Dateline Doiwala: Doctors at Himalayan Hospital Jolly Grant have achieved historic success by removing a 6-centimeter craniopharyngioma (brain tumor) from the brain of a one-and-a-half-year-old child. The doctors have called it the largest tumor of its kind to be operated on in a child so young in India. A team led by neurosurgeon Dr. Brijesh Tiwari performed the surgery and saved the child’s life. The child has fully recovered.

Dr. Brijesh Tiwari of the Himalayan Hospital Neurosurgery Department explained that the family of one-and-a-half-year-old Ahmed, from Bahadrabad in Haridwar district, brought the child to the neurosurgery department three months ago with a growing head size, inability to walk, and difficulty seeing. After some preliminary tests and an MRI, doctors discovered a massive, 6 cm high-risk craniopharyngioma (brain tumor) near the pituitary gland. Despite being benign, the tumor’s size and critical location made it a major challenge for the medical team. Dr. Tiwari noted that brain surgery on a young child is extremely delicate, as the structures are very small. The tumor’s massive size and critical location made the surgery highly risky. The team had to be exceptionally precise to remove the entire tumor without damaging surrounding brain structures. The neurosurgery and anesthesia team formed for the surgery discussed all possible scenarios.

Subsequently, a team led by neurosurgeon Dr. Brijesh Tiwari, along with Dr. Sanjeev Pandey, Dr. Ankit Bhatia, and anesthetist Dr. Veena Asthana, successfully performed the complex surgery. Dr. Ranjit Kumar, Head of the Neurosurgery Department, hailed the brain tumor surgery as a major achievement for the hospital, made possible by excellent teamwork. Following the successful surgery, the child was placed under the expert post-operative care of Dr. Ashish Simelty of the Pediatrics Department to ensure smooth recovery. The child is now completely healthy and can walk, talk, and play.

Dr. Hem Chandra, Director of Hospital Services, and Dr. Rajesh Maheshwari, Medical Superintendent, congratulated the entire team on this significant achievement by the neurosurgery department.

Surgery Performed Free of Cost Under Ayushman Bharat
Dr. Brijesh Tiwari stated that the child’s surgery was performed completely free of charge under the central government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme. This prevented any financial burden on the family. He added that all types of brain tumor surgeries are being performed at the hospital under this scheme. Patients from Uttarakhand no longer need to travel to Delhi or Chandigarh, as they can now receive world-class brain tumor treatment at Himalayan Hospital.

Himalayan Hospital Becomes a State-of-the-Art Center for Brain Tumor Surgery
Dr. Vijay Dhasmana, President of Swami Rama Himalayan University, congratulated the entire team on this historic achievement. He said that Himalayan Hospital has developed into a state-of-the-art center for brain tumor surgery. He mentioned that the neurosurgery team, equipped with cutting-edge microscopes, endoscopes, drills, CUSA systems, high-tech operation theaters, and advanced anesthesia machines, is providing world-class treatment to patients.