Tumor in liver blocking bile duct causing frequent jaundice removed

MANGALURU: KMC Hospital Mangaluru has successfully removed a pre-cancerous tumor from the liver to save life of Kalyani, 62 and thus giving a new lease of life and ending four years of suffering and agony.
Kalyani, hailing from Kerala, was suffering from repeated bouts of fever and jaundice from the past four years. In spite of hospitalization in various hospitals her condition was deteriorating.She was then brought to KMC Hospital in a septic cholangitis, a condition in which jaundice worsens leading to the spread of bacteria in the blood stream. The CT scan revealed a tumor which was arising from liver entering into the bile duct causing block in the flow of bile. When the bile duct is blocked, the liver cannot excrete bile and the bile backs up into the bloodstream
Initially in a bid to give temporary relief to the patient a endoscopic procedure called Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography /ERCP that can be used to release the obstruction to the flow of bile.
Dr. Satyanarayana N, Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgeon, KMC Hospital Mangaluru, who performed the surgery said: The patient had already entered a very complicated stage due to the prolonged symptoms and bacteria in blood. The operation lasted for over five hours and we managed to remove the tumor along with a minor portion of the liver. The recovery of the patient was good. It was a very rare kind of a tumor known as mucinous type biliary cystadenoma which is also a rare cause of jaundice.
He also added: The tumor had grown like tree roots down into the bile ducts causing complete obstruction to bile flow. This presentation is unique and extremely rare and difficult to diagnose. Timely surgery saved the life of a patient.
Dr Anand Venugopal, Medical Superintendent, KMC Hospitals Mangaluru, said: Liver and pancreatic tumors if detected early can be effectively treated by surgical resection.
The patient was also treated by Dr. Suresh Shenoy Gastroenterologist KMC Hospital.