Surgeons in Lviv successfully operated on a 12-year-old boy from Ternopil region who had a diaphragm tumor.

Surgeons at the Lviv Children's Medical Center (Okhmatdyt Hospital) successfully operated on a 12-year-old resident of the Ternopil region who had a diaphragmatic tumor – a lymphangioma. The tumor was located in an area where crucial organs and vessels pass, so its removal required extraordinary precision with every surgical movement, given that the diaphragm is essential for the child's breathing.

The boy's mother shared that her son underwent a medical examination before the start of the school year. It was during this check-up that doctors discovered health issues with the student. Diagnosing the condition accurately was challenging, as specialists from various medical institutions, including private ones, had differing opinions. Most concluded that it was a liver cyst, the medical facility reported.

Initially, doctors suggested monitoring the boy's condition and conducting regular ultrasounds. However, the tumor continued to grow. Eventually, the boy was taken for a consultation with specialists at Lviv's Okhmatdyt.

After a thorough examination at the hospital, specialists determined that it was a benign tumor in the diaphragmatic area - a lymphangioma. This formation arises from the structures of the lymphatic system and can affect various parts of the body.

The lymphangioma (a tumor of lymphatic vessels) was located in an area where vital organs and vessels are situated, posing a significant challenge for surgeons due to the complexity of surgical access, which required precision in every millimeter of surgical movement, as the diaphragm is also responsible for the child's breathing.

“We performed a diagnostic laparoscopy, during which we established a clear diagnosis. Based on the results of the ultrasound and CT scan, experienced specialists could not confidently indicate the objective situation. It is such an area where it is very difficult to orient oneself,” says pediatric surgeon Mykola Mykyta.

The surgical team that operated on the boy included the head of the emergency and minimally invasive surgery clinic, pediatric surgeon Ihor Hulavskyi, pediatric surgeon Mykola Mykyta, and anesthesiologist Vira Pryimakova. The operation was successful, and the patient has already been discharged from the hospital.