On the edge of the possible: a unique operation took place at the National Medical Radiology Research Centre

Surgeons from the NMRRC of the Ministry of Health of Russian Federation performed an operation under artificial circulation conditions on a patient with a large tumor thrombus that had spread to the right atrium. The team of the Center meticulously prepared for this operation: every doctor of the operating team knew everything about the patient in the thoracic department of the A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre – branch of the FSBI NMRRC of the Ministry of Health of Russian Federation.

– The patient came with a recurrence of leiomyoma of the uterus, – says Ilya Kolobaev, head of the department of radiation and surgical treatment of diseases of the thoracic region of the A. Tsyb MRRC, – complexity is in a large tumor thrombus, which originates at the level of the pelvic veins and extends to the right atrium.

National Medical Radiology Research Centre has literally become a place of last hope for Galina.

“I was rejected everywhere. I’m so tired of hearing: “We can’t take on you, we don’t know what it is!” I love this life so much, I have so many plans! Can you imagine what it is like to hear from doctors that no one can help me?, she says, this operation is my only hope for life! I understand that the thrombus that has sprouted into my heart is a time bomb. Any day, any moment can be the last. I live here and now, because I am afraid that there will be no tomorrow … “

The multidisciplinary team have operated for more than 8 hours. The team of the best surgeons and specialists was headed by Andrey Ryabov, Deputy Director General for Surgery at the National Medical Radiology Research Centre.

In his words: “Such surgical interventions are always the work of a large team of specialists. In addition to surgeons, anesthesiology, perfusionists, and two operating nurses also took part in the operation. The operation was provided by many laboratories and a blood transfusion service. And although we spent 8 hours in the operating room, the time ran out quickly. It is a great joy to work with colleagues, professionals in their field, whom you understand without any words.

During the operation, a heart-lung machine was used, which allows you to temporarily mix the gas exchange function of the lungs and the pumping function of the heart. This is a new level that allows doctors to take on particularly difficult cases.

The culmination is when surgeons remove a blood thrombus that is 40 centimeters long, four centimeters of which have sprouted into the heart. Its width was 5 centimeters. Then patient needed a few days in intensive care, constant monitoring and recovery.

After being transferred to the ward, we managed to see Galina – she does not look like a person who has undergone the most difficult intervention. A woman makes plans for life, her eyes glow with love for everything that surrounds her.

– Such operations are the pearls of our surgical activity, – comments Andrei Kaprin, Director General of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. – In many ways, there are such “giants” as national medical research centers. It is the place where people will take on the most difficult case, maybe even the only one in the country.”

Press Service of National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation