 890-gram meningioma highlights Chennai centre’s advanced neurointerventional and neurosurgical capabilities
- Doctors combine minimally invasive vascular intervention with open brain surgery to tackle one of the largest tumours reported
- MGM Healthcare says case underscores expanding possibilities in treating highly complex brain tumours
- From blood-flow control to tumour removal, seamless teamwork delivers a remarkable neurosurgical feat
The extraordinary feat did not depend on surgery alone. Doctors first performed preoperative embolisation, an advanced minimally invasive neurointerventional procedure that significantly reduced the tumour’s blood supply, before undertaking the complex open-brain operation. The strategy helped the surgical team approach the highly vascular tumour with greater control, reducing the risk of excessive bleeding and facilitating safer and more precise removal.
A tumour that grew silently, then threatened everyday life
The patient had been experiencing progressive neurological symptoms, including persistent headaches, weakness and increasing difficulty in performing routine activities. Detailed brain imaging revealed an enormous meningioma, a tumour arising from the meninges—the protective layers of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Given the tumour’s extraordinary size and vascularity, conventional surgery presented formidable challenges. The medical team therefore adopted a carefully staged approach, combining the strengths of interventional neurology and neurosurgery.
First stop the blood flow, then remove the tumour
Before the craniotomy, senior Interventional Neurologists Dr. Karthikeyan S and Dr. Sai Prashanth P.R performed the embolisation procedure.
In this technique, the major blood vessels supplying the tumour are selectively blocked, substantially reducing its blood flow. This is particularly important in a large, highly vascular brain tumour, where uncontrolled bleeding can significantly complicate surgery.
Once the tumour’s blood supply had been reduced, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr. Aqib Saliya performed the craniotomy—the complex open-brain procedure in which a section of the skull is temporarily removed to provide access to the brain and enable tumour removal.
The staged strategy gave the neurosurgical team improved visualisation and greater control during the operation, helping them undertake the removal with enhanced precision.
890 grams of tumour, but a far bigger multidisciplinary achievement
The success of the procedure rested on close coordination between neurointerventional specialists, neurosurgeons, neuroanaesthesiologists and intensive-care specialists.
Dr. Karthikeyan said,
“Such large tumours in the brain are extremely rare, with only a few similar cases reported worldwide. The complete removal of such a large tumour was possible because of careful planning and seamless coordination among the multidisciplinary team. Preoperative embolisation significantly reduced the tumour’s blood supply, allowing us to approach the surgery with greater safety and precision.”
Dispelling the widespread perception that brain tumour surgery is invariably debilitating, Dr. Karthikeyan said,
“People generally perceive brain tumour surgery as a highly debilitating and exhausting procedure. However, with modern neurosurgical and neurointerventional techniques, this is no longer necessarily the case.”
MGM’s message: technology is expanding the boundaries of brain surgery
The case also reflects the growing importance of combining minimally invasive vascular procedures with advanced neurosurgical techniques in the management of complex brain tumours.
Venugopal Bhat, Chief Operating Officer & Vice President – Group Strategic Initiatives, MGM Healthcare Malar, Adyar, said,
“The successful management of such a large and highly vascular brain tumour was made possible through meticulous preoperative planning and seamless collaboration among the multidisciplinary team. This case also highlights how advances in neurosurgery and interventional neurology are expanding the possibilities for treating complex brain tumours.”
The 890-gram tumour may have been the physical measure of the challenge, but the case is ultimately a testament to something larger: the convergence of advanced technology, surgical precision and multidisciplinary expertise can turn even the most daunting neurosurgical challenge into a carefully controlled medical mission.
Dr. Kalpana Thai, Medical Superintendent, MGM Healthcare Malar Adyar welcomed the gathering at the press conference organised to announced the medical feat.
Dr. Aqib Saliya, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon; and Dr. Sai Prashanth P.R, Senior Interventional Neurologist, MGM Healthcare Malar, Adyar were also explained the precedures in detail.
