Dr Sambuddha Dhar and team perform brain tumour operation; "First in the history of SMCH," Principal Dr Babul Bezbaruah

A patient with no propensity to pay for a treatment at top private medical institutions reported to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH). The doctors diagnosed the patient has a tumour in the brain that needs to be removed. The newly constituted Neurosurgical team at SMCH started the treatment and the doctors including neurosurgeon Dr. Sambudhha Dhar decided to go for the operation.

“This is the first brain tumour surgery in the history of Silchar Medical College and Hospital,” informed Dr. Babul Bezbaruah, Principal and Chief Superintendent of Silchar Medical College and Hospital. Bezbaruah added that is he happy as a patient with financial constraints could avail of such a critical surgery at SMCH. “I hope the patient will have a speedy and complete recovery,” he added.

“It was a malignant tumour and so, it is definitely a very critical surgery,” said Dr. Bezbaruah. He thanked the government of Assam and chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma for approving the proposal to appoint a neurosurgeon in Silchar Medical College and Hospital. “So far, after the appointment of Dr Dhar and the constitution of the Neurosurgery Unit, we have operated 26 individuals. It is a great feat that the 26 patients could undergo life-saving treatment at SMCH.”

Dr. Sambudhha Dhar did his MBBS and MS from Jawaharlal Institute Of Postgraduate Medical Education And Research (JIPMER) and MCH from Institute of Medical Sciences – Benaras Hindu University (IMS – BHU). Neurosurgery is his primary speciality and it is this gap that the Government of Assam has roped him to fill. The state cabinet in the meeting held on September 1, 2021, approved the proposal to appoint Dr. Dhar as a consultant. Since then, he has performed 26 surgeries in Silchar Medical College and Hospital.

“I have spoken with the surgeon concern and the medical team. It is a joyous moment for all of us that SMCH has performed the first brain tumour surgery in its history. However, the patient is still in ICU and given the seriousness of the surgery, it is too early to celebrate,” asserted Silchar MP, Dr Rajdeep Roy, while talking to Barak Bulletin.

Dr. Sambuddha Dhar refused to comment as he is not the official spokesperson of Silchar Medical College and Hospital. However, he did express his feeling on a social media post. “Lucky to have taken the next step forward at SMCH. Successfully completed the first Brain tumour surgery at SMCH today,” he wrote in his post.

The process the doctors followed in Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) is called craniotomy. It is the surgical removal of part of the bone from the skull to expose the brain. Specialized tools are used to remove the section of bone called the bone flap. The bone flap is temporarily removed, then replaced after the brain surgery has been done. According to the information available online, a brain tumour surgery could cost somewhere between Rs 2.5 lakh and 7.5 lakh. However, the patient did not have to pay any OT or surgeon fee as the surgery was done in a government facility. Similarly, the other 25 spine and brain surgeries done so far at SMCH could cost Rs 2 lakh each, which means, people of this valley could save around 52 lakh just after the appointment of one neurosurgeon.

Patient details are withheld considering the sensitivity of the case. Request readers to not disclose the name under any circumstances.