A 57-year-old woman has made an extraordinary recovery following a highly complex neurosurgical procedure at Sahyadri Super Speciality Hospital, Hadapsar. She had been suffering from intense headaches and difficulty walking due to a rare condition known as multiple meningioma at the craniovertebral junction, where non-cancerous tumours develop in multiple locations in the brain. This condition occurs in only 1% to 10% of cases.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Siraj Basade, Senior Neurosurgeon at the hospital, who successfully removed the tumours entirely using advanced intra-operative neuro-monitoring and ultrasound technology. These cutting-edge tools were instrumental in ensuring the procedure’s safety and effectiveness.
When the patient first arrived at the hospital, she exhibited symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, weakness in her arms, and stiffness in her legs, which severely impacted her mobility. An MRI revealed a large tumour pressing against critical areas of the brain, such as the cerebellopontine angle, and displacing vital structures like the vertebral artery and spinal cord. The tumour was also obstructing cerebrospinal fluid flow, which caused her debilitating headaches.
To address these issues, the medical team first performed a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt to drain excess fluid from her brain, which significantly alleviated her headaches. Once stabilized, she underwent a posterior fossa craniotomy, a complex procedure involving the opening of the skull at the back of the head to access and remove the tumours.
Dr. Basade explained, “The use of intra-operative neuro-monitoring and ultrasound allowed us to navigate around critical brain structures safely and remove the tumour completely. These technologies were vital in minimizing the risks associated with such a delicate surgery.”
Following the operation, the patient showed remarkable improvement. She regained normal walking ability and muscle strength through physiotherapy and has since fully recovered. As reported by healthcareradius.in, the case is particularly significant because such a rare condition involving tumours at the brainstem occurs in only a small fraction of brain tumour cases.
“This was an incredibly rare and complex case,” said Dr. Basade. “Without advanced technologies, the surgery would have posed considerable risks. However, these tools enabled us to carefully navigate around vital structures like the vertebral artery and cervical cord, ensuring a safe and complete removal of the tumours.”