Lucknow: Department of Endocrine Surgery at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, Lucknow, has successfully performed a rare and complex minimally invasive Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) to remove a 5.5 cm ectopic parathyroid adenoma located in the mediastinum near the heart and major blood vessels.
The 51-year-old female patient had been suffering from repeated hip fractures due to primary hyperparathyroidism, a condition causing excessive parathyroid hormone secretion and severe bone weakening. Advanced imaging identified the rare tumour deep in the chest, accounting for a small percentage of such cases and requiring highly specialized surgical management.
A multidisciplinary surgical team, led by Dr. Ashwinee Rahalkar, Dr. Sarrah Idress, and Dr. Mithun Raam under the guidance of Prof. S. K. Mishra, successfully removed the tumour using a minimally invasive “keyhole” approach, avoiding open chest surgery. The anaesthesia team, led by Dr. Durga Prasad, Dr. Anshika, and Dr. Govind under Prof. Das, managed one-lung ventilation to enable safe access during the procedure.
Post-surgery, the patient’s parathyroid hormone levels normalized, effectively curing the disorder and significantly reducing future fracture risk.
This first-of-its-kind procedure at RML Hospital marks a major milestone in advanced minimally invasive thoracic and endocrine surgery, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and expert care in treating such rare endocrine disorders.
