At 85, she faced two tumours and a life-threatening blockage: How one high-risk surgery changed everything

At 85, when most people hope for quiet, comfortable days, Mrs Lakshmi (name changed) found herself in the emergency room, battling severe abdominal pain and an inability to pass stools for days. However, as discomfort turned into distress, she and the whole family found themselves nervous and not sure of what was going to come next.

The first she was found to have a blockage in the sigmoid colon from a tumor, which was very critical and could even lead to her dying, hence the first step had to be addressing her pain. Additionally, there was limited time to provide an accurate answer with respect to someone in her age range, who had multiple existing health problems such as hypertension and diabetes, and had previously had a stroke, which put her on blood thinners. This meant every decision had to be made with utmost caution.

To provide immediate relief, doctors performed a minimally invasive procedure and placed a colonic stent. Immediately, her discomfort was alleviated, providing a bit of relief for both her and her family. But that was just the start of a much more difficult road ahead.

More tests uncovered some surprising results. In addition to colon cancer, she had been diagnosed with another tumour located in her oesophagus (leiomyoma). Her diagnosis became even more complex for her family members, as two different tumours were detected in an elderly patient suffering from several diseases.

The medical team, led by Dr K Hemanth Kumar, Consultant – Surgical Gastroenterology, GI Oncology & HPB, Robotic Surgery at Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, took the time to carefully explain the situation, the risks, and the possible way forward. Further, while the stent had provided temporary symptom relief from the obstruction, it was not designed to be a long-term solution. Without definitive treatment, the obstruction could return, and the cancers could progress. Surgery, though high-risk, offered the only real chance at recovery. Faced with a difficult decision, Mrs Lakshmi and her family chose to move forward with hope and trust.

“Using the advanced Da Vinci Xi robotic system, we performed a highly complex procedure, addressing both the colon cancer and the oesophageal tumour in a single surgery. For a patient of her age and medical background, this approach offered the advantage of precision, smaller incisions, and a potentially smoother recovery,” said Dr Hemanth.

Mrs Lakshmi was able to recover steadily from her surgery without requiring an ICU stay. With a supportive team of multidisciplinary staff, she was able to build her strength day by day. Just one week post-op, she was healthy enough to go home, a highly emotional and thrilling time for both she and her family.

Today, three months later, she continues to do well and is undergoing further treatment as part of her recovery journey.