Nine-year-old cured of rare disease

Bhubaneswar: Doctors at the SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM), have successfully treated a nine-year-old girl suffering from a rare condition known as Pheochromocytoma, a type of neuroendocrine tumour which grows in the adrenal glands.

Shreeya Themria, who came to the hospital complaining of breathlessness and sweating, was found to have hypertensive crisis with heart disease. She had been experiencing intermittent headaches for the past one year. Doctors who had treated her earlier had found that she was suffering from Stage 2 hypertension and prescribed various medications to treat the condition.

At SUMUM, Dr. Pradeep Kumar Dey, Head of the Department of Pediatrics, examined the patient and advised detailed investigations.

“We evaluated her condition thoroughly, and the diagnosis revealed that she was having Pheochromocytoma with hypertensive heart disease. She was carrying a 70-gram tumour located in the adrenal gland. When you have this condition, the tumour releases hormones that may cause high blood pressure, headache, sweating and symptoms of a panic attack,” said Dr. Pradeep Kumar Dey.

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“It is a rare tumour occurring approximately in one in five lakh children and accounts for 0.5 per cent of children with hypertension.” Dr. Dey said, adding, Pheochromocytomas are rare but treacherous catecholamine-producing tumours which, if not diagnosed or appropriately treated, would invariably prove fatal.”

Shreeya’s blood pressure and heart failure was controlled through medication prescribed by Dr. Dey and his team of pediatricians comprised of Dr. Subhrajit Parida, Dr. Himanshu Sekhar Sahoo.

After her condition stabilized, Dr. Antaryami Pradhan, Pediatric Surgeon, conducted the difficult surgery to remove the tumour. “This operation was difficult and challenging as handling of the tumour often led to very high BP fluctuations and increased risk to life,” Dr. Pradhan said.

Shreeya’s blood pressure is normal after the surgery and she is free of symptoms now. Shreeya and her parents were satisfied with the treatment at SUMUM.

Dr. Pradhan’s surgery team comprised anaesthetist Dr. Ranjit Pati, Dr. Deepankar Padhiari, Dr. Sonam Panda, Snigdha, Reeta, Purnendu and pharmacist Prakash.