Dr Shilpa Gandhi, a leading thoracic surgeon based in Nagpur, recently performed a successful surgery on a 19-year-old girl from Hyderabad suffering from a rare Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS). It is a complex disorder characterized by a constellation of symptoms due to neurovascular compression at the thoracic outlet in the neck. The girl was suffering from crippling tremors of right-hand index finger initially and then to remaining right-hand fingers, for past 2 years. This was also associated with wasting of palm and wrist muscles along with extreme progressive pain in hand and forearm. This had affected her daily chores, her education and social embarrassment as well. After a series of investigations, MRI and failed medical treatments; she was referred for a surgical opinion.

 

Dr V Rajasekhara Rao, Director of cardiac surgery at a leading hospital in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad; discussed the case with Dr Gandhi, who decided to perform VATS surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Dr Gandhi travelled all the way to Hyderabad to perform this rather unique surgery. The patient underwent VATS-assisted TOS surgical decompression following which her tremors and shaking of hands reduced and pain subsided. Her follow-up results have been satisfactory, and she is pursuing physiotherapy for recovery. Dr Shilpa Gandhi is MBBS, DNB General Surgery and DNB Thoracic Surgery by qualification, along with advanced fellowships from England, China and Europe.