- By Akansha Pandey
- Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a groundbreaking achievement in the field of neurosurgery, doctors at PGIMER Chandigarh have successfully removed the world’s largest meningioma tumor from a two-year-old child using only endoscopic techniques. This feat marks a global first in medical history.
The two-year-old boy, a resident of Sonipat, Haryana, was brought to PGIMER with complaints of his left eye protruding, loss of eye movement, a visible lump in the nose, snoring and excessive tearing from the eye.
Diagnosis Of A Rare Condition
Medical examinations, including CT and MRI scans, revealed a massive 7-cm skull base brain tumor extending through the nose, sinuses, eye orbit, and into the brain. A biopsy confirmed the tumor as a meningioma, a condition considered extremely rare in children.
According to physicians, only one similar case had been reported previously, in Spain in 2020. However, that case involved a 12-year-old girl and required invasive open surgery. At PGIMER, a joint team of specialists led by Prof. Dhandapani from the Department of Neurosurgery and Prof. Anurag from the ENT Department performed this highly complex procedure through the nose via endoscopy, avoiding the need for open surgery.
A High-Risk But Successful Surgery
Doctors noted that skull base meningioma surgery is considered exceptionally challenging even in adults. In a two-year-old child, the risks included excessive blood loss, hypothermia, fluid imbalance, and potential fatality. To mitigate these risks, a specialised team comprising the departments of Neurosurgery, ENT, Neuro-anesthesia and Nursing was formed.
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Success Through Advanced Technology
The tumor had spread downward through the nasal passage and laterally into the maxillary sinus and eye orbit. To extract it, the team utilised expanded endonasal endoscopy, navigation systems, 45-degree angled endoscopes, coblators and specialised curved instruments.
Despite the tumor being highly vascular (having a rich blood supply) and spread into the bones, the doctors successfully removed it entirely via endoscopy, bypassing the need for open neurosurgery.
Nine-Hour Procedure With Complete Recovery
Following a surgery that lasted approximately nine hours, the large defect created in the skull base was securely repaired using multiple layers of tissue. The child's condition has been improving steadily post-operation. A post-operative MRI has confirmed the complete removal of the tumor.