Mumbai: In a rare case, a team led by Dr. Chandraveer Singh, Senior Head and Neck Onco and Skull Base Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road & assisted by Dr Sheetal Radia, ENT & Head and Neck Onco Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road successfully treated a 67-year-old man with diabetes who was known to have Mucormycosis and Aspergillosis.

Patient Mr Kothari (Name change), a resident of Mira Road was leading a normal life until he complained of intolerable headache, left ear pain, bleeding from the nose, blackish nasal discharge, and loss of vision in the left eye. He consulted various other hospitals but nothing seemed to help as no one could diagnose his actual ailment and no proper line of treatment was followed. His family members panicked and rushed him to Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, wherein he got prompt medical attention.

Dr. ChandraVeer Singh, Consultant Otorhinolaryngologist and Head & Neck Onco Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road said, “On arrival patient complained of headache, left ear pain, bleeding from the nose, blackish nasal discharge, and loss of vision in the left eye.  Patient clinically diagnosed as black fungus and nasal tissue biopsy was taken to revealed Mucormycosis (black fungus) and Aspergillosis (occurs due to aspergillus, a common mold, a type of fungus that lives indoors and even outdoors) which are unlikely to be found in a person at the same time. He indeed was proven right; biopsy reports confirmed these two diseases together. This type of case was for the first time seen by us. The infection had invaded the nose, the base of the skull, and the left eye and was so terrible that it could have led to blindness, loss of body tissue, damage to the adjoining vital organs, and even a threat to his life. Hence, he was immediately admitted and scheduled to undergo Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery with Endoscopic Medial Maxillectomy.

Dr. ChandraVeer Singh added, “The surgery involved removing the engulfing tissue where the cribriform plate of the base of the skull was removed and medial orbit wall was also removed to save the eye. The surgery was successfully performed without any complications and the whole Mucormycosis and Aspergillosis were removed with debris tissue. The patient was discharged from the hospital after 12 days. He has been advised medication at home and follow-ups every week, with diagnostic nasal endoscopy in the next three weeks.”

As a prevention from this life-threatening infection, he was advised to keep the blood sugar levels under control, wear a clean and dry mask, maintain good personal hygiene, and clean nose with alkaline nasal douching,” highlighted Dr. Chandraveer Singh.

I am thankful to Dr. ChandraVeer Singh, Dr. Sheetal Radia and their entire team for giving me a fresh lease of life. My suffering has ended because of the prompt treatment given at the hospital. I urge everyone to take utmost care of themselves and report any abnormal signs and symptoms to the doctor without any delay,” concluded Patient.