Media Release
Mangaluru, Apr 2: In a significant medical milestone, the departments of respiratory medicine and otorhinolaryngology at Yenepoya Medical College Hospital (YMCH) successfully performed the hospital's first cryobiopsy via rigid bronchoscopy on a 24-year-old female patient.
The patient presented with an endobronchial lesion involving the left main bronchus. Although she had previously undergone a flexible bronchoscopic biopsy, the results remained inconclusive despite adequate tissue sampling. Given the persistent clinical and radiological suspicion of a neuroendocrine tumour, the medical team planned a cryobiopsy to obtain a larger and more representative specimen for an accurate diagnosis.
The complex procedure was jointly performed by Dr Vyshak U S and Dr Arjun Venugopal from the department of respiratory medicine, and Dr Deekshith R M from the department of ENT. The team operated under the guidance of Dr Rajesh V, professor and head of respiratory medicine, and Dr Sai Manohar, professor and head of the department of ENT. Anaesthesia support was provided by Dr Pareek Mitalee Hitkishor.
The procedure was uneventful, and adequate hemostasis was achieved with argon plasma coagulation and adrenaline kept on standby to manage any potential bleeding. Subsequent histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a neuroendocrine tumour. Following the diagnosis, the patient was referred to the surgical oncology team at the Zulekha Institute of Oncology (ZYIO) for definitive management.
The medical team acknowledged the constant support and encouragement provided by Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, chancellor; Yenepoya Mohammad Farhaad, pro-chancellor; Dr M Vijaya Kumar, pro-chancellor; Dr K S Gangadhara Somayaji, vice-chancellor; Dr M S Moosabba, principal; Dr Habib Rahaman A A, medical superintendent; Dr Sai Manohar S, professor and head of ENT; and Dr Malathi and Dr Madan from the department of oncopathology.
This successful case underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in modern medicine and highlights the critical role of cryobiopsy in improving diagnostic accuracy for complex endobronchial lesions.