Patient with lower lip carcinoma operated at SDH Keller

Pulwama, Apr 11: Doctors at Subdistrict Hospital Keller in South Kashmir’s Shopian district have operated a patient for carcinoma of lower lip which is a first kind of procedure performed at peripheral level.
Doctors at SDH Keller informed that usually such procedures are not done at peripheral level and such cases are routinely referred to Shar- e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences( SKIMS) Srinagar.
The team of doctors who performed this operation include Dr Abid Saleem, Plastic Surgeon and Dr Hilal Ahmed, Anesthesiologist with assistance from others.
Dr Saleem said that the procedure was conducted on an 80 year old patient who reported the health facility some 2 month ago with lower lip outgrowth.
The doctor said that he suspected carcinoma and took a biopsy incision in the operation theatre.
“The test results report showed moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma,” he said, adding that the patient was suggested to report to SKIMS.
He said that the patient and his family members insisted that the procedure be conducted at SDH and were reluctant to visit SKIMS.
“ I can’t say not because the patient is a specially-abled person with hearing and visual impairment,” he said, adding that the family also comes from a humble background.
The doctor said that the patient was ultimately operated on Monday with wide local excision and reconstruction by lip advancement flap was done.
“The patient is stable,” he said.
The family members of the patient have expressed gratitude to the team of doctors for acceding to their request.
“We belong to CB Nath village of Pulwama which falls in close vicinity of Keller,” they said, adding it would have been troublesome for them to travel to Srinagar with their physically challenged patient.
“SDH Keller proved a blessing in disguise for us,” they said.