Jammu AIIMS becomes first J&K hospital to perform orbital tumour surgery

Jammu, Aug 05: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jammu, has become the first hospital in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to successfully perform the first orbital tumour surgery (orbitotomy), a big leap towards patient care in this UT.“Earlier, this complex surgery was not performed in J&K and people had to go to Delhi AIIMS bearing heavy cost,” Director, Jammu AIIMS, Dr Shakti Gupta informed Rising Kashmir, while adding, “This complex surgery was performed only at Delhi AIIMS until now, but now we will be performing this in J&K”. This will give a big relief to the patients as the treatment would now be available at Jammu AIIMS, and they don’t have to go to Delhi, he said. The Department of Ophthalmology at AIIMS Jammu successfully performed its first orbital tumour surgery (orbitotomy), marking a significant milestone in the advancement of super-speciality healthcare in the UT of J&K.This complex and high-stakes surgery was led by Dr Nazia Anjum, Assistant Professor, who played a pivotal role in establishing Oculoplasty services at the Institute. She was supported by Dr Asma Jabeen (Senior Resident) and Dr Supritam Das (Junior Resident).The procedure involved meticulous surgical planning and precision to preserve the patient’s vision and vital orbital structures.“Performing this surgery was both a challenge and an opportunity,” said Dr Anjum.The patient, a middle-aged individual from a rural area of Jammu, had been suffering from progressive eye bulging (proptosis), discomfort, and visual disturbance for several months.The scans revealed a high-risk orbital tumour pressing against critical eye structures.Under the expert supervision of Dr Nitin Kumar, Associate Professor, and the clinical guidance of Dr Bhavani Raina (Head of Department, Ophthalmology), the team carried out a successful orbitotomy.The tumour was excised in toto, with no intraoperative complications.Postoperatively, the patient showed excellent recovery with restored ocular alignment, no loss of vision, and significant relief from symptoms.After this successful complex surgery, the AIIMS also officially launched its Oculoplasty and Orbital Services.