Youngest patient in India to undergo procedure for thyroid cancer

Bengaluru: Fortis Hospital Bannerghatta Road achieved yet another significant milestone with the successful treatment of India’s first reported case of a 7-year-old Thyroid Cancer patient using the innovative (RABIT) Robotic-assisted Breast-axillo Insufflation Thyroidectomy.

This pioneering approach, which has crossed 100 successful surgeries, uses robotic technology for thyroid removal through minor incisions. Invented by Dr Sandeep Nayak, Senior Director of Surgical Oncology, Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, in the year 2018, RABIT is a highly advanced technique for removing thyroid.

The patient, 7-year-old Aradhya (Name Changed) was admitted to Fortis Hospital- Bannerghatta Road after experiencing a year-long thyroid swelling. Following a thorough examination, she was diagnosed with Papillary Carcinoma, a form of Thyroid Cancer. Subsequently, she underwent a Total Thyroidectomy and Neck Lymph Node Removal after consultation with a paediatrician to ensure her fitness for surgery.

Elaborating on the procedure, Senior Director of Surgical Oncology, Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, Dr Sandeep Nayak said, “This case is truly exceptional, as it involves the youngest girl to undergo a Robot-Assisted Total Thyroidectomy (RABIT) and Bilateral Neck Dissection. The patient had a significantly enlarged thyroid gland and neck dissection (removal of lymph nodes which play a crucial role in filtering cancer cells). As we see it, RABIT procedure is precise and has less complications in comparison to traditional surgery due to the magnification and all other added technologies that come with the robot.”

This intricate surgery was carried out by a skilled surgical oncology team using cutting-edge medical technology. Post-surgery, the patient was closely monitored in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where she received mechanical ventilation for a day. Her recovery was steady, and she was discharged in stable condition after 10 days.

The Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, Business Head, Akshay Oleti said, “RABIT offers hope to patients seeking scarless thyroidectomy, setting a new standard for innovation in healthcare.”