Doctors perform surgery to remove tumour in woman with rare pancake kidney

HYDERABAD: A 45-year-old woman with a rare pancake kidney, affected by a cancerous tumour, was successfully treated with first-of-its-kind surgery by the doctors at Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology. The woman, a resident of Kompally, was diagnosed with a rare congenital condition where her kidneys were fused and pancake-shaped, instead of the usual bean-like structure and were positioned abnormally lower than their usual since birth. Doctors at AINU used 3D imaging technology by integrating a CT scan with specialised software to create a 3D model, which provided details of the anatomy of fused kidneys, their blood supply and the tumour’s location. The team led by Dr C Mallikarjuna performed a minimally invasive keyhole surgery using advanced technology to remove the cancerous tumour, without the removal of the kidney.