Bangalore woman with rare tumour can speak again after surgery

Sowbhagya, 65, felt nothing wrong when her voice suddenly turned hoarse last year. But when she could not breathe or speak properly, she decided to consult a doctor.

She was diagnosed of granular cell tumour in larynx, a health condition that required surgery. After a successful surgery this month, she can utter a few words. In a few weeks, she may be able to talk normally.

But a few months before the operation, she had a tough time as she could barely talk. All her communication with family was through gestures and signs. Her daughter Veena recalled how it started.

“In October 2010, my mom began complaining of difficulty while spitting. Also, we noticed a roughness in her voice,” she said. The local doctor at Yelahanka found a block near her vocal cord due to the overgrowth of a tissue.

“We took her to a private hospital, where a CT scan was done. Later, she was referred to Kidwai Hospital where, after a few other tests, we were told that she needs to undergo a surgery,” she said.

Since Kidwai Hospital was too far from Yelahanka, the family decided to get Sowbhagya treated in a private hospital located nearby.

“The ENT surgeon at this private hospital did some tests  and suggested surgery. He also suggested laser treatment. However, we thought of taking a second opinion before going for the surgery and approached Dr S Santosh from HCG,” said Veena.

Two weeks ago, Sowbhagya underwent a surgery. Now she can utter a few words. Her stent will be removed on Wednesday, enabling her to get back to her normal life in the next couple of weeks.

“Usually, these tumours produce change in voice. In her case, it blocked the wind pipe which resulted in breathing problems. It was life threatening. We removed the tumour and she would be back to normal in two to three weeks,” said Santosh, ENT, head and neck surgeon, HCG.

Speaking about the rare  nature of the tumour, he added: “Granular Cell tumour, also called as Abrikossoff’s tumour, is a benign and uncommon neurogenic tumour. It accounts for three per cent of all laryngeal tumors. These tumours can arise anywhere in the body. However, these are more commonly seen in tongue.  In the case of Sowbhagya, the tumour was found in larynx, which is very uncommon. Moreover, the tumour had spread down to the sub glottis (below the vocal cord), which is also very rare.”