Rare robotic neck surgery lets this Nepalese national breathe easy after 18 years
The Nepalese national, who had to labour for every breath since birth, consulted an ENT expert in Delhi who diagnosed that she was suffering from 'lingual thyroid', a rare disorder.
Since birth, Anu Yadav had to labour for every breath over 18 years. Respiratory specialists could not locate the problem and referred her to a psychiatrist, but that did not work either. Finally, the Nepalese national decided to consult an ENT expert in Delhi who diagnosed that she was suffering from 'lingual thyroid', a rare disorder.
The thyroid gland develops in the area at the base of the tongue. During normal development, it migrates into the neck along the thyroglossal duct tract. When the migration does not occur, the gland remains at the base of the tongue and is known as a lingual thyroid.
Dr Kalpana Nagpal, senior consultant in ENT and head-neck surgery at Apollo Hospital, told Mail Today, "We conducted endoscopy of the nose and throat and we did the first ever 'transoral robotic surgery' in India and the third in the world to treat lingual thyroid."
A journal of the Indian Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery noted that lingual thyroid is reported in 1 in 100,000 people in India and is more common in women, with a female: male ratio ranging between 3:1 and 7:1.
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"I had been consulting pulmonologists over the years but there was no relief," said Anu, who's a class X student. "Doctors used to say that I was suffering from asthma. And since the past two years, I had been facing terrible problems. So, I decided to consult an ENT specialist as a last resort and it worked. Post surgery, I am not facing any breathing issues and there is no surgery mark on my face."
The thyroid gland secretes hormones that primarily influence the metabolic rate and protein synthesis, but also have many other effects including those on development.
Citing the advantages of the surgery, Dr Nagpal said, "With this 3D procedure, all the structures are magnified. The surgeon also has greater precision, dexterity and ergonomics. Patient has no cuts or scars in the neck, no blood loss during surgery and has a very short stay in the hospital with no complications."
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