A view of the Srirangam Government Hospital in Tiruchi. / Photo: M. Srinath / The Hindu

Doctor cites provisions under Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme

Notwithstanding the lack of an in-house facility for cancer surgery, the taluk-level government hospital at Srirangam has hired the services of a specialist to successfully remove a malignant ovarian tumour weighing two kilos in a woman diagnosed with borderline cancer.

Surgical treatment of cancer being unavailable even in the government medical college hospital here, the taluk-level hospital was able to perform the surgery by hiring the services of private oncologist, thanks to the provisions under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, T.Selvaraj, told The Hindu.

Chitra, a 55 year old housewife, was admitted to Srirangam Government Hospital last month with complaint of pain in the abdomen and abdominal mass (swelling) for six months, said Samsadh Begum, head, obstetrics and gynaecology department, Srirangam government hospital.

Diagnostic tests confirmed early stage ovarian cancer.

Surgical oncologist Ravi Iyengar, who operated on the patient with the assistance of general surgeon Srikanth, said the patient had a malignant ovarian tumour of a borderline nature. After the tumour weighing two kilos was taken out, biopsies of the lymph nodes, ovaries, appendix and uterus were also carried out for signs of cancer. “This was important to decide course of further treatment. The woman was diagnosed to be in the initial stage of cancer. If there was advanced malignancy, she may have had to undergo chemotherapy.”

The patient is recovering and the chances of cancer spreading have been ruled out, according to the doctors.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Olympia Shilpa Gerald / Tiruchi, November 09th, 2012